October 2009 Archives

A 15-year-old boy has admitted to police Thursday that he sprayed graffiti in black and white paint on six classrooms and two storage containers at a Gardena elementary school, police said.

Detectives arrested the teen about 11:45 a.m. in connection with the crime that caused several thousand dollars damage at Amestoy Elementary School at 1048 W. 149th St., Gardena police Lt. Steve Prendergast said.
.
The damage occurred sometime from 9 p.m. Monday to 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, when it was discovered. Investigators received a tip and identified the teen as the suspect.

"The juvenile suspect admitted to the graffiti at the school and was later released to his parents," Prendergast said.

Look for more info coming to dailybreeze.com and Friday's newspaper.

Do you know this guy? Police say he is Kjonna Oggs, a 31-year-old San Pedro man charged with attacks on three woman.

Detectives say he enticed homeless women or women suffering from drug problems to his home, then beat, sexually assaulted or robbed them.

They have tied him to three victims, but suspect there are more.

A full story will appear soon on dailybreeze.com and in Friday's newspaper.

Police have tied him to these crimes:

• A 47-year-old woman said she was raped March 13 by a man who tried to sexually assault her .
• A 56-year-old woman said she was robbed May 3.
• A 47-year-old woman reported she was sexually assaulted Aug. 9.

The crimes occurred at his home on Armona Court.

Anyone with information about these or related crimes was Orta at (310) 726-7917.
Calls also may be made to 1-877-LAPD-24-7.

The sentencing that was scheduled for this morning in the Tito Ruiz case was postponed until Dec. 4. It's likely that a motion for a new trial will be filed before then.

Officers in costume from the Los Angeles Police Department's Harbor Division will visit a couple of elementary schools and four Boys & Girls Clubs Friday to pass out candy and promote Halloween safety.

The "Parade of Ghouls" will feature the Spooky Spider Crypt, Creepy Crawly Cemetery and the Perky Pumpkin Patch.

"Join us if you dare!" the officers say.

The parade will visit Barton Elementary in San Pedro and Hawaiian Elementary in Wilmington during the school day.

The rest of the schedule sponsored by the Harbor Area Community Advisory Board:

• Wilmington Boys & Girls Club, 1444 W. Q St. 4:30 p.m.
• San Pedro Boys & Girls Club, 1200 S. Cabrillo Ave., 5:30 p.m.
• Harbor City Boys & Girls Club, 1220 W. 256th St., 6:30 p.m.
• Harbor Gateway Boys & Girls Club, 1435 Del Amo Blvd. 7:30 p.m.
  

Although this Palos Verdes Peninsula article doesn't mention it, the brothers featured here come from a prominent South Bay legal family. Their father is Torrance Superior Court Judge Dudley Gray and their uncle is Torrance attorney Jeffrey Gray. Their great-grandfather was also a notable attorney, responsible for bringing that courthouse-looking building on Crenshaw Boulevard near the San Diego (405) Freeway to Torrance from the mid-west.

Chris Gray's untimely death really shook the family. I remember the grief when I wrote his obituary, and I still often hear it when their uncle speaks of the family.

Like the article says, Chris Gray's death should be a grim reminder to all that addiction knows no boundaries.

Gardena police released this news this week:

On Tuesday, October 27, 2009 the Gardena City Council approved the Graffiti Prevention and Abatement Ordinance which provides for rewards for information leading to the arrest and conviction of persons violating the graffiti ordinance.

It also imposes fines of up to $25,000 to adults and parents/guardians of minors defacing property with graffiti and additionally requires property owners to remove graffiti from their property. Additionally, the ordinance puts tighter restrictions on graffiti materials that minors are allowed to possess.

Gardena Police Department is also introducing a new non-emergency 24-hour Criminal and Suspicious Behavior Tip Line. Anyone with information about any non-urgent crime or unusual activity is encouraged to call the Gardena Police Department's Criminal Behavior Tip Line at 310-217-9522.

The new tip line was enacted by Chief Medrano in order to give the community a way to anonymously report non-emergency criminal behavior to the Police Department.

Coincidentally this ordinance was approved on the same day a major graffiti attack was committed on several areas of the campus at Amestoy Elementary located at 1048 W 149th Street, in Gardena.
 
Sometime between Monday, October 26, 2009 at 9PM and Tuesday, October 27, 2009 at 6:30AM, several areas were defaced with white and black spray paint. The suspects wrote graffiti on the outside of at least six classrooms and on two storage containers. The suspects caused several thousand dollars worth of graffiti damage.

This would be a great opportunity for anyone with information to call the 24-hour Criminal and Suspicious Behavior Tip Line at 310-217-9522. Or you may contact the Detective Bureau Commander, Lt. Steve Prendergast at 310-217-6188. 

Not much happened this morning except that a new date was set. Get the details here.

A Hawthorne man was arrested when he tried to sell stolen laptop computers to an off-duty Los Angeles police officer, police said Wednesday.

The laptops were stolen in a burglary during the weekend at Hawthorne Middle School,4366 W. 129th St., Hawthorne police Lt. Mike Ishii said.

Kenneth Johnson, 44, was arrested Monday at 116th Street and Inglewood Avenue when allegedly he tried to sell laptops to passing motorists.

One of the motorists was the police officer, who then notified Hawthorne police, Ishii said.

Johnson had two laptops that were stolen during the weekend. He admitted to shattering a school window and taking the laptops during the weekend, Ishii said.

The Torrance Superior Court jury found Roy Joseph Senter, 74, guilty of two counts of continuous lewd acts on a child under the age of 14. He returns to court Nov. 24 for sentencing. He faces life in prison.

Full story will be up later at dailybreeze.com

Previously:

Court clerk may testify in Lomita molestation trial

(And an update on that: I'm told that the clerk was called to testify during an evidentiary hearing to see if she would be permitted to take the witness stand before the jury. I'm not sure what she said, but my understanding is that Judge James Brandlin gave the defense the green light to call her. However, she was not called.)

Redondo Beach police are continuing their investigation into John Haig Marshall, who was arrested last month on suspicion of sexually assaulting a friend in his Catalina Avenue apartment.

Haig, 53, is free on bail. He has not yet been formally charged.

As I reported in a story Oct. 20, a 29-year-old man told police that Marshall drugged him and sexually assaulted him in his shower. The friend told police he was aware of what was happening, but was unable to do anything about it.

In addition to making the sexual assault allegation, the friend told police that Marshall shaved  off his body hair.

Police said they had previously investigated claims against Marshall, one involving long-term abuse against a minor, and another indicating he brought high school age boys to his apartments. The boys, police said, reportedly came out "stoned."

None of those allegations developed into charges, but police said they were an indication of a pattern and there could be other victims who never have come forward.

Since the article was published -- and was subsequently picked up and reported on television news broadcasts -- police have received more than a dozen tips from "people with information about the case," Keenan said.

"We've had numerous responses and numerous leads we are vigorously following up," Keenan said. "It's still being actively investigated."

Here at the Breeze, I received a comment on this blog from someone indicating he was a victim. The comment arrived anonymously.

Apparently, Roger Grace over at the Metropolitan News Enterprise is checking in with former Los Angeles County District Attorneys. In today's column, he recounts the term by Robert H. Philibosian. Not only did I learn a lot more about the one time top prosecutor, but a bit about other L.A. legal figures and law from around that time. It's a succint read.

Philibosian is now of counsel at the Los Angeles office of Sheppard Mullin Richter and Hampton.

Some people have asked today about a chase in the middle of the night in Manhattan Beach. I have been a bit busy with the story on our local soldier who was killed in Afghanistan, and a report was not immediately available from the Manhattan Beach Police Department.

Three West Torrance homes were burglarized in one afternoon, probably by the same suspect, police said Tuesday.

The break-ins were Oct. 15 between 2 and 4 p.m.

They were in the 5500 block of Halison Street, the 20000 block of Saltee Avenue and the 4100 block of Konya Drive.

In two of the burglaries, the perpetrator removed screens and slid windows open.
For the third, he entered through an unlocked front door after knocking. However, the resident was home and the suspect fled.

The burglar is described as a black man in his mid 20s with a mustache. He is about 5-feet, 6-inches tall and weighs about 140 pounds.

Investigators believe he was driving a gold newer Nissan Pathfinder, which he backed into the third victim's driveway.

He got away with small electronics, a wallet and jewelry.

Police want residents to pay attention to strange people and cars, and warned that a common technique by burglars is to knock on a front door before trying to get inside through a side or back door or window.

Anyone who sees suspicious activity is urged to call the police.

A Loyola Marymount University student found shot to death in his off-campus residence over the weekend committed suicide, coroner's officials said today.

James Gallagher Patell, 21, died of a gunshot wound to the chest, said Chief Coroner Investigator Craig Harvey.

Patell, a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity and a student in the Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts, was found dead on Sunday.

Lane Bove, LMU's senior vice president for student affairs, sent a letter to students on Monday about the death. The letter offered support for students through the Student Psychological Services program, 310-338-2868.

Word came today that a memorial Mass for James Patell will be held on Thursday at 12:15 p.m. in Sacred Heart Chapel. It is a closed event.

Photo from laloyolan.com

Services were held this morning for Rudy Deleon, a former LAPD commander who died last week.

Deleon, who lived much of his life in Lomita and Torrance, was a popular police official who tried to steer kids from gangs by starting a boxing club in the basement of the LAPD's Hollenbeck Division station in Boyle Heights in the 1970s.

The Los Angeles Times ran a lengthy story on Sunday.

Although he worked for LAPD, Deleon was also known to Torrance police officers. Retired Torrance police Capt. Emilio Paerels sent this remembrance in an e-mail this morning:

"Men like Rudy come along once in a lifetime if you're lucky, and leave their mark on the lives of thousands and thousands.  Everyone who knew him, to a person -- will tell you what a monumentally positive impact he had on their lives, and the lives of others they knew about.

 I never worked with the man; he was LAPD and I was Torrance -- but his legendary career had no jurisdictional boundaries.  And I do mean "legendary." The true story of his life would be an all time best seller.  He was loved by all that knew him." 

Services were at 10 a.m. at St. Margaret Mary in Lomita. Read the Daily Breeze obituary.

From City News Service

A 41-year-old man was shot today in Wilmington while delivering food to his girlfriend.

Jose Augusto Caceros, 41, was walking up the steps of his sweetheart's
home in the 400 block of North Gulf Avenue about 1:15 a.m. when a man with a
gun confronted and shot him, police said.

Then the gunman ran off, leaving a mortally-wounded Caceros at his
girlfriend's doorstep. No suspect description was available, said Los Angeles
police Officer Cleon Joseph of the Media Relations Section.
  
Caceros was pronounced dead at a hospital.
  
Police sought the public's help in finding the gunman and asked anyone with
information to call LAPD Homicide Detectives David Alvarez or David Cortez at
(310) 726-7881.

It was just revealed that pop superstar Justin Timberlake got a temporary restraining order today against an alleged female stalker who tried to enter his Los Angeles house three times.

City News Service reports that Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David Cunningham issued the order against Karen McNeil, a 48-year-old woman who left notes for the singer.

Timberlake's court papers describe McNeil as an "obsessed and mentally unstable stalker"
who is five feet, six inches tall and weighs 215 pounds.

Timberlake doesn't know her.

McNeil got past security onto Timberlake's property on Thursday, according to his
court papers.

The judge told McNeil to stay 100 yards from the singer, his home and his car.

They'll be back in court on Nov. 9.

ANTHONY McCARTNEY
AP Entertainment Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) - A court commissioner on Friday dismissed criminal charges against Kanye West and his road manager stemming from their scuffle with photographers last year.

Misdemeanor charges were filed after West and his manager were arrested on Sept. 11, 2008, after an altercation with two photographers at Los Angeles International Airport. The struggle was recorded and broadcast by celebrity Web site TMZ.

The photographers and the rapper have reached civil settlements over the case, which resulted in a still camera, flash, and a video camera being broken.

West's attorney, Blair Berk, successfully argued the case should be dismissed because of the agreement and that California law allows for certain criminal cases to be settled out of court.

West, 32, was not required to and did not appear in court on Friday.

Deputy City Attorney Felton Newell argued the charges shouldn't be dismissed because West and his manager, Don Crawley, intended to commit a felony and that one of the photographers was slightly injured in the scuffle.

Berk noted that county prosecutors had declined to file felony charges in the case, and that it took city attorneys more than six months to file misdemeanor battery, vandalism, and grand theft charges against West. She said the case was "wildly overcharged" and that it should be dismissed in the interests of justice, fairness and common sense.

West and Crawley have already completed 12 hours of anger management classes, Berk said.

Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Mark Zuckman dismissed the case, but wants both men to perform 50 hours of community service. He said he was taking into account the steps West and Crawley had already taken, their agreement with the photographers, and that there were no lasting injuries to the men. He also noted that neither man had a criminal history.

The altercation was another example of West's notoriously testy temper, but also the first time his actions had turned physical rather than verbal. He verbally assailed President George W. Bush over the government's response to Hurricane Katrina, and lashed out at awards shows when he didn't win.

Since the airport scuffle, West has been publicly derided for seizing the stage from Taylor Swift during this year's MTV Video Music Awards after she became the first country star to win for best female music video.

He has repeatedly apologized for the incident and told talk show host Jay Leno that he was taking time off from music to reflect on his behavior.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.

Torrance police have issued this statement on this morning's big crash at Sepulveda and Crenshaw boulevards:

On October 23, 2009 at approximately 0740 hrs, Officers form the Torrance Police Department received a call of a major traffic accident at the intersection of Sepulveda and Crenshaw Blvd.

Upon the officers arrival, they discovered that four vehicle's were involved in the traffic collision. A dark Gray Infiniti driven by a male adult struck a motorcyclist and then struck a Silver Toyota Camry. The motorcyclist that collided initially with the Infiniti then struck a Green Nissan Sentra that was in the westbound left turn pocket to go southbound on Crenshaw Blvd.

The motorcyclist was transported to Harbor - UCLA in serious condition, the driver of the Infiniti was transported to Little Company of Mary Hospital in stable condition and the driver of the Camry went to Torrance Memorial for treatment of minor injuries.

The collision is being investigated by the Traffic and Special Events Division, Commanded by Captain David Smith.

Anyone who witnessed the collision or has information regarding the collision is encouraged to contact the Torrance Police Traffic Division at (310) 618-5557.

*UPDATED: They took down the video. Here's a photo from Daily Breeze photographer Scott Varley:

Count us all lucky that this guy doesn't live in the South Bay.

Did you see this last night? This dummy climbed into the fountain at Angels Stadium and dunked himself.

Anaheim police arrested him.

The Orange County Register has identified him as an El Cajon man and has more on what happened to him. And, the police say he wasn't drunk, which says a little something about the man's intellect.

By the way, he ended up missing a classic game while in the slammer.

A Gardena man caught allegedly breaking into a car in Torrance was arrested at the end of a high-speed chase, police said Thursday.

Lewayne Anthony Brooks, 46, was arrested shortly after midnight Wednesday as police conducted an undercover operation to catch a suspect in a string of car break-ins, Torrance police Lt. Steve D'anjou said.

Officers were watching the Courtyard by Marriott parking lot in the 1900 block of 190th street when Brooks drove in about 12:20 a.m.

D'anjou said Brooks sat in his car for awhile, then walked over to a vehicle, smashed a window and took some property inside.

Officers moved in as Brooks tried to drive away. They gave chase to Compton, where he became trapped on a dead end street and ran.

Police surrounded the area and captured him.

Investigators suspect Brooks could be responsible for more vehicle break-ins in that area, D'anjou said.

Remember how scary it was when "Night Stalker" Richard Ramirez was committing murders in the mid 1980s in Southern California?

Today, San Francisco police tied Ramirez with DNA to the 1984 killing of a 9-year-old girl in San Francisco.

She was beaten, raped and stabbed.

Not long after, the string of killings began in Los Angeles. He crept into victim's homes and attacked them as they slept, scrawling satanic messages and mutilating victims.

Ramirez is on Death Row, convicted of 13 murders.

The San Francisco Chronicle has the story.

A Los Angeles man is being sought as the suspect in a robbery at a Ralphs supermarket in Hermosa Beach.

Brandon Lincoln Woodard, 28, is suspected of shoplifting several bottles of wine from the market at Aviation Boulevard and Pacific Coast Highway on Sept. 30, then leading a chase into Redondo Beach, police said.

Police said a loss prevention officer tried to stop Woodard, who struggled with him, turning the crime into a robbery.

Woodard escaped in a car, sideswiping another vehicle.

He then struck a Redondo Beach city electrician's truck in the 2200 block of Speyer Lane,police said.

He abandoned the car in the 2100 block of 182nd Street, asked a business owner to borrow some boxes, put the wine inside, hailed a cab and escaped.

Anyone with information about Woodard's whereabouts is asked to call Detective Mick Gaglia at 310-318-0348.

The Redondo Beach man believed responsible for the murder of a Torrance woman whose body was discovered along a mountain highway made his second court appearance Thursday.

Tony Lopez Perez, 35, appeared in San Bernardino Superior Court for a brief hearing, according to Susan Mickey, a spokeswoman for the District Attorney's Office in that county.
Perez will return to court Dec. 7.

He is charged with one count of murder for the Feb. 15 death of Cori Desmond. The 28-year-old was last seen alive in Redondo Beach after she left a bar.

Perez was allegedly linked to the crime when investigators found evidence in his truck, which an anonymous tipster said he was cleaning vigorously after Desmond's death.

It's still October, so it's still D.V. Awareness Month. Which means there are still ways to help.

Tonight at the Shade Hotel in Manhattan Beach is Denim Night. Details here:

Can't go tonight? Another event is scheduled for Oct. 28 at the Blue Butterfly Cafe in El Segundo. Details here: StellaDot.1736Fundraiser.KStrickland1.pdf

Not that this should deter you from helping a worthy cause, but apparently, even Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has noticed that these services are severely lacking in resources. Just got an email from his office announcing that he signed legislation to float domestic violence shelters a $16.3 million loan.

"I want to congratulate the many groups that put victims first and came together to find this creative solution that will keep domestic violence shelters throughout the state open," said Governor Schwarzenegger. "I am proud to sign this bipartisan legislation that is good news for every Californian whose life is devastated by violence in the home and will help ensure domestic violence victims have a safe place to go. And, I encourage the legislature to continue looking for a permanent funding solution for this important program so domestic violence shelters aren't faced with the same uncertainty next year."

 

You can't see his face, but maybe you remember that one of your friends wears a shirt like this? This is one of the guys who held up a Gardena bank on Tuesday. If you recognize this guy, call the cops.

Crime has finally hit home. Well, sort of. I actually don't know this guy and I'm sure he doesn't know me.

Everyone I'll mention here, other than me, is British. I, along with my younger brother, was born here.

So here we go:

My grandmother, Hannah (Levene) Altman, had a son named David, who became my father. They, along with my grandfather, came to California from England in the early 1950s.

One of my grandmother's brothers, at this point we're not sure which one, had a son named Arnold. He'd be my father's first cousin. They stayed in England.

Arnold and his wife had a son named Martin, who eventually became father to Nicholas.

That'd be Nicholas Levene. I am told that Levene -- that picture's him -- would be my "second cousin once removed."

Here in America, my dad met my mom, who also was English. They married and raised two children.

I met with detectives at the Lennox sheriff's station this morning. Among the things we talked about was an update on a recent shooting that wounded a pizza deliveryman in Lawndale.

If you'll recall, the deliveryman was shot in the chin during a failed robbery in the 4100 block of 160th Street about 9 p.m. Oct. 13.

Sheriff's Detective John Silverstein has interviewed the victim since my last report and provided me a little more info on what happened.

The Domino's deliveryman had just dropped off a pizza when a robber wearing a white mask like those in the "Scream" movies confronted him. (Initially, detectives were told it was silver.)
The robber spoke in broken Spanish.

The victim, realizing he was being robbed, went to his vehicle to get money. When he saw the gun pointed at him, he feared for his life and swung his arm up, knocking the robber's arm. The gun fired. A bullet hit the victim in the chin. He is recovering.

After all these years hanging around the courts, I still see plenty of "firsts."

Yesterday, while watching the trial for Roy Joseph Senter, it became apparent that the defense would like to call to the witness stand the court clerk in Dept. L of the Torrance Superior Court.

Not sure of the chronology of this, but it seems the clerk made an observation of sheriff's sex crimes detective Paul Valle nodding his head during certain testimony of some witnesses. I'm not exactly clear on which witnesses, but it sounds like it was during the alleged victims' testimony - raising the spectre of "coaching" by the defense.

Before she testifies, and at the prosecution's request, a hearing will be conducted outside of the jury's presence by Judge James Brandlin so it can be determined what the clerk observed and it's probative value. That will likely happen tomorrow.

From City News Service

Three young men held up the First Bank and Trust in Gardena today, police said.

The robbery at 1875 W. Redondo Beach Blvd. occurred shortly before 10
a.m., according to the Gardena police. Unconfirmed broadcast reports
suggested the trio got as much as $20,000. (I heard much more than that.)

No one was hurt.

The robbers were described as black men about 18-25 years of age. One was wearing a ski
mask and a long sleeve shirt, possibly with the word "Akademiks" on it and a black stripe down each sleeve.

Another, in a black cap, burgundy sweatshirt and blue jeans, was carrying a camouflage
backpack and described as thin, police said.

The other, believed to be about 6 feet tall, was wearing a black beanie, a white, long sleeve shirt and black pants.

Anyone with more information about the crime was urged to call police at (310) 217-9670.

The family of a man killed in a 2007 helicopter crash has filed a wrongful death lawsuit that names Robinson Helicopter as a defendant. The Yakima Herald has the report.

I've received some e-mails today about my stories on the death of Gerald "Red" Enright and on the arrest of John Haig Marshall, suspected of drugging, raping and shaving a another man in Redondo Beach.

Linda Rosen writes:

Gay Witch Hunt?

I thought we were past and above Witch hunts and attempting to ruin the life of a Gay man. From your Oct 20 headline article I obviously was wrong.

I also thought we were in an age when unproven accusations - as sensational as they might be - could not be front page news.

As opposed to what was printed in your publication - here are the facts:

Individual was accused in the past, but allegations were PROVEN to be untrue. Where was that in your article?

Individual did turn in a now convicted drug dealer who was spending time in the neighborhood. I thought helping the police and neighborhood was a good thing?

Police have absolutely no proof in the this case. Was the article just to demean the accused as much as possible?

Your article drums on and on about details of the current accusations. The only other in-depth details are innuendos about prior gay and potentially drug related experiences. Since no formal charges - let along convictions - were ever made on anything in the past it seems I can only refer to them as innuendos as they are clearly derogatory but have no basis in truth whatsoever.

As for High School aged boys visiting the accused. Did you bother to check that he has a son of high school age with friends. He regularly spends time with his father.

So what is the impact on this individual?

 From the Los Angeles Superior Court:

IMPORTANT

PUBLIC

INFORMATION

Oct. 20, 2009

COURTS CLOSED

WEDNESDAY, OCT.21, 2009

Due to the ongoing statewide financial crisis, and pursuant to state law enacted in 2009, Superior Courts throughout California will be closed Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009, and closed the third Wednesday of every month through June 16, 2010.

All Superior Court offices and self-help programs will be closed. People having business with another agency in a courthouse on that day should contact that agency. The court closure days are to be treated as a court holiday per Government Code section 68106 for the purposes of scheduling hearings and calculating filing deadlines.

Court closure dates are as follows:

Oct 21, 2009

Nov 18, 2009

Dec 16, 2009

Jan 20, 2010

Feb 17, 2010

Mar 17, 2010

Apr 21, 2010

May 19, 2010

Jun 16, 2010

We've just posted my story on a Redondo Beach man suspected of drugging, raping and shaving another man.

The alleged crime occurred at the end of September. John Haig Marshall, 53, was arrested Oct. 8.

Marshall's attorney denied the allegations.

The user comments are closed on the story. If you'd like to comment, please do so here on the blog, but if it isn't something you would say in front of your grandmother, children, boss, priest, rabbi or God, then don't bother writing it.

It's difficult to see, but here is a video of an attack on a 13-year-old girl walking to school in Hawthorne Friday morning.

It was drizzly and foggy at the time.

First you see the girl, then the man approach her. Then he runs toward you after she screams and struggles free.

It's always interesting when a police department does a prostitution sting and releases the names of the "johns" it arrests to the media.

Not every city does it, but some decided years ago that it might serve as a deterrent if the men knew their names might get out if they got caught.

I've been doing this job for more than 20 years and seen many lists of names. Inglewood PD sends them to me now and then. I've never seen one I recognized.

It was different for the reporters out in the San Gabriel Valley today. This morning, Pomona police released the names of a bunch of men busted in a sting. Among them was James Mussenden, the city manager of El Monte. Story.

Police released this grainy photograph on Friday of a "person of interest" captured on surveillance video near the site of a Harbor City burglary.

The photograph is believed to show a male Latino in his teens in the middle of the night June 23. That night, someone broke into a couple of cars parked near a landscaping business in the 25800 block of Belle Porte Avenue, Los Angeles police Lt. David McGill said.

The thief made off with tools.

If you know who he is, contact Harbor Division burglary detectives at 310-726-7850.

There's plenty of comments below the story on Christopher Kinney, the 12-year-old Gardena boy who killed himself accidentally while playing with his dad's gun yesterday. There's lots of anger and blame being placed on the parents and the boy. The commenters are the same usual angry people who offer angry comments on every subject.

The kids at Stephen White Middle School are the ones writing in to just express sadness.

Here's what they've said:

Jasmine wrote:

"This boy goes to my school, everyone was crying, the school provided guidance for those who were heart broken, teachers were crying too.it was a VERY VERY VERY sad day today. R.I.P. CHRIS KINNEY"

Robert wrote:

"I MISS U CHRIS UR MY FRIEND. WE ALL MISS U AT SCHOOL"

Lindsay (who I interviewed for a lengthier story that will appear soon) said:

"I'm one of Chris' friends and I am really sad that Chris has died. I was his classmate in 4th period. I wish that he was still here to make us laugh and have fun and none of us would be sad. I'm very sorry for your sons death."

Valerie wrote:

 "This boy was my friend. Now leave him in peace."

A Los Angeles Police Department will hold the Metropolitan Division's 2nd Annual Randy Simmons 5k fundraising event on Saturday.

The run begins at 8 a.m. at the Los Angeles Police Academy, 1880 N. Academy Road, in Los Angeles.

The run honors Simmons, a SWAT officer who was killed Feb. 18, 2008 as he entered a building in the San Fernando Valley to rescue people.

Simmons, a Rancho Palos Verdes resident, was a member of Carson's Glory Christian Fellowship International Church and devoted his off-duty time to helping youth in troubled areas.

The Randal D. Simmons Outreach Foundation is a nonprofit organization designed to serve, empower and encourage families and individuals in underserved areas. The organization was established by Randal's wife, Lisa Simmons, to continue his legacy of spreading love and serving the community.

The proceeds of this event will benefit the Randal Simmons Foundation.

Runners can register here.

For more information: Randal D. Simmons Foundation.

*UPDATE: The boy has been identified as Christopher Kinney.

A 12-year-old boy died Wednesday night after shooting himself in the
head while playing with a gun at his Gardena home.

The boy was alone in his room when a 14-year-old cousin, who was
babysitting him and two siblings, heard the gunshot at 5:45 p.m. and
found him, police said.

Gardena police officers responded to the house in the 14600 block of
Berendo Avenue and performed first aid until paramedics arrived. The
boy was taken to County Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, where he died at
9:30 p.m., Gardena police Lt. Steve Prendergast said.

The preliminary investigation indicated the gun was properly secured,
but the boy somehow got hold of it and was playing with it when it
went off, Prendergast said.

Police did not immediately know who owned the gun. The boy's name was
not immediately released.

No charges were pending, although the investigation was in its early
stages.

"Just a tragic accident, " Prendergast said.


 

A pizza delivery man was shot in the chin in an apparently failed robbery in Lawndale, a detective said Wednesday.

The crime occurred about 9 p.m. Tuesday in the 4100 block of 160th Street after the victim delivered a pizza, Lennox sheriff's Detective John Silverstein said.

A gunman confronted the delivery man, shot him in the chin and ran to a waiting vehicle occupied by another man.

The gunman escaped with nothing. The victim told deputies the gunman was wearing a hoodie or a silver or gold mask to disguise his face, and spoke with a Spanish accent.

The victim is expected to recover.

Alberto Ramon Meza, 48, of Whittier was arrested last Friday when he was spotted cutting locks on two bicycles on Pier Plaza in Hermosa Beach.

Meza is a "recyclables" scavenger who frequented the downtown area to collect cardboard,

Two bicycles were discovered in his truck, covered with a tarp, police said.

Meza has previous arrests that include petty theft, robbery and burglary.

Police recently said bicycle thefts were skyrocketing in the Beach Cities. They hope Meza's arrest can help reduce some of that.

Read the full story.

The Redondo Beach Police Department Domestic Violence Victims' Advocacy Team will hold a candlelight vigil Saturday to observe October as Domestic Violence Month.

The vigil at 6 p.m. at the Redondo Beach Civic Center, 415 Diamond St. will honor survivors of domestic violence, educate the community about domestic violence and send the message that it will not be tolerated.

Redondo Beach police started the advocacy team in 1996 with a grant from the Beach Cities Health District.

The team has 27 volunteer members who respond 24 hours a day to assist victims. The volunteers contact more than 125 victims annually.

For more information contact Officer Ian Miesen at ian.miesen@redondo.org or 310-379-2477, ext. 1-2493.

Parking for the vigil is available in the main library's underground lot.

Redondo Beach police officers said today that Cori Desmond's alleged killer, Tony Lopez Perez, is not believed to be involved in the attempted kidnapping of a woman in January.

Perez's appearance is similar to a sketch created of an assailant and distributed to the public.

Detectives showed a series of photographs, including Perez's, to the victim and she did not pick him out as the attacker, Redondo Beach police Lt. Joe Hoffman said.

The victim told police she saw Perez's photograph on the news and he was definitely not the man, Hoffman said.

In the Jan. 3 crime, a white van pulled up to the woman as she walked near the intersection of Green Lane and Grant Avenue. The driver asked for directions.

When she moved close to offer help, the sliding side door opened and a man tried to pull her inside. The woman broke free and ran.

Police did not immediately release information about the crime report, but did shortly after Desmond's slaying when a sketch was completed. The news fueled speculation that the crimes were related, but police repeatedly said they were not.

San Bernardino County sheriff's homicide detectives investigating the Desmond slaying incorporated the white van incident into their questions, but developed no evidence that Perez was involved, Hoffman said.

Another woman reported a similar incident in Hermosa Beach, where police said they would also look into whether Perez could be a suspect in any crimes.

Tony Lopez Perez pleaded not guilty to a single murder charge this morning during his first court appearance for the slaying of a popular Torrance woman eight months ago.

Perez, 35, of Redondo Beach, appeared for the brief San Bernardino Superior Court hearing via a live television connection from the Central Detention Center in San Bernardino, according to Susan Mickey, a spokeswoman for the District Attorney's office.

Perez will return to court Oct. 22, Mickey said. He remains jailed without bail.
Perez was arrested Thursday night for the death of Cori Desmond, 28.

Desmond was last seen alive on Feb. 15 by friends at the Bac Street Lounge in Redondo Beach, where she had gone after finishing her bartending job at Beaches in Manhattan Beach.

Her body was found the next day in a bag in the snow along a Running Springs Highway.
Anonymous tips led San Bernardino County Sheriff homicide detectives to Perez, who was seen scrubbing the inside of his truck shortly after Desmond's death.

He sold it to a dealership and detectives later tracked it down and found unspecified evidence inside that they believe proves Lopez killed Desmond.

No details have emerged about the crime, although detectives said they believe the motive was sexual.

A public defender was appointed to represent Lopez, a single father of two who worked as a restaurant manager.

However, no one from the San Bernardino Public Defender's office was available to comment.

Read the complaint here: perez.doc

The homeless man sought for questioning in the Station fire in La Canada-Flintridge area was arrested in Redondo Beach for "illegal camping" a couple years ago. 

The Los Angeles Times has the story.

Here's the wanted flier:

A veteran Los Angeles Police Department patrol officer has been charged with possession of child pornography.

What makes this one unique is that they also allegedly found it on his 25-year-old son's computer at their Long Beach home. Both surrendered to federal authorities last week.

The father currently worked at the Central Bureau downtown.

The Los Angeles Times has the info.

Paul Weber, president of the Los Angeles Police Protective League put out this statement:

"We were greatly shocked by the arrest of John Deegan. While the allegations are very disturbing, it is important to remind the public that everyone, including police officers are innocent until proven guilty. We urge everyone not to rush to judgment.

"As Los Angeles police officers charged with the safety and well-being of our residents and visitors, we expect all officers to hold themselves to the highest ethical and moral standards - in both their professional and personal lives. While the arrest is embarrassing to the men and women of the LAPD and the city, our message to the community is unequivocal: Anyone who does anything that might endanger the welfare of a child has no place in the LAPD. Harming children is against everything we stand for as an organization and as individuals."

A Lennox mother and her toddler son who were run over in a Hawthorne crosswalk were improving, police said Monday.

Beatriz Canche, 23, was upgraded from grave to critical condition in a local hospital, Hawthorne police Lt. Mike Ishii said.

Her 2 1/2-year-old son also remained hospitalized and is expected to survive.

A driver traveling west on Imperial Highway struck them in the crosswalk when he made a left turn onto Hawthorne Boulevard at 12:20 p.m. Friday , Ishii said.

Traffic detectives are investigating who had the right of way.

Police are continuing to look for witnesses to the accident. Anyone with information should call police at 310-349-2700.

Have you seen this guy?

Michael Sutherland, aka Richard Arnold Broyles, is wanted by Inglewood police for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor.

Remember the attempted kidnapping involving a guy in a white van in Redondo Beach? Police said it had nothing to do with the Cori Desmond killing. That's what they believed and that might still be the case.

But anyone notice a resemblance between Desmond suspect Tony Lopez Perez and the kidnapper sketch that was released right after Desmond's death? And Perez didn't live too far away from where it occurred in January. Maybe they need to take another look.

Thanks to reader Scott Carr for pointing this out. We'll ask some questions on Monday.

We've just learned that the suspect arrested in connection to Cori Desmond's slaying is Tony Lopez Perez, 35, of Redondo Beach.

We'll get you more when we know it.

Here's what we know so far

The Beach Reporter this week says Victor Orlando Jackson, the former Hermosa Beach public works inspector accused of taking bribes, lost his lawyer and his freedom.

City News Service reports:

District Attorney Steve Cooley said Thursday that nearly all of the medical marijuana dispensaries in Los Angeles County are operating illegally.
"About 100 percent of dispensaries in Los Angeles County and the city are operating illegally. The over-the-counter sales of marijuana for money is illegal. It's that simple," District Attorney Steve Cooley told ABC7.
"They'll be on notice. They better know we're coming," the county's top prosecutor said.
Outside a law enforcement seminar in Montebello on medical marijuana, Cooley noted that it is "absolutely legal" if the dispensaries are giving marijuana to people with chronic or serious illnesses.
A ballot measure approved by California voters in 1996 allows the use of marijuana for those seriously ill and with a doctor's recommendation. It "does not provide for over-the-counter sales of marijuana for profit," according to a statement issued by Cooley's office.
"As law enforcement officers and prosecutors, it is our job to ensure that the law is followed as written and approved by California voters," the statement says. "Current and future enforcement and prosecution actions are directed at illegal over-the-counter sales for profit operations."

This isn't local, but it certainly touches on some issues of concern to all as it explores the fiasco that was the Justice Department's prosecution of former Arkansas Sen. Ted Stevens. It's a good reminder that no one, and no system, are foolproof. Read: A Cautionary Tale: The Ted Stevens Prosecution by Anna Stolley Persky, a former Los Angeles reporter, in Washington Lawyer.

A man who raised suspicions when he asked a strange question about a young girl walking home from a Hawthorne school meant no harm, police said Thursday.

The man, carrying a printout of a dailybreeze.com article, walked into the Hawthorne police station and said he was the subject of the story, Hawthorne police Lt. Gary Tomatani said.

The story detailed an incident Wednesday afternoon in which a man in a white van approached a woman at 135th Street and Isis Avenue and said, "I know this is a strange question, but isn't it weird for a small girl to be walking alone, how easily the girl could be abducted?"

The Los Angeles Superior Court's delinquent juror round-up show is once again stopping in the South Bay. Starting this Friday, and for the following three Fridays, citizens who did not respond to their last three juror summons are expected to appear before Torrance Superior Court Judge Alan Honeycutt to explain themselves.

Chances are, for those who appear, they'll be slapped with a fine (it can be up to $1,500 but is usually $200) and Honeycutt will set a new jury duty report date.

"Sanctions are a last resort, but even at that late date, monetary sanctions may not be imposed if a person agrees to serve," said Presiding Judge Charles McCoy Jr. "The court's priority is having the people cooperate with us to ensure that jury service is shared by all elgible citizens in Los Angeles County, as mandated by the Legislature."

McCoy added: "The court has no interest whatsoever in using these sanctions as a source of money."

Failure to respond to the order to appear can only make things worse.

When the court established its One Trial Jury Service (formerly One Day, One Trial) in 1999, the need for available citizens to sit in judgement of others rose. Under the program, citizens need only be present at the courthouse for a single day or one trial. Those not a prospective juror or a seated panelist by the end of the first day are excused for a year.

For more information about jury duty, visit the court's Web site.

As mentioned here earlier, October is Domestic Violence Awareness month. Here's another way to show your support for victims this Saturday in Torrance: Hillside2.pdf  

I get mail:

"I would like to comment about the October 6th story. On page A-13 2nd paragraph, it says: "before plunging face-down into the 'icy' Pacific Ocean."

Isn't that somewhat dramatic?  ICY PACIFIC OCEAN?  When was the last time there was ice in the Pacific Ocean in this area?  Come now Denise, your choice of words is ridiculous.

Dave Kingsley, Torrance"

 

The Redondo Beach Police Department is hosting a candlelight vigil Saturday night to support victims of domestic violence. More information on the flyer here: CandlelightVigilOct171.pdf

A national Web site is asking the question: "Did Letterman's blackmailer get the idea from one of his CBS News stories?"

About 10 years ago, a former Daily Breeze colleague, Keith Sharon, wrote about Roy Alvarez, a Wilmington man in prison for robbery.

Although Alvarez had previously served time in prison for robbery, he contended he was wrongfully arrested and convicted the second time. He was right.

Although eight witnesses during his trial failed to identify him, jurors took the word of another witness who said he was 90 percent sure Alvarez was the man.

They convicted him and a judge sentenced Alvarez to 15 years in prison.

Alvarez then spent his days behind bars writing letters to lawyers and reporters, and researching legal books.

The Carson sheriff's station will conduct safety presentations and offer a crime prevention seminar on Saturday at Mills Park.

The two-hour program beginning at 10 a.m. is being conducted in conjunction with "National Crime Prevention Month," "National Domestic Violence Awareness Month and "National Red Ribbon Month."

Throughout this month, Carson deputies are conducting safety presentations and offering crime tips for local schools, businesses and service clubs.

The park is located at the corner of Central Avenue and Dimondale Drive.

Call the Carson Public Safety Center at 310-847-7481 for more information.

From the District Attorney's Office:

LOS ANGELES - Three Los Angeles Police Department officers who allegedly lied under oath about during a drug possession trial last year were charged today with conspiracy and perjury.

Deputy District Attorney Sean Hassett with the Justice System Integrity Division said former LAPD Officer Evan Samuel, and Officers Richard Amio and Manuel Ortiz are scheduled to surrender on Thursday for arraignment.

Hassett filed a felony complaint for arrest warrant on Monday charging 37-year-old Samuel, 30-year-old Amio, and 36-year-old Ortiz with one count each of conspiracy. In addition, Samuel is charged with three counts of perjury. Amio is charged with two counts of perjury and Ortiz is charged with one count of perjury. All are felonies.

During a preliminary hearing and later during the June 2008 trial for Guillermo Alarcon, the three allegedly falsely testified about seeing the defendant Alarcon throw away a black object near a trash bin that turned out to be cocaine base. Ortiz allegedly denied under oath that he was in fact the officer who found a package containing cocaine powder near a dumpster while the other officers were searching a laundry room for drugs.

Samuel and Amio also signed under penalty of perjury a police report that was allegedly false.

Alarcon's drug possession case was dismissed in June 2008 at the request of prosecutors after footage from the apartment building's security camera contradicted the sworn testimony of the officers.

All three are scheduled for arraignment after 1:30 p.m. on Thursday at the Criminal Justice Center, Department 30. Hassett is asking that bail be set at $120,000 for Samuel, $70,000 for Amio and $45,000 for Ortiz.

A man who had admitted to snatching a Torrance woman's purse in La Quinta and dragging her as he tried to get away withdrew his plea when he learned he was headed to the slammer.

Richard ``Ricky'' Rodriguez and his older brother were charged in the April 13 purse-snatching. The victim, Rica Gordon, 63, suffered a concussion and a 2 1/2 inch gash on the back of her head. She might not be able to return to work at Torrance Memorial Medical Center.

The Palm Springs Desert Sun has the story.

Last week, we reported about a turtle that was stolen. Now, a dog has been snatched from his San Pedro home.

I haven't seen or heard from Jerianne Hayslett since she retired about eight years ago. But back when I was stationed at the downtown Civil Courthouse as a Daily Journal reporter, our paths crossed all the time.

The Los Angeles Times has a really interesting Q&A with her, mostly about the O.J. Simpson trial and the media's coverage of it. But it also touches on issues that are alive and well today, and that I deal with all the time - such as the public's access to courts and cameras and such.

Getting reports from City News Service out of Judge Michael Pastor's courtroom that Pastor found that almost all the jurors engaged in misconduct related to the use of an online definition for the word "malice," but he found that the misconduct was not prejudicial to the case and did not cause bias. He sternly admonished the jurors to follow his orders - especially the one about no outside research or consultation of reference materials - and sent them back in to deliberate.

 

Lifeguards towing a 40-foot sailboat in distress off Marina del Rey are trying to rescue another boat that apparently broke anchor.

The initial rescue occurred about 1 p.m. when the sailors aboard the boat made a call for help off of Dockweiler State Beach, county fire Inspector Frederic Stowers said.

The sailboat was towing its anchor.

Lifeguards rescued them and were towing the boat when they came across another vessel that had broken anchor. No one was aboard that craft.

As they worked to rescue it, they were being pushed into the beach.

"Apparently they were able to keep their craft afloat," Stowers said.

I'm told it's quite rough off the coast and very windy.

Residents of a Harbor Gateway neighborhood are without water today following a water main break during the night.

Firefighters and a Department of Water and Power crew responded to the 700 block of 133rd Street about 1:30 a.m when water began gushing from the street.

Water flooded the street and flowed onto Menlo Avenue, rising above residents' curbs and onto driveways. It did not enter any homes, but left thick mud on several driveways.

"The whole street all the way to the corner," said resident Nicholas Galvan. "It was a lot of water."

A crew was repairing the damage today. The water main break did not cause a sinkhole, but the crew dug a 4-foot-by-5-foot hole in the street to access the pipe.

This break is one of a rash in DWP areas in recent weeks.

It was not immediately known when water service would resume.

Despite being told by the judge not to use anything outside of what was presented in court during their deliberations, Juror No. 9 in the Cameron Brown retrial says he didn't hear that instruction. So, in order to facilitate the group's progress during deliberations, he typed the word "malice" into an America Online search engine Thursday morning before court, printed up the one-page definition and took it to court.

Sometime Thursday morning, according to himself and 10 of his fellow jurors, he brought the paper out during a discussion of malice - an important concept in this case and a very difficult rule of law to understand. Juror No.12, though, raised an objection to their using the outside definition, and the foreman submitted a note to Judge Michael Pastor asking if they could. Which brought deliberations to a screeching halt.

This morning, all but one of the jurors (who had some kind of emergency and wasn't there) were questioned one-on-one by Pastor. The majority said they saw Juror No. 9 with the print-out, that it got passed around and that the foreman read it out loud. Not everyone saw it, though most did.

Pastor asked each if they could put aside what they saw or heard and continue delberations - and they all agreed they could. However, everyone got sent home anyway because the last juror needs to be questioned before the judge and attorneys can discuss how to proceed. That will happen Monday morning. The options include everything from just telling the 12 sitting jurors to carry on, replacing one or more of them or finding the whole group was contaminated and declaring a mistrial.

From the Los Angeles Police Department:


Los Angeles: Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers have arrested a man who has been posing as a physician to create opportunities for sexual assaults.

On Sept. 30, 2009, officers from the LAPD's Operations West Bureau, Sexual Assault Detail arrested 40-year-old Jeffrey Lynn Graybill, also known as "Dr. Richardson." Graybill, a resident of Arizona with no medical training, had been posing as a fertility doctor at a West Los Angeles clinic and using the Internet to solicit patrons. The Internet advertisements attempted to entice potential clients by offering them up to $4,000 monthly for sperm donations in support of "stem cell and other research."

Graybill would communicate with prospective victims by telephone or email before meeting with them to conduct physical examinations in Marina Del Rey and Santa Monica. Charges against Graybill filed by the Los Angeles County District Attorney include numerous counts of sexual battery by fraud, sexual penetration with a foreign object, practicing medicine without certification and identity theft. Bail has been set at $590,000.

Officers believe there are additional victims of Graybill who haven't yet come forward. Anyone with information about this case or who may have been assaulted by Graybill is urged to call LAPD Operations West Bureau, Sexual Assault Detail Officers Carbonell or Malcuit at (213) 473-0404. During off-hours, calls may be directed to 24-hour, toll-free number at 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (527-3247). Callers may also text "Crimes" with a cell phone or log on to www.lapdonline.org and click on Web tips. When using a cell phone, all messages should begin with "LAPD." Tipsters may remain anonymous.Tipsters may remain anonymous.

The list keeps growing. Everyone, it seems, who comes in contact in any way with Sonia Rios Risken, the Lomita Black Widow, has something bad happen to them. I've never had more "Are you kidding me!" moments than with this one.

Let's take a look:

Earl John Bourdeau, Sonia's first husband: Murdered.

The CBS 48 Hours Mystery producer being charged today with trying to extort $2 million from David Letterman is the producer of the show I appeared in. He's been in my living room!

Joe Halderman came out to the Daily Breeze last year, met with me and then returned later for the filming. We went to dinner at McCormick and Schmick's in El Segundo along with the sound man, camerman and correspondent Peter Van Sant. (I had an expensive meal on CBS, thank you very much and sat next to Halderman.)

The show, "Conspiracy to Kill," about the "Lomita Black Widow" Sonia Rios Risken, aired in February and then a few weeks ago as a repeat. I just saw Halderman's picture in the New York Post and flipped.

Wow. This is wild!

It may seem like no big deal to use a dictionary to look up a definition pertaining to case while you're deliberating. But you can't. You just can't. It's specifically mentioned in the jury instructions in every trial.

So, apparently, one of the jurors deliberating in the Cameron Brown trial may have done this. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for early Friday morning.

I don't know what the word that was looked up is.

It's been about a week since the late Friday announcement by the jury that they were deadlocked, although they've only deliberated about a two full days since that time.