Lawsuit

GLENDALE— A federal judge has narrowed the scope of a lawsuit filed by five Glendale police officers who alleged discrimination and harassment due to their ethnic backgrounds. After reviewing arguments and a motion by the city to dismiss the case, U.S. District Court Judge Christina Synder on Friday dismissed at least two dozen defendants from the lawsuit because the allegations against them weren't sufficiently severe, according to federal court records. City officials hailed the ruling as indicative of the weak case against the Police Department.

Ben Godar Court proceedings could begin next month in a lawsuit filed against Todai Restaurant Glendale by six waitresses alleging a manager sexually harassed them and that they were demoted or fired when they complained. The lawsuit alleges that between October 2000 and March 2001, former manager Luis Chang made repeated sexual advances and crude comments toward the women. It also claims he told the women to wear thinner panty hose and sit on male customers' laps.

A Glendale police officer has filed a lawsuit claiming he was the victim of repeated retaliation after he reported alleged health violations. Officer John Schmidt, who is currently employed with Police Department, alleged he and another officer were exposed to “blood-borne pathogens” while on duty, according to a Los Angeles County Superior Court lawsuit filed Jan. 22. He reported the incident on Sept. 28, 2011, to the city and the Police Department, alleging that he believed they failed to comply with California's Division of Occupational Safety and Health regulations.

GLENDALE ? A lawsuit filed against a Glendale chiropractor over an alleged $300,000 investment fraud scheme will go to trial Monday. Glendale resident and retired architect Gregor Zargarian first filed the lawsuit in 2005 against Sarkis Mesrobian ? a chiropractor with offices in Glendale and Santa Monica ? and two others for allegedly stealing $300,000 that was paid to Mesrobian under the guise of an insider stock purchase, according to court documents. The civil case will go to jury trial Monday in Glendale Superior Court after it failed a final attempt at mediation last week, said Mary Der-Parseghian, an attorney representing Zargarian.

Robert Chacon City officials have delayed the sale of bonds to pay for new sewers after a local resident sued to opt out of the project. City officials were served with Jim Short's lawsuit Monday. Short's lawsuit accuses city officials of gerrymandering sewer districts to financially benefit some City Council members, violating conflict of interest laws, misleading residents, unlawfully taking private property and ignoring protests from residents, among other claims.

Re Dec. 12 column by Charles Unger, "Unanswered call by AAA leads to a tragic ending": We would like to make it clear that the column refers to a 1999 incident in the Boston area, which resulted in a lawsuit against AAA Southern New England, not the Automobile Club of Southern California. No one can deny that the case was tragic, but the issues involved were complicated and the outcome of the lawsuit was uncertain. Mr. Unger said he will be rooting for the family in the trial.

GLENDALE— A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge on Friday dismissed a lawsuit against the city after attorneys reached an undisclosed settlement with a trip-and-fall victim, according to court records. The victim, Eddie Hovasapyan, was seeking $25,000 from the city after claiming that he tripped and fell on a bump in the sidewalk in the 300 block of East Stocker Avenue on Aug. 23, 2008. Hovasapyan's attorney, Freeman Butland, declined to comment about the lawsuit or the settlement.

Laura Sturza BURBANK -- The Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority has directed its legal counsel to not "offer a defense of Measure A" or "otherwise respond" to the city's lawsuit against the airport, officials said. Airport Authority commissioners on Dec. 3 voted 5-0, with Glendale Commissioner Carl Meseck absent and Burbank commissioners abstaining. "If the court does not grant a motion to dismiss, [then] we will not offer a defense in the case," Gill said.

Buck Wargo DOG BITES COUNCIL Talk about being picked on at the Glendale City Council. The mock doggy lawsuit filed by a Glendale resident complaining about a basset hound serving as the community's Rose float mascot has not been good for Councilman Gus Gomez. Gomez has been teased by his colleagues and members of the Glendale Rose Float Assn. because of his dog. Gomez has a 4-pound Chihuahua and several people have mentioned that he is backing the lawsuit because he wants his dog to serve as the Rose float mascot.

Gretchen Hoffman LA CRESCENTA -- The investigation of coach Patrick Gillan was malicious, negligent and intended to deliberately harass him, according to a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday. Gillan, a La Crescenta resident, coaches the San Marino High girls' varsity basketball team. He is a former coach at La Canada High. The lawsuit alleges the city of San Marino and San Marino Police violated his civil rights when he was arrested Dec. 17 on allegations that he molested one of his players.