February 2010 Archives

If you saw the story today about the woman arrested on suspicion of throwing a dog into traffic because she was angry with her boyfriend, here's her booking mug.

Danielle Graham, 21, of Los Angeles pleaded not guilty today at the Airport Courthouse to animal cruelty and battery with an injury on a peace officer.

During the hearing, she shook and cried. After the hearing, she could be heard shrieking in the court lockup.

The boyfriend's mug is after the jump. Hakeem Ibrahim Funtua also was charged with resisting and obstructing a cop.

A robbery suspect who stole cosmetics from a drug store in Hermosa Beach was captured later in Long Beach, police said Friday.

Ceasar Alfred Corona, 32, was arrested Thursday afternoon in connection with the theft at the CVS store at 711 Pier Ave., Hermosa Beach police Detective Mick Gaglia said.

Corona allegedly filled a bag with cosmetics and left without paying. He backed his car into an employee who ran after him.

The employee, however, wrote down his license plate number. Police went to his home.

As detectives searched his car, Corona said, "The items you're looking for are in the black bag," Gaglia said.

Police also found a specific list of cosmetics that matched the items reported stolen from CVS and ultimately recovered from car.

Oops. We received some incorrect information yesterday about that bone found at Torrance Beach.

The Coroner's Office told us it was from an animal, but Torrance police say they haven't submitted the bone for examination.

A woman walking along the beach discovered the bone Feb. 14 and suspected it was a human femur.

A bone found in the sand at Torrance Beach was from an animal, the coroner's office said Tuesday.

A woman walking along the beach discovered the bone Feb. 14 and suspected it was a human femur.

She took the bone to the Torrance Police Department, which gave it to the coroner's office for examination.

It was a year and a half ago that I visited with Ramona Ripston at the ACLU/SC's new digs near downtown Los Angeles. As the afternoon light streamed through an office window, illuminating her platinum blonde hair, the Marina del Rey resident seemed both vivacious in her beliefs and tenuous about her longevity with the post she's had for nearly 38 years.

With the American Civil Liberties Union's announcement today that Ripston, 83, will retire next year, I thought back to that interview and realized that I was a little nervous about the story. It wasn't that I was writing about a powerful, well-known activist ... it was that her story is a parallel to Los Angeles' civil rights history. And I certainly didn't want to get it wrong.

I learned a lot from our chat. She told me how the ACLU's Southern California chapter began in San Pedro in 1923. From my story, that ran on Oct. 13, 2008:

"In May 1923, about a month after 600 or so striking longshoremen were arrested for holding public meetings, Upton Sinclair stood on a platform atop a hill on Beacon Street dubbed Liberty Hill.
"The controversial author began to read from the Bill of Rights and was arrested.
"As he was hauled away, several others took his place, and were also arrested.
"A week later, Sinclair, who later authored "The Jungle" about deplorable conditions at meat-packing plants, returned to Liberty Hill.
"That day, he spoke without being arrested, and the ACLU/SC was formed as part of the national organization, which was founded in 1920."

It was an interesting interview - one of those ones that really makes me appreciate how cool my job can be sometimes. I wish Ripston the best in whatever her future holds.

Her full bio from the ACLU/SC is here:  RRBio1.pdf 

A woman was shot in the leg at the Scottsdale Estates complex in Carson, deputies said today.

Deputies responded to the report of a shooting shortly before 8 p.m. Monday on Palomino Lane, deputies said.

The woman was taken to a hospital with a wound that was not considered life threatening.
Deputies did not know how she suffered the wound.

Thieves took more than $25,000 worth of laptop computers and other electronics in a burglary at St. Mary's Academy in Inglewood, police said Monday.

The crime at the school in the 700 block of Grace Avenue was discovered Monday.
Sometime over the weekend, unknown suspects forcibly entered more than 10 classrooms to remove the property.

Anyone with information about the burglars is asked to contact the Inglewood Police Department's Burglary Section at 310-412-5245.

A message can also be left on the 24-hour anonymous hotline number "888-41-CRIME" (888-412-7463).

Deputy District Attorney Matt Murphy called Rodney Alcala a "hunter" of women in closing arguments today. Alcala, who is acting as his own attorney, also argued this afternoon.

A man pulled up to two young girls at a Hawthorne park and asked if they wanted a ride, but drove away when an adult stepped in, police said Monday.

The incident occurred at 4 p.m. Wednesday on the west side of Hollyglen Park at Hindry Avenue and 137th Street.

The car possibly was a white Volkswagen Bug.

The children were not hurt.

A man and woman were arrested in Hawthorne on suspicion of stealing catalytic converters from vehicles, police said Monday.

The arrests occurred shortly after 10 p.m. Sunday when Hawthorne police were called to the "Park and Ride" Metro lot at 120th Street and Crenshaw Boulevard, Hawthorne police Lt. Gary Tomatani said.

The burglars drove off before police got there, but a witness described the getaway car as a burgundy Ford Mustang and provided its license plate number.

Officers in the Hawthorne police helicopter spotted it. Patrol officers on the ground pulled it over and arrested the people inside.

Two catalytic converters and power tools used to remove them were found in the car, Tomatani said.

Arrested on suspicion of grand theft and possession of stolen property were Guadalupe Olmos, 27, of Duarte; and Edgar Tellez, 27, of Azusa.

Hawthorne police officers located one vehicle in the "Park and Ride" lot with a missing catalytic converter. 

A Hawthorne family helped police arrest an Inglewood man and two teenage boys who were trying to steal their car, police said Monday.

Family members of the car's owner grabbed a 16-year-old Los Angeles boy when they caught him trying to take the car in the 11400 block of South Ramona Avenue at 2:45 p.m. Sunday, Hawthorne police Lt. Gary Tomatani said.

Two suspects fled in a car, but a family member followed it and obtained the license plate number.

After officers in Hawthorne's helicopter spotted the car near Hawthorne Boulevard and Imperial Highway, officers on the ground stopped it.

The 16-year-old male Inglewood boy behind the wheel was arrested, along with passenger, Carlos Davila, 20, of Inglewood.

The car turned out to have been reported stolen in Gardena.

The three suspects were arrested on suspicion of auto theft, attempted auto theft, and possession of stolen property.

An El Camino Village man has been arrested on suspicion of selling pills and marijuana from his home, deputies said Friday.

William Croak, 20, was taken into custody Thursday afternoon when sheriff's deputies raided his house at 154th Street and Roselle Avenue, sheriff's Sgt. Mark Jennings said.

Investigators found more than 100 pills of the anti-anxiety medication Xanax and about a half-pound of marijuana in individual "dime-bag" packages for sale, Jennings said.

Deputies also seized three unregistered guns.

Narcotics investigators served the search warrant in response to residents' reported possible drug dealing at the residence.

"Residents were complaining about all the walk up and drive up traffic in the daytime," Jennings said.

Croak was booked into county jail on suspicion of possession for sale of marijuana, and possession for sale of a controlled substance.

He was held on $30,000 bail.

About a year into my career, and a month into my second newspaper job at the Ontario Daily Report, I covered the aftermath of the slaying of LAPD Officer Daniel Pratt in 1988. Pratt lived in Montclair and was a local resident in that newspaper's circulation area. I interviewed his family.

Hard to believe it's been 22 years already. Just now, I received an e-mail from the Los Angeles Police Protective League opposing parole for one of the people convicted of killing him.

Here's the letter the LAPPL sent to the Parole Board:
LAPPLletter.pdf

The Redondo Beach Police Department is soliciting photographs from the public for an upcoming historical book on the agency.

Anyone with photos of police officers, its buildings and anything else related to the department should contact John Skipper at 310-379-2477, ext. 2313, or e-mail him at john.skipper at redondo.org.

In just 45 minutes, Torrance police cited 36 people for using their cellular telephones while driving, officers said Thursday.

Torrance officers conducted the special operation on Wednesday from 1 to 1:45 p.m. on Pacific Coast Highway between Airport Drive and Crenshaw Boulevard, Torrance police Lt. Jon Megeff said.

Officers cited motorists spotted talking and texting on their cellular telephones while driving.
The operation was the second in two weeks to educate the public about the hazards of talking and texting while driving, and to enforce the state laws that outlaw it, Megeff said.

An Feb. 3, Torrance officers cited 41 drivers for talking and texting on their phones during a 70-minue operation on Hawthorne Boulevard between Carson and 230th streets.

The fine for the ticket is $142.

A woman found what might be a human femur while walking along Torrance Beach, police said today.

The woman brought the bone to the Torrance Police Department on Wednesday, Torrance police Sgt. Jeremiah Hart said.

She spotted the bone in the sand at low tide about 3 p.m. Sunday while walking along the south east portion of the beach.

Torrance detectives are submitting the bone to the county Coroner's office to determine if it is a human bone, Hart said.

Police are investigating the stabbing of a Hawthorne man who was attacked while sitting in his car.

The victim was stabbed in the 4600 block of 129th Street when he arrived home at 1:30 a.m. Monday, Hawthorne police Lt. Gary Tomatani said.

A man wearing a ski mask and dark clothing cut the 46-year-old man twice in the upper body.
Paramedics treated him at the scene. He was taken to a hospital.

Detectives are looking into possible motives for the attack because it did not appear to be a robbery attempt, Tomatani said.

The victim was cooperating with police.

The suspect was described a male wearing a ski mask over his head and face, and dark clothing.
 
Anyone with information about the crime was asked to contact detectives at 310-349-2820.

Before Daniel Nunez was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole today for the execution-style death of Jesus Payan, he tried to persuade Torrance Superior Court Judge Steven Van Sicklen that he deserved a different, better attorney.

Admittedly, I walked into the courtroom after the former San Pedro man's attempt to fire his attorney, known as a Marsden motion, was underway - so I'm not sure how much I missed. When I came in, the shackled convicted murderer was pointing out to Van Sicklen the mistakes his court-appointed attorney, Richard Everett, had made during trial and post trial motions. He noted that the veteran criminal defense attorney got things like locations, names and dates inaccurate.

"I understand people make mistakes," Nunez said. "We all make mistakes."

But, noting the gravity of his situation, Nunez added: "I mean, this is my life we're talking about here."

Van Sicklen said he saw a few of the mistakes, but, in the long run, the thrust of the post-trial motion for new trial that Everett filed on Nunez's behalf was clear- inaccuracies or not.

"There's no such thing as a 'perfect trial,'" Van Sicklen said. "In my mind, Mr. Everett clearly knew the facts of your case."

Van Sicklen went on to note that Everett is a "really nice man." Having a jury that likes the defense attorney in a case like this can go a long way, he added.

Van Sicklen denied Nunez's motion.

The Los Angeles Times has a story today about a case where the jurors were so "scary" and "volatile" because they had to serve despite financial hardships, the parties agreed to let the judge decide it.

  Friends and family of Cori Desmond are planning to gather Saturday at a Redondo Beach eatery to celebrate the life of the Torrance woman killed just about a year ago.

Desmond's father, Mark Desmond, said everyone is invited to On the Rocks in Redondo Beach at 8 p.m.

Desmond, 28, was killed early on Feb. 15, 2009, after leaving a Redondo Beach bar.
Redondo Beach resident Tony Lopez Perez, 35, is awaiting trial for her murder.

He told investigators he encountered her on the street near his home, strangled her and then dumped her body on a snowy mountain road later that day.

*The correct date for this event is Saturday.

I have received two e-mails from a woman who didn't like my stories on Kevin Duron,  the man who went into a Manhattan Beach school and tried to get kids to give him urine he could use for a drug test.

It's always interesting when people who know someone who gets arrested have a different take of what's news. I can tell you that after the Daily Breeze posted the story on the Web, it was picked up by several TV stations and the Associated Press, which distributed the story to newspapers and Web sites that used it all over the state.

Yeah, it was news. Why? The subject matter was something I had never heard in more than 20 years of police reporting. I actually was speechless for a moment when I heard about it on the phone. We aren't always right in the news business when we pick what's news, but you have to believe that when a story goes viral like that one did, it's news.

Here's the first e-mail from BH (I won't use her full name):

"Larry,

It's unfortunate that this story was reported in a salacious manner and only to bring drama to our small beach down.  This incident, immature in nature,  was solely, bad judgement from a YOUNG 18 yr. old teenage boy scared about submitting to a drug test.

You refer to Kevin as the "man."  As if a total stranger to this community.  He and his family have resided in this town for years, are law-abiding citizens, parishoners of American Martyrs Church and active in the community.  It appears that you all have had a field day with this story.  Shameful.

Charles Shaughnessy, who starred in The Nanny and, more recently, has appeared in Mad Men and many other television shows, will be on Jeopardy's Million Dollar Celebrity Invitational next Thursday, Feb. 18, playing for cash for the 1736 Family Crisis Center. A spokeswoman for the South Bay non-profit said Shaughnessy will watch the episode at one of the shelters with some of the women and children he competed to help.

Anyone else, celebrities or not, who wants to play games to benefit the oganization is invited to participate in the 1736 Celebrity Poker Tournament, being hosted by Annie Duke. The Texas Hold-Em tournament will be held on April 3 at The Bicycle Club Casino in Bell Gardens. Buy-in is $350 per player, which gets you a shot at the $10,000 first prize. More information at the 1736 Web site.

Brandon Manai was sentenced today to 25 years to life in prison for the murder of his wife, Julie Rosas, who he threw off a Rancho Palos Verdes cliff. Here is a short story on the hearing, which will be updated later.

It came out during the hearing that Manai wrote a letter to Rosas' sister a couple weeks ago, proposing a trade. Judge James Brandlin read the letter, put it in the court file and ordered Manai to never contact his victim's family again. You can read it for yourself here. Page 1: letter1.pdf and Page 2: letter2.pdf .

 

Way back in 1994, I was sitting at my desk with not much to do, so I tried to find a story by calling some detectives at  South Bay police stations to see what they were working on.

One said he didn't have much, but had this case of a man named Jerry Dewayne Williams who was arrested for stealing a kid's pizza slice at the Redondo Beach pier.

I thought that was news and took some information from him. I looked up Williams' record and figured out he had a couple of previous felonies. This was shortly after the three strikes law went into effect. I called the detective back and asked if he was eligible for it. The detective said he was looking into that.

The next day, Williams was charged with the three strikes law and eventually received a sentence of 25 years to life in prison.

Williams immediately became the poster child for the law. People in support of it believed he was the perfect example of a career criminal being sent away. Others deemed it too harsh a penalty for taking a kid's pizza slice.

I always believed those people got it wrong. Williams didn't just take a pizza slice, he was a robber who used intimidation to get it. He scared the hell out of those kids. He was 6 feet 4, 220. This was no petty crime.

I remember standing in my kitchen while watching 60 Minutes when Steve Kroft portrayed the crime as if it was shoplifting. I remember saying, "It was a robbery!"

Ultimately, however, Williams' sentence was overturned and he spent only about five years in jail.

All these years later, the Los Angeles Times has an article today on what Williams is doing now. He's working on a life sentence of trying to stay out of jail. "I walk on eggshells," he said. "Any little thing that I do, I could be back for the rest of my life."Read their story.

Occasionally it's fun to take a break from the crime news and do something lighter. In the last couple weeks, I interviewed an El Segundo couple who are competing on the upcoming Amazing Race and interviewed Amazon Eve, who is billed as the World's Tallest Model.

She's 6 feet 8 inches tall, or 7 feet plus in heels. I'm only 5 feet 4 inches tall. Here's a behind the scenes photo of me with Amazon Eve.

A Mira Costa High School graduate tried to collect urine from boys in the restroom at a Manhattan Beach elementary school to use to pass drug tests, police said Tuesday.

Kevin Manuel Duron, 18, of Manhattan Beach allegedly offered two boys several dollars if they would urinate in a cup for him, Manhattan Beach police Sgt. Brian Brown said.

Duron was arrested Monday, shortly after he arrived on the Pacific Elementary School campus and was spotted in a hallway, Brown said.

School officials detained him until police arrived.

"It appears he was trying to solicit urine from elementary school students," Brown said. "Our working theory is he's trying to gather urine to pass drug tests."

Read the full story at dailybreeze.com.

Thought I'd share a nice letter I received:

One might think that as the Internet increasingly allows easier access to "more" news sources, "hyper-local" (i.e., community) news source access might start to decline or fade away.  However, I have been very happy to continue following your very local (and very relevant) South Bay crime report as an RSS feed.

By doing this, I am able to keep my pulse on the crime in my community (Redondo / Torrance).  I really appreciate your work, even on the breaking news stuff (as unclear as
it might be at the time). 

With a young child at school while I'm at work, and with the ability to monitor feeds like yours easily (without taking me away from my work), I feel more informed and safer, knowing that people are continually looking at what is going on in the community and I don't have to wait until 6 p.m. to find out.

Your frequent, concise reporting brings a new dimension to the type of news
coverage I usually get from other sources. The best measure of all of this is that I'm much more aware than I ever have been of crime in my community, thanks to your work.

Thanks again!

A happy reader,
GB from Redondo Beach

The family of a 74-year-old Wilmington man who has been missing since Monday is asking for the public to help find him, police said Tuesday.

Rafael Alejandre was last seen about 7 p.m. in the 700 block of Gulf Avenue.
Alejandre is deaf and suffers from mental illness.

Alejandre is Latino with a dark complexion, is 5 feet 3 inches tall and weighs 160 pounds.

Anyone with information about Alejandre's whereabouts is asked to call LAPD Missing Persons Unit detectives at 213-996-1800. During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7.

The District Attorney's Office just sent this press release about Daryl Barnett, who got probation for assaulting someone. Two days later, he allegedly assaulted three people.

LOS ANGELES - Two days after being placed on probation for an assault conviction, a 36-year-old Los Angeles man allegedly randomly attacked three people, seriously injuring one victim.

Daryl Barnett, (dob 4-23-73), is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon at the Criminal Justice Center, Department 30, in case BA367768. He is charged with one felony count each of mayhem, assault with a deadly weapon, and resisting arrest and two counts of assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury. The complaint also includes an allegation of inflicting great bodily injury. He is being held on $265,000 bail.

Barnett, who was convicted in January of one count of felony battery on a police officer, was sentenced on Thursday to three years formal probation. On Saturday shortly before midnight, Barnett allegedly ran up to a male and punched him in the face, knocking him unconscious. The attack occurred in the 1400 block of West 37th Street in Los Angeles.

A few minutes later, Barnett allegedly attacked two more individuals who were standing outside a house in the 1600 block of West 35th Street. He first allegedly attacked a woman, punching her in the face. And then when a man came to her aid, Barnett allegedly pulled out a knife and cut off the man's right ring finger. When police responded, Barnett allegedly fought with officers before he was taken into custody.

If convicted, he faces more than 12 years in state prison.

A woman killed when she drove off the side of the Marina Freeway in Del Rey was identified as a Torrance resident.

Rosa Amelia Miranda, 51, died Friday at 3 p.m. in the crash near Centinela Avenue, the coroner's office said.

Firefighters said Miranda was driving east when her minivan drove off the freeway and landed 20 to 25 feet below.

An autopsy determined she died of multiple blunt force injuries.

Just checked in with prosecutors to see if Brandon Manai would be sentenced tomorrow, as scheduled, for the murder of his wife of 13 days who he threw off a Rancho Palos Verdes cliff. Turns out, they had already postponed it until Thursday. Look for a report then.

The Los Angeles Airport Peace Officers Association just issued a statement that supports authorizing all law enforcement officers to carry firearms aboard domestic flights.

Here's what the organization says:

LOS ANGELES - February 8, 2010 -- The nation's largest airport police association today advocated authorizing all law enforcement officers to carry firearms aboard domestic airline flights.

Marshall McClain, president of the Los Angeles Airport Peace Officers Association (LAAPOA), said the program proposed to the Obama Administration by the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA) is warranted in light of the recent attempt to detonate an explosive device aboard Northwest Airlines Flight 253 on Christmas Day and recent intelligence that Al-Qaeda is likely to attempt a terrorist attack in the U.S. within the next six months.

"We believe that additional armed, trained law enforcement personnel aboard aircraft is a prudent measure to be taken at this time," said McClain. "We join FLEOA in urging President Obama to issue an Executive Order to authorize all law enforcement officers, active and retired, and certified by the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act (LEOSA), to carry firearms aboard domestic flights as an added line of defense against terrorists."

The LEOSA of 2004 authorizes all law enforcement officers, active and retired, to carry firearms anywhere in the country, at any time, as long as they meet the criteria set forth in the act and qualify with their firearm on an annual basis. But they are only allowed to carry them aboard commercial airlines when traveling on official business and authorized by their department. The FLEOA maintains that all law enforcement officers who are LEOSA certified, and possess an annual medical clearance, are valuable assets that should be used to augment domestic flight coverage provided by federal air marshals.

FLEOA asked the President to direct the Federal Aviation Administration and the Transportation Security Administration to comply with an Executive Order authorizing LEOSA-certified law enforcement officers to fly armed. FLEOA believes that the Federal Air Marshal Service has the ability to coordinate this effort and this action is necessary at this time as an additional layer of security to safeguard the flying public."

From City News Service:

An ex-Boeing engineer convicted of passing secret space shuttle technology to China was sentenced today in Santa Ana to 15 years and eight months in prison.

Dongfan "Greg" Chung, 73, was convicted by U.S. District Court Judge Cormac Carney in
a non-jury trial in July of violating the Economic Espionage Act of 1996 and lying to the FBI.

The aerospace engineer -- who worked at Boeing's Huntington Beach plant - - was the first person tried under the Economic Espionage Act, which bars the distribution of trade secrets to benefit a foreign government.

Before sentencing, Chung denied he spied for China.

"Your honor, I'm not a spy. I'm an ordinary man," he said. "I was planning to write a book. Those documents were going to be used for my references."

Chung also told the judge: "I love this country. My children and grandchildren live here. I beg your pardon, I want to live with my family peacefully."

Chung's attorneys, Ken Miller and Thomas Bienert, argued that much of what Chung gave
the Chinese government was already in the public domain.

But Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Staples said that while some information Chung passed on was publicly available, most of the material in question was not.

In his decision last year, Carney said Chung has been an agent of the Chinese government for 30 years.

"Under the direction and control of (the People's Republic of China), Mr. Chung misappropriated sensitive aerospace and military information belonging to his employer, the Boeing Co., to assist the PRC in developing its own programs."

Chung had a stroke about a year ago and was hospitalized within the past week for a
gastrointestinal problem, Bienert said after today's hearing. Carney recommended to the federal Bureau of Prisons that Chung be housed in a Southern California facility so he could see his family more regularly. The judge also ordered a medical exam of him.

Carney decided against imposing a fine on Chung because he felt it would end up hurting his family more than him. Attorneys this morning debated how much Boeing lost in the espionage case with estimates in the millions of dollars. 

From the District Attorney's Office:

 LOS ANGELES - Michael Jackson's physician was charged by the District Attorney's Office today with involuntary manslaughter in connection with the entertainer's death last summer.

Dr. Conrad Robert Murray, 56 (dob 2-19-1953), was charged in case No. SA 073164, filed at the Airport Branch of Los Angeles Superior Court. The count alleged that Murray " did unlawfully, and without malice, kill Michael Joseph Jackson...in the commission of an unlawful act, not amounting to a felony; and in the commission of a lawful act which might have produced death, in an unlawful manner, and without due caution and circumspection."

Arraignment was scheduled for later today in Department 144 of the Airport Court, 11701 S La Cienega Blvd.

 

Jackson, 50, was stricken at his North Carolwood Drive home on June 25, 2009, and taken to UCLA Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Deputy District Attorney David Walgren of the Major Crimes Division will prosecute the case. Walgren has worked closely with the investigative agencies - the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office. Both agencies worked diligently and exhaustively to collect the evidence leading to filing of the case.

If convicted, Murray faces a possible maximum four-year state prison term. Sentencing will be up to the court.

Staff Writer Sandy Mazza reported for Saturday's Daily Breeze that the District Attorney's Office is investigating if the Carson City Council violated open meeting laws by allowing Mayor Jim Dear to mute speakers ... speakers, who, coincidentally, are critical of him or the Council. Read the article here.

Plaintiffs Firms Mount Mass Attack on Toyota

Litigation over Toyota's faulty accelerators will be epic in scope

Amanda Bronstad

The National Law Journal

February 08, 2010

LINDA DEUTSCH
AP Special Correspondent

LOS ANGELES (AP) - More than a dozen television news vans and satellite trucks are lining a courthouse parking lot, in anticipation of the surrender of Michael Jackson's doctor.

News crews began setting up operations at dawn Monday at the Los Angeles International Airport Courthouse, placing cameras along the entire entrance.

Meanwhile, Dr. Conrad Murray's lawyer posted a brief statement on his Web site, saying the physician planned to surrender to authorities at the courthouse at 1:30 p.m. PST.

Murray's lawyers have said they expect the doctor to be charged with a single count of involuntary manslaughter for administering a powerful anesthetic to Jackson before he died.

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.

A woman was killed today when she drove off the side of the Marina Freeway in Del Rey and crashed into a tree, firefighters said.

The crash was reported about 3:30 p.m. off the eastbound side of the freeway a quarter-mile west of Centinela Avenue, said Cecco Secci, a public information officer for the Los Angeles City Fire Department.

Firefighters said the woman had driven her minivan off the freeway and landed 20 to 25 feet below.

The woman, who was in her 40s, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The El Camino Lions Club is honoring Gardena police Lt. Mike Saffell for his "dedication to the Gardena community and consistent involvement in working with young people."

Saffell will be honored Feb. 10 at the club's 33 Community Recognition Dinner at Alpine Village.
Saffell joined the force in October 1993 and worked his way through a variety of assignments including as an investigator, narcotics and vice to patrol.

He also worked in community based policing and is in charge of policing a Gardena district.
Saffell is involved in professional organizations and has coached junior All-American football, Pop Warner Football and Pony baseball.

Police on Friday released a sketch of a man who robbed a Hermosa Beach lingerie store.
The man posed as a customer at Sassy's, 801 Pacific Coast Highway, on Wednesday, but pulled out a gun and robbed the business.

The clerk, who was ordered to lie on the floor, was told to go to the rear of the store before the man fled. He told her, "If you come out, I swear I'm going to shoot you."

The man was described as Latino, in his 30s and 5 feet 6 inches tall. He had a medium build, a thick mustache, a pock-marked face, short dark hair, and tattoos on his arms and neck.

Anyone with information about the man is asked to contact Hermosa Beach police Detective Mick Gaglia at 310-318-0348.

I wrote a story the other day about firefighters who went to Haiti to help injured people following the earthquake. I've posted some photos they sent me on the South Bay Pipeline blog. Check them out.

And, while we're at it, check out today's story about a lifeguard who rescued three teens from drowning in Hermosa Beach.

The defense team representing Dr. Conrad Murray, the Houston physician likely to be charged for administering pop star Michael Jackson drugs that killed him, has hastily called a last-minute news conference for 1:30 p.m. at Polliwog Park.

Don't say we didn't warn you - it's gonna be a soggy media circus over there.

**Just got word that the news conference was canceled. Nevermind.

The City News Service below references that footage from Rodney Alcala's stint on the "Dating Game" surfaced recently on YouTube. However, the L.A. Weekly posted it a couple weeks ago, I just noticed.

Here's the latest in the trial from CNS:

A murder trial that was already unusual with suspected serial killer Rodney Alcala defending himself could become a lot more strange Monday when jurors are likely to see a video of Alcala as the victorious Bachelor No. 1 on the "Dating Game" in 1978.

The nearly 10-minute video of Alcala on the game show surfaced today on YouTube, and Alcala plans to show it to jurors Monday, according to Deputy District Attorney Matt Murphy who is prosecuting Alcala.

Orange County Superior Court Judge Francisco Briseno was skeptical about showing the
video to the jury, but when Murphy did not object, he agreed to let Alcala have his way.

Alcala wants to show the video to bolster his claim that he was wearing gold ball earrings, contradicting the mother of one of his alleged victims who says earrings found in Alcala's possession after he was arrested belonged to her daughter.

Former South Bay gastroenterologist Mahendra Udani's appeal of his 18 misdemeanor convictions didn't seem to have any surprises. From what I can tell from the opinion issued this week, most his arguments were litigated at the trial level, too.

Here is the opinion: Udani.pdf

Read: Physician loses appeal, faces jail time in sexual battery case

The Redondo Beach man accused of killing Cori Desmond pleaded not guilty to murder on Thursday and was ordered back to court for a pretrial hearing.
Tony Lopez Perez, 35, returns to San Bernardino Superior Court on March 2, according to prosecutors.
Perez is believed to have strangled and sexually assaulted Desmond, 28, of Torrance, early on Feb. 15 after somehow coming into contact with her outside his residence.
The popular bartender was found by a snowy mountain road near Running Springs the next day.

Just getting word from prosecutors that the Los Angeles Superior Court Appellate Division has affirmed the 18 misdemeanor convictions against former South Bay gastroenterologist Mahendra Udani, who groped and fondled two female patients in a Torrance hospital and Redondo Beach medical office.

Udani was allowed to remain free on $500,000 bail while his concition was pending. He will now have to serve his two-year jail sentence.

Look for a complete story later on dailybreeze.com.

 

The FBI is trying to identify the "Sport Bike Bandit," at least one man responsible for robbing seven Southern California banks, including one in Rancho Palos Verdes.

Investigators have not determined whether the bandit works alone or with others. He got his name after a takeover robbery in 2008 in which he wore a black or dark red motorcycle helmet, colored bandana and black sunglasses.

The crimes began in July 2008 in Long Beach. They have occurred at banks in Long Beach, Pasadena, Los Alamitos, and at the Union Bank at 20 Miraleste Plaza in Rancho Palos Verdes.

Witnesses said the man walks into the bank, pulls a gun, orders customers and bank employees to the floor, and robs the bank.

He was seen fleeing on a red or burgundy sport-type motorcycle. His helmet possibly has black or orange shiny tape on it.

He was described as white or Latino, 30 to 40 years old, 5 feet 5 to 5 feet 8 inches tall, 150 to 160 pounds.

He has a small to medium build, a deep voice without an accent, and light skin.
Anyone with information should contact the FBI at 1-888-CANT-HIDE or 1-888-226-8443.

A man posed as a customer at a Hermosa Beach lingerie store, but pulled out a gun and robbed the money from the business' cash register, police said.

The crime occurred about 4 p.m. at Sassy's, 801 Pacific Coast Highway.

The man walked into store, asked about the prices of several items and pulled out a gun.

He ordered the woman to the floor, took money from the register and searched through her purse.

Before the robber fled, he forced her to the rear of the store, telling her, "If you come out, I swear I'm going to shoot you."

The man was described as Latino, in his 30s, 5 feet 6 inches tall. He had a medium build, a thick mustache, a pocked face, short dark hair, and tattoos on his arms and neck.

Anyone with information about the man is asked to contact Hermosa Beach police Detective Mick Gaglia at 310-318-0348.

The preliminary hearing for Eric Delacruz and Fernando Romero that was scheduled to continue today was postponed until March 30. One of the defense attorneys is having back surgery. "For reasons outside all our control, we're unable to proceed on this case," Torrance Superior Court Judge Hector Guzman said.

Delacruz and Romero, who served in the military, are accused of killing Delacruz's aunt, Sonia Rios Risken. The Lomita hair dresser, at the time of her death, was suspected of having two husbands killed in her native Philippines for insurance money.

The LAPD's Assistant Chief (or he used to be) Jim McDonnell has been named chief of police in Long Beach.

Congratulations to my Daily Breeze partner-in-crime Denise Nix, who has been named a 2009 Distinguished Journalist by the Society of Professional Journalists Greater Los Angeles chapter.

This is quite an honor because it comes from your peers. The list of winners from past years includes people like Jim Murray, Hal Fishman, Stan Chambers, Linda Deutsch, Jess Marlow and Paul Conrad.

Each year the organization honors journalists in newspapers, radio and television. They've added a "new media" category to include the Web. A dinner will be held in April.

Besides Denise, this year's winners are Andrew Blankstein of the Los Angeles Times; Dave Lopez of KCBS/KCAL; Claudia Preschiutta of KNX radio; and Celeste Fremon of WitnessLA.com.

Read the full press release on the SPJ Web site.

Congrats Denise!

From City News Service:

A Long Beach attorney who embezzled more than $26,000 from the Black Women Lawyers Association while serving as the group's treasurer was sentenced today to a year on probation.

LaJetta Yvette Wright, 42, pleaded guilty last July 29 to a felony grand theft charge.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David Horwitz agreed to reduce the charge to a misdemeanor following her completion of nearly 250 hours of community service and
payment of $3,000 in court fines, according to Deputy District Attorney Sean Hassett.

Wright had already paid more than $26,000 in restitution to the association.

The State Bar of California's Web site lists Wright as ineligible to practice law as of Jan. 17.

Representing himself, Rondy Alcala gave his opening statement this morning in Orange County Superior Court. The Orange County Register reports he didn't mention any of the four Los Angeles-area rape and murders, to which he is allegedly linked by DNA.

This just in from the District Attorney's Office:

COMPTON - A 21-year-old man accused of fatally shooting a Narbonne High School football player at a Compton restaurant is due to be arraigned tomorrow, the District Attorney's Office announced.

Arlon Watson, (dob 5/29/88), is charged with one count of murder in case No. TA110608. Watson is expected to be arraigned in Department D of Compton Superior Court.

The criminal complaint includes allegations of personal use of a handgun and personal and intentional discharge of a firearm causing great bodily injury and death. The complaint further alleges that the offense was committed for the benefit of, at the direction of, and in association with a criminal street gang with the specific intent to promote, further and assist in criminal conduct by gang members.

The defendant was arrested on Jan. 27 for outstanding warrants by Los Angeles County Sheriff's Homicide detectives.

Watson is accused killing Dannie Farber, the star wide receiver for Narbonne High School's football team. The slaying took place May 24, 2009 when the teenage victim was on a date with his girlfriend at a restaurant in Compton.

The defendant allegedly approached Farber and asked him his gang affiliation. When the victim replied that he did not "gang-bang," the defendant purportedly shot and killed him, prosecutors said.

Bail for Watson was recommended at more than $2 million. If convicted as charged, he faces a maximum prison term of 50 years to life.

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A federal appeals court panel today overturned the 22-year prison sentence of an Algerian man who plotted to bomb Los Angeles International Airport on the eve of the year 2000, ruling that the prison term should have been longer.

The panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals cited procedural errors in rejecting the
sentence given to Ahmed Ressam, who was arrested Dec. 14, 1999, at a ferry terminal in Port
Angeles, Wash., after crossing from British Columbia, Canada, in a rented sedan with explosives
in the trunk.

The panel ordered that Ressam be re-sentenced by another judge in Seattle.<QA>

Just before 6 p.m. yesterday, the Inglewood Police Department released this statement about the two officers rescued after possibly jumping off the Manhattan Beach Pier Sunday night:

"During the evening hours on Sunday, January 31, 2010, the Inglewood Police Department was informed that two of its off-duty officers were rescued from the waters near the Manhattan Beach Pier. Both officers sustained moderate injuries and were treated at a local hospital. After receiving treatment, both officers were released and are on their regularly scheduled days off.

The Inglewood Police Department is grateful for the decisive and heroic actions undertakenby members of the Manhattan Beach Fire Department and the Los Angeles County Lifeguards in pulling these two officers to safety. Their swift action prevented a tragic outcome for the families of the two officers and the Inglewood Police Department.

Additional inquiries regarding the incident should be directed to the Manhattan Beach Fire Department and Manhattan Beach Police Department."

 

Here's video of a woman asked to walk a dog at a pet adoption at a Petsmart in El Segundo last week and never returned the dog.

I had trouble with the video last week when I wrote the story and couldn't get it to work on my computer, but we now have this...

She made off with a pit bull terrier named Starley.

IIf you know who she is, call El Segundo police Detective Hugo Perez at 310-524-2216.

About a month or so ago, Manhattan Beach police Sgt. Brian Brown won accolades for his heroic-like actions in rushing into the ocean at sunset to help rescue two women near the pier. Today's story by Daily Breeze Staff Writer Sandy Mazza involving two police officers in the surf is similiar, yet very, very different.