Arcelona

George Deukmejian, Attorney General, Robert H. Philibosian, Chief Assistant Attorney General, Edward P. O'Brien, Assistant Attorney General, Gloria F. DeHart and Kristofer Jorstad, Deputy Attorneys General, for Real Party in Interest.

George P. Colbert and Patricia A. Byrne as Amici Curiae on behalf of Real Party in Interest.

OPINION

RACANELLI, P.J.

This is a proceeding for writ of mandate to compel discovery of certain police records. Petitioners Robert Arcelona, Anthony D. Bishop, Robert A. Firestine, Gabriel A. Griego, Kenneth Lundgreen, Peter Plate, Paul Charles Stevens and David A. Waddle have been charged in various felony actions with acts committed on the night of May 21-22, 1979, during a civil disturbance which followed the announcement of the jury verdict in the trial of former San Francisco Supervisor Dan White for the killings of Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk. On October 23, 1979, petitioner Lundgreen filed a motion seeking discovery of information contained in the police personnel files of the arresting officers, David Fontana and Charles Warren, including any citizen complaints against those officers of use of excessive force or aggressive…