March 2008 Archives

A Santa Clarita Valley woman said nothing but “I’m sorry” as a federal judge in Los Angeles sentenced her today to two years probation for unleashing two dogs on an IRS employee.

See, you just can’t do this, no matter how much you hate paying your taxes.

According to City News Service, Lisa Blechman sicced a pit bull and another dog on IRS worker Ruth Seidman last year.

The IRS was auditing Blechman’s husband’s business at the time, and Seidman was trying to post a summons on Blechman’s house.

The dogs didn't actually run at Seidman, but they scared the rebate out of her.

In court papers, Blechman’s defense attorney argued that the dogs were harmless. The pit bull - this is no joke - suffered from a bad case of arthritis.

Whatever the case, Blechman pleaded guilty in January to assaulting a federal officer.

No word on how her husband fared with his audit.

Hermosa Beach police Sgt. Raul Saldana was out on patrol the other night when he found a car moving suspiciously through the city. Saldana followed it until the driver suddenly stopped, parked, and tried to hide from him in the car.
Saldana -- best known for his work putting killer Charles Rathbun in jail -- walked over to check what he was up to. It turned out the driver, Armando Esquivel-Nava, right, had the pass keys to several Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf stores, a Coffee Bean shirt and apron, and bolt cutters. Hmmm.

Turns out someone had been entering Coffee Bean stores in the middle of the night and using a bolt cutter to open lockers containing the employees' tips.

Police say they now believe that's Esquivel-Nava, who used to work for a cleaning company employed by Coffee Bean. He's in jail, under investigation for at least five burglaries. The number could go up.

Story on dailybreeze.com and Tuesday's paper.

Nothing is worse than covering DUI tragedies.

I’ll never forget Jeffrey Lamont Dodley, a Lawndale man who was killed by a drunk driver while returning the Aladdin video he’d just watched with a niece.

Or South High School graduate Michella Matasso Fincannon, a 19-year-old newlywed killed by a wrong-way drunk. West High athlete Allison Dewart, 18, also died in that crash.

Tuesday, as Spring Break looms, officers with the South Bay DUI Task Force will conduct an expo at El Camino College to talk to students, distribute handouts, and conduct mock field sobriety tests to show the effects of drunken driving.

Students can wear special goggles that simulate being drunk while they drive a golf cart.
 
Officers also will set up a simulated sobriety checkpoint to distribute literature to students as they leave campus.

The expo runs from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

I started writing about catalytic converter thefts in March 2007. It had begun sweeping the nation.

Since then, South Bay police have made numerous arrests, and police have taken steps to try to curb the problem.
It’s sort of today’s version of the car stereo theft, and shows up on our police blotter every day.

We’ve chronicled catalytic converter thefts in five subsequent stories. El Segundo police, for example, were the first in the area to invite residents to have their catalytic converters engraved with identifying information.

Today, we ran a story — written by our colleagues at the Daily News — reiterating the problem. There's nothing really new in it, but it points out the problem again.

Here's the Daily Breeze story from March 8, 2007:

One of the commenters on my story about the cause of the Westchester explosion wasn't sold on my description of what happened.

The tough part of being a reporter is sometimes being asked to write a story about something you know nothing about. Now, I've covered crime for 21 years. Fires somehow come under my realm because of the "breaking news" factor.

If they had told us that natural gas exploded or a bomb was inside that room, it would have been easy to understand. That's not what happened. It was much more complicated and scientific.

We reporters -- none of whom were scientists -- listened to firefighters explain how this explosion occurred. We asked questions and did our best. I asked one question that, at the moment I asked it, showed I didn't quite get it at that point. But by the end of the news conference, I did. (I'm a print guy too. Imagine how tough this was for the TV people to comprehend.)

Anyway, the headline on my story does not really convey what happened. I don't know if "fumes" is the right word. It was smoke. (I don't write the headlines. Someone who never heard the firefighters' science lesson had to write the headline long after I went home, so I'm not really upset.)

Here's how I understand it:

I went to a news conference earlier today where fire officials explained why they believe a Westchester building exploded and killed a firefighter.

Fire officials blamed an aging electrical cable that overheated and smoldered underground, creating combustible

smoke that pressurized, blew manhole covers 20 feet high and collected inside a small room in a credit union office.

The spark created when Firefighter Brent Lovrien pressed his power saw against a metal door ignited the smoke and gases, mortally injuring him and blowing his partner, Anthony Guzman, back.

Similar copper and lead cable – more than 60 years old and utilizing 1930s technology – runs for 15,000 miles underground throughout the city of Los Angeles.

The story will come soon to Dailybreeze.com and the Saturday print edition.

Just got this one:

To followup on our story about the embezzlement charges filed against former Gardena Chamber of Commerce executive director Karen Sue Hale, the District Attorney said Friday the actual amount she allegedly took was $41,885.63.

Hale, a Lawndale resident, posted her $141,000 bail and is scheduled for arraignment April 24. If convicted of all counts, she could go to prison for up to 6 years and 4 months.

Denise will follow the Torrance court proceedings. Stay tuned.

Three alleged bank robbers dubbed the "WWF Shotgun Bandits" for their wrestling-style masks and guns are in custody after a week-long spree. Our sister paper, The San Gabriel Valley Tribune, has the story and some great pictures.

Garrett Ogushi's buddies at Beta Phi Omega fraternity have created a video/slide show in his memory.

The 24-year-old Torrance man died Feb. 24 when he got out of his car following a crash on the San Diego Freeway in Carson and was struck by a hit-and-run driver.

Garrett was working on a master’s degree in physical therapy at California State University, Long Beach. He worked as a physical therapist in Hermosa Beach.

California Highway Patrol officers arrested the driver of the car Garrett crashed into. The driver was allegedly drunk and had slammed into the center divider in front of him. CHP officers also arrested two people who drove away after hitting Garrett.

I haven’t been able to find out what happened to all of these people, including who they are and whether they’ve been charged.

I will do my best to find out soon.

Here's the video. Note that it briefly contains some adult language:

The mom who was kicked off an airplane for breastfeeding her baby has the Vermont Human Rights Commission on her side. The incident hasn't landed yet in court ... but if Freedom Airlines and the mother can't reach a settlement, she can file a lawsuit.

The next time Cameron Brown is tried for the murder of his 4-year-old daughter, a jury in downtown Los Angeles will decide his fate. Brown is accused of throwing the girl from a Rancho Palos Verdes cliff to avoid child support payments. Because Torrance Superior Court Judge Mark Arnold is about to get busy with a death penalty trial, Brown's retrial needed a new courtroom. It's expected to be long (his first trial two years ago, which ended with a hung jury, took two months).

Tactically, the move likely won't have too much effect on the outcome of the case. However, if anybody does benefit from it, it would be the defense. The theory is that, when you take a high-profile, emotionally stirring case out of the community in which the alleged crime occurred, you're going to find jurors who are detached to the victim. While sympathy is not supposed to come into the the deliberation room, and while the criminal court building downtown still pulls South Bay jurors, there is sometimes no overcoming the critical eyes of a skeptical panel.

An Inglewood mom writes in to comment on the arrest of an El Camino College student who told Gardena police he committed perhaps 40 robberies. He targeted young people carrying Sidekick phones and iPods.

The mom, who didn’t want her name posted, wonders if he’s the same guy who held up her 19-year-old son, a West Los Angeles College student who works for the FAA. He was robbed Oct. 19.

“After reading the news article this morning about Wendell Cornell McDaniels, I want to believe that this is the same culprit that jacked my son for his phone at gunpoint.

I got the license plate and address to where he went and turned all the information into IPD and nothing was ever done about it. I am just so glad that he was finally caught!!!!!!”

A federal judge has ordered the suspected "Weathergirl Bandit" to remain in jail without bail for awhile.

Felicia Ellen Jones, 45, of Los Angeles is suspected in three bank robberies in Manhattan Beach and another in Hermosa Beach. She told investigators she turned to crime to fund her drug habit and pay her bills.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Rosalyn Chapman on Thursday set Jones' arraignment for April
21 in U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles.

The "Weathergirl Bandit'' got her nickname because she chatted with tellers and other customers about the weather as she robbed the banks.

In November, Karen Hale, the former executive director of the Gardena Chamber of Commerce, denied in a Daily Breeze article that she had taken $5,000 of the organization's funds.

Thursday evening, following three months of investigation and an audit of the chamber's bank accounts, Gardena police arrested Hale on suspicion of embezzlement.

They say it was $41,000.

Story: Chamber arrest

For those of you who played along at home with our earlier entry, it was indeed Los Angeles attorney Gloria Allred who stepped up to the plate to help a pierced airline traveler who claims she was rebuffed by TSA. The Associated Press story, via MSNBC, is here.

 

The person who anonymously called 911 last fall to report rooster-related mayhem in Gardena probably wishes they held on just a little bit longer. The District Attorney and the Humane Society announced today they were doubling the reward to $5,000 for tips leading to the arrest and conviction of those involved in dogfighting and cockfighting activities.

Along with the reward, the organizations also announced that tipsters could call 211 to make an animal cruelty report.

“Animal fighting not only promotes the mistreatment and killing of animals, it also makes communities vulnerable to byproduct crimes such as illegal gambling, assault, drugs and weapons,” District Attorney Steve Cooley said.  “It is also widely recognized that those who abuse animals are more likely to engage in violence against humans.”

After the jump, check out some statistics on dogfighting and cockfighting, courtesy of the Humane Society: 

Gardena police have arrested an 18-year-old man suspected of robbing 30 to 40 victims of their iPods and Sidekick cellular telephones during the last year. They only had him linked to three crimes in Gardena and Hawthorne, but he admitted to much more in those cities, Inglewood and Los Angeles, police said.

Read the story: Sidekick robberies

Do you know this man?

Police released a sketch Thursday of a man sought for beating and sexually assaulting a dancer he met at a Gardena exotic club.

The crime occurred March 12 when the woman accepted a ride from a customer she had met earlier in the evening, Gardena police Capt. Robert Michalsen said.

The man claimed to be in the entertainment business.

Instead of driving her home, he drove her to a residence in a northern area of Gardena. He beat her in the head, neck and upper body, and sexually assaulted her.

The assailant then drove her to an area near her home and dropped her off.

Full story Suspect sought

Anyone with information should contact Gardena police Detective Pamela Robinson at 310-217-9653 or call Gardena police at 310-217-9670.

A woman who claims she was forced to remove her nipple rings with pliers before she could board a flight is going to hold a news conference later today with her attorney (props to anyone who writes in first with who they think the attorney is). Although it's not clear if the unnamed woman is planning to sue the Transportation Security Administration, her attorney said in a release that they want to make sure no one is forced to suffer the same painful fate.

 

Here's a photo of Engineer Anthony Guzman, injured Wednesday in the Westchester explosion:

Here's a photograph of Firefighter Brent Lovrien, killed Wednesday in Westchester:

Actor Keanu Reeves' attorney was in court yesterday for a lawsuit filed by the celebrity photographer who Reeves crashed into in Rancho Palos Verdes a year ago. Alison Silva, who was trying to photograph the "Matrix" star behind the wheel of a black Porsche 911 on Avenida Tranquila, claims in his lawsuit that his earning ability and job prospects were diminished because of the accident.

The Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit alleges negligence, assault and battery. Reeves was shielding his face from the camera at the time of the collision.

Reeves lawyer said in court papers that Silva was involved in inherently risky behavior and should have taken steps to avoid the injuries.

Judge Elizabeth Grimes gave the two sides until June 30 to mediate the case.

I guess in a sense this is a crime, even though it was a terrible accident. Here's an update on what I covered this afternoon. The info comes from Brian Humphrey, an LAFD spokesman:

The firefighter killed Wednesday afternoon in an explosion in Westchester was identified as Brent A. Lovrien, 35, a 10-year veteran of the LAFD. He was assigned to Fire Station 95 near Los Angeles International Airport since October 2005. He died at  Centinela Freeman Regional Medical Center, Marina Campus.

No word yet on whether he had a family.

The other injured firefighter, Engineer Anthony J. Guzman, 48, an 18-year veteran of the LAFD, underwent surgery at UCLA Medical Center in Westwood. He was reported in serious but stable condition with multiple fractures and facial trauma.

Guzman has worked at the Westchester station since 2002

Ok, so this belongs on another blog, but that was wrong.

Chikezie was eliminated tonight from American Idol.

The El Camino College student from Inglewood received the least votes in this week's competition.

Wow. Not right.

He wasn't going to win, but he was better than at least three of his competitors.

He got robbed.

Here's what AP said:

Chikezie ousted

A lot of scary and fatal stories have cropped up recently in relation to teenage use of social networking sites, like Myspace.com. The latest comes from Mesa, Ariz., where a 15-year-old allegedly confessed to the police he killed his dad for pulling the plug on his Internet and Myspace access.

Two of the real good guys in law enforcement are taking on new assignments at the Los Angeles Police Department, where they continue to rise toward the top.


Cmdr. Patrick Gannon, left,  is working in the agency’s detective bureau. He
previously oversaw the department’s South Bureau gang unit, which included the Harbor Area.

Cmdr. Andrew Smith, right, who worked in operations at the Central Bureau, took Gannon’s post battling gangs in South Los Angeles and theHarbor Area.

Both men formerly served as captains at the Harbor Division. We reporters appreciated them for their candor about the good and the bad in the Harbor Area, so we could keep readers informed.

If you remember, just a few years ago Harbor Area residents spoke out to try to keep Gannon in his job at the Harbor Division. Chief William Bratton had other ideas for him.

Here's a little bit more about how Weathergirl Bandit suspect Felicia Ellen Jones was arrested. She didn't just turn herself in as the suspect in four South Bay bank robberies. If she hadn't, FBI agents would have tracked her down.

I reported today - based on a court document - that her attorney contacted the Manhattan Beach Police Department on Friday night and said she wanted to turn herself in.

That’s true, but it turns out that earlier Friday, FBI agents separately identified her as the suspect following a tip from someone who recognized her photograph from its broadcast on television. The photo was taken during one of the crimes.

FBI agents set out to find her to arrest her.

This afternoon, a whole host of top law enforcement and political types are holding a press conference to announce "cooperative efforts in confronting gang violence." Um... does this mean no one was cooperating before? The announcement doesn't give much detail on how everyone is planning to cooperate, but we're willing to bet it will include measures, crackdowns, injunctions and targeting.

Let's wish Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, U.S. Attorney Thomas P. O'Brien and Police Chief William Bratton the best in their cooperative efforts.

Felicia Ellen Jones, the alleged Weathergirl Bandit, told FBI agents during questioning after her surrender that she robbed four South Bay banks to support her drug habit, pay her bills and fund living expenses. Some of the cash was spent to repair her car.

And no, she didn't save anything for a rainy day. It's all gone.

Here's the story: Suspect explains spree

The Los Angeles Police Department’s new SWAT headquarters will be named for Officer Randal Simmons, a Rancho Palos Verdes resident who became the first SWAT officer to die in the line of duty.

The Los Angeles Police Commission voted today to honor Simmons. The Los Angeles City Council must give final approval.

The Metropolitan Division and SWAT will be stationed at the Rampart Division at 2710 W. Temple St.

Simmons, 51, was shot and killed Feb. 7 by a man who killed his father and two brothers at a Winnetka house.

*Updated: The Anaheim Ducks will honor Simmons and his injured partner James Veenstra at tonight's game. Anaheim Ducks

Cameron Brown, the 47-year-old man awaiting retrial on charges he threw his 4-year-old daughter off a cliff to avoid child support payments, was in court today for a pretrial hearing. During the hearing, Torrance Superior Court Judge Mark Arnold set a May 13 trial date, and Brown's attorney said he expected to be ready for trial within 30 days of that day.

The catch, though, is that Arnold will likely be involved in a death penalty trial, so the case may have to get sent to another court, according to Deputy District Attorney Craig Hum. Because the case expected to take longer than two weeks, it must go to a long-cause courtroom at the Criminal Justice Center in downtown Los Angeles.

California Chief Justice Ronald George gave his State of the Judiciary Address to legislators today, warning that the whole judicial system is in jeopardy without new judges, better security and funds to fix dilapidated courthouses.

"Because of the structural reforms we have undertaken at our own initiative, our branch is in a better position to cope with the present fiscal crisis than it otherwise would be," George said. However, he warned that, with the proposed budget reductions, "it will remain difficult to perform our core function of providing accessible justice to all Californians."

The four-page press release about the speech is after the jump, and includes a link to the whole speech at the end.

 

People love their pets. People also love lawsuits. Put the two together, you have an emerging litigation practice area: Animal Law.

A Raleigh News & Observer story reported today that "ninety-two of the 196 law schools in the country approved by the American Bar Association now offer courses on animal law, up from the nine that offered classes in 2000, according to the Animal Legal Defense Fund."

This trend, according to sources in the story, is the result of people placing greater prominence on the pets in their lives. Bob Barker, who always ended The Price is Right with a reminder to viewers to spay or neuter their pets, is helping, too.

Even the cops can’t believe this one.

Long Beach police have arrested two alleged gang members suspected of attacking a man with a tire iron and stealing money he was raising to help pay for the burial of an 11-year-old homicide victim.

Read Tracy Manzer’s story in the Press-Telegram. RIP Jose

Earlier blog entry: "I just finished sewing up a dead boy"

The dark-haired woman who held up a string of South Bay banks last summer was sentenced by a federal court judge yesterday to four years and three months in prison. Dalia Jimenez, who police dubbed the "Brunette Bandit," must also pay back the $25,784 she stole from four banks.

With a BB gun and a demand note, the 27-year-old robber hit Wells Fargo branches in Redondo Beach and Manhattan Beach, as well as the U.S. Bank on Sepulveda Boulevard in Torrance and a Washington Mutual in Lakewood. She was arrested after a bank teller at one of the Redondo Beach banks recognized her from a similiar crime at the same bank a month before.

After being joined by an alternate juror and starting their deliberations anews, an Airport Courthouse jury took less than a day to find William Ernest Hernandez, 23, of Los Angeles not guilty of 10 counts, including kidnapping for purposes of a sex crime, assault with intent to commit a sex crime and robbery. Deputy District Attorney Liliana Gonzalez, who spoke with jurors after the verdict, said the panel just felt there wasn't enough evidence to convict him. She wholeheartedly disagreed.

Watch for the whole story on the verdict in tomorrow's Daily Breeze and sometime soon on dailybreeze.com.

Daily Breeze Hawthorne reporter Sandy Mazza is working on a story today about an indictment against former Hawthorne School Board Trustee Frank DeSimone. Unsealed today, the county grand jury indictment charges DeSimone with six felony counts, including filing a false tax return and perjury by declaration.

DeSimone pleaded not guilty to the charges and is scheduled to return to the Criminal Justice Center in downtown Los Angeles on April 1 for a hearing to determine if he should remain free on his own recognizance, according to City News Service.

The District Attorney's office began investigating DeSimone in 2006 when allegations arose that he was living in Cypress while holding a seat on the Hawthorne board. That's not allowed. He eventually acknowledged it and then did not seek re-election. Investigators also said they found evidence of child pornography on his computer hard drive.

 

 

Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton refused last week to release an internal report that calls for changes in the department’s SWAT team.

The report found that SWAT training should be eased to let in more women and criticized SWAT officers for relying too much on force instead of negotiations.

“I have no obligation to share it with you,” Bratton told a group of reporters last week, according to an article written by our sister paper, the Daily News. “It's a confidential report.”

The police union and SWAT officers aren’t real happy about the changes.

Well, today, KFI radio reporter Eric Leonard got himself a big scoop. He got a copy of the secret report and posted it on his station’s Web site. Read it yourself:

His story: KFI article

Link to report: SWAT report

Pasadena attorney Ricardo Torres II, the son of a Los Angeles Superior Court judge, still isn't saying much about allegations that he or someone in his office gave a client police reports and other documents. His client, Ruben Rizo, is charged with attempted murder for shooting at his former girlfriend's mother in Gardena about a year ago.

In court Monday morning, Torres told Torrance Superior Court Judge James Brandlin he wants to the judge off the case. Torres said he was going to file the paperwork to disqualify the judge on Wednesday. Brandlin previously reported Torres to the State Bar and the District Attorney's office for the possibly unethical and illegal breach.

Expect a small story following up this morning's hearing in the Daily Breeze tomorrow, and hopefully, there will be more later in the week from Torres when he files his paperwork.

To read Sunday's Daily Breeze article laying out the whole thing:

Just heard about this one from Friday:


A 75-year-old man walking from his doctor’s office was attacked from behind in the 1900 block of South Pacific Coast Highway in Redondo Beach at 10:35 a.m.

The robber put the victim in a choke hold until he went unconscious. The robber took his Rolex watch.

Police had no other information.

This one happened Saturday:

Over the years, we’ve been asked repeatedly why we run notices about upcoming sobriety checkpoints. Some people don’t think we should warn anyone. They say that defeats their purpose because the drunks can avoid them.

Week after week, however, we run the the notices in the paper, on the Web site, and now on this blog. I’m the guy who types them up.

Not everyone thinks that's such a good idea. I received this email recently from Rancho Palos Verdes resident Robert Ackerman:

“From time to time the editor of the “Scanning the Area” page prints the scheduled police checkpoint times and locations. I am infuriated each time I read these.

 I have no idea of any common sense behind this activity but to warn potential offenders of which areas to avoid. In this vein, I believe that the Daily Breeze is in fact aiding and abetting felons, and as such should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

The purpose of these checkpoints is to ensure the safety of the general public by capturing those people who are in violation of our laws. Publishing the locations and times before the fact defeats that purpose, but it does provide the offenders with valuable knowledge to avoid capture. Thus the Daily Breeze is actually abetting a criminal activity.

I suggest it would be far better to publish, in its place, a box score of captures or arrests by category, after the fact. This would demonstrate the effectiveness of these programs, and enhance their value in the public view.”

I also received a comment last week from a reader who wondered how we find out about the checkpoints.


Here’s the answers:

After about two days of delberations last week onthe kidnapping, attempted sexual assault and robbery charges against William Hernandez, one juror could not continue. That juror is being replaced by an alternate this morning, and, per the law, the deliberations must begin anew. Hernandez is accused of nabbing three teenage girls off Hawthorne streets in separate incidents with the intent of raping and robbing them.

Here's the press release FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller released Saturday evening about the Weathergirl Bandit:

ALLEGED “WEATHERGIRL BANDIT” IDENTIFIED BY CITIZENS IN CONNECTION WITH SOUTH BAY HOLD-UPS

A Los Angeles woman who was identified through tips from the public as the woman who allegedly robbed four banks in South Bay Los Angeles over the past three weeks was arrested and was taken into custody this afternoon, announced Salvador Hernandez, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI in Los Angeles and Rod Uyeda, Chief of the Manhattan Beach Police Department.  

Felicia Ellen Jones, 45, of Los Angeles, was arrested in connection with the string of bank robberies linked to the“Weathergirl Bandit.”  Jones was sought by FBI agents and detectives with the Manhattan Beach Police Department since last evening, after tips from anonymous callers were received by both agencies.  Sources claimed they recognized the woman in the bank surveillance images as Jones, when the photos were published in the newspaper and on television.  

After verifying the source information, agents and detectives sought Jones last night and throughout today.  Those efforts led to successful negotiation with Jones, and her arrest, which occurred without incident after she agreed to meet agents and detectives at a designated location in Los Angeles, accompanied by her attorney.

During her bank robberies, the Weathergirl Bandit approached the victim teller and possessed a friendly demeanor, though her notes demanded cash, and witnesses stated she had simulated or threatened a weapon.   On each occasion, the bandit entered the bank wearing various outfits, sometimes described as "flashy" or even overdressed for the weather.   She was nicknamed the Weathergirl Bandit because she discussed the weather with the victim teller to disguise her intention of robbing the bank.  Jones is suspected in the following four bank robberies:

Manhattan Beach: 2/29/08        Hermosa Beach:    3/5/08
Manhattan Beach:  3/11/08        Manhattan Beach:  3/19/08

Jones will be held at the Manhattan Police Department through the weekend and will be turned over to federal custody on Monday morning.  It is anticipated that Jones will be charged federally with bank robbery on Monday, March 24th, and will be afforded an initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate in US. District Court in Los Angeles.

This investigation and arrest is the result of an investigation by the FBI in Los Angeles and the Manhattan Beach Police Department.   Photographs of current bank robbers in Southern California can be found on the FBI’s bank robbery website in Los Angeles at www.labankrobbers.org.

Richard Robledo, 51, of Lakewood walked out of a Target store in Redondo Beach last summer with $400 worth of Gillette Fusion razor blades in his pockets. Now, let's face it, those blades are expensive, but you still gotta pay for them.

So when store security guards confronted him, he wrestled with them, pulled a gun and ran. The gun wasn't real, but the guards didn't know that.

Robledo broke into a house north of the store on Kingsdale Avenue, and hid in a closet while police searched for him outside. It might have seemed like a good idea at the time, but Robledo had no idea who lived there.

That would be plumber Tony Cardoza, a 73-year-old Korean War veteran who arrived home from a job. He heard a noise, looked in his closet and was shocked to find Robledo. Cardoza yanked him from the closet, and twisted him around by the head. Robledo threatened to kill him and jabbed him in the ribs with a gun. That gun was indeed real.

It was a handgun Cardoza used during the war and kept in the closet.

Robledo ran out of the house, but was quickly arrested outside.

Robledo pleaded guilty last month to robbery, grand theft and making criminal threats. Today, Torrance Superior Court Judge James Brandlin sentenced him to 19 years in prison.

 

The Redondo Beach Police Department is looking for volunteers for its Domestic Violence Advocacy Program.

Volunteers will help victims of domestic violence with crisis counseling and community outreach services.

Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer should pick up an application at the police station at Diamond Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway.

Applications must be submitted by April 30. For more information, call 310-379-2477, ext. 2336.

Deputies will conduct sobriety and driver’s license checkpoints from 7
p.m. tonight to 3 a.m. Saturday on Avalon Boulevard north of Elsmere
Drive, and on Avalon Boulevard north of Carson Street in Carson.

Here's what happens at a sobriety checkpoint. This clip is from a news broadcast about a checkpoint in Daly City.

Reader Jerry Yang emailed to ask if a robbery occurred at the Jack in the Box at Cabrillo Avenue and Sepulveda Boulevard in Torrance on March 14.

“My wife was in the drive-through and was told someone inside had a gun? Haven’t seen a story on it. One may have been run and I missed it. Thanks.”

The answer is yes, a gunman robbed the Jack in the Box about 8:15 p.m.
The man walked in with a handgun, demanded money and ran away with an undisclosed amount of cash, Torrance police officer Dave Crespin said.

Holdups like this are generally reported in our Police Log, which runs Tuesday through Saturday in the Daily Breeze print edition. Torrance’s police log runs on Tuesdays.

This particular crime will appear on next week’s blotter, compiled by my colleague Stephanie Walton.

The FBI today released more photographs of the Weathergirl Bandit, who robbed the Union Bank branch at 2910 N. Sepulveda Blvd. in Manhattan Beach on Wednesday.

She is suspected of robbing two other banks in Manhattan Beach and another in Hermosa Beach since Feb. 29.
She gets her name because she makes polite conversation about the weather as she holds up the bank.

FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said today that before committing Wednesday’s robbery, the bandit was seen inside the Union Bank branch in Hermosa Beach, possibly to rob it.

Witnesses told police she was seen getting into a green mini-van with a black man with collar-length hair. He might be her accomplice.

The bank in Hermosa Beach was among those earlier robbed.

Here’s the photos from Wednesday’s crime. Anybody with information about her identity is asked to contact the FBI at 310-477-6565 or the Manhattan Beach Police Department at 310-802-5140.

Two South Bay dads have received the dubious distinction of being among the county's 10"most egregious" child support scofflaws.

Jamarri Burkett of Gardena (left) pleaded no contest on Oct. 30, 2000, to a charge of failing to pay $67,261 in support for his son. A court also found him to be in violation of his probation, and he failed to appear at sentencing for the probation violation. On June 4, 2002, a warrant was issued for his arrest.

David Ough (right), whose previous known addresses were in Torrance and Rancho PalosVerdes, pleaded no contest on April 19, 2005, to a charge of failing to pay $198,954 in support for his 8-year-old daughter and 9-year-old son. It is believed that Ough is the president and owner of a consulting company. An arrest warrant was issued for him on Aug. 4, 2006.

The Child Support Services Department, in conjunction with District Attorney Steve Cooley and Supervisor Don Knabe, unveiled a new program earlier this week aimed at catching child-support-payment evaders. Fashioned after the FBI's 10 Most Wanted list, the county will put up posters around the county in an effort to track down the evaders. Together, they owe more than $2 million in unpaid child support for 17 children.

 

 

The jury on the William Hernandez trial is beginning its second day of delberations this morning. He is accused of kidnapping three teenage girls and trying to sexually assault them in separate incidents in Hawthorne. We'll let you know when there's a verdict and what it is.

 

 

Student journalists at Palos Verdes High School’s “Live from 205” pay tribute today to their classmate Andrew Sakura on their weekly newscast.

Students interview his soccer teammates, friends, father and teachers. Here it is: Livefrom205/Sakura


Sakura was killed March 8 when he lost control of his father’s Chevrolet Corvette while apparently speeding on Crenshaw Boulevard near Skypark Drive in Torrance and crashed into two other cars. His funeral was held today at Rolling Hills United Methodist Church. Burial followed at Green Hills Memorial Park in Rancho Palos Verdes.

Sakura’s girlfriend and another motorist were seriously injured in the crash.

Torrance police, meanwhile, have submitted their reports on the crash to the California Highway Patrol’s Major Accident Investigation Team for specialized work to determine how fast Sakura was going when he lost control.

Investigators also are continuing to conduct interviews to determine if Sakura was racing, Torrance police officer Dave Crespin said.

In addition to the Sakura broadcast, here’s the “Live from 205” report on the death of Rancho Palos Verdes resident Randal Simmons, an LAPD SWAT officer killed last month. Livefrom205/Simmons

In a gut-wrenching personal account that appeared Tuesday in our sister paper, the Press-Telegram, a trauma surgeon describes how he tried in vain to save the life of an 11-year-old boy shot in Long Beach.

Dr. Mauricio Heilbron Jr. is chief of surgery at Little Company of Mary Hospital in San Pedro and a trauma surgeon at St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach.

“I scramble for a way to just stop the bleeding. I just want it to stop,” the doctor wrote. “It’s spilling over my hands on to the gurney. His mother is begging me to do what I can. I know I can’t do anything.”

Read his story: Heilbron

Reporter John Canalis followed up today with an interview and video. Followup 

On the online story about a man who planted a camera in his company's restroom so he could videotape a colleague, there was an interesting comment from a reader. Joe Public wrote: "Why does the Daily Breeze allow us to comment on sex crimes agains some Joe Smoe, but the editors decide against allowing the citizens to comment in regards to sex crimes against an elected public official (Medrano)? "

That's actually a pretty good question. Here's why: In sex crimes and those invovling minors, it is the Daily Breeze's policy (like most newspapers) to not identify the victim. However, we don't have control over what people write in the user comments section, and there was information that came very close to disclosing who Medrano's alleged victim is. Erring on the side of caution, we shut down the comments on that story - and didn't allow them on the follow-ups - to avoid this from happening in the high-profile, emotionally-charged case.

If someone were to disclose the name of the victim in the peeping Tom case, we'd do the same.

After about a day of deliberations, a jury convicted Jimmie Divo Lunceford, 39, of Lawndale of five counts - but deadlocked 6-6 on one charge. He was found guilty of three counts of making criminal threats, attempted residential burglary and assault on a police dog. The one count the jury hung on was a threat that was not recorded like the other 40 or so others. There will be a full story in tomorrow's Daily Breeze and on www.dailybreeze.com.

Lunceford spent a weekend in July threatening his former girlfriend's daughters over the telephone. When the police responded, he cut 3-year-old German shepherd Valor in the neck. Lunceford, who has some mental issues, said he was suicidal and doesn't remember making the calls.

If you wondered what all those helicopters were doing flying over the South Bay just now, that was the TV media following some guy leading a chase from South Los Angeles.

It all started with him running a red light. Deputies tried to stop him, but he didn't want to stop. He raced at speeds up to 85 mph along the Harbor and Century freeways for quite a while, then made his way through Manhattan Beach and  Hermosa Beach into Redondo Beach, where he drove into a complex at Pacific Avenue and Harbor Drive and became trapped. (That's that little street that curves around next to Captain Kidd's restaurant toward Catalina Avenue.)

He ran from his car, but was quickly arrested.

The man had a female passenger with him. Deputies are looking into whether she was there of her own free will, or was kidnapped. Fox 11 has the video.  Video

We'll update it when they figure things out.

A 26-year veteran sheriff’s deputy will take over next month as captain of the Lennox sheriff’s station.

Matt Dendo, a lieutenant at the station, will be promoted to captain and take over for Capt. Kevin Goran, who was promoted to commander.

The Lennox station has jurisdiction in Lennox, Lawndale, and the unincorporated areas of Del Aire, El Camino Village and Athens.

Goran will work in the Sheriff’s Department’s Region II offices, which oversee a number of stations including Lennox, Lomita, Carson and Marina del Rey.

In addition, Lt. Dominic Valencia was named to head the Lawndale service center. He succeeds Lt. Arlene Berner, who also was promoted to captain.

She will work in the Sheriff’s Department’s Community Oriented Policing Services Bureau in Monterey Park.

The changes will take effect in early April.

It’s always scary to find out just exactly what’s going on out there on the roads.

Here’s what Hawthorne police Lt. Mike Ishii told us today about the department’s Friday night sobriety and driver’s license checkpoint at 135th Street and Prairie Avenue:

They arrested five suspected drunken motorists, and cited 45 people for driving with suspended driver’s licenses or no licenses at all.

One additional person was arrested for being intoxicated in public. Fifty cars were towed away.

And then there was Brandon Ferrell, 23, of Los Angeles, who police say pulled out of the checkpoint’s cone pattern and raced away at speeds up to 100 mph.

Officers in Hawthorne’s chopper followed him, watched him abandon his car and pointed him out to officers on the ground. They hauled him in near Rosecrans and Lemoli avenues.

Turns out Ferrell had good reason to avoid the checkpoint. Police say he had a large quantity of marijuana in his car.
 
Cops arrested Ferrell on suspicion of evading arrest and drug trafficking.

(The checkpoint, by the way, was reported in advance in the Daily Breeze, on dailybreeze.com, and this blog.)


 

The question I would ask is: Is there a known inherent risk of injury in receiving a lap dance? Guess a New York judge will have to decide.

The trial for William Ernest Hernandez, charged with kidnapping three teenage girls in Hawthorne and attempting to sexually assault them in separate incidents, appears to be winding down. Today, Airport Courthouse Judge James Dabney will decide if the defense can call an expert witness to the stand to testify that Hernandez is suggestable and easily swayed - and if the prosecution can bring in a rebuttal witness to counter that. Such evidence about Hernandez's alleged gullibility is to address the taped police confession he made after his arrest.

If Dabney rules that what the witnesses have to say is irrelevant, then there may be a couple more quick witnesses and closing arguments will likely begin today. We'll let you know what the verdict is.

 

The 11 women and one man and on the Jimmie Lunceford criminal threats and police dog stabbing trial began deliberations late today. During closing arguments today, Lunceford's attorney argued - as expected - that his client was too distraught and mentally unstable to form the intent needed to committ the crimes. The prosecutor pointed out all the "normal" things Lunceford did, like obeying all rules of the road while driving a car, during the time he claims he didn't know what he was doing.

The Redondo Beach police dog was injured, according to the defense attorney, when Lunceford "pushed" the attacking canine away. The knife in Lunceford's hand slightly hurt Valor because of the pressure, not because of the stabbing, he argued.

Expect a story when there's a verdict.

 

This isn't a South Bay crime, but it's worth noting.

The FBI today announced $200,000 in rewards for information to lead them to a Los Angeles gang member on the list of its 10 Most Wanted fugitives.

They also released a video that shows him dancing at a party.

Emigdio Preciado Jr., who also goes by the aliases “Junior,” “Trigger,” “Spooky,” and “Snyper,” is suspected of opening fire with an assault rifle on two sheriff’s deputies in Whittier on Sept. 5, 2000. One deputy was hit in the head and severely hurt.

If you know where he is, call the police.

Here's the FBI's wanted poster and video: Preciado video

Former Gardena City Councilman Oscar Medrano appeared in court for the first time since his arrest last week. The story up on dailybreeze.com is just a quick update. Expect a bit more details in the story for tomorrow's newspaper.

Torrance attorney Gary Eto, who represents Medrano, thought it would be unfair to his client to allow cameras in the courtroom. He told Torrance Superior Court Judge William Beverly that the more this case is in the media, the more the jury pool would be tainted. Beverly agreed to allow Breeze photographer Brad Graverson and his camera, but denied requests by all but one of the local television news stations.

I arrived at work today to find my voice mail filled with anonymous messages accusing me of slanting the stories against former Gardena City Councilman Oscar Medrano.

First, let me say, I don’t know this man, I’ve never met him, don’t live in Gardena and have no personal stake in this. The sexual abuse charges filed against him are just another story in my 21 years of covering crime.

I called the councilman's family last week. They chose not to comment.

I don’t know whether the former councilman is guilty or not. Experienced sex crimes investigators and prosecutors decided enough evidence exists to file 12 felony counts against him, and I reported it. They obviously believe his accuser, and I'm told behind the scenes that they have a strong case.

Sometimes prosecutors are wrong. A few years ago, the DA's Office charged three Carson High School students with raping a UCLA student during a visit to the Westwood campus. I covered their trial and was mystified that we were even in court. In that case, the victim’s testimony made little sense and she lacked credibility.

The jury agreed, found the young men not guilty, and sent all three home.

Over the weekend, I received some emails and voice mails from people on both sides of the Medrano issue. Some support him, others want him to go to prison forever. One guy thinks he’s a lousy jeweler.

One thing that appears certain: Medrano’s supporters are ready to portray the alleged victim in this case as a mentally unstable girl making false accusations.

We'll have to let the court process play out.

Former Gardena Councilman Oscar Medrano is expected to make his first appearance in Torrance Superior Court today. He is scheduled to be arraigned on 12 felony counts involving lewd and lascivious conduct toward a minor. We'll be there, and we're trying to get photographs.

A man breaks into his ex-girlfriend's Hermosa Beach apartment, stabs her male friend, and holds police at bay for five hours before surrendering. standoff

Torrance police shoot and kill a suicidal man who confronts them with a knife. His upset family members tell reporter Megan Bagdonas that police were hasty and brutal. Police say he moved toward officers with a knife, and other less lethal means failed to have any effect on him. Police shooting

A shooting outside a Wilmington restaurant kills one, wounds two. Restaurant shooting

I received this email from Viraf Pudumjee, parent of a Palos Verdes High School student, in response to my post about some of the harsh user comments on a story about the death of student Andrew Sakura. The 17-year-old was killed in a car accident in Torrance last week:

 

"I just read your blog entry which expressed views on this tragic accident, that took the life of Andrew Sakura on Saturday night.  I was gratified to read that you recognized the harshness of some people’s comments, and how these comments affect the Sakura family and Andrew’s friends at PVHS.

I can tell you that every night after visiting the memorial at school, we have a group of seniors here at our house, all close friends of Andrew’s, who just want to be together, to get through this tragedy. Every night, they sit at our dining table, and make necklaces with Andrew’s name, that are being sold at school to raise funds for a new goal at PVHS, dedicated to Andrew Sakura. 

When I see these kids dealing with their grief with a sense of purpose and maturity and a desire to make a difference, by honoring a great friend, I realize what great kids they really are, and just how ridiculous and disgusting all the speculation and negativity really is. It is our goal to provide a home for these kids to hang out and be together, for as long as it takes them and us, to deal with the grief that has impacted us all. The reality is that loving parents lost a wonderful kid and the students at PVHS lost a great friend. Nothing else anyone says really matters at all.  

This has hit us all very hard.  When my son transferred schools and came to PVIS in the 8th grade, Andrew was one of the first friends he made.  He was welcoming in the new environment, and made it a point to involve my son with his circle of friends.  That led to a close relationship, and a guest in our home eventually became one of the family. Their close friendship has lasted through high school, and their famous quote was 'I’m your brother from a different mother.'

He was a great kid, with an infectious smile that would light up a room, and over the years became a part of our family.  Always well-mannered, enthusiastic and very friendly, he was always caring and kind towards our two younger children as well. Andrew brought a sense of purpose and energy, wherever he went.   He will be greatly missed by us, but never forgotten.  This is what really matters."

Two suspects have been arrested in the killing of an off-duty U.S. Customs and Border  Control Agent who was killed when he interrupted a robbery at an automated teller machine near Inglewood, police said today.

Detectives identified the suspects after releasing a photograph of a suspect and news about the crime on Wednesday. Police received numerous tips from the community.

Police served numerous search warrants on Thursday and Friday, arresting McKenzie Bryant, 23, and Enjoli McClendon, 22, as suspects in the crime.

The victim, Mylus Mondy, 47, was shot at 11:30 p.m. Sunday when he stopped to use an ATM at a Bank of America branch in the 6600 block of La Cienega Westway located on a strip of Los Angeles between Inglewood and Ladera Heights.

Mondy did not know a robber was holding up another ATM user. The robber turned to him, pointed a gun, hit him in the head and demanded money, police said.

The robber shot Mondy when he tried to run. He died Monday.

 

After spending nearly an hour with most the jurors on the Daniel Ramsey trial, Deputy District Attorney Jodi Link reported that many panelists said they were proud to do their civic duty and take part in the criminal justice process. One juror even told her she wanted to talk to her company's human resources department about allowing employees more time to serve. Most admitted they dreaded having to report, but were really glad they did.

They found the experience rewarding, even though it was painful to watch the victims relive what was arguably the most horrendous moments of their lives, Link said. "They really got to be a part of seeing justice served," she added.

 

The South Bay Regional Driving Under the Influence Task Force will saturate the area with patrols this weekend, arresting drivers who shouldn't be behind the wheel.

Police also have scheduled a couple of checkpoints to crack down on drunken driving.

All of this is in honor of St. Patrick's Day.

A checkpoint tonight will run from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. Saturday in the northbound lanes of Prairie Avenue at 135th Street in Hawthorne.

At 7 p.m. Saturday, police will start a sobriety and dui checkpoint on Sepulveda Boulevard at Hughes Way in El Segundo. The checkpoint will conclude at 3 a.m. Sunday.

You have to kind of wonder: "Why?" You have to also wonder: "What was he going to do with his doughnuts?" The Associated Press ran a story out of New York about a man arrested after driving through a doughnut shop drive-through without any pants on.

Denise Nix reports that a Torrance Superior Court jury today found Daniel Ramsey guilty of 10 counts including kidnapping and rape for two crimes committed in Lawndale.

One crime involved kidnapping a woman so she could get cash while her daughter was tied to a chair in their apartment. He also raped a 19-year-old woman.

Denise is in court and will have more details later......

 

Prosecutors today filed 12 felony counts against former Gardena City Councilman Oscar Medrano, alleging he sexually abused a girl from the time she was in elementary school to high school.

Medrano, 47, is scheduled to be arraigned Monday at the Torrance courthouse.
Prosectors said the victim was molested on a regular basis beginning when she was in elementary school to age 14.
Medrano faces eight counts of lewd acts upon a child under 14, one count of continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, and three counts of lewd act upon a child 14 or 15 years old.

The last count relates to an incident that occurred when she was 15 years old.
The first nine counts also allege that the acts committed were of substantial sexual conduct, prosecutors said.
Medrano, who cited medical reasons when he resigned from the City Council on Tuesday, remains in custody on $500,000 bail.

Prosecutors are recommending his bail be increased to $960,000.


 

Condemned killer William Bradford, a double murderer suspected of committing numerous killings, including an El Segundo woman, died of natural causes while awaiting execution. He was 61. AP story

A couple of years ago, sheriff’s detectives released dozens of women’s photographs to the public in the hope they could solve a lot more slayings.

Bradford used to drive through the South Bay to meet women.

Among his victims was Shari Miller, who was found dead in West Los Angeles in 1984.

I received this email from Torrance resident Pamela Burnett:

"William Bradford murdered my best friend’s sister Shari Miller.  Unfortunately, none of her family is alive to appreciate this sicko's death.  I told Shari's brother just before his death from cancer last year that I would see it through to the end with William Bradford.

 

His murder of Shari wrecked that whole family.  I firmly believe you get what you deserve in the end and I'm glad he's finally met his end.”

 

 

LAPD officers were involved in two shootings last night with bad guys in Wilmington. One of the suspects, a guy on a bike who pulled a gun on two gang officers, was killed.

No officers were hurt.

Here's what the overnight reporter at City News Service put together: OIS shootings

The Torrance Superior Court jury deliberating in the Daniel Ramsey trial announced late Thursday they had reached verdicts. They are scheduled to return to Judge Eric Taylor's courtroom Friday at 10 a.m. to have them read. Ramsey is charged with 10 counts for two crimes in Lawndale. The first crime involved kidnapping a woman so she could get cash while her daughter waited - tied to a chair with another suspect - back at their apartment. The second crime, a few days later, involved a 19-year-old woman who said she was raped by a gun-wielding intruder in her home.

It's been more than two years since we visited the case against Brandon Manai. Manai, 26, is accused of throwing his wife of 13 days from a Palos Verdes cliff. Julia Rosas' body was found floating in the surf July 3, 2005 below Calle Entradero and Palos Verdes Drive West in Rancho Palos Verdes. The 24-year-old was last seen when Manai picked her up to go to a club the day before.

Manai was pretty close to going to trial recently. Jury selection was just about to begin in Torrance Superior Court when a conflict-of-interest arose. He was being represented by the Public Defender's Office, but the office had represented one of the witnesses in the case.

Manai was back in court today for a pretrial, and Deputy District Attorney Craig Hum said another pretrial was scheduled for April 29. He estimated it would be another six months before the case goes to trial as Manai's new attorney, a deputy alternate public defender, gets up to speed on the case. 

 

Gang counselors at the Toberman Neighborhood Center will lead a March for Peace on Saturday in the Harbor Gateway.
The march comes in the wake of the March 4 shooting of Lavareay Elzy, a 6-year-old boy riding in a car with his family when suspected gang members opened fire.

Two Latino gang members were arrested.
Lavareay, who is black, remains hospitalized.
Detectives were working to determine if the crime was racially motivated.
The march begins at 10 a.m. at Plaza Del Amo and Halldale Avenue.

Gardena City Councilman Oscar Medrano, who resigned from his post Tuesday night, was arrested today on suspicion of child molestation, sheriff’s deputies said.

“We are confirming that we have an open investigation and he was arrested this morning,” said Sgt. Dan Scott of the Sheriff’s Department’s Special Victims Bureau.

Medrano was arrested on suspicion of lewd conduct with a child under 14.
“That’s all we can put out right now,” Scott said.

Medrano announced his resignation Tuesday night in a letter to the City Council.
Medrano cited health concerns for his decision.

“Due to the ongoing, unpredictable health problems that I’m experiencing, it has become very apparent to me that I am no longer able to serve in my current council member capacity.”

Scott said more information will become available later today.

The jury in the Daniel Ramsey robbery, kidnapping and rape trial is reaching the one-day mark in its deliberations, but has yet to reach a verdict. This morning, they asked to hear the rape victim's 911 call, which Deputy District Attorney Jodi Link argued corroborated the woman's allegations. The defense attorney, who argued that any sex between the alleged victim and his client was consensual, suggested that the woman was faking her crying and claims in the call.

Carson reporter Gene Maddaus followed up in today's Daily Breeze on the Carson hotel that is housing a number of paroled sex offenders. He went to a community meeting last night where the issue is discussed. While the hotel manager seems to be trying hard to comply with the laws, it appears he's really stuck in a difficult position not enviable for any businessman.

A security guard was shot outside a Jack in the Box restaurant at Main and 223rd streets today. Two suspects were arrested.

The guard was taken to a hospital. The motive was not immediately known.

Although the 12:15 p.m. shooting occurred across the street from Carson High School, the crime did not involve students and was unrelated to the campus, deputies said.

Look for a report on dailybreeze.com and the Daily Breeze print version.

A reader who has lived near Crenshaw Boulevard and Skypark Drive in Torrance for 20 years offered this in an email today following the weekend crash that killed a teenager and injured two other people:

“Nightly we hear the cars and motorcycles rev their engines and wheels squealing as they come around the bend knowing in front of them is almost a full mile of straight away.

You can drive down that stretch of Crenshaw and see where cars have gone up the curb and crashed through the brick walls. I can think of at least three different times within the last two years.

The fire hydrant was taken out last year by another car that lost control and went into oncoming traffic in almost the exact spot where Andrew’s car was. You add the fact that this bend is traveled by a lot of teenage drivers going and coming from the AMC movie theaters and you can almost guarantee it is going to happen again.

Tonight I went out there because I saw a memorial where his friends and family have been placing flowers and letters, and watched the cars hoping that they would see the large cross and realize what had happened.

But not to my surprise NO ONE drove any slower. There are no flashing lights to warn drivers to slow down, only a few yellow caution signs showing a curve in the road and most of the time they are hidden by all the overgrown shrubbery around it.

I would love to see the City of Torrance install several flashing yellow lights with a speed limit enforced by several large speed bumps. In the past they have talked about making 250th Street a drive through which would allow them to place a stop light there but I gather that most of the neighbors fought that idea. But how would they feel if that was their child? A stoplight wouldn't be such a bad idea after all. Something has to be done!”

The jury in the Daniel Ramsey trial are expected to begin deliberating this afternoon. Our story in the Daily Breeze today barely scratches the surface of the issues raised in this case. For instance, defense attorney Kevin Greber implored the jury to set aside emotions and judge the case soberly. He attacked the prosecution and her witnesses for wrongly injecting passion into the process. Greber took issue with their refering to the rape victim as "victim," suggesting the sexual exam nurse and emergency room doctor should have labeled her "patient" because, to do otherwise, shows bias. He feared that bias would transfer to the jury in their deliberations.

This isn't a new issue. It comes up in rape cases where consent is an issue, such as in the high-profile Kobe Bryant case.

What do you think? Is it wrong to refer to people as victims when they allege that they are? What could be done in its place. We welcome your comments....

 

I received this email Tuesday night from a Palos Verdes High School student mourning the loss of her friend, killed in a car wreck Saturday night. I thought I’d share it. She didn't give me permission to use her name, but maybe she will  later.

UPDATE: This was written by Molly McGettigan. 

“The thing with Andrew was that he was never supposed to be that kid, he was always supposed to be there. You were supposed to go to the 10-year reunion and he would show up in his pooka shells, and his leather jacket with his little side smile and he was supposed to tell you how wonderful everything was going, how he loved being a doctor and how he was happy he chose that career.
 He’s always supposed to be at his locker ready to give you a hug, or be in his Mustang and ready to go to lunch. The thing was that he was always supposed to be there, and now that he’s not, it’s unreal.
Everyone still expects him to somehow just appear back at school with that wonderful smile ready to go do something. Even when I was at the beach on Monday, I saw someone who was similar looking to Andrew with his pooka shells on, and I nearly tackled him I was so excited.
But then I had to remind myself that Andrew really was dead and it wasn’t some sick joke that I originally thought it was, and that he wasn’t going to be there anymore.
It really sucks and we all really want Andrew back. Really."

 

I want to apologize to the Sakura family, who were subjected on this Web site today to about 12 hours of harsh, rude and judgmental comments about their son and their own role as parents. Had I known that was going to happen, I never would have bothered them as they grieved the loss of their only child.

Yes, their son likely caused the accident that took his life by speeding. Yes, Andrew’s  actions injured two other people, including a woman who must undergo surgery to repair her jaw. Yes, he destroyed property. Yes, he acted like an irresponsible 17-year-old boy.

And he and his parents paid the ultimate price.

He leaves behind parents who a week ago purchased a photograph of Andrew that had appeared in the Daily Breeze sports section. I can only imagine how proud they were seeing the action shot of their son blocking the goal. I wondered today if they planned to frame it for his 18th birthday.

That same photo now accompanied the story of his death.

Andrew leaves behind a girlfriend, a best friend, teammates, coaches and a host of friends and relatives who loved him. Students are holding nightly candlelight vigils at school.

Hopefully readers will remember that.

A followup story tomorrow will quote police saying they are looking into the possibility that Andrew was racing. It will provide the names of the other people injured in the crash.

This is a free country. People can speak their minds. But common decency needs to come with it.

 
 

Eight South Bay police officers will be honored for bravery at the South Bay Medal of Awards on May 1.
The awards will be presented at a luncheon at the Torrance Marriott.
Members of the South Bay Chambers of Commerce recognize police officers and firefighters each year for heroism.
This year’s honorees are: Hawthorne police officers Thomas Heffner, Jerome Michalczak, and Scott Nichols; Torrance police Officer Keith Thompson; Manhattan Beach police Officer Kristopher Thompson; and Gardena police officers Edgar Vargas, Patrick Goodpaster and Jesus Ugalde.
Also honored for years of excellence on the job will be Rick Martinez of the Redondo Beach Fire Department; Mark Kirunchyk and Christopher Port of the Hawthorne Police Department; and Mark Campbell of the Inglewood Police Department.
Look for a full story on the awards next month.

Police continued Tuesday to look for a reason why a 33-year-old man crashed through a fence at Torrance High School and slammed into the side of a building.
Witnesses said the driver of a 1999 GMC Sonoma ran a stop sign at 220th Street and Martina Avenue shortly before noon on Sunday, smashed through the fence and hit the building.
The driver, Ramon Martinez-Ascencio, 33, of Harbor Gateway, was critically injured and remains in critical condition at County Harbor-UCLA Medical Center near Torrance, Torrance police Officer Dave Crespin said. -- Larry Altman

It's been awhile since we last wrote about it, but the Lawndale kidnapping, robbery and rape trial for Daniel Ramsey has continued in Torrance Superior Court. Things were slow because trial was only in session some days and not full days. In addition, compared to other trials, this was a particularly contentious one with a lot of litigating away from the jury, and a lot of mistrial motions by defense attorney Kevin Greber. Closing arguments are expected to conclude today or early tomorrow. Watch for a story in Wednesday's Daily Breeze about the closings, then expect a story sometime after about the verdict.

Here's the federal indictment pertaining to that New York prostitution ring that ensnared Governor Eliot Spitzer. According to the New York Times, Spitzer is described as "Client 9." Details of his involvement begin on page 26 of the indictment.

Every year, the Judicial Council of California - the San Francisco entity that serves as the Administrative Office of the Courts - releases a report about the demographic make-up of the state's judges. You can see the full report here.

If scrolling through 53 pages of data tables and summaries isn't your thing, I'll give you the quick hits. Twenty-eight percent of the state's 1,496 trial court judges are female, while 31 percent of the 427 bench officers in Los Angeles are female.

The majority of California's judges are white (72.5 percent). The next three largest racial groups are Hispanic (6.7 percent), Black (4.8 percent) and Asian (4.4 percent). It should be noted, though, that there are two other groups in there: Information Not Provided (6.4 percent) and More Than One Race (4.5 percent).

Los Angeles' bench breaks down this way: White (61.8 percent), Hispanic (8.9 percent), Black (7.3 percent) and Asian (6.3 percent).

 

You're here, likely, because you have a hankering for crime, criminals and all things criminalistic. So do we. That's why we had such a good time with this game. Without embarrassing ourselves too much, let's just say that - as professionals in the Crime World - we should've done better.