Bismarck Dinius Files Suit
In the days following his acquittal last August on charges that he was the primary cause of the 2006 death of Lynn Thornton, Bismarck Dinius has tried to pick up the pieces of his life. But the loss of his job due to the time he was forced to take off to plan his defense, coupled with the overwhelming cost of that defense, has forced his hand. As Lake County News’ Elizabeth Larson reported yesterday, Dinius has hired Berkeley civil rights attorney Lawrence Masson, who filed a much-anticipated administrative claim — the first step in a civil lawsuit — against Lake County for wrongful prosecution. Specifically cited in the claim are Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Russell Perdock, who ran over the sailboat on which Dinius and Thornton were sitting but who was never prosecuted, and District Attorney Jon E. Hopkins, as well as several other county employees.
"With or without the civil case against Lake County and its individuals, I am just trying to get my life back to normal," Bismarck told us today. "The malicious prosecution of me has left my life in disarray. No matter what comes of this, it will be up to me to pick up the pieces and get my own life on track. I know none of this brings back Lynn Thornton, but hopefully it will hold those accountable who were truly guilty and made a travesty of her death. I also deserve compensation for all the harm and cost that has come to me as a result of their wrongful prosecution. The loss of my job, wages, and savings impacted my family, not just me. It has been a struggle. Civil action against the county is the right thing to do. The people responsible for this travesty need to be held accountable for their actions, and hopefully I can recover some of the cost of my defense."
At a staggering cost of about $300,000, and with no income to pay for it, Dinius’ defense ate through his savings quickly. Every penny from the Soling he sold through ‘Lectronic Latitude went to pay his legal bills, but barely made a dent. On top of all that, donations to his defense fund have all but stopped. Though he hopes to recoup his losses with the lawsuit, Dinius must still make payments on his debt — but without the benefit of a paycheck. If you’d like to show your support, consider donating to his defense fund through Paypal — his ID is [email protected].