I don't cover Inglewood PD directly anymore like I did through the 90s, so I haven't been involved in the coverage of the recent controversial officer-involved shootings the agency's had.

A Torrance man speeding along the Harbor Freeway was killed early this morning in a crash with a sport utility vehicle, police said.

Another man was injured in the crash shortly after midnight just south of the Century Freeway. 

The Torrance man was 26. His name wasn't available.

The CHP said the man was seen speeding south in a 2000 Toyota. He made an unsafe lane change. The right side of his SUV hit the left rear side of  a 1994 Mitsubishi.

The Toyota 's driver lost control and crashed. He died at the scene.

The 26-year-old man driving the Mitsubishi was taken to a hospital. His injuries were minor.

(Information from City News Service.)

Sheriff J.W. Pepper

Sheriff Buford T. Justice

Sheriff Andy Taylor

Police in two South Bay cities will conduct sobriety and driver's license checkpoints tonight

In Redondo Beach, police will begin at 6 p.m. on Artesia Boulevard at Aviation Way and continue until 2 a.m. Saturday.

Sheriff's deputies will conduct a checkpoint from 7 p.m. tonight until 3 a.m. on Santa Fe Avenue north of El Presidio Street in Carson.

Hopefully this guy doesn't drive:

A serial killer whose crimes occurred in South Los Angeles and Inglewood has returned after nearly a 13 year break.

L.A. Weekly's Christine Pelisek broke the story yesterday about the "Grim Sleeper."

The Los Angeles Times has it today.

LAPD officers, Explorers and volunteers will take a walk around San Pedro today in an effort to promote crime prevention.

The group will look into cars and place notes on vehicles where drivers have left valuables in plain sight. They'll also thank people who have hidden their valuables away.

It's always amazing how many people leave laptops, sunglasses, cell phones, iPods and other things on their seats. (I've been guilty too.) This has resulted in a big increase in vehicle break-ins in San Pedro and other South Bay cities, where police also have repeatedly urged motorists to lock away their stuff when they park their cars.

You wonder what all those police officers are doing in Wilmington over near Denni and Opp?  A helicopter is circling around.

I'm told that the police have surrounded the neighborhood in search of a burglary suspect who is believed to be hiding somewhere in there. He was caught breaking into a home and ran.

Officers think they have him contained inside their perimeter.

Update: They caught the guy.

Coroner's officials examined the body of the man found in a pickup truck parked outside a Hawthorne church yesterday and have determined him to be a homicide victim.

The cause of death is "Gunshot wound of back," according to Chief Coroner Investigator Craig Harvey.

The victim, who was decomposing, has not been identified. He is white and believed to be in his 40s. The man is currently listed as John Doe No. 171.

I ran the license plate number of the 2006 Chevrolet Silverado yesterday. The DMV told me the vehicle is registered to Mark Lawton Wanamaker. A records search found a 47-year-old man with that name with an address in Santa Rosa, and previous addresses in Redondo Beach and San Pedro. I have no other information than that, and don't know whether he is the victim.

Sheriff's detectives have put out no further information today on the case and haven't returned my messages.

The body was discovered at 118th Place and Felton Avenue about 1 p.m. Wednesday.

If you've driven through the intersection of Sepulveda Boulevard and Figueroa Street in Carson lately you might have seen a billboard with four young faces on it.

The billboard cries "Stop the Killing," and displays four victims of crimes, three of which are unsolved.

It's from the community group Justice for Murdered Children. Members of the group, Carson city officials and family members of the four victims will speak at a news conference Friday morning.

I'm planning to be there.

These are the victims:
 

Jahaira Keys, 17, who was shot to death May 3, 2007 outside Biistro 880, 880 E. Dominguez St.

Keys had attended a private party when scuffling broke out. As security tried to break up the fight, a car pulled up, and a woman got out and opened fire on the crowd.

D'Ancee Barnes, a 3-year-old who was struck by a car and killed March 18, 1989 as he crossed Van Ness Avenue in Los Angeles. The female driver stopped, looked at the boy lying in the street, got back into her car and took off.

Dwayne Jackson Jr., who was shot to death in front of his home at Fernrock Street and Tajuata Avenue in Carson on Oct. 18, 2001. Suspected gang members in a car with a lighted sign on the roof that said "taxi" pulled up and motioned him over to them. When he got close, a guy inside pulled a shotgun and killed him.

Jennifer Pierre, 21, who was beaten to death by her boyfriend. Her body was found under bushes in Rancho Palos Verdes on March 17, 1998. The boyfriend, Johnny Ricardo Guisa, 26, was found guilty and sentenced to 26 years to life in prison.

By the way, the photo above was changed slightly. The actual billboard (seen below in a photo taken by Dwayne Jackson's mom Jackie) changed the places of the victims.

Get your sun block and well, put it everywhere, because a judge has ruled that it's OK to be nude at San Onofre State Park after Labor Day. 

The LA Times said today that Orange County Superior Court Judge Sheila Fell ruled Wednesday that state parks officials can cite sunbathers and swimmers in the buff only if a member of the public complains. (I think that's if you misbehave while you're naked.)

The California Department of Parks and Recreation sought to ban nudity in an effort to deter lewd behavior at San Onofre's Trail 6 near Camp Pendleton.

Nudity has been OK at that beach for a long time.

Here's the Times story. 

And yes, I posted this one because we are beach people in the South Bay, not just to shamelessly attract readers. (But if it happens to get clicks, well.....)

Oh, and just a hunch, but I bet you won't see people with bods like Misty May-Treanor or Michael Phelps down there. I'll bet it gets pretty scary.

A decomposed body was discovered a few minutes ago in a truck parked near a church in the 11800 block of Felton Avenue in Hawthorne.

The Sheriff's Department is on its way to investigate, along with Hawthorne PD.

I'm told the car, a black pickup truck, was reported missing recently in Orange County. So far, they don't know whether the body is male or female.

We'll have more later.

All together now:

This is it. This is it.

This is life, the one you get

So go and have a ball.

 

This is it. This is it

Straight ahead and rest assured

You can't be sure at all.

 

So while you're here enjoy the view

Keep on doing what you do

So hold on tight we'll muddle through

One day at a time, One day at a time.

 

So up on your feet. Up on your feet

Somewhere there's music playing.

Don't you worry none

We'll just take it like it comes.

 

One day at a time, one day at a time.

One day at a time, one day at a time.

One day at a time, one day at a time.

One day at a time, one day at a time.

Ok, now serious:

Actress Mackenzie Phillips, who gained fame on the TV show "One Day at a Time" was arrested at about 10 a.m. today at Terminal 4 at LAX.

Police told AP that Phillips was going through security for a flight to New York when screening turned up a small amount of heroin and cocaine.

Phillips, 48, is no stranger to drug abuse. She lost her job on TV  because of it and went through rehab.

Phillips is the daughter of John Phillips, founder of The Mamas and the Papas pop group.

I'm still waiting to hear when former Manhattan Beach police Sgt. Shawn Shelton will be moved from a prison in Nevada to Natchitoches, La. to face murder charges. Shelton, who was convicted of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a boy in Las Vegas, is charged with killing 19-year-old Justin James of Winnfield, La.

Prosecutors contend he drugged James with a combination of Xanax, morphine and cocaine in an effort to sexually assault him. The drugs proved lethal.

I just became aware that James' sister, Destiny, has created a MySpace page in memory of her brother. I've said before that I keep in touch with James' mother, Lisa, who has waited for years for charges to be brought and court proceedings to begin. The page is called Justice for Justin. I noticed she lists her brother as "22 years old." He would have been 23 in January.

There's lots of photos and music in his memory.


Click below to read my original story on James' death from 2006.

Heading over to Torrance court for the arraignment of former Palos Verdes Peninsula High School coach Barry Sacks, who has been charged with child molestation.

Sacks, 49, was arrested by members of the sheriff's Special Victims Unit on July 16, but was released the same day after posting $150,000 bail.

The alleged acts, said to be inappropriate touching, involved nine girls, who were all 15 and 16 years old, deputies said.

Sacks, who was fired from Peninsula, has also coached at Bishop Montgomery and Palos Verdes high schools and run youth camps.

We'll let you know what happens.

Previous stories

A man was shot today in front of a health food warehouse in Carson, deputies said.

The shooting near Cedarlane Natural Foods Inc. warehouse in the 1100 block of East Walnut Street occurred about 1:30 p.m., deputies said.

The victim underwent surgery Tuesday afternoon.

No suspects were in custody. The motive was not immediately known.

Previous man shot in Carson

We had a short story on the Web site yesterday about a homeless man whose body was found on the Century Freeway in the Willowbrook area. He was hit by a vehicle and dragged.

The discovery of his body forced the closure of the eastbound lanes.

If you happened to be driving east on the 105 about 5:15 a.m. or so, CHP investigators are trying to find the driver of a late-model red pickup truck. They don't know if this is the driver who struck the man, but the motorist stopped at the scene and took off before officers arrived.

I'll have a story on all this coming up.

The victim was Alhakim Muntaqim Allah, a 66-year-old man who lived in his van in the area of El Segundo Boulevard and San Pedro Street.

"I think he was misunderstood by a lot of people," his daughter Al-Wasi Allah said. "He was happy. He smiled all the time."

Remember that Bell High School teacher found in the back seat of a car with a 17-year-old student in a parking lot near Carson?

Well, facing about three years in prison, he took a deal today to plead guilty to six felony counts of having sex with the girl starting when she was 16.

Alex Diaz, 37, of Long Beach also pleaded no contest to other felonies.

Compton Superior Court Judge Gary R. Hahn sentenced him to a 180-day jail term and five years formal probation, the District Attorney's Office said.

Diaz, who is free on $20,000 bail, must surrender on Sept. 26 to begin his jail sentence. His sentence requires him to register as a sex offender, attend a year-long sexual battery program, undergo individual psychotherapy and stay away from anyone under 18.

Diaz has a new born son, so the judge made him the one child he can be around, prosecutors said.

Officially, Diaz pleaded guilty to three counts of oral copulation of a person under the age of 18 and three counts of unlawful sex with a minor. He pleaded no contest to two counts of sodomy.

The District Attorney's Office said Diaz was the victim's health teacher when she was a 14-year-old freshman.The sexual relationship began in November 2006 and ended in May  when Diaz and the victim were found by sheriff's deputies in a parked car.

Although we were told all along that they were caught in Carson, the DA's office said today it was actually Rancho Dominguez, the unincorporated area that is patrolled by Carson deputies. The parking lot was in the 19100 block of Santa Fe Avenue.

More crime stuff from Redondo Beach:

08-20-08 (Wednesday)

• On Wednesday, August 20, 2008 at approximately 2:34 p.m., three male transients, one with a bike chain, attempted to rob a male victim of his wallet, at the bus stop on Diamond at PCH. There was no loss and an area search was negative for the suspects. Police have identified two suspects.

08-21-08 (Thursday)

• On Thursday, August 21, 2008 at approximately 2:55 p.m., A woman returned to her home in the 1900 block of Speyer Lane and was confronted by two males who had broken into her house.  The suspects, both male blacks in their early twenties, were inside the residence upstairs loading bags with the victim's property.  Fortunately the suspects did not find the woman's 18 year-old daughter who was asleep in another bedroom.  It is unknown the point of entry to the location.  When the suspects were confronted by the victim they pushed her and ran from the house.  They were last seen on Flagler Ln running to a tan vehicle that was driven by another suspect.    

A couple of South Bay blogs have posted photographs of burglars inside and outside of a Playa del Rey home. I tried to confirm all of this with LAPD, but didn't get very far, so I'm going to trust my fellow bloggers.

The crime occurred Aug. 17 in the 7900 block of 81st Street. The photos show the burglars and their car.

David Markland at La.Metblogs has a story.

Westchester parents broke the story.

I stole their photos. Here's a very clear one. If you know him, call the Pacific Division at 310-482-6313.

Here's Part 1 of the latest Recent Law Enforcement Events report from Redondo Beach police. 

08-18-08 (Monday)

• On Monday, August 18, 2008 at approximately 4:34 p.m., three black males entered the T-Mobile store in the Galleria and stole five "Sidekick" cell phones. The suspects fled into the CompUSA lot, entered a vehicle and left the premises.  The description of the males is very close to another similar crime that coccured on August 17, 2008.

• On Monday, August 18, 2008 at approximately 10:31 p.m., the victim was riding his bike on the Redondo Beach bike path.  As he attempted to pass a group of five male black adults who were blocking the bike path, one of these suspects punched the victim in the head.  The victim fell off his bike and all five suspects began kicking the victim while on the ground.  When the victim finally got up and the suspects left, the victim realized he was now missing his keys.  The victim declined medical treatment after complaining of pain.

08-19-08 (Tuesday)

• On Tuesday, August 19, 2008 at approximately 2:11 a.m., Officers received a call of several taggers spray painting the building located at 2722 Artesia, near the railroad tracks.  As officers were arriving on scene, the suspects / taggers ran on foot in several directions.  Two of the responding officers pursued the suspects on foot but lost one suspect in the area of Grant/Firmona. The suspect disappeared in an unknown direction since he had about a 100 yard head start.  The officers' attention was then focused on capturing other suspects who were possibly hiding in a parked car at 2810 Artesia.  Two suspects were located within a parked van and detained. Officers located numerous items of evidence inside the van, including a camera that contained video and still footage of the suspects doing tonight's graffiti. 

• On Tuesday, August 19, 2008 at approximately 3:26 p.m., a patrol officer was flagged down by a victim who related she was robbed of her cell phone.  The victim was at the beach with some friends, observed a fellow (Parris School) student and had some words. A short time later, a female in a black SUV pulled up, told her not to talk "SH*T" about her sister and grabbed her cell phone out of her hand. The SUV fled and the suspects were not immediately located. 

• On Tuesday, August 19, 2008 between the hours of 10:00-10:20 p.m., three strong arm street robberies occurred on the upper and lower bike paths, between Topaz and Sapphire.  All three appear to have been committed by the same three suspects.  

Apparently a lot of you were interested in this item yesterday, so I thought I'd repeat it for people who didn't see it.

Here's a little addendum to my story (Monday) about El Segundo police Lt. Ray Garcia, who was shot in April at the Pacific theaters. He has returned to work. Officer Scott O'Connor remains off-duty following another surgery.

This wouldn't have done anything to prevent Jonathan Taylor from bringing a gun into the theaters, but the folks over there have instituted a "code of conduct" for movie goers and patrons of neighboring businesses.

It sort of gives them some ability to refuse service to anyone, just like at a restaurant.

Here it is:

Beach Cities Plaza

Code of Conduct

In an effort to ensure that our guests experience a clean, professional, and safe environment, Beach Cities Plaza adheres to a strict code of conduct which includes the following that will not be tolerated while visiting any of the businesses within the property.

1.     Offensive, disruptive, or obscene language

2.     Loitering
3.     Inappropriate and/or offensive clothing or gestures
4.     Verbal or physical abuse
5.     Attire that conceals one's identity
6.     Intoxication or being under the influence of any controlled substance
7.     Threatening or harassing any individual
8.     Weapons of any kind are prohibited

9.     Movies starting at 9:00 pm or later require that you are 18 or accompanied by an adult guardian (21 or older)

If you fail to comply with the Beach Cities Plaza Code of Conduct, you will be asked to leave the property.  Failure to leave the property when advised to do so will subject you to arrest for criminal trespass.

This isn't the usual kind of judge we write about on this blog, but she's a judge nonetheless. And yes, I'm a big American Idol watcher.

Here's this from the folks at American Idol:

Grammy-Nominated songwriter Kara DioGuardi has joined American Idol as a fourth judge.She will sit alongside Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson at the judges' table and use her background as an award-winning songwriter and producer to praise or critique the wannabe hopefuls throughout the competition. The eighth season of American Idol premieres January 2009 on FOX.

"We are turning the heat up on Idol this year and are thrilled to welcome Kara to the judges' table," said creator and executive producer Simon Fuller. "She is a smart, sassy lady, and one of America's most successful songwriters. We know she will bring a new level of energy and excitement to the show."

"We had originally intended for American Idol to have four judges," said executive producer Cecile Frot-Coutaz. "We've seen from our international series that having a fourth judge creates a dynamic that benefits both the contestants and the viewers."

Mike Darnell, President, alternative Programming of FOX, added, "For the past seven seasons, Paula has had to endure the experience of being the only woman at the judges' table. She's been as an island of consideration and gentle criticism between Randy and Simon, offering her invaluable expertise as a performer and No. 1 artist to the thousands who have competed on American Idol. With Kara by her side, Paula finally has some back-up and now there is going to be a lot more 'girl power' on the show."

Here's the press release from Manhattan Beach PD on what happened today at Target:

Date of Crime Aug. 25, 2008

Location: Target Store, 1200 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Manhattan Beach

Suspect: Unknown Female Caller

On Monday, Aug. 25, 2008 at 1:36 p.m., an unknown female caller called the Target Store located at 1200 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Manhattan Beach and told an employee there was a bomb in the building.

Manhattan Beach police responded and contacted the store manager, who pursuant to company policy requested the store be evacuated. Customers and employees were evacuated from the building and surrounding area.

A search of the store was conducted by store employees and Manhattan Beach police, however no bombs or suspicious packages were found.

Previous entry

A homegrown terrorist who plotted to attack military and Jewish sites in Southern California was sentenced Monday to 22 years in state prison for robbing a Torrance gas station.

Levar Haney Washington, 30, is now facing 44 years behind bars. He was sentenced in December to 22 years in federal prison for conspiring to wage war against the United States and a weapons charge.

Torrance Judge Mark Arnold imposed the 22 years in state prison today for the gas station robbery, which was one of about a dozen committed three years ago to obtain money to fund the terrorism.

Story coming.

Police have ordered everybody out of the Target store on Sepulveda Boulevard in Manhattan Beach.

Apparently, there's a bomb threat. At this point, we have no real information on whether it's a phone threat or an actual bomb or just some suspicious package.

Sounds like a good place to stay away from for a while.

We'll update later.

Here's the update: It's all over and nothing exploded. Still don't really know what happened, but police surrounded the place and kept everybody out. We'll try to get more.

Here's a guy in a heap o' trouble:

Three LAPD officers were in a guest room at the Comfort Inn on Sixth Street in San Diego on an off-duty trip Sunday.

One of them, Christopher Campagna, was handling a .38-caliber handgun that he thought was unloaded.

As you guess, it went off. A bullet hit another officer in the abdomen.

The injured officer was taken to the University of San Diego Medical Center. He is expected to recover.

San Diego PD is investigating, but LAPD officers are conducting an administrative investigation.

LAPD said in a statement that "This gathering of off duty officers was social in nature and was unrelated to any official function of the Los Angeles Police Department."

A former bookkeeper for the International Longshoremen & Warehouse Union Local 26 pleaded not guilty today to charges of embezzling union funds.

Rosa Della Porta, 44, of Highland Park is accused of taking more than $100,000.

We'll get more as the day goes.

Previous on Rosa Della Porta

Los Angeles police detectives are asking for the public's help to locate a suspect they believe 

shot and killed a man during an argument on a Wilmington sidewalk.

The gang-related crime occurred about 12:20 p.m. Jan. 13 when Fernando Ochoa, 28, became involved in a dispute with Alfred McCullin, 21 in the 1100 block of North Ravenna Ave., police said.

Police said Ochoa shot McCullin numerous times, killing him.

The District Attorney's Office issued a warrant for Ochoa's arrest, charging him with murder.

Anyone with information about Ochoa's whereabouts is asked to contact Harbor Division detectives at 310-522-2036 or the use the 24-hour tip line,  1-877-LAWFULL(529-3855).

STILL WANTED: 

Hawthorne: Kanasi David Liggins

San Pedro: Albert Trujillo

San Pedro: Car dealership robbers

 

Not to sound like an old codger, which I guess I am, but what in the world has life become? I used to go to Reseda Park quite a bit as a kid. There was a lake for fishing, day camp and Indian Guide picnics. It's right in the middle of the San Fernando Valley, a couple miles from where I grew up and my mom still lives.

Just got this from the Hermosa Beach Neighborhood Watch.

Police tell me they don't know what this guy intended and they are investigating.

On Friday, 08-22-08 at approximately 11:40 AM a female was putting groceries in her vehicle in the parking lot at Vons 715 Pier Avenue. She was approached by a white male 50 years, who put a knife to her back and ordered her in her vehicle. The female got in her vehicle and other people arrived getting into their vehicle nearby. The suspect was scared off and left the area in an older model silver Honda sedan with possible California license plate 3POZ281. The suspect drove through the lot and out of sight.
 
Anyone with information is advised to call the Hermosa Beach Police Department at (310) 524-2750 or if you see a possible suspect or vehicle call 9-1-1 from home phone or (310)524-2750 from cell phone.

I received an e-mail yesterday from a reader whose wife and sons were in the El Segundo theater lobby in April when a gang member pulled a gun and shot at two police officers, wounding both. The officers killed him.

The reader, grateful that the officers prevented his family from being hurt, wondered how Lt. Ray Garcia, left, and Officer Scott O'Connor are doing in their recoveries. Just by chance, I was already working on a story about Garcia, who I talked with extensively Thursday morning. I turned the story in earlier today.

It is scheduled to run Monday, unless something in the world requires a change in the news planning. So look for it.
(And I'll check up on O'Connor and the other victim, Devan Jackson, soon.)

A suspected robber who shot at a police officer was captured this morning in Inglewood.

The man, whose name was not immediately released, is suspected of holding up the El Pollo Loco restaurant at Manchester and Aviation boulevards about 11 p.m. Thursday.

A Los Angeles International Airport police officer who was nearby was flagged down and began chasing the man.

During the chase, the robber fired his gun at the officer. He missed.

Inglewood, Airport and Los Angeles police officers searched for the man and found him near Arbor Vitae Street and Aviation, police said.

                                                      

Judge Deanne Smith Myers, who has battled cancer for nearly four years, died Wednesday evening, the Metropolitan News Enterprise reported this morning. Her last assignment was in Long Beach, but before that she handled preliminary hearings and then civil cases at the Torrance Courthouse.

Colleagues are remembering her as hard-working and kind. We'll have a news obituary in tomorrow's Daily Breeze. Her funeral is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 28, at St. Francis Episcopal Church in Palos Verdes Estates.

Here's the upcoming checkpoints for your drunk driving and driving-without-a-license planning.

This is all leading up to the Labor Day weekend. There's a few more apparently scheduled, but these are the ones the cops have told us about so far. They will also be out on patrol looking for drunks on the move.

So you've been warned.

Gardena: The checkpoint will run from 8 p.m. Friday until 3:30 a.m. Saturday in the eastbound lanes of the 1000 block of Artesia Blvd.

Hawthorne: A checkpoint will be conducted from 8 p.m. Saturday to 4 a.m. Sunday in the eastbound lanes of Rosecrans Avenue at Isis Avenue.

Torrance: Officers will be in the 4300 block of Pacific Coast Highway from 8 p.m. Saturday to 4 a.m. Sunday.

Redondo Beach: 6 p.m. Aug. 29 to 2 a.m. Aug. 30 on Artesia Boulevard at Aviation Way.

Why do we publish these things? The drunks are gonna know!

She must've really missed her man. This is from City News Service yesterday:

 LOS ANGELES (CNS) - A 27-year-old woman was arrested today for allegedly using counterfeit documents and forging the names of two federal judges in an attempt to free her husband, who is serving two life sentences for murder and other crimes.

Danielle Denise Jones was arrested at her home in Los Angeles this morning after authorities learned documents ordering husband Jason Earl Jones' immediate release from prison were forged and likely mailed by someone outside the prison, according to Laura Eimiller of the FBI.

Jones, a supervisor transportation security officer with the Transportation Security Administration, apparently mailed the documents to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation's Legal Processing Unit and the U.S. Marshals Service, Eimiller said.

 

Compton Juvenile Court prosecutors saw the proof in the video: The Torrance Transit bus driver threw the first punch in an on-board fight over unpaid fare in Carson. Charges were filed against Jamel Stanfield, 13, after the March 5 melee. But after his attorney, Mark Haushalter, showed prosecutors video from an on-board camera, the case against Jamel was dismissed today "in the interest of justice," as they say.

Jamel's civil attorney says he's heard nothing from the city about a claim he filed in May.

We'll have a full report on the dismissal in tomorrow's Daily Breeze.

KCAL/KCBS has the footage. Click here and look for the video titled "Caught on Tape: Public Bus Brawl."

I'll never forget Esther Arteaga's young daughter looking up at me a few days after her mother was killed and saying, "I miss my mommy." It was heartbreaking and is one of those things that has stuck in my brain.

Prosecutors have now convicted two more men for killing Arteaga and Eduardo Roco, 74, a retired military man working the overnight shift at a Carson gas station.

This just came in from the District Attorney's Office:

A 24-year-old Los Angeles man and his teenage co-defendant were convicted of murder today in the 2006 fatal shootings of two gas station employees in Carson.
 
Deputy District Attorney Mia Wood of Compton Branch Office, who took the verdict, said jurors deliberated for eight days before finding Julio Perez guilty of two counts of first-degree murder and guilty of three counts of attempted robbery.

Co-defendant Eric Elmo Sanford, 17, of Los Angeles also was found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder and guilty of two counts of attempted robbery.

Judge John T. Doyle of Compton Superior Court ordered the defendants back for sentencing on Sept. 18. The defendants each face a life sentence with the possibility of parole.

This was a retrial for Sanford, who was tried earlier this year with a third defendant, Adam Loza, 25. Loza of Los Angeles was convicted May 19 of two counts of first-degree murder and attempted robbery. Jurors deadlocked on a verdict for Sanford at the time. Loza will be sentenced on Aug. 28.

On Nov. 4, 2006, Eduardo Roco, 74, of Carson, and Esther Arteaga, 32, of Wilmington, were shot to death in a pre-dawn attempted robbery of a gas station in Carson.

The three defendants were arrested days later and have remained in custody without bail.

Denise is working on a story....

Here's the official press release from the Hermosa Beach Police Department on the stabbing that occurred the other day on the Pier Plaza. Cody is the son of Easy Reader publisher Kevin Cody. We reported this yesterday.

HERMOSA BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

(August 20^th 2008)

 

"Local man charged in a stabbing at the Hermosa Beach Pier".

SUSPECT:            Michael Arthur Cody 

Hermosa Beach resident

20 years old

VICTIM:            Withheld for safety concerns

CHARGE:            664/187 PC- Attempted Murder

                        245(a)(1) PC- Assault with a deadly weapon

BAIL:               $750,000 held at Los Angeles County Jail

SYNOPSIS:            The suspect stabs the victim in the back (possibly a knife) after an altercation under the Hermosa Beach Pier in an unlit area.  The Los Angeles County District Attorney's office filed charges on the suspect.

DETAILS:            In the early morning hours (approximately 2:00AM) of 8-17-08 the suspect and the victim became engaged in an altercation which ultimately resulted in the suspect stabbing the victim in the back several times.  The suspect was last seen fleeing the area on a bicycle.

HBPD officers responded to the location and contacted witnesses, while the HBFD treated the victim for the possibly life threatening injuries (due to nature and location of stab wounds).  The victim was transported to an area hospital where the injuries were later determined to be non-life threatening. 

The suspect and the victim were involved in an on-going dispute, which finally became a physical altercation.  The victim and the suspect have been acquaintances for several weeks, and it does not appear to be a random act. 

HBPD officers located the suspect walking in the area of Hermosa Avenue and Herondo approximately 50 minutes later.  He was contacted and arrested without incident.  The weapon in question is outstanding.

Charges of attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon were filed.  The suspect is being held at the Los Angeles County Jail on $750,000 bail.

Anyone with information on this incident is encouraged to contact Detective Dorothy Scheid at (310) 318-0360.  Cody's next court appearance is 9-12-08 at Torrance Superior Courthouse.

Officer Higgins

Hermosa Beach Police Department

Press Information Officer

The Easy Reader also has a brief story on the incident. Click here and scroll to the bottom.

A Los Angeles blogger posts surveillance footage from outside his Hollywood building that shows an orange vest and hard-hat clad wannabe DWP worker using bolt cutters to steal a bike.

See David Markland's post at Metblogs here.

Wynford Eugene Murray, the child molester who had been downloading stories about sex with infants from public libraries from Woodland Hills to Redondo Beach, pleaded not guilty Wednesday in Torrance court to a charge of failing to register as a sex offender.

Police were trying to find this guy and put out the word last week. Someone noticed him in downtown Long Beach on Monday and called the police. He's behind bars with $1 million bail. He'll be back in Torrance court on Sept. 4.

Here's something the Los Angeles General Services Police put out last week, showing that they were really giving their all to find him. This police agency patrols city facilities, parks, council offices, the LA Convention Center, public libraries, the zoo and other public entities in Los Angeles. They were looking for him along with the LAPD and Redondo Beach police.


Remember that he's been caught. This came out before that....

Background:
This suspect was convicted in New York for molesting a 3 year old female victim in 1997. He has been moving locations since then and was last registered in the state of Virginia in 12/2006. Wynford has since disappeared, until earlier this year (01/2008), when he was reported by an anonymous patron who provided the Librarian a copy of Wynford's Virginia State Police Registration information at Platt Library in Woodland Hills, CA.

Here's some stuff that kept the cops in Redondo Beach busy last week. It's from the weekly Redondo Beach Recent Law Enforcement Events report:

Aug. 13:

1800 Block of S. Pacific Coast Highway: At about 10:20 p.m., officers made a traffic stop of several occupants in a vehicle for suspicious activity related to probable narcotic activity.

A narcotics trained police canine was requested at the scene of the traffic stop. K-9 Valor, under the supervision of Officer Ken Greenleaf, alerted to the trunk area of the stopped vehicle. A search of this area resulted in the recovery of a quantity of marijuana, concentrated cannabis, cash, and other evidence consistent with marijuana sales. The driver was arrested for possession of marijuana and possession of marijuana for sales.

(I don't think that's Valor, but it's definitely Greenleaf.)

Aug. 15:

415 Diamond Street: At about 12:45 p.m., an unlicensed driver drove his vehicle into the south entrance of the Redondo Beach Library parking structure. The subject was driving erratically and accelerated his vehicle into a vehicle that was backing out of a parking stall.

 The driver careened into several other parked vehicles and tore a fire extinguisher box off a concrete support structure. The driver then accelerated backwards striking another parked vehicle. The driver accelerated forward towards the parking structure entrance that he had entered and struck a pedestrian that had witnessed the event and was attempting to flee the area to call for assistance.

Officers arrived on scene and detained the driver. The pedestrian suffered serious injuries to both of her legs. Officers are investigating a possible medical issue with the driver.

Aug. 15:

2700 Block of Artesia Boulevard: At about 10:25 p.m. an officer made a traffic stop for amplified music from a vehicle in violation of a Redondo Beach Municipal Code. During the subsequent contact, the driver revealed that he had a marijuana pipe and a handgun in the vehicle. The officer conducted a search and recovered a loaded and concealed handgun inside the vehicle. The driver was arrested for weapons charges.

Aug. 16:

1815 Hawthorne Boulevard (Galleria Mall): At approximately 8:00 p.m., Galleria Security observed two suspects trying to open parked vehicle doors in the mall parking structure. Galleria Security watched the suspects enter one unlocked vehicle and remove property.

Redondo Beach Police arrived on scene and the detained the suspects. Officers recovered stolen property from the suspects that had been taken from locked and unlocked vehicles. The two male juvenile suspects were arrested for vehicle burglary.

A Pittsburgh man faces up to 10 years for attacking his teenage step-daughter with a garden gnome. Charles S. Morrison, 31, was convicted Tuesday of five counts for throwing the two-pound statue through a glass door at the 16-year-old. His defense was that he tripped.

A Wisconsin gas station has reported that someone stole $20,000 worth of gas. That's like, what? Three-quarters of a tank?

Previously:

What a surprise: Thieves make off with 4,000 gallons of diesel

Fill'er up

Trial is expected to start real soon for Erwin Howard, who is accused of killing his former wife, Julia "Deede" Keller. Howard, a 54-year-old former baggage handler, allegedly murdered the popular El Segundo resident and Manhattan Beach real estate

agent in July 2004 because he was jealous she moved on with his life.

The trial will be at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center in downtown Los Angeles.

The attorneys will get together next week to formulate juror questionnaires and take care of pretrial motions. On Sept. 2, jury questioning will begin.

Ok, so there is a crime here in the second half of this video from our friends at CNN.

But first, you get to see a 4-eared cat named Yoda.....

Then you get to the crime.

That's Dan Villanueva Patino of San Clemente. The Orange County Sheriff's Department says he tried to hire an undercover detective to kill his ex-girlfriend.

Oops.

Police arrested him Monday when he offered $10,000 to what he thought was a hit man, the Orange County Register reported today.

(It's tough finding a good hitman these days.)

Patino wanted his ex followed home from a party and killed in a car wreck that was supposed to look like an accident, the  newspaper said.

Here's the Register story

Photo from OCRegister.com

Barry Mosley, 48, left, was convicted of three counts of first-degree murder for the slayings of two women and a teenage girl in their homes in the Athens area in 1999 and
2000.

Next up is the penalty phase. The same jury will have to decide whether to send him to Death Row or a cell for the rest of his life.

Jurors found Mosley guilty of 10 counts and seven special circumstances allegations including murder during rapes, burglaries and sodomy and multiple murders.

Denise just reported from the courtroom and will have all the details soon. Staff photo ace Sean Hiller took the photo.

Previous stories on Mosley.

Mahendra Udani, a former gastroenterologist convicted of molesting two female patients, appeared in court today for a restitution hearing. However, Torrance Superior Court Judge Michael Vicencia said he wasn't going to hear arguments or make any rulings on the issue because the case is still on appeal.

Udani was convicted in March 2007 of 18 charges and was sentenced to two years in jail. However, he remains out of jail on bond pending appeal of his case. Previously, Vicencia ordered Udani to pay the women a total of $115,000. Part of that money, their attorney said, was to get diagnoses and treatment plans for therapy.

Now, the two women who were 22 years old in November and December 2004 when Udani groped them, are asking Vicencia to order Udani to pay them about $500,000 to carry out that treatment plan, according to their attorney. Vicencia said if Udani's convictions are upheld on appeal, they can come back and ask again.

Udani, 56, of Palos Verdes Estates, massaged, squeezed and pinched the patients' breasts while they were under his care at a Torrance hospital and his Redondo Beach office. The jury who convicted him also heard evidence that he had inappropriate sexual contact with two additional women. He has since lost his license to practice.

Remember Wynford Eugene Murray, an unregistered child molester out there on the loose in Redondo Beach? We told you about him last week.

Well, he was arrested in Long Beach on Monday.

Turns out someone who had seen his face on television saw him sitting on a curb in the 100 block of South Pine Avenue. That's where all the downtown restaurants are.

The person called Long Beach police, who arrived, checked him out and took him to jail.

If you recall, this is the guy who molested girls 3 and 5 in New York. After serving his sentence, he has roamed the country, downloading child porn and fantasy stories about sex with infants on public library computers.

Last week he was in the San Fernando Valley, made his way to Redondo Beach and ended his journey in Long Beach.

Right now, he's back in the Redondo Beach jail.

Based on some of the concerned emails I received in the last few days, this ought to bring some relief to parents....

Previous entry

We just got word that the two alleged Backpack 

Bomber Bandits were arrested and are each being charged today with four counts of robbery, one count of attempted robbery and five counts of commercial burglary. They are identified as Darryl Smock, 41, left, and Curtis Boyd, 47. Boyd, right, who has a previous robbery conviction, is also facing one count of being an ex-convict with a gun.

Their MO was to tell bank clerks around Los Angeles that they have bombs, then use their backpacks to take off with the cash.

The pair are supposed to appear for arraignment in Torrance Superior Court today.

Previously entries are here.

Waiting for verdicts in high profile, serious cases makes me edgy. Everytime the phone rings, I jump a bit. Since you never know when they're gonna come, you're always worried about missing them.

The jury deliberating on the Carson double-murder case has now begun its sixth day of discussions. They are deciding whether or not Eric Sanford and Julio Perez were at all involved in the deaths of two gas station clerks during a pre-dawn attempted robbery on Nov. 6, 2006.

Previous items are here.

A Torrance jury began deliberations yesterday afternoon in the capital murder case against Barry Mosley, who is accused of three murders in two different Athens-area incidents in 1999 and 2000. He's also charged with raping a young girl, who survived and testified against him, as well as a host of other allegations.

Click here for previous entries on the Mosley case.

I'll keep you posted...

Law enforcement critic Najee Ali, who often speaks out after officer-involved shootings and racially-motivated incidents -- including the 2006 killing of Cheryl Green in Harbor Gateway -- was sentenced today to four years in prison for trying to bribe a witness in a criminal case against his daughter.

Najee Ali was very active following Green's death, led demonstrations after the Jeremy Morse trunk thumping case in Inglewood, spoke out in Hawthorne after officers shot a woman who stabbed her 4-year-old daughter, and criticized Torrance police after officers shot two burglars hiding in a tool shed.

That's Najee and Green's mother, Charlene Lovett, getting arrested at a protest in Inglewood.

Some people appreciate the coverage of the court case against Barry Sacks. Others, not so much. The prevalent theme of those responding to today's story is "no-way, no-how." Here's a sampling:

I too, along with several former fellow students from the Peninsula are completely sickened by the malicious allegations against Mr. Sacks.  He has dedicated decades to children, including children with mental handicaps and a variety of other misfortunes. Children are his life and he has done so much for so many hundreds of them.  The ridiculous allegations by these girls has shattered his career and his life and put simply, it is a tragedy.

I look forward to hearing from the community about how I can help show my support for this remarkable, giving man who deserves so much for all he has given to so many children.

If I had to rank the people of the South Bay, I'd have to put the residents up in the north part of Harbor Gateway right at the top of the list.

Why, you ask?

Well, I don't mean to offend the rest of you. There are plenty of good people out there and I love you all.

But today I went to one of the most enjoyable assignments I've ever had. And I can be bought with food apparently.

The wonderful people in the 135th Street Neighborhood Watch group made lunch to welcome eight new police officers coming to work in their community. I went out to cover it. About 50 people were there.

The eight officers are fresh out of the LAPD academy and spent their first day on the job at the Burden family backyard on 139th Street, just east of Vermont Avenue. You'll read about it in Tuesday's paper and on the Web site.

Now, I'm not supposed to take part in my stories, but I admit -- I confess -- that I eagerly violated the rules of journalism and took a full plate of food.

A jury deliberated about half a day a today before finding Ricky Sam Sisneros, 45, guilty of 10 weapons and drug charges. The jury also found true allegations that the crimes were gang-related. Sisneros returns to Torrance Superior Court Sept. 29 for sentencing.

Prosecutors argued that Sisneros was the "shot caller" of the violent Torrance street gang La Rana. He was under surveillance and arrested after he was seen leaving a home in the 2300 block of Del Amo Boulevard on March 14, 2007.

The defense argued he was not a gang member - let alone a leader - just a drug-addicted old man. The main question was whether or not the guns that were found in the home belonged to him or others.

After a story on the trial ran last week, several people who live in that area contacted me to say there is no La Rana gang. Wrote one 36-year-old Del Amo Boulevard resident:

You called the gang a violent street gang. When was the last time this so called violent street gang was violent? It's been a long time, the area has changed but of course you fail to mention that, or how many many of the residents on this street are good.

[snip]

Some of the residents on the street are harassed by the TPD on a regular basis, I have been pulled over by the TPD about 10-15 times in the last year and a half and have never been given a ticket.

The National Museum of Crime & Punishment in Washington D.C. (which even I didn't know exists!) sent out a news release today to let people know that there are some artifacts on display that have California connections:

These include Kevin Costner's revolver from "The Untouchables," (Paramount, 1987) used in the station scene with Andy Garcia.  The other is Luca Brasi's mob pistol from "The Godfather" (Paramount, 1972).  It is used by Brasi, [played] by Lenny Montana, in the scene where he prepares for the meeting with Sollozzo.

 The museum also features multiple artifacts from Alcatraz, including postcards, letters and a prisoner "ID" camera.  Displayed is a hand-written letter on prison stationary from Robert "Birdman of Alcatraz" Stroud from Jan. 15, 1999 to his sister.  Stroud was imprisoned for murder at the age of 18 - he spent more than 54 years in jail (47-years in isolation), where he became a self-educated authority on birds and bird diseases. 

 

These are among the museum's more than 100 displays, which also includes opportunities to interact with realistic forensic labs, take a lie detector test and an FBI shooting range simulator. For more information, click on link above to the museum or call (202) 621-5567.

This topped this week's blotter from Redondo Beach:

It happened Aug. 10:

1800 Block of S. Pacific Coast Highway:
A female was kidnapped in the area of East LA. While being driven in the suspects' vehicle she was raped somewhere near where she was kidnapped.

 At about 10:45 p.m., she was driven to Redondo Beach where the suspects pushed her out of the vehicle. She ran to 1890 S. PCH and called 911. Redondo Beach police officers took the victim into protective custody and stood by for a response by the jurisdictional police agency. The crime is under investigation by the East Los Angeles station of the Los Angeles Sheriffs Department.

After we reported a couple weeks ago that former Peninsula High School coach Barry Sacks was arrested and charged with nine counts of misdemeanor child molestation, my e-mail inbox went crazy with reactions. In today's Daily Breeze, we explore some of those reactions - especially why Sacks was still running his day camp after his arrest and what those who know him have to say about him and the allegations.

Read today's story: Charges fuel mixed emotions

We have not allowed user comments after today's story. However, we're accepting comments here. We'll post those that are clean and not slanderous.

Previously: Peninsula coach arrest sparks reader reaction

Press Release

Victim's Vehicle Located

 On August 7th 2008 a Gardena Business woman later identified as Ms. Connie Chang was found shot to death in her place of business, J. J. Café located at 14325 S. Western Avenue. The victim's vehicle, a 2002 Toyota 4Runner has been missing since the night of her death. As a result of their investigation Gardena Police Detectives placed a "want" on Ms Chang's 2002 4Runner. 

On August 16, 2008 at approximately 2:00pm the Gardena Police Department was notified by LAPD that the vehicle had been located and was involved in a police pursuit. The pursuit ended in the City Rosemead at the intersection of Garvey and Walnut Avenues in a traffic collision. 

Gardena Police Detectives responded to the City of Rosemead and met with LAPD Detectives. Upon arrival Gardena Police Detectives were informed that a lone male occupant in the Gardena woman's vehicle was deceased. The identity of the male occupant is not known at this time. The Gardena Detective Bureau is continuing in this investigation and will liaison with LAPD Detectives regarding the male occupant's identity and possible involvement in Ms Chang's death. 

  

Information from City News Service:

A man driving a sport utility vehicle that belonged to a woman found shot to death in her Gardena business died Saturday at the end of a chase from Los Angeles to Rosemead.

The man, whose name was not released, fired several shots after he crashed. The truck burst into flames.

Police were watching the man about 1:45 p.m. Saturday when the suspect got into the 2002 Toyota 4Runner taken from Connie Chang, 64, of Los Angeles. Her body was found Aug. 6 inside her business, the J. J. Cafe at 14325 S. Western Ave. in Gardena.

She was shot in the chest.

Police followed the SUV from Whittier Boulevard and Witman Avenue. A helicopter crew watched as it moved through Boyle Heights, East Los Angeles and Alhambra.

At Walnut Grove and Garvey Avenues in Rosemead, the SUV crashed and overturned. The driver started shooting.

The 4Runner caught fire. The man was killed inside, but it was unclear if he shot himself or died from the fire.

 

I got a call today from a woman who made an unfortunate choice of boyfriends.

She said she started seeing Wynford Eugene Murray in December when they met in a food line at a Redondo Beach church.

"He acted really normal," she said. "He acted sweet and kind. Everybody thought he was just down-and-out. He acted normal like everybody."

The woman, who asked that her name not be published, said she lives in a van down by the beach.

Anyway, things were going just fine until she went through Murray's backpack to find her keys. She found a 3-inch stack of child porn and sick stories about sex with babies.

"I found pornographic stories of fathers raping children (downloaded) off the library's Internet," she said. "I saw it and I threw up. I didn't know anything until I went through his back pack."

If you saw my story today, you'll know that Murray is being sought by police who want to take him off the street. He served time for molesting girls ages 3 and 5 in Syracuse, N.Y., and is roaming the country as a transient.

He's not registered as a sex offender so police can keep track of him. He's now charged with failing to register in Woodland Hills and Redondo Beach.

A labor dispute outside the Happiest Place on Earth resulted in the arrest of protestors today, including some dressed as beloved Disney characters.

The Associated Press has the whole story.

Photo by AP

There's sobriety checkpoints from 7 tonight to 3 a.m. Saturday on Figueroa Street north of 223rd Street and on Avalon Boulevard north of Carson Street in Carson.

The Los Angeles City Council is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of two Westchester men who allegedly kidnapped their sons and haven't been seen for more than a month.

George Silah, 46, failed to return his sons, Alex, 12, and Zaven, 8, to their mother, Zanni Meguerian, at the end of summer visitation on July 6. His brother, John Silah, 47, failed to return his son, Greg, 10, to his mother, Christine Jeanbart.

The mothers last week pleaded for the men to return their kids.

Anyone with information on the case was asked to call detectives at (310) 482-6313.

 

If you know these guys, call the Harbor Division at 310-522-2029. They robbed Unite Cars on Gaffey Street back on July 27. Story coming later to the Web site and print edition.

If you see this guy, call 911 immediately. He's Wynford Eugene Murray, a convicted child molester out of New York who has been seen in Redondo Beach. He's unregistered and get this -- he gets off on reading stories about having sex with infants. He has been in libraries, including in Redondo Beach, downloading that sort of literature.

Anyway, instead of calling up the business number of your local police station, Redondo Beach police want you to call 911. He is a transient and might be using a bike and living around the beach.

I'll have a full story coming up soon.

Russell Powell, arrested three times for what can only be described as a "butt load" of weapons found at his Tomlee Avenue home in Torrance, was supposed to have a preliminary hearing today in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom. It was postponed until Sept. 9

Powell, 36, had made bail twice when he was arrested again in April, according to previous reports. He was being held on $750,000 bail after his last arrest, but it's not clear from the Sheriff's Web site how much money - if any - he posted before being released on Aug. 2.

Rifles, assault weapons, and handguns were among the weapons found at his home, along with drugs and related paraphernalia, police have said. He was also named in a recent article about a large-scale methamphetamine crackdown by Torrance police.

Powell has said he is a collector and owned the weapons legally.

Previously:

Locations implicated in crackdown

 

Robert Soloway, who will spend four years in prison beginning Sept. 22 for the barrage of spam e-mails he sent, opened up for an interview that was published last week by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

The Palos Verdes Peninsula High School graduate, who got filthy rich at a young age from his business, told the newspaper: "Here's my dysfunction," Soloway said recently. "It was that notoriety. People knew me. No one clapped for me at my high school graduation. Maybe it's not how I want to be famous, but (my thinking was) 'At least people know who I am.' "

Previously:

Spam King sentenced

Sentencing hearing underway for Spam King

Police tell me that Debbie Chan, the 70-year-old woman who jumped to her death at the Sunken City in San Pedro yesterday, had been diagnosed with terminal cancer.

She left a suicide note at her home in Rancho Palos Verdes.

Anyone who knew her, please contact me at larry.altman@dailybreeze.com or at 310-543-6655.

Trevon Willis, 21, of Carson, was scheduled for a preliminary hearing today for the January shooting of a Gardena police officer during a foot chase. The prosecutor said one of the witnesses was ill, so the hearing was postponed. Check out the Court Tracker later today for the new date.

From City News Service:

LOS ANGELES (CNS) - A woman was in custody today after using a pair of scissors to attack a man on the platform of a Metro Red Line station in Universal City, authorities said.

Dache Owens, 31, lunged at a man about 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, said sheriff's Lt. Ron Kegel of the Transit Services Bureau. Authorities were not certain what provoked the attack.   Owens was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, Kegel said. She was held on $30,000 bail.

While the man and Owens struggled over the scissors, some other people on the platform tried to intervene, possibly thinking Owens was a victim, Kegel said. "Other patrons may have inferred that the man was trying to assault the female," Kegel said. Four people suffered minor cuts in the struggle, and a man was treated at a hospital for a non-life-threatening cut to his upper body, Kegel said. It was not clear if the hospitalized man was the original target of the attack, Kegel said.

A Los Angeles jury has awarded an Iranian-American man about $14.9 million for asbestos exposure that caused a terminal case of malignant mesotheliomoa. He worked at the Chevron refinery in El Segundo in the 1980s, but his exposure to the asbestos occurred prior to that in Tehran, Iran. Amanaollah Shahabi was too ill to hear the verdict himself, and is hospitalized.

Read the press release about the verdict here.

A group called All of Us Or None plan to go to the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday to talk to families and friends visiting inmates about the voting rights of people with past convictions and to register eligible voters waiting in line.

From their release: 

Formerly Incarcerated People Reclaim the Right to Vote

Los Angeles, CA-On Saturday, August 16, 2008, members of the grassroots group All of Us or None will educate families and friends visiting the Twin Towers Correctional Facility about the voting rights of people with past convictions and register eligible voters in the visiting lines. "There is a lot of misinformation out there," says Lisa Leon, a Community Organizer with All of Us or None and a formerly incarcerated woman herself. "Many people who are on probation, off parole, or currently imprisoned in county jails do not know that they have the right to vote. This Voting Rights Awareness Day, taking place in 7 counties across California, is part of a larger campaign to educate the community and reclaim our civil rights," says Leon.

 

I don't have much on this, but former Manhattan Beach police Sgt. Shawn Shelton will soon be relocated from his Nevada prison cell to a jail in Louisiana to face murder charges.

Shelton, 41, left, waived extradition last Friday and will soon be flown to Natchitoches, where he is accused of killing 19-year-old Justin James, right.

Shelton could have fought being extradited to another state to face trial, but he apparently chose not to. He'll likely be housed in a county jail instead of a prison while awaiting his case.

Natchitoches prosecutors believe Shelton drugged James with morphine, cocaine and Xanax and attempted to sexually assault him. James died from the combination.

Shelton already is serving a sentence of 35 years to life for kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 14-year-old boy in Las Vegas about five months later. He kidnapped the boy at a bus bench, drove him out into the desert and assaulted him.

The Daily Breeze has been a leader in covering this story. James' mom keeps me informed of what's going on periodically by email and phone calls. She has sought justice for nearly three years.

The fact that Shelton soon will be on his way to a Louisiana courtroom is very important to her and her husband.

She told me:

"This has been a long drawn out process. Lynn and I have fought this every step of the way! You don't raise a child 19 years for someone like this to come in and kill him."

The Shelton story still amazes me. How did someone go from a fast-rising cop whose hand I shook to a child predator to an accused murderer?

Today's story on Rosa Della Porta's charge of embezzling from the ILWU is now up on dailybreeze.com. It includes reactions from Local 26 President Luisa Gratz, who was none-too-pleased with her former employer. Dropped from the story by editors for being "too accusatory" was this quote from Gratz: "We're not vindicated yet. We want every penny back. I don't care how long she has to spend in jail. She stole from our members, she stole from our union.... You don't steal from working people."

Here's some updated information on an item we had last week about a woman found dead inside the J.J. Cafe on Western Avenue near Rosecrans Avenue in Gardena.

• Her name was Connie Chang, 64, of Los Angeles, and she was the owner and operator of the bar.

• An autopsy found she was shot several times. A gunshot wound to the chest was listed as the cause of death.

• Police are searching for her car which was missing from the parking lot. It is a gray 2002 Toyota 4Runner with the license plate number 4WJW227.

• A neighbor told me she had been missing several days and had had a fight with a man.

Anyone with information about the killing is asked to call Gardena police Detective Todd Fox at 310-217-9625 or Detective Pamela Robinson at 310-217-9653

Here's some more stuff from Redondo Beach, as written by Capt. Jeff Hink:

• On August 7, 2008 at about 12:00 p.m. a female withdrew $850.00 from the Washington Mutual Bank in the 1600 block of South Pacific Coast Highway. The female exited the bank, drove about 50 yards to another business and went inside. Within ten minutes, an unknown suspect broke the back window of her vehicle and removed her purse which was hidden in the back compartment.

Further inspection of her vehicle revealed that her right rear tire was slashed with a knife. The suspect possibly slashed her tire at the bank in the hope that she would drive from the bank and then have to pull over her disabled car, at which time he would rob her. An employee of the bank reported seeing a suspicious individual inside the bank at the same time the victim was conducting her transaction. The suspicious person was described as a male Hispanic adult, 25 years old, 5-07, medium build.

• On August 7, 2008 at 8:05 p.m. an officer conducted surveillance in the 2700 block of Artesia Blvd. A stucco wall dividing the condominium complex and the railroad tracks at this location was vandalized the night before by unknown suspects. A citizen had confronted the subjects the night before, and they ran south on the railroad tracks.

From City News Service:

LOS ANGELES (CNS) - An ordinance tentatively approved today would enable the county to fine taggers for the damage they cause.

The Board of Supervisors will take a final vote on the ordinance next week. If approved, it would take effect in 30 days, county spokesman Brian Lew said. Supervisor Gloria Molina came up with the idea after a Pico Rivera grandmother was gunned down Aug. 10, 2007, when she tried to stop a graffiti vandal from defacing a wall near her home.

The average taxpayer cost to catch a tagger is $665, and the average cost of removing or painting over graffiti is $552 per incident, according to Chief Executive Officer William Fujioka.
In response to the Pico Rivera killing, the county created a six-month pilot program known as the Vandalism Enforcement Team, which targeted taggers in Pico Rivera and the unincorporated area near Whittier. Between Jan. 6 and June 30, the team arrested 168 taggers who had caused an estimated $345,000 in damage, according to sheriff's Capt. Michael Rothans. Violent crime in those areas also dropped, he said, and none of the
suspects initially arrested were caught reoffending.

Rosa Della Porta, 44, of Highland Park, was the former bookkeeper and officer manager for the International Longshoremen & Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 26. She was arrested today and indicted on Friday in federal court for one count of embezzling union funds.

The indictment alleges that Della Porta, who was responsible for receiving dues and making bank deposits, embezzled approximately $108,000 in cash. "After receiving cash from various sources, Della Porta allegedly deposited less cash than the union received and pocketed the balance," according to a release issued by the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Della Porta allegedly embezzled the money from January 2003 until June 2006, when she was relieved of her bookkeeping duties. She was terminated by the union in November 2006. She faces a maximum sentence of five yeaars in prison.

She is expected to make her initial court appearance this afternoon. We'll have a full report in tomorrow's Daily Breeze.

Local 26 represents about 1,000 members, who work for 28 industrial companies in the Los Angeles area.

Two of the greatest crime fighters in history (the 70s at least) will be joining forces with Carson residents to take back the city's streets.

Sorry Eric Bana and Edward Norton, but the real Incredible Hulk -- Lou Ferrigno -- will be in Carson Wednesday night along with Officer Frank Poncherello for the "Community Night Out, March and Rally Against Crime and Violence."

Poncherello, of course, is Erik Estrada, who is expected to ride in on a CHP motorcycle.
Ferrigno is a sheriff's deputy reserve officer.

Both are lending their support to the fourth march of its kind.

Carson sheriff's Capt. Todd Rogers said the city was unable to join in last week's National Night Out because of the conflicting council meeting, so leaders scheduled the event for tonight.

Deputies will conduct station tours, and display law enforcement equipment beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Carson Sheriff's Station, 21356 S. Avalon Blvd.

The march begins at 7:15 p.m.

"It's our outreach to the community," Rogers said. "We can do a much better job if we are all working together."

City officials, clergy and local entertainers will take part. About 300 people are expected.

"Everybody is coming together," Rogers said.

Here's stuff from the Redondo Beach Recent Law Enforcement Events report as prepared by Capt. Jeff Hink:

• On August 2, 2008, Redondo Beach Police Officer's were dispatched to a traffic collision at the intersection of Harriman Lane and Rindge Lane . During the course of the investigation it was discovered that one of the drivers involved in the collision possessed stolen items in his vehicle that were taken during previous vehicle burglaries in Redondo Beach. The suspect was arrested for possession of stolen property and gave consent to search his residence. The subsequent search led to the discovery of additional items that are believed to be stolen.

• On August 6, 2008 a plainclothes Manhattan Beach Police Department detective was in the 2500 block of Artesia Boulevard when he observed a group of male individuals on the sidewalk. He saw one of the males assault one of the other males and grab his iPod from him. The detective broke up the fight, detained the "aggressor" and determined that the suspect had committed a strong-arm robbery when he took the iPod. Ultimately, the juvenile suspect was arrested for robbery and taken to RBPD for booking.

A Compton Superior Court jury is expected to begin deliberations tomorrow on special circumstances murder charges against Julio Perez and Eric Sanford, accused of killing two Carson gas station clerks during an attempted robbery in 2003. We'll keep you updated on the outcome.

Albert Edward Talton, 45, pleaded guilty this morning to federal conspiracy and counterfeiting charges. His Lawndale home housed what authorities believe is one of the biggest counterfeit currency making operations ever in Southern California. Talton returns to court for sentencing on Oct. 27, when he faces up to 25 years in prison and $500,000 in fines - although his actual punishment will likely be less severe.

We'll have a short story up on dailybreeze.com soon, and a full story in tomorrow's editions.

A Maryland woman sued two state agencies, claiming they are unfairly barring her from practicing her passion of equine massage by threatening prosecution if she continues.

Animal massage is apparently an emerging service, according to the article. But apparently, it's a bit different than rubbing down a human:

"They can be very dangerous animals if you don't know what you're doing," she said. "It's very unlikely a person on a massage table is going to kick me."

El Segundo police reported this morning that a 14-year-old is in custody for allegedly sparking a fire in a vacant building last night.

I've written several stories over the years about unsolved crimes from the past. None of them 

have brought forward the tips to catch the suspect, and it's always quite disappointing.

A couple of months ago, police asked me to try again. Detectives at the LAPD's South Traffic Bureau told me they had this San Pedro fatal hit-and-run case with a named suspect they had not found since the crime in 1992. The guy had run to Mexico and had been wanted ever since. They suggested I put an article in the paper about him.

I did a little checking in our archives and found a few stories written at the time of  Fred and Ezna Crescitelli's deaths.

I decided to turn this into what we call a "Sunday Package," a more indepth article than what I usually do.  I found the Crescitellis' children and Eugene Pollack, whose wife, Joan, was also struck as she crossed the street with them that night.

The second trial to come from the Nov. 4, 2006, slaying of Esther Arteaga, 32, and Eduardo Roco, 74, is winding down in Compton Superior Court. Today, Julio Perez, the alleged get-away driver, was on the stand. The gist of his defense is that he knew co-defendants Eric Sanford and Adam Loza were going into the mini mart to steal beer ... he just didn't know anybody was going to use a gun to rob the clerks of cash in the register. The criminals took nothing in that predawn hold-up, except two innocent people's lives.

We'll have a full report in tomorrow's Daily Breeze.

It's always a weird scene when seven or so guns are spread out on the attorney's table, all lined up like good little soldiers. As Ricky Sam Sisneros' trial got underway yesterday, the table was littered with rifles and pistols. However, one was missing, which left the attorneys and investigating officer scrambling around at the end of the day trying to find out what happened to the assualt rifle between Sisneros' last trial and this one. It was eventually found in the court's storage room.

Not available last night, but known now, is Sisneros' criminal history. He has three strikes for shooting at an inhabited dwelling, assault with a deadly weapon and residential burglary, according to prosecutors. He also has convictions for possession of a controlled substance and weapons charges.

The hold-out juror in his last trial, by the way, reported to the judge that her car was vandalized in the court parking lot during the trial. While it's never been proven if the vandalism was linked to her role in the trial, the situation prompted Deputy District Attorney Jeff Stodel to ask for extra security in and around the courtroom for this trial. Judge Steven Van Sicklen, though, refused the request.

Van Sicklen's kind of the new guy on the bench at the Torrance Courthouse. However, he already won the heart of one juror when, during a lull in the proceedings, he asked the panel: "For those jurors who watch TV, who do you think is going to win tonight?" A couple wondered aloud what he was talking about - maybe the Dodgers? Until a young woman in the front row asked excitedly: "Are you talking about 'So You Think You Can Dance?'" Then, they shared a very nice moment.

Here's more on what I've learned about the arrest of Christian Faustino Lopez Herrera in the 1992 hit-and-run deaths of Fred and Ezna Crescitelli:

This is from LAPD Detective Dennis Duran:

My article about their unsolved cold case ran the morning after an off-duty police officer was stabbed at the Crimson bar in San Pedro.

As detectives investigated, the owner of a neighboring business told them that he recognized the man in my article as someone who worked for him. He used the name Oscar Herrera.

The investigation was on.

Detectives obtained search warrants to track Herrera's cell phone with a global satellite positioning device.

An FBI/LAPD fugitive task force began looking for him and tracked him to an address in San Pedro. I believe I had been there while working on the story and encountered a man who called himself Henry Herrera. I don't know if that has turned out to be Christian/Oscar.

Meanwhile, detectives spotted him leaving the house on 5th Street today. They followed him and arrested him. He had bags packed in the car and said he was on his way to Mexico.

He had identification in both names -- Christian and Oscar Herrera.

A woman believed to be the owner of the JJ Café was found dead inside the Gardena business Thursday night.

Police went to the restaurant in the 14300 block of Western Avenue at 7:20 p.m. when a friend of the owner asked for officers to check on her welfare, Gardena police Lt. Uikilifi Niko said. The friend believed the owner might be inside and injured.

Firefighters entered and found a woman's body. Her identity was not immediately determined.

Police did not release any information on the condition of the body or cause of death.

The Samoan Flag Festival at Victoria Park will remain closed today except for one cricket game. The semifinal game will be allowed, but without spectators.

Carson sheriff's Capt. Todd Rogers said the festival will reopen Friday morning with a huge police presence.

The decision was made today following a lengthy meeting with county, city and Samoan Federation officials.

Rogers said he needed time to assemble to team of officers to police the event. Los Angeles County police and sheriff's deputies will keep watch on Friday and Saturday.

Gang members clashed with a gunbattle at the event on Wedesday night. Three people were wounded, including two children.

A security guard killed one man who was identified as Daniel Lotaki, 20, of Long Beach.

Parents whose kids were coached by Barry Sacks over the years, and others, are having some strong reactions to news this morning that he is charged with nine counts of child molestation.

One reader wrote:

"Thank you for making me aware of this.  Coach Barry has worked with my kids, and they would have been in this Road Runner Program this year, but I followed my first mind and passed.

"I spoke to Barry July 24th on Penn's track working with his Road Runner Group, and I was none the wiser as to what was going on with his arrest. It seems that he was out on bail, and still working with kids alone.  You can gather from this that I am upset because the matter should have been brought to my attention as a parent with the PVPUSD when he was dismissed.

"How did u come across this information, and why did it take so long to be brought to my attention?"

I hate to tell ya this, but I came across this story the same way I do many others: I literally stumbled upon it yesterday morning at the courthouse. I heard and saw some things, got nosy and figured it out. I also feel it's unfortunate that law enforcement and school officials did not make us aware of this case sooner. I suggest that parents who agree let school officials know.

Carson sheriff's Capt. Todd Rogers will meet at 11 a.m. with county and city officials and representatives of the Samoan Federation to discuss whether the Samoan festival at Victoria Park will reopen.

Gangs engaged in a gunbattle at the event Wednesday night. Three innocent bystanders were wounded. A security guard killed a gunman.

In an interview this morning, Rogers said the festival remained closed today. The discussion will focus on whether to reopen it, the level of law enforcement needed, and who will pay for it.

A couple of deputies were working Wednesday night when the gangs clashed.

In 2004, a man was shot at killed at the Samoan festival at Victoria Park in Carson. 

Well, it's happened again.  A dispute between Tongan and Samoan gangs resulted in gunfire  Wednesday night. Three innocent people, including two kids, were wounded.

A security guard killed a gunman.

We'll get more on this today.

Sadly, I was going to talk to the Carson sheriff's station captain today about a billboard going up next week with the faces of two previous shooting victims whose deaths remain unsolved.

Now we have more victims. 

Here's what the Sheriff's Department put out to the media early today:

Sheriff's homicide detectives are continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting death of a man that occurred at Victoria County Park, Carson, on Aug. 6, 2008.

Detectives have learned that, while at an annual Samoan Flag Day festival, rival gang members became involved in an altercation during which several gunshots were fired.
One of the suspect shooters fired several rounds into a crowd of people and three individuals were wounded.

The victims were treated by paramedics and transported to local hospitals for further medical treatment.

A private security guard who was working at the festival exchanged gunfire with one of the suspects involved in the initial shooting incident. The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene.

The investigation is continuing.

Torrance police say the guy in the mask is Carlos Cisneros, 23, of Los Angeles. They busted him Wednesday as a suspect in a robbery at Washington Mutual Bank at 2750 Pacific Coast Highway. We'll have a story on the Website later tonight and all day Thursday.

The FBI today released all kinds of information about the investigation into the Anthrax killings that occurred after 9-11. The suspect, anthrax researcher Bruce Ivins, killed himself before the charges were filed against him.

Here's a press release from the FBI on what happened today.

The FBI also released all of the documents in the case, including search warrant affidavits. If you'd like to take a look at the reports, everything is available here. Click on "view the documents." Or go directly to the documents. (You'll need a few days.)

Sometime in the next few days when you have a spare 20 or 30 minutes, spend some time with Danielle. Her story of neglect, deprivation and, eventually, hope, is beautifully captured by a reporter and photographer for the St. Petersburg Times in Florida. It will make your stomach and heart ache. Be sure to check out the audio and video components, as well.

Zanni Meguerian, whose sons, Alex and Zaven, and Christine Jeanbart, whose son Greg, were abducted by their former husbands in early July, pleaded today at a news conference for the boy's return. Meguerian's ex-husband George Silah and Jeanbart's ex-husband, John Silah, who are brothers, disappeared with the boys.

Here's what they said: (If I can figure it out later, I'll post the actual sound.)

Meguerian:
"Alex, Zaven, I miss you guys so much. I love you honey. I'm going to find you. Please be strong. Don't be afraid. We are all looking for you and we are going to find you. Please take care of each other. Ask for help if you see somebody. Ask to use their cell phone. Call 911 or call me. Try to log on to the Internet. Honey I miss you guys so much. Please, please just pray and stay strong. We will be together soon I promise.

"This is to George: George, for once in your life do the right thing. Please do not keep the kids in harm's way. Please return them back to me where they'll be safe. You can hide. You can run. You can do whatever you want. Let the children go. Drop them off at a fire station, at a police department, at a hospital, at a church. Somewhere where they've be safely able to come back home to me. Please just do the right thing...

Jeanbart:

"John, you know how much my son is attached to me, how much he loves me. Please do the right thing. Don't torture his soul. That poor kid is probably asking for his mother. Do the right thing. Drop him off at a church, at a police station. Let him call me. I need to talk to him. I miss him very much...

"I'm not going to cry. I'm going to be fighting to get my son back. It's going to happen. I'm going to get him back with the help of the authorities, all the prayers and hopefully Greg will come back soon...

"Greg, this is Mommy dear. Hang in there sweetheart. I'm going to come and find you. I'm going to bring you back home. Stay strong. Make sure you pray every night. Be patient. I'm coming to get you back home where you belong. I love you. Take care."

I'm working on the full story

This just in from City News Service:

The former principal of Del Rey Continuation School in Westchester pleaded not guilty Wednesday to two felony charges alleging he possessed child pornography on his home computer. Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Henry Hall ordered Randolph Barnett Cornfield, 60, of Playa del Rey, to return to the downtown Los Angeles courthouse Sept. 17.
Cornfield remains free on $20,000 bail posted shortly after his June 12 arrest.

"He's not the principal at the schoolnow). He's not going to go back to the school," defense attorney C. Chike Amobi told reporters outside court. He described Cornfield as a man who "has clocked in about 26 years of exemplary service as an educator" and said the charges are "grossly opposite" to the person known by the former principal's friends and co- workers.

Cornfield who was the principal at Del Rey Continuation School at the time of his arrest is accused of possessing child pornography on a CD-ROM and on a zip drive, according to Deputy District Attorney Marc Beaart. Cornfield allegedly posed as a 12-year-old girl, engaged in sexually explicit conversation in an Internet chat room and offered to provide nude photos, according to the District Attorney's Office.

Authorities were tipped off and allegedly discovered child pornography after executing a search warrant at Cornfield's home, authorities said. "At this point, we have no information to indicate that any of his students -- current or past -- have been involved," LAPD Detective Moses Castillo said at a news conference shortly after the arrest.

Following a preliminary hearing today, Cornell Barber was ordered to stand trial on four charges related to the April 27 early morning attack with a gun of a young woman on a Torrance street. The woman was the only witness to testify at Barber's hearing

Look for a full report in tomorrow's Daily Breeze.

A preliminary hearing was postponed today for the former Gardena Chamber of Commerce executive director who is accused of embezzling more than $40,000 from her employer. Karen Sue Hale, 53, from Lawndale, will return to Torrance Superior Court Sept. 3.
Her attorney asked Judge William Beverly for the continuance because he said he just received new information from prosecutors.

In addition, Gardena police Detective Todd Fox told Beverly that he had information that Hale has, on a number of occasions, possibly violated a protective order filed against her by employees and volunteers of the Chamber. Beverly warned Hale that each violation of the order could land her in jail for six months. Hale, who worked for the non-profit organization for six years, was arrested after board members discovered missing money in November.

It's been nearly three years since the details of the birth and death of Leticia Castro's baby aboard a Catalina Express ferry were first disclosed during a preliminary hearing. It's one of those cases that makes your stomach churn - and mine certainly did that day (and not just because I got seasick trying to write a story on my laptop on the boat ride back to San Pedro).

In a tiny, one-room courthouse where the judge takes the bench once a week, emotions were heavy. After a couple hours of cases against people accused of driving their golf carts drunk or illegally catching sea life, the bloody details of the baby's birth seemed out of place on the island paradise.

These are the photos from the Wal-Mart robbery in Harbor Gateway. Three guys held up the store on Sunday. If you know them, call the police at 213-485-2511.

Back in April 2007 I had just finished up watching a Laker game when my phone rang. The Daily Breeze building was on fire. (I know, some of you think that sounds like a good idea. In fact, a cop once suggested to me he would enjoy it if the place went up in smoke.)

Anyway, I was asked to hurry over to cover the story. (I've never quite been clear why no one ALREADY IN THE BUILDING couldn't have picked up a notebook, but whatever.)

I arrived and joined my colleague Andrea Woodhouse -- who also came in from her home -- to cover the blaze.

The fire occurred as a production company filmed "Pineapple Express" in our old empty pressroom in the back of the building. It had been turned into an indoor marijuana farm.

It was pretty amazing. Rows and rows of pot filled the room. It looked incredibly real, but it was missing something. I've been to a real indoor pot farm and the odor was overpowering. I even think it had some effect on me.

But this had no smell -- at least until it caught fire. The movie makers created an explosion for a scene and surprise, surprise, it ignited the fake pot.

The Torrance Fire Department did a great job and knocked the flames down pretty quickly. Smoke leaked into the newsroom, but we wrote the story and put the paper out on time.

Los Angeles police detectives are seeking the public's help in locating three suspects who robbed a Wal-Mart store in Harbor Gateway. All suspects were captured on the store's video surveillance system. 

Here's the press release:

On August 03, 2008, at 11:25 p.m., the night manager of Wal-Mart on 19503 S. Normandie Avenue unlocked the door to allow the night crew to enter the store.  He noticed two suspects dressed as Wal-Mart employees, who claimed to have transferred from another store.  When the manager refused to allow them entry, one of them pulled out a gun and ordered the manager to take them to the back of the store where the safe was located.  A third man remained at the entrance.  The suspects proceeded to rob the store of an undisclosed amount of cash and left in a van waiting for them.

The suspects are described as three Black men between 20 to 25 years old.  They are medium built with very short dark hair.  Two of the suspects have dark complections and one has a lighter complection.  The suspects stand 5'7, 6' and 6'2 tall wearing clothing similar to those worn by Wal-Mart employees. 

The van was described as a maroon, late 1990's to 2000 model Ford Winstar or Chevrolet Astro passenger van with collision damage to the right rear side and tinted windows behind the front row seats.                  

Anyone with information regarding this robbery is urged to call RHD Detectives

Maria Tomes or Freddy Arroyo at (213) 485-2511.  After-hours or on weekends, calls may be directed to a 24-hour, toll-free number at 1-877-LAWFULL (529-3855).  Callers may remain anonymous. 

How much is a human life worth? It's always astounding how judges and juries have to try to come up with some kind of number to compensate loved ones left behind by those killed due to other people's negligence or violence. It's not an enviable job.

But that's the task U.S. District Court Judge Florence-Marie Cooper was charged with. Last week, she heard from Robert Bailey's friends and family and this week, she had decide how much his loss equalued in cash. A couple times during the emotional testimony, Cooper was visibly moved by what she was hearing and seeing in the smiling family photographs of Bailey and his three children. It was a tough, sad trial.

To learn more about Bailey, who called himself "Chopper Bob," you can visit his memorial Web site.

Los Angeles police and city officials -- Chief Bratton and Mayor Villaraigosa -- will hold a  news conference later this morning to announce that crime rates in Los Angeles are the lowest they've been since 1970.

You can't question statistics and I'll agree I'm not as busy as I was in the early 1990s when crime was out of control, but it still seems like I'm starting a new story the moment I finish one.

Denise spends most of her days in court covering one proceeding after another.

Am I questioning these crime drops that officials keep announcing? Guess so. But I have nothing to base that on other than I have plenty to do every day in one of the safest regions of Southern California. Of course, the numbers we get come from the police.

I'll post a story from our friends at City News Service later.

Dr. Lawrence Saks' federal fraud and money laundering trial, scheduled to begin tomorrow, was postponed until next year, according to the court's online docket. The new date is Feb. 9, 2009 - so mark your calendars now. Based on the feeback I get on this case, it's going to be sell-out.

Saks, a Rolling Hills resident, is out on bail, but a judge ruled a couple weeks ago he no longer has to be electronically monitored.

My colleague, Sandy Mazza, received a few e-mails regarding a story on the killing of a San Pedro man on Friday. Some people might have missed a followup that included his name. He was Gilbert Boscilio Rodriguez, 23. He was shot to death at 2:45 a.m. near 12th and Gaffey. A man driving a dark-colored sport utility vehicle opened fire on Rodriguez and crashed. He then ran.

Here's the emails:

• "I really find it disrespectful on the comments that people have left. Stuff like that should not be up when someone got shot and killed. I grew up with his part of the family. I really would appreciate if those comments can be deleted as soon as possible."

• "I am writing this letter in regards to a story you wrote on Aug 2, 2008 about a man shot in San Pedro. The "Man Shot" had a name and I believe if you or any reporter is going to write a story then you should have all the facts. His name was Gilbert Rodriguez and was 23 years old. He was a member of society. He was someone's son, someone's brother and a father to a 4-year-old little girl who will never know her father. Due to a senseless fight he lost his life.

No one has been out to talk to his mother or family, police nor reporters. I know you are probably very busy and sorry for bothering you but I just wanted to let you know a little about Gilbert Rodriguez because he will be missed dearly....."

• "Is there any more information in regards to whom died and if there are any people in custody for the slaying? May the concerned public in the city get more detailed information in regards to this matter? Thank you."

I checked this morning and there is no new information to report. Police said the shooting is believed to be gang-related. Rodriguez was a local gang member.

Recordings raise questions about inmates' rights

By ALLISON HOFFMAN Associated Press Writer

SAN DIEGO (AP) - The last thing defense attorney Jim McMahon expected to hear on a recording of phone calls from the county jail was his own voice discussing trial strategy with a client who had been jailed on a probation violation.

The intercepted call had been recorded by an automatic-taping system and stored on a server accessible to prosecutors, who downloaded the conversation and shared it with McMahon.

"We weren't talking about cursory stuff, what kind of clothes to wear. We were talking trial strategy," McMahon said. "There's no question that these calls are privileged, and we rely on that because the criminal justice system would come to a screeching halt if we had to drive to the jail every time we had to talk to our clients."

(Click on the headline to see the whole story.)

Here's some interesting numbers:

Manhattan Beach has 125 bars, restaurants and retail stores which are
licensed to sell alcohol; Hermosa Beach has 98 and Redondo Beach has
206. That's a lot of booze.

So, the Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach and Hermosa Beach police departments have received an $85,000 state grant to keep alcohol out of the hands of minors.

The grant from the state Alcoholic Beverage Control office will allow officers to train licensed establishments, train patrol officers, and conduct inspections and sting operations to determine if licensed establishments are abiding by state laws.

During the last year, Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach police conducted 13 sting operations. They checked 258 businesses. Of those, 24 sold alcohol to minors. Forty people received citations.

Here's a video of police in San Mateo conducting one of these sting operations:

A Portofino Inn who guest who allegedly caused more than $100,000 to his room when he set it on fire in February was in court for a brief appearance today. Zachary Zborovsky is doing the attorney shuffle, it seems, so his preliminary hearing was rescheduled from today to Aug. 26.

Zborovsky, 24, is from New York but was arrested in San Diego after making a quick get-away following the fire. Authorities said Zborovsky had a dispute with hotel staff before he torched his room. About 17 other rooms were damaged.

Morgan Freeman, who played police forensic psychologist Dr. Alex Cross in "Along Came a Spider" and homicide Lt. William Somerest in "Seven," was injured in a car wreck over the weekend.

A man labeled the "most prolific graffiti tagger" in Gardena history is believed responsible for $100,000 damage.

Ivan Gonzales, 32, allegedly tagged more than 200 residential trash cans, more than 200 city light poles, the businesses on Crenshaw Boulevard from Manhattan Beach Boulevard to Rosecrans Avenue, the city sidewalks and the alleyway along Crenshaw Boulevard.

Police received information about Gonzales about 5:30 a.m. Wednesday. Within two hours, they arrested Gonzales at his Gardena home.

Officers believe Gonzales also vandalized Thornburg and Freeman parks, tagging trash cans, bleachers, benches and the bathrooms.

Gonzales was charged Friday with two felony counts of vandalism.

The District Attorney's Office has issued warrants for th e arrests of two Westchester men accused of abducting their sons and possibly heading to Syria.

The warrants were issued Friday for George Silah and his brother, John.
The warrants charge the men with felony child abduction.

Their sons, Alex, 12, Zaven, 8, and Greg, 10, have not been heard from since July 2. They were supposed to be returned to their mothers, Christine Jeanbart and Zanni Meguerian on July 6.

The women believe their husbands are running from members of the Armenian community, who have left 44 threatening voice mail messages on their phiones. They believe the brothers bilked them of more t han $5 million.

Each warrant carries a $500,00 bail.

The Silah brothers are believed to be in a stolen silver Infiniti G-35, license plate number: 6DZS016.

A judge today ordered a Compton man to stand trial in the hit-and-run death of a man who lived in his car near Alondra Park.

Judge Gary Daigh ruled enough evidence exists to prosecute David Wayne Roberts, 29, of Compton in the death of 62-year-old Bill Cunha.

Daigh issued his ruling at the conclusion of a short preliminary hearing at the Compton courthouse.

Roberts is charged with running a red light at high speed and crashing into Cunha's pickup truck, which burst into flames, killing him. Roberts, who initially stopped, then left the scene.

He is charged with vehicular manslaughter and felony hit-and-run.

Two witnesses testified that they witnessed the crash and subsequent fire at Alondra Boulevard and Broadway in Carson on Aug. 12. Both said Roberts, who was driving a Chevrolet Avalance, checked to see if anyone was inside the other Chevrolet pickup truck as it burned in front of him.

One witness, Virgil Thompson, said Cunha had a green light and the other driver was traveling at a high rate of speed. A second witness, Eugene Leduc II,  testified that Roberts was panicked at the scene and took off.

Leduc, who was in a nearby parking lot, said he saw a mushroom cloud of smoke rise from an explosion in the street, drove close to it and saw the truck ablaze.

Unable to get through a security gate, he watched Cunha die.

"Basically he was on fire," Leduc said. "Everything was on fire."

Roberts faces charges that could send him to prison for 25 years to life. A convicted robber, the vehicular manslaughter count is charged as a "third strike," meaning he could go to prison for 25 years to life.

A Torrance woman who became suspicious when she learned her name was used to rent a home in Canyon Country led investigators to a woman who allegedly held herself out as more than 20 different people with stolen identifications.

A New Jersey orthopedic surgeon is being sued by a patient, who didn't appreciate the gift she left him while she was unconscious during surgery. The doctor, it seems, gave the woman a temporary rose tattoo on her abdomen. The doctor's lawyer said the physician thinks this cheers his patients up. This woman was anything but happy with the tat, and claims invastion of privacy.

For such a little guy, Verne Troyer certainly gets a big chunk of the spotlight. In a federal lawsuit filed yesterday in Los Angeles, the small Austin Powers co-star claims his girlfriend tricked him into making a widely-broadcast sex tape so she could sell it for $$$$. He also claims she physically abused him, and wants $20 million.