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Inglewood Takes Own Lawyers To Court For Losing 'Reverse Discrimination' Case
By Dave Reynolds, Inclusion Daily Express
May 31, 2006

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA--The City of Inglewood is suing a law firm that it claims botched a reverse discrimination case in which the city was forced to pay over $2 million to two police officers.

The officers' claims stemmed from their role in the July 6, 2002 videotaped arrest of 16-year-old Donovan Jackson, who has developmental disabilities and is African-American.

Officer Jeremy Morse and Officer Bijan Darvish, who are both white, are seen in the amateur videotape scuffling with Jackson. At one point, Morse is seen repeatedly punching the special education student in the face, then picking him up and slamming him down on the back of the squad car.

Morse was later fired and charged with using excessive and unnecessary force. Those assault charges were dropped after two separate trials ended in hung juries.

Darvish was suspended and charged with filing a false police report. He was later acquitted on that charge. He still works for the Inglewood Police Department.

In January 2005, a jury awarded $1.6 million to Morse and $811,000 to Darvish after they sued the city claiming it discriminated against them because they are white.

Earlier this month, according to Frost Illustrated, the Inglewood City Council approved a contract with the law firm Blecher and Collins to sue the law firm Jones and Mayer, which defended the city in the civil suit filed by Morse and Darvish.

City Attorney Anita C. Willis told the paper Jones and Mayer did not meet "the standard of care in their representation of the city."

Blecher and Collins will work on a contingency basis, which means that they will not get paid unless and until the firm wins the case for the city.

Related:
"City sues own lawyers in police beating for legal malpractice" (Frost Illustrated)

http://www.frostillustrated.com/news/2006/0522/News/004.html
"Donovan Jackson's Arrest" (Inclusion Daily Express Archives)
http://www.inclusiondaily.com/news/laws/djackson.htm

Copyright © 2006 Inonit Publishing
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