A Torrance Superior Court jury Monday handed down a guilty verdict to a Hermosa Beach activist and resident who was arrested and charged in October for climbing into a police cruiser.

According to Press Information Officer Paul Wolcott, the court convicted James Lissner, 56, of two misdemeanor counts of tampering with a police vehicle and failing to obey an officer.

Lissner could receive the maximum sentence which is a fine not to exceed $1,000, one year in county jail or both.

Hermosa Beach City Prosecutor Ken Meersand reviewed the case and filed the two charges the week following the incident. Meersand’s office offered Lissner a plea deal for a lesser charge to avoid jail time, but he refused and pleaded not guilty in court several months ago. Jury selection for the trial began March 20.

Rochelle Dunham, an attorney working out of the Los Angeles office of the law firm O’Melveny & Myers, prosecuted the case through a service called the Trial Advocacy Prosecution Program.

This pro bono project operates in conjunction with the cities of Redondo Beach and Hermosa Beach as a way for attorneys to gain trial experience and to provide the understaffed city prosecutor’s office with support to prosecute cases expeditiously.

A Torrance Superior Court judge will sentence Lissner April 28.

“I think this was a very independent and objective process,” said Wolcott. “The police officer who arrested Jim didn’t know him because he was a recent lateral transfer from Northern California, the prosecutor was a participant in TAPP and this case was decided by an independent jury. I think to try and claim this case wasn’t objective, you really don’t have a whole a lot of room to stand.”

Wolcott said an officer patrolling the area noticed Lissner standing near the car before he opened the door and climbed inside. The arresting officer didn’t know Lissner who is recognized by most police officers and city officials.

Lissner is known around town for his efforts related to the recent approval of liquor licenses and what he perceives as an oversaturation of bars within the city.

In 2000, Lissner received the California First Amendment Assembly Beacon Award in the Exemplary Pursuit of Open Government by a Citizen category on his efforts to reduce duplication costs for public records. He could not be reached for comment.