RBG lawyers led by Sandy Rosen filed a federal civil rights complaint in U.S. District Court in Sacramento on December 16, 2009 on behalf of Peter Knowles, Harbormaster at the Benicia Marina and recent graduate and former student body president of the California Maritime Academy, against the City of Benicia Police Department seeking compensatory, emotional distress, and punitive damages of at least $1 million, as well as injunctive relief. Mr. Knowles contends that the City of Benicia violated his rights under the First and Fourth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution by subjecting him to a series unwarranted and harassing arrests, searches and seizures, none of which led to a conviction. Press release here; news coverage here.
