Ervin Tony Thomas

The Inglewood City Council has voted to continue its appeal of a Superior Court judge's annulment of the 1987 election of City Councilman Ervin (Tony) Thomas. The 3-0 vote Tuesday means that the new election ordered by the Superior Court and upheld by a state District Court of Appeal last week will be delayed indefinitely. If the city had not opted to appeal the decision, Thomas would have stepped down May 1 and faced candidate Garland Hardeman in a rematch of their 1987 run-off election.

Garland Hardeman, a self-styled reformer who vowed to shake up Inglewood's City Hall, trounced former Councilman Ervin (Tony) Thomas on Tuesday in a court-ordered special election for Thomas' old seat on the City Council. Hardeman captured 917 votes to Thomas' 412, sweeping into office with better than a 2-1 margin. The election ends a two-year contest fought as much in the courts as at the ballot box.

A state appeals court has upheld a Los Angeles Superior Court decision annulling the 1987 election of an Inglewood city councilman. If there are no further appeals, a new election ordered by the Superior Court could be held by October, city officials said. In a written decision issued Tuesday, a three-judge panel of the state Court of Appeal rejected appeals by lawyers for the city and Councilman Ervin (Tony) Thomas.

Culminating a two-year battle in the courtrooms and on the streets, Inglewood voters go to the polls today for a court-ordered special election that will decide whether an activist policeman or one of the mayor's allies will take a seat on the City Council. What began in 1987 as a routine race between candidates Garland Hardeman and Ervin (Tony) Thomas has grown into a lingering dispute that could help determine the balance of power in this ethnically diverse city of 104,000 residents.

Garland Hardeman, a self-styled reformer who vowed to shake up Inglewood's City Hall, trounced former Councilman Ervin (Tony) Thomas on Tuesday in a court-ordered special election for Thomas' old seat on the City Council. Hardeman captured 917 votes to Thomas' 412, sweeping into office with better than a 2-1 margin. The election ends a two-year contest fought as much in the courts as at the ballot box.

Superior Court Judge Leon Savitch invalidated the election of an Inglewood city councilman Friday because of Election Code violations involving absentee ballots and ordered that a new election be held. The ruling came after the six-day trial of a lawsuit filed by Garland Hardeman, a Los Angeles police officer who lost a bitterly contested June 16 runoff election to Ervin (Tony) Thomas by 16 votes.

Culminating a two-year battle in the courtrooms and on the streets, Inglewood voters go to the polls today for a court-ordered special election that will decide whether an activist policeman or one of the mayor's allies will take a seat on the City Council. What began in 1987 as a routine race between candidates Garland Hardeman and Ervin (Tony) Thomas has grown into a lingering dispute that could help determine the balance of power in this ethnically diverse city of 104,000 residents.

(Inc.) designates incumbent. Winners in bold type with an asterisk. Inglewood Runoff CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 3 11 of 11 precincts FINAL Vote % *Ann A. Wilk 571 50.9 Bruce U. Smith (Inc.) 550 49.1 DISTRICT 4 8 of 8 precincts FINAL Vote % *Ervin (Tony) Thomas 618 50.3 Garland L. Hardeman 609 49.7 CITY TREASURER 49 of 49 precincts FINAL Vote % *Wanda M. Brown 2,508 52.5 H. Stanley Jones (Inc.) 2,272 47.5 Voter turnout 12.

The state Supreme Court has declined to review an Inglewood City Council candidate's request that he be declared the winner of a runoff election last June. The denial of the petition by Garland Hardeman, a Los Angeles police officer, is the latest development in Hardeman's eight-month legal fight against Inglewood Councilman Ervin (Tony) Thomas.

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge has turned down Inglewood City Councilman Garland Hardeman's attempt to collect $230,000 in attorney's fees from the city and former opponent Ervin (Tony) Thomas. Hardeman and Thomas fought a bitter two-year court battle after Thomas narrowly edged out Hardeman in the 1987 City Council election.

The Inglewood City Council has voted to continue its appeal of a Superior Court judge's annulment of the 1987 election of City Councilman Ervin (Tony) Thomas. The 3-0 vote Tuesday means that the new election ordered by the Superior Court and upheld by a state District Court of Appeal last week will be delayed indefinitely. If the city had not opted to appeal the decision, Thomas would have stepped down May 1 and faced candidate Garland Hardeman in a rematch of their 1987 run-off election.

A state appeals court has upheld a Los Angeles Superior Court decision annulling the 1987 election of an Inglewood city councilman. If there are no further appeals, a new election ordered by the Superior Court could be held by October, city officials said. In a written decision issued Tuesday, a three-judge panel of the state Court of Appeal rejected appeals by lawyers for the city and Councilman Ervin (Tony) Thomas.

Superior Court Judge Leon Savitch invalidated the election of an Inglewood city councilman Friday because of Election Code violations involving absentee ballots and ordered that a new election be held. The ruling came after the six-day trial of a lawsuit filed by Garland Hardeman, a Los Angeles police officer who lost a bitterly contested June 16 runoff election to Ervin (Tony) Thomas by 16 votes.

A Ventura legal firm specializing in appellate cases will represent the City of Inglewood in its appeal of the annulment of last year's election of Councilman Ervin (Tony) Thomas. Inglewood City Council members voted 3-0 last week to hire Lascher & Lascher to represent the city and City Clerk Hermanita Harris at the recommendation of City Atty. Howard Rosten, who handled the defense during the Superior Court trial in September. Thomas remains on the council pending appeal.