Attorneys slated to meet Monday on Acosta case

Attorneys in the federal lawsuit between the city of Costa Mesa and a Latino activist related to his 2006 arrest were scheduled to appear in federal court Monday to set a new trial date, attorneys for the activist said.

The trial for a federal civil suit Benito Acosta filed against Costa Mesa city officials and police officers was scheduled to begin Oct. 21 but the judge had a scheduling conflict, said Belinda Escobosa-Helzer, an American Civil Liberties Union attorney representing Acosta, who also goes by the name Coyotl Tezcatlipoca.

ACLU attorneys and attorneys from the Jones & Mayer law firm, which represents the city, will meet in court Monday to schedule a new start date, Helzer said.

The court appearance, though, did not appear in federal court records Friday.

On Jan. 3, 2006, Costa Mesa police arrested Acosta after they say he caused a disturbance at a City Council meeting.

Video shows Acosta standing at the dais during the public comments portion of the meeting and accusing city leaders of targeting Latinos with legislation that would have local police work with federal authorities to enforce federal immigration laws.

After Acosta asked his supporters to stand, then-Mayor Allan Mansoor told Acosta and his supporters to stop, but Acosta spoke over him.

Police soon surrounded Acosta and ejected him from the council chambers. They arrested him outside.

He has sued, saying they violated his right to free speech.

City officials are also embroiled in getting their criminal case heard in criminal court over the same incident.

The case was originally thrown out last year on a technicality.

— Joseph Serna