LOS ANGELES, March 25, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In a national telephone press conference, an attorney for Walt Disney grandson, Bradford D. Lund, announced another count added to their previously filed U.S. Civil Rights Act complaint against Superior Court Judge David J. Cowan and the entire Los Angeles County Superior Court. The new Count 6 alleges that Judge Cowan and the LA Court violated an anti-discrimination law by Judge Cowan making an "indisputably false" statement and "perception" -- from the bench on the record, and specifically contradicted by a DNA test – that resulted in discrimination against Lund and his loss  of freedom regarding right to counsel and property rights without due process of law.

Grandson Lund also issued a statement on Sunday asking the Disney Company to extend pay, benefits, and family support services to all Disney workers in Disneyland and Disneyworld and throughout company beyond March 31, the date the company announced for an extension of pay.

"My grand-father always thought of those who worked for us to be like family," said grand-son Bradford D. Lund, who retains Disney company stock but is not involved at all with management. "I am hoping that the Disney company will extend payment to cast members or workers beyond March and also provide family and other support services."

Regarding Lund's Civil Rights complaint against Judge Cowan and the entire LA Superior Court, a new recently filed Count 6  of the complaint quoted the court's public comments from the bench on June 25, 2019: "Do I want to give 200 million dollars, effectively, to someone who may suffer, on some level from Down syndrome? The answer is no." (Emph. added). Mr. Lund, through his counsel, immediately informed Judge Cowan that it had been proven that Mr. Lund unquestionably did not suffer from Down syndrome based on a DNA test and requested that Judge Cowan retract the statement. Judge Cowen responded, without explanation: "Denied." (Emph. added).

Based on this false accusation and perception, the complaint alleges, among other things, that Judge Cowan decided, on his own, without a trial, to discriminate against Lund and appoint a limited "guardian ad litem" – or "GAL" in the case. Lund alleges that the limited GAL has the power to substitute her judgment for Lund's and his attorneys' and can try to settle the case over Lund's objections, thereby depriving him of his liberty and due process rights under the U.S. Constitution.

The federal complaint alleges that Judge Cowan made these allegedly false comments on which he based his decision to appoint a limited GAL in contradiction of factual findings of Arizona Superior Court Judge Robert Oberbillig three years before, on July 21, 2016, after 7 years of litigation concerning whether Lund needed a limited guardianship, instigated by disgruntled relatives, and a 10-day trial. During that trial Lund was examined by two court-appointed physicians, one court-appointed expert, and by the Judge himself in open court. Judge Oberbillig rejected the petitioners claims in full. He found, after hearing all the evidence, that Lund had "established by clear and convincing [evidence] presently, in 2016, he is not incapacitated, [and thus] an appointment of a guardian is not necessary to provide for his demonstrated needs." [Emph. added].

The federal complaint, Davis said, sums it up best in paragraph 3:

"The decision by Judge Cowan to appoint a [limited] GAL…without a hearing, contradicting the factual and legal findings of Judge Oberbillig after a 10-day bench trial in Phoenix, Arizona, and utterly ignoring constitutional requirements of due process of law [and violating federal law against discrimination] is all too reminiscent of a perspective where facts do not matter but alternative facts do, where the constitution does not matter and where the rule of law is set aside and replaced by the rule of subjective, fact-free decision-making. (Emph. added).

For further inquiries or personal interview requests contact:
Eleanor McManus – Trident DMG – 202-460-1451 – Alex Lange – 202-480-4309

SOURCE Lanny Davis