S.F. deputy public defender sues over courthouse arrest

Attorney Jami Tillotson (left) watches video shown during a news conference with public defender Jeff Adachi (right) in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, January 28, 2015. Attorney Jami Tillotson (left) watches video shown during a news conference with public defender Jeff Adachi (right) in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, January 28, 2015. Photo: Liz Hafalia, The Chronicle Photo: Liz Hafalia, The Chronicle Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close S.F. deputy public defender sues over courthouse arrest 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

A San Francisco deputy public defender who was arrested at the Hall of Justice for allegedly obstructing police has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the officers who handcuffed her when she questioned why they were photographing one of her clients outside a courtroom.

Jami Tillotson said in a lawsuit filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in San Francisco that she “lives in a state of embarrassment” as a result of her courthouse arrest in January.

“Her reputation as a professional has been irreparably harmed,” says the suit filed on her behalf by attorneys DeWitt Lacy and John Burris. “As a result of her wrongful arrest and wrongful detention, she suffered anxiety, humiliation and the loss of a sense of security, dignity and pride as a United States citizen.”

Police Chief Greg Suhr has said the department will not pursue charges against her and apologized. But he stood by the actions of Sgt. Brian Stansbury and the other officers who arrested Tillotson. Stansbury “had reasonable suspicion to take the pictures” and a right to do so in a public area, the chief has said.

The suit names San Francisco, Stansbury and five other officers and seeks unspecified damages. The city hasn’t responded to the suit in court. City and police officials do not comment on pending litigation.

Tillotson was held in a cell for an hour Jan. 27 after she objected to officers’ attempts to take photos of her client and his co-defendant. The men had just made an appearance for a misdemeanor theft charge when they left the courtroom and were questioned by Stansbury and five other officers, authorities said.

Sources told The Chronicle that Stansbury had been in court for a separate case when he heard that the two men, who were considered suspects in an unsolved burglary, were in the same building and wearing similar clothing to the men who pulled the heist.

Other attorneys with the public defender’s office filmed the interaction, which showed Stansbury trying to take photos of the two men, as Tillotson told him they did not want their photos taken.

“If you continue to do this, I will arrest you for resisting arrest,” Stansbury said in the video.

“Please do,” Tillotson replied. She was soon arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor resisting or delaying arrest.

Henry K. Lee is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: hlee@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @henryklee