AGUIRRE FIGHTS FOR POPULAR LA JOLLA SEALS

San Diego -- City Attorney Mike Aguirre personally appeared in Superior Court this morning (10/21) to argue against the immediate dispersal of the 150+ seals at the "Children's Pool" aka Casa Beach in La Jolla. It is a very popular tourist attraction, particularly with children.
Local anti-seal attorney Paul Kennerson won a court ruling some time ago requiring the City of San Diego to return the beach to its 1941 configuration as an artificial "bathing pool." That means 2/3rds of the popular beach will be removed by dredging, a very expensive project, according to attorney Bryan Pease of the Animal Protection and Rescue League, who is closely monitoring this case.
Kennerson - who represents former La Jolla resident Valerie O'Sullivan, who now lives permanently in New Zealand - continues to rack up a huge bill for attorney fees (now over $1.2 million) to be paid by city taxpayers. He makes more money with each court appearance.
Today, Kennerson tried unsuccessfully - at least temporarily - to get a court order requiring the immediate dispersal of the 150+ seals at the popular tourist site.
City Attorney Aguirre argued that the immediate dispersal of the seals was not in the original court ruling, and that Kennerson is wrongfully trying to re-write that order.
To accomplish that will require 24/7 monitoring by the city, because the seals will continue to return to that beach. It's their nature.
Superior Court judge Yuri Hofmann is hearing the case, and took Kennerson's motion for the immediate dispersal of the popular seals under submission. He asked no substantive questions of the attorneys this morning.
Judge Hofmann is an older man who is considered "horrible" by some who have appeared before him.
"He doesn't understand the law," said one attorney, who couldn't reveal his name.
There will be a dredging-compliance hearing on Friday.
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Copyright, 2008 by San Diego News Service, (619) 757-4909