BRIDGEPORT — A nearly 20-year-old civil-rights case brought by longtime Stratford political activist Linda Palermo was one of 40 so-called "super-sealed" cases revealed Monday by the state Judicial Branch.

Since 1988 these cases have languished in anonymity, sealed for undisclosed reasons. Court clerks were not even allowed to acknowledge their existence.

Last week Superior Court Judge Robert Beach, ruling on a lawsuit brought by Connecticut newspapers, ordered that the names of the sealed cases be made public for the first time. The contents of the cases remain closed.

Many of the cases remain covered by the cloak of secrecy, identified with names such as Jane Doe v. John Doe. Most are divorce or family-law cases.

For 20 years, Palermo has battled what she sees as injustices in the town of Stratford. Representing herself, she has filed numerous lawsuits against town officials over the years. But this case was the only one she wanted to be hidden from the public.

"I'm not happy that it's come out, but since it has I'm not afraid to talk about it now," she said.

On Easter 1986 Palermo, of Vought Place, Stratford, was arrested after police responded to a complaint at the home of her former boyfriend, Carmen Korica. Police said Palermo had her foot in the door of Korica's residence and was refusing to leave.

She was arrested for breach of peace and interfering with a police officer. Later she was arrested in Superior Court and charged with falsely

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reporting an incident after she claimed that she had been shoved to the ground by police during the original incident.

All the charges were later dismissed, and Palermo filed a police brutality and civil rights lawsuit against the town, also naming as defendants the police officers involved, former police Capt. Alfred Dunn, the judge and even the court bailiff.

Palermo said the suit was later settled for an undisclosed amount against the town.

"It was a very sensitive case, and Judge David Skolnick agreed to seal it," she said.

But Palermo said that now that it is public she wants it all out.

"I was to be the sacrificial lamb because of personal issues between me and Raymond Voccola, then councilman of the 5th District," she said.

So in an effort to get her to keep quiet, she said Voccola had her arrested on Easter. "He has been trying for years to run me out of town," she said.

"If the case has to be made public I want everything public," Palermo said.

Voccola, who is retired from politics, declined comment on Palermo's claims.

Daniel Tepfer, who covers state courts and law enforcement issues, can be reached at 330-6308.