Court Rejects County’s Appeal of Damages in Brutality Case

The state Supreme Court on Wednesday denied Los Angeles County’s appeal of $15.9 million in damages to 36 people who were arrested, and in some cases beaten, by sheriff’s deputies while attending a bridal shower at a Cerritos home in 1989.

With attorneys’ fees and interest, the total comes to at least $24 million, said lawyers for the victims, most of whom are Samoan Americans. They said it was probably the largest civil rights damage award against police in California history.

“We’ve offered substantial reductions” in settlement while the appeal was pending, said plaintiffs’ lawyer Garo Mardirossian. “They laughed at us. Now there’s no more running and no more hiding. They’ve got to step up and pay for their misdeeds.”

Randel Ledesma, a lawyer for the county, said the court’s action was disappointing. He said no decision had been made on whether to seek U.S. Supreme Court review.

Sheriff’s deputies went to the house in riot gear in February 1989, saying they had gotten a call about party-goers fighting in the street with sticks and knives. Officers said they were met with rocks and bottles, but they were contradicted by a neighbor’s videotape, played for jurors at a criminal trial of several party-goers, and again at the civil damage suit.

Lawyers for the plaintiffs said the officers knew when they arrived that there was no disturbance but decided to enter anyway and break up the party.

David Dole, the most seriously injured, was struck on the head 50 times with billy clubs and flashlights after asking to see the officer in charge, Mardirossian said. Dole said he suffered brain damage and a broken hand. Another plaintiff, Orlanda Dole, said she was kicked and beaten unconscious.

Eight plaintiffs were charged with crimes, and five had charges dismissed before trial. The other three were acquitted.