A San Diego judge reversed himself this week in a lawsuit filed by City Attorney Mike Aguirre to set aside pension benefit increases. Aguirre's contends the benefits were illegally granted. KPBS Reporter Amita Sharma has more.
Aguirre had alleged that pension officials had a conflict when they went along with a plan to increase retirement benefits in 1996 and 2002.
Aguirre says the conflict arose from the fact that eight pension officials had a financial stake in those benefits. But Judge Charles Wickersham ruled two months ago that pension benefits alone did not constitute the type of financial stake that falls under conflict-of-interest law. He reversed himself this week.
Deputy City Attorney Amy Le Pine argued the case before the judge.
Le Pine: "What we needed to do was show individual interest that was different from what everybody else received and we've been able to do that."
Some of the same pension officials are facing conflict of interest charges in criminal court. Amita Sharma, KPBS News.
