Trial Begins In Civil Rights Case Against San Francisco Police Officers For Police Brutality.

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Queer Arab-American public interest attorney and musician Nyla Moujaes is no stranger to the courtroom. But this coming Monday (Dec. 12) she will pursue social justice in a new role – as a plaintiff in a civil rights and police misconduct trial in U.S. District Court, Northern District of California – Oakland Division.

A lawyer who advocates for homeless and differently-abled individuals in Berkeley, Moujaes is also a prominent hip-hop fusion emcee and cultural event curator widely known as Tru Bloo. Moujaes is represented by Walter Riley, of Walter Riley Law and long-time member of the National Lawyer's Guild, and Sanford Heisler, LLP's Felicia Medina and Kevin Love Hubbard.

City of San Francisco Police Officer David B. Wasserman and Sergeant Gary Buckner are defendants in the matter.

"The conduct of Wasserman and Buckner was wanton, illegal and unconscionable," said Riley. "These officers' brutal arrest of Ms. Moujaes violated the most basic tenets of our civil society. As an oasis of cultural diversity, San Francisco should be ashamed of what happened to Ms. Moujaes in our streets."   

According to the complaint, Moujaes was seriously injured by Wasserman and Buckner in SF's Mission District in July 2013 when they targeted her and her Afro-Cuban passenger with excessive force in what should have been a routine traffic stop. Approaching Moujaes's car with guns drawn, the officers pulled the young lawyer from her car and threw her to the ground, severely dislocating her shoulder before painfully handcuffing her and leaving her lying on the street as she repeatedly begged for medical care.  

When Moujaes was finally provided assistance to sit up, she was left handcuffed and sitting on the street in severe pain until an ambulance arrived. Amidst this, additional City and County law enforcement officers watched and did nothing to halt the violation of Moujaes's rights.

Ms. Moujaes was never informed of the reason she was stopped or told why she was arrested.  Moujaes asserts both Wasserman and Buckner subsequently provided incomplete and inaccurate statements at the scene and that Wasserman filed a false report about the incident.  No charges were ever filed against Moujaes.

"This is another egregious example of the use of unnecessary and excessive force against a person of color while driving," said Felicia Medina, Managing Partner of Sanford Heisler'sSan Francisco office.  "This kind of systemic, routine and targeted violence against historically marginalized communities must be brought to the public's attention, responded to promptly, and stopped."

Sgt. Buckner is also currently a defendant in Tillotson v. City of San Francisco, a similar high-profile matter in the same court – U.S. District Court, Northern District of California – which alleges he was among police officers involved in a courthouse incident in which a public defender was arrested for trying to explain her client's legal rights to him as he was being interrogated by the officers. Summary judgment motions are currently pending before the court.

"I commend Ms. Moujaes for coming forward publicly and filing this lawsuit; it is an honor to represent her.  Now more than ever, attorneys have an increased obligation to defend against civil rights abuses.  Police are not above the law.  They are supposed to protect people, not brutalize them," said Kevin Love Hubbard of Sanford Heisler. 

"Win or lose," said Moujaes, "I am holding these San Francisco police officers and the SFPD accountable for violating my rights and the rights of countless others who don't have access to justice via the courts."  

In next week's trial, Moujaes is pursuing compensation for her injuries and damages for violations of her Constitutional rights, physical injury, emotional trauma, and loss of income.  

About Sanford Heisler, LLP

Sanford Heisler, LLP is a public interest class-action litigation law firm with offices in New York, Washington, D.C, San Francisco and San Diego.  Our attorneys have graduated from the nation's top law schools, clerked for judges throughout the United States, and amassed extensive experience litigating cases that have earned over one billion dollars for our clients.

The Firm specializes in civil rights and general public interest cases, representing plaintiffs with employment discrimination, labor and wage violations, predatory lending, whistleblower, consumer fraud, and other claims. Along with a focus on class actions, the firm also represents individuals and has achieved particular success in the representation of executives in employment disputes. For more information go to http://www.sanfordheisler.com/ or call 202 499-5200 or email dsanford@sanfordheisler.com. For the latest news visit our newsroom or follow us on Twitter at @sanfordheisler

For more information, contact Jamie Moss, newsPRos, 201-493-1027, jamie@newsPRos.com

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SOURCE Sanford Heisler, LLP