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Lawyer threatens suit over arrest
Sheriff's captain ejected her from Ojai meeting
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An Ojai attorney evicted from a candidates forum last year plans to sue the Sheriff's Department for false arrest, use of excessive force and restricting her right to free speech.
Cathy Elliott Jones, 50, filed a claim in February against the county and Capt. Bruce Norris seeking $10 million in damages. A claim is the requisite first step toward suing a public entity. The county rejected the claim March 22, and Jones now says she is prepared to "take this all the way if they don't settle."
"You don't just drag people out of an informal meeting for asking a question," Jones said. "This wasn't an official public meeting, there were no rules of order in place. I don't even know why Capt. Norris was there or in what capacity."
The incident, videotaped by an audience member and posted on the Internet on YouTube, erupted at an Oct. 16 forum for Ojai City Council candidates hosted by the Ojai Chamber of Commerce and the Ojai Valley News.
Jones had submitted a question to the moderator regarding City Attorney Monte Widders and a conflict of interest. When a question was read asking the candidates to evaluate the performance of Widders, Jones stepped forward and shouted, "That's not my question! You didn't answer my question!"
Norris, dressed in plain clothes, approached Jones and asked her to stop disrupting the meeting held in Chaparral High School's auditorium. Jones told Norris to get away from her. A moment later, the video shows Norris taking Jones by the arm and pulling her toward a side door.
Jones struggled with Norris and held onto the doorjamb. Once outside, she continued screaming and held onto a handrail. Norris called two deputies to the scene who arrested Jones on suspicion of disrupting the meeting, assaulting an officer and resisting arrest. She was handcuffed, placed in the back of a patrol car and taken to Ventura County Medical Center for evaluation.
Jones claims she was bruised during the incident, and was weak from an appendectomy a week earlier.
Jones was cited and released later that night. The District Attorney's Office declined to file charges.
Norris said Monday he could not comment on the specifics of the case, because of the potential lawsuit.
"I have no ill will toward Cathy Jones ... it's unfortunate this has gotten to the point of going to civil court," Norris said.
In an Oct. 18 story published in The Star, Norris was quoted saying he asked Jones to leave first and pulled her out only when she refused.
"She interfered with the public meeting that was in progress," Norris said. "I tried to intervene to quiet her down, and it just didn't work the meeting wasn't able to continue. Obviously, in that environment, you don't want to arrest anyone, but I felt I had no other choice."
Posted by geordygirl72 on April 17, 2007 at 4:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Its a shame that the Ojai Police department doesnt respond to the sex offenders and gangs that we have in this town, the way they responded to Cathy Jones.
Posted by Resolute_Yet_Ambivalent on April 17, 2007 at 8:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I was thinking I would go to a public meeting, disrupt it, resist arrest, then sue for millions of dollars.
Posted by Equitable_Enforcer on April 17, 2007 at 9:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Resolute_Yet_Ambivalent ... Right on target!
Posted by ROLL_IT_UP on April 17, 2007 at 9:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Watch the video it's unreal, I'd be embarrassed if I were her, acting like a child!!
Posted by Ventura22 on April 17, 2007 at 10:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
She should have been thrown out!! I'd love to sit on her jury. This type of disruptive behavior should never be tolerated from anyone; regardless of their status. The deputies did their job and did it well. She should know better being a lawyer. What a poor example to set. She shouldn't be paid a cent! She should be disbarred or suspended from law practice for at for her misconduct.
Posted by brooke3inthevc on April 17, 2007 at 11:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Can I sue too? I feel harassed and abused? please? I need ten million dollars. SERIOUSLY!! Get over it.
Posted by Resolute_Yet_Ambivalent on April 18, 2007 at 8:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The "video" conveniently edits out the part just one or two minutes earlier where she says something like, "Chief Norris, you're gonna have to drag me out of here!" I was there and we should be suing her.
Posted by Resolute_Yet_Ambivalent on April 18, 2007 at 8:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
why is the same article over here with other comments?
http://www.venturacountystar.com/news...
Posted by limacorreo on April 18, 2007 at 5:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Arrest all the liberal ojai hippies... Her friend should have been arrested for interfering... Maybe if she was a real attorney with respectable clients, she wouldnt have tile a 10 mil lawsuit. If there was a problem with the arrest, the sheriff;s dept would have disciplined or fired norris.
Posted by ed.fitzhenry on April 19, 2007 at 7:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Poor, poor Cathy Jones! It's a shame the DA didn't file charges against her. She'll never win that lawsuit, and she knows it, that's why she says she'll pursue it until the County settles. This is just another frivolous lawsuit, costing taxpayers thousands of dollars in hard-earned money, about which attorneys like Jones know NOTHING! Get a real job! Stop crying like a child! You acted like an idiot, and you suffered the consequences of your own actions. $10mil?!?!? You're nuts!
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