Newsletter: What it’s like observing a trial for the first time
Plus, a volunteer cop watcher loses civil battle in case against county
Håfa adai, everyone!
For six days last month, I went to the Hall of Justice in downtown San Diego from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. covering my first civil trial, a case between cop watcher Marcus Boyd versus San Diego County and the Sheriff’s Department.
I wanted to give you all a feel for what it’s like observing a trial for the first time.
To be honest, it was overwhelming and confusing until my ears were trained to the ways lawyers speak.
I could tell I wasn’t alone as a first timer because everyone in the court room stood up when the jury entered the room and, awkwardly, no one knew when to sit down. After the second day, I caught on that the bailiff will tell everyone they can sit when the judge walks in.
Trials are meticulously curated performances by both legal parties and the court. Before the trial even begins, both parties have to find the evidence they want to present in the case, show it to each other and agree on what evidence the jury gets to see. The judge is the mediator in these decisions.
I felt even more determined to stay back whenever the jury was dismissed because this is where they’d argue whether a full testimony could be taken off the record so the jury won’t be allowed to consider it.
For example, while the plaintiff — Boyd — was on the witness stand, the defense painted him as someone who liked to intimidate cops and only founded CopWatchers for clicks and views.
When the jury was dismissed, both parties got into a debate on bringing in evidence that was previously excluded about how the plaintiff did try to make efforts to speak with the City of San Diego and the Sheriff’s Department on officer conduct. This testimony would’ve shown the jury that although the plaintiff is being painted one way by the defense, he did make efforts to meet with officials to help improve the relationship between community members and law enforcement.
At first, the judge didn’t see a problem with allowing that argument to come through, but then eventually changed his mind in favor of the county.
Once the evidence was agreed upon, the trial seemed like a written play ready to be performed, and throughout it, each word spoken by the witnesses and lawyers was painstakingly monitored.
Throughout the trial, I heard a laundry list of legal terms: objection, motion in limine, 352, relevance, argumentative, asked and answer, and vague. With my attention deficit hyperactivity disorder brain, I can’t imagine being a lawyer having to keep track of my train of thought after being interrupted so many times, and it was sometimes difficult to follow as an observer.
“Overruled. You can answer,” the judge would say or, “Sustained,” meaning that the jury can’t consider the question or answer that was objected to.
Almost all the questions are close-ended ones that control what the witness can answer. Everything that is brought up for the witness has to be confirmed by them.
“Are you seeing what is on the screen?” “Did I read this correctly to you?” “Is this you in the video?” “Were you in this court yesterday?” Witnesses asked whether they had been in court the prior day obviously had been, but the question still needed to be asked for procedural reasons.
Aside from all the extreme detail, I felt like I was watching a nightmare. It’s hard to imagine what it feels like to have a judge and jury pick apart your actions to tell you what you did right or wrong.
It’s fair to say it takes a lot of time to cover court cases. People aren’t allowed to record or use electronic devices in some courtrooms — as was the case in Boyd’s civil trial — so it was an incredible challenge to annotate every detail over the course of six days.
I recommend attending a trial at least once in your life. The court system can decide someone’s fate, and learning the ins and outs of it was truly enlightening.
— Brittany Cruz-Fejeran
Imperial Beach cop watcher loses civil rights claim against sheriff sergeant
Imperial Beach cop watcher Marcus Boyd lost a civil rights violation claim last week about whether a sheriff’s sergeant made up evidence to keep him in jail overnight as retaliation for his police accountability work.
— Brittany Cruz-Fejeran
Judge orders release of over 100 refugees arrested from Minnesota
A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to release more than 100 refugees who were sent to Texas detention centers after being arrested in Minnesota. The decision comes from a class action lawsuit brought on by the International Refugee Assistance Project. The deadline for the administration to comply with the order was February 3.
— Kate Morrissey, Capital & Main
The Lunar New Year is on Feb. 17, but in San Diego, celebrations extend for the whole month to ensure that the multiple East and Southeast Asian communities that celebrate can support each other’s events.
— Maya Srikrishnan
Whether you’re looking to celebrate the Year of the Fire Horse on Feb. 17 or all month long, here’s everything you need to know about attending one of the big festivals in the region or doing something more low-key. Upcoming events include watching a lion dance performance while eating dim sum or bringing your kids to make cultural crafts in one of the city’s public libraries.
— Maya Srikrishnan
Activist pleads guilty to misdemeanor assault after unmasking federal agent
Jeane Wong, an activist who has spent much of the past year patrolling San Diego communities for signs of immigration enforcement, pleaded guilty last week to a misdemeanor charge of assaulting a federal agent in Linda Vista last July. Wong said she will provide context at her sentencing hearing about how she felt her unmasking of an agent was in self-defense.
— Kate Morrissey
San Diego honors nationwide strike
Many San Diegans stayed home from work and school, attended a rally in Teralta Park, closed businesses or donated a portion of sales as part of a nationwide general strike last Friday to protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
— Lauren J. Mapp
Thousands of San Diegans — including a group in National City, pictured here — attended rallies, walkouts and protests to honor the nationwide strike on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. Jonathan Chang/For Daylight San Diego
Celebrating Black History Month
February is Black History Month, and over the next few weeks, San Diegans are honoring it through movie screenings, crafting events and author talks. From a Freedom Quilt crafting project at the San Diego Central Library to the honoring of artists during the Keepers of the Culture reception at the San Diego History Center, here are ways to celebrate throughout the month.
— Lauren J. Mapp
Home insurance policyholders concerned over insurer’s increased use of AI
Insurance policyholders are raising concerns over the increased use of AI when calculating risks and analyzing data. Although insurance companies touted the efficiency AI brings, industry watchdogs said that in order to save money, insurers might rely on the technology to make quick decisions on complicated claims that require human analysis.
— Story by Marcus Baram, Capital & Main
With Valentine's Day around the corner, the first February weekend already has several events to celebrate love and connection in San Diego. People interested in volunteering can help canvas about sanctuary spaces in Chula Vista and pack books to send to incarcerated people. Those looking for arts and culture events could check out a Pacific Islander, Indigenous and Asian cultural festival, an interfaith brunch, a Bad Bunny Super Bowl celebration or the first of the month's Lunar New Year celebrations.
— Kate Morrissey
Other news
The City of San Diego Parks and Recreation Department is holding its final virtual community focus group on Feb. 11 to evaluate how well its services are meeting the needs of diverse communities.
Black murder defendants are more likely to be charged with special circumstances that lead to life in prison without parole than White murder defendants, KPBS reported. The gap has increased since the current district attorney — Summer Stephan — took office in 2017.
After nearly two years of negotiations, a tentative agreement on new contract terms was reached by the South Bay Union and its teachers, according to inewsource. If ratified, teachers could receive a 6% pay bump, and fewer students would be in combination classes that lump together kindergarteners through first graders.
Upcoming Events
Feb. 6
Foodies & Goodies Emergency Food Drive: The North County LGBTQ Resource Center hosts weekly food distribution every Friday. Food is first come, first serve. There are no requirements, but there is a short census with basic demographics. 12 - 2 p.m., 1919 Apple St., Oceanside, CA 92054. Non-perishable, pantry item donations can be dropped off Mondays through Fridays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Pixies Past Dark: Valentines Slumber Party: Manic Pixie Dream Market invites pixies to a night of music, love-letter-making, 50+ vendors and free goodie bags for the first 50 people in line. Admission is free, kids and pets are welcome, and wearing pajamas is encouraged. 5 - 10 p.m., 3366 Adams Ave., San Diego, CA 92116
Feb. 7
Saturday Market: Mystic Mocha Cafe is hosting its first market of the year, featuring all day happy hour, various drinks, home goods, sustainable clothing, dog goods and other trinkets. Interested vendors should message on Instagram. 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., 2105 Mission Ave., San Diego, CA 92116
New Connections: Harbor the People is hosting a social mixer for San Diegans to meet new people, whether friends or romantic interests, and set their phones down for a night. Featuring DJs Deekhous and GOAT, the event asks attendees to turn off their phones and limit themselves to one guest in order to better open themselves for connections. 6 p.m., Mixed Grounds, 455 30th St., San Diego, CA, 92116
Feb. 8
The Big Gay Valentines Day Picnic: This afternoon picnic is for LGBTQ+ folks and allies looking to connect with others in the community and reflect on mental well-being. It is a free event, but it is recommended to bring blankets and snacks. 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., 2908 Balboa Drive, San Diego, CA 92103
Convoy Rising: The Doan Foundation, Social Artistry and Up2You Cafe are hosting the first large-scale Lunar New Year celebration ever held in the Convoy District, including lion dancers, food, gifts and cultural performances. 3 - 8 p.m., Convoy & Vickers Streets, San Diego, CA 92111
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