August 2007 Archives

Police today sought two men in connection with a brutal stabbing of a 33-year-old homeless man whose body was found in a creek Sunday afternoon. dailynews.com

Below are arrests from Aug. 29:

• 7100 block of Lindley Avenue, Reseda: A 36-year-old North Hollywood man was arrested on suspicion of making criminal threats.

• 18000 block of Hemmingway Street, Reseda: A 23-year-old student was arrested on suspicion of rape by force.

• 5900 block of Laurel Canyon Boulevard, North Hollywood: A 21-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of military desertion.

• 6200 block of Sylmar Avenue, Van Nuys: A 45-year-old woman from North Hills was arrested on suspicion of battery on a police officer.

• 9700 block of Laurel Canyon Boulevard, Pacoima: A 25-year-old mover from North Hollywood was arrested on suspicion of burglary.

• 7500 block of Denny Avenue, Sun Valley: A 29-year-old construction worker from North Hollywood was arrested on suspicion of arson.
  

There were a couple of significant incidents reported in the Valley overnight.

Just before midnight last night, a man held up a motorist at gunpoint who was stopped at a shopping center at Gladstone Avenue at Hubbard Street in Sylmar. The gunman tapped on the car window, pointed the gun at him and told him to get out of the car and lie face down on the ground. The motorist, in fear, complied and the assailant took off in the victim's vehicle.

The second case occurred this morning at 6:25 a.m. in the 15300 block of Archwood Street in Van Nuys. Police responded to a “459 Hot Prowl” radio call. The victim told police that she heard a noise coming from the living room and when she went to investigate, she noticed her front door open. She looked outside and saw the side gate to the back yard opened. When she went outside, she saw the suspect take off.

Click below for crime news this morning.

Murder charges were filed today against a 23-year-old homeless man accused of fatally stabbing a 32-year-old woman on the patio of an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. dailynews.com

Find the arrests from your neighborhood, from Aug. 28:

• 14400 block of Vanowen Street, Van Nuys: A 52-year-old welder from Reseda was arrested on suspicion of animal neglect.

• 15200 block of Rayen Steet, North Hills: A 23-year-old day laborer from Mission Hills was arrested on suspicion of possession of rock cocaine.

• Wyandotte, Van Nuys: A 30-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of possession of heroin.

• 5700 block of Sepulveda Boulevard, Van Nuys: A 23-year-old woman from Quartz Hill was arrested on suspicion of burglary at a Target.

• Foothill Boulevard, Sylmar: A 30-year-old supervisor was arrested on suspicion of bringing a controlled substance to jail.

• Noble Avenue, North Hills: A 26-year-old painter was arrested on suspicion of attempted robbery.

• 10800 block of Oxnard Street, North Hollywood: A 26-year-old man from Los Angeles was arrested on suspicion of assault with a knife.

• 12100 block of Victory Boulevard, North Hollywood: A 28-year-old gardener from Reseda was arrested on suspicion of robbery.
  

A former county employee leading an effort to recall Sheriff Lee Baca based on his handling of Paris Hilton's jail sentence has resigned. A statement Monday from The Committee to Recall Lee Baca said Andrew Ahlering's decision to step down was based on "threats to his safety." washingtonpost.com

But he looked like such a normal guy....

Paul Addis was like a lot of people who dig Burning Man. He journeyed out to the Nevada desert, painted his face up with all kinds of crazy designs and looked forward to ceremonially lighting the namesake statue on fire. Unfortunately for the thousands of other attendees, Addis allegedly couldn't wait for the last one.

The statue was supposed to burn in four days, but sheriff's deputies say Addis sped up the clock by lighting the immense effigy up himself early Tuesday. He was arrested and booked in the Pershing County, Nev. jail on suspicion of arson, illegal possession of fireworks, destruction of property and resisting a public officer.

Now who'd have thought that the combination of neo-hippies in costume, free spirits, drugs and a giant, flammable statue would end badly? Whatever the case, this dude, a 35-year-old performance artist from San Francisco, is so totally not invited to the next incarnation of Woodstock.

This can't top Jason's post on the Mary Kay G-ride, but I thought it was pretty darn amusing.

Our friends at L.A. Noir shared this tale of a man, a home, a too-large posterior and a too-small chimney. It seems that this would-be Santa Claus attempted to turn a fireplace out in West Covina into a door. Unfortunately for him, as he crept down toward the living room, he became firmly ensconced.

Residents heard him thrashing around, called the cops and had him removed, first from the chimney, then from greater society.

Mr. Blackmoore, who has a tremendous knack for digging up these weirdo crimes, offers this:
Unfortunately for the homeowners they couldn't pull him back out again and had to dismantle the chimney.

Me, I'd have gotten onto the roof and dropped [we censored this for our more delicate It's a Crime readers, but Blackmoore employs a colorful metaphor for 'stuff'] on him 'til the extra weight popped him out the bottom. Bowling balls are good for that sort of thing. Hey, they're gonna take apart my chimney, might as well have some fun.

The gentleman was arrested on suspicion of burglary, and, perhaps a little time in jail, doing push-ups and sit-ups with his cellies, will do him good. Unfortunately, the story didn't provide details on whether eight tiny reindeer were found on the rooftop going click-click-click.

Elsewhere, CBS2.com posted the original link to the AP story.

Here's something you don't hear every day. Last week, cops up in the Mission Division thought there was something odd about a 29-year-old man driving a pink Mary Kay Cadillac on Raven Street, so they pulled him over and found out that the day before he had jacked the car at gunpoint. The guy was identified as 29-year-old Elethon Mora from San Fernando. He's being held at the Pitchess Detention Center in Saugus. He's expected to appear in court next week, sans the Caddy.

Here are arrests from Aug. 27:

• Craner Avenue, North Hollywood: A 20-year-old warehouseman from North Hollywood told police he heard shots fired, walked around the corner and found an AK-47 lying in the street. He was arrested on suspicion of possession of an assault rifle.

• 8000 block of North Sepulveda Boulevard, Panorama City: A 28-year-old Van Nuys man was arrested on suspicion of drinking in public.

• 19000 block of Londelius Street, Northridge: A 31-year-old woman from San Fernando was arrested on suspicion of credit card theft.

• Polk Street, Sylmar: A 36-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possession of meth.

• 19000 block of Vanowen Street, Reseda: A 19-year-old saleswoman from Woodland Hills was arrested on suspicion of forging a fictitious check.

• 15500 block of Vanowen Street, Van Nuys: A 35-year-old housewife was arrested on suspicion of domestic battery.
  

A 32-year-old woman suffered fatal wounds from a stabbing on the patio of an alcoholics anonymous meeting and her alleged killer, a 23-year-old homeless man was in custody in connection with the case. dailynews.com

The Los Angeles Police Department launched its end-of-the-summer raids in North Hollywood on Friday.

More than 150 officers from the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, Los Angeles Unified School District Police, Burbank Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, California Department of Corrections and Los Angeles County Probation focused on gangs and tagging crews linked to criminal activity in the North Hollywood and Sun Valley communities.

The operation went down at 6 a.m.

The cops served probation and parole compliance checks, arrest and warrant searches at 58 locations. A dozen people were arrested, including four juveniles. The gangs and tagging crews targeted were the Vineland Boys, 18th Street, North Hollywood Locos, North Hollywood Boys and Clanton (C-14).

18th Street is listed as one of the department's top targeted gangs.

Cops recovered three firearms, two machetes, narcotics including methamphetamine and marijuana, and several shaved keys that are believed to be used to steal cars.

Cops also say they seized a wealth of intelligence on gang activity in the eastern corner of the Valley.

The raids come as police report that gang-related crimes have increased in North Hollywood by 24 percent over last last year to date. In a recent four-week period, police in North Hollywood reported a 54.5 percent drop.

As of July 30, gang crime in the Valley is up 5.9 percent, a total of 47-additional crimes. While gang homicides are down 4.3 percent -- 22 through July 30 compared to 23 during the same time period last year -- some of the increase in gang crime can be attributed to more assaults against cops. This time last year, there had been seven; so far this year there have been 22, an increase of over 200 percent.

Through Aug. 18 crime is down 1.7 percent. That includes a 24 percent reduction in homicides - 42 compared with 55.

Cops say that gang crime accounts for 22 percent of of all crime in the Valley.

Here are some arrests from over the weekend:

• 9400 block of San Fernando Road, Sun Valley: A 20-year-old stock clerk was arrested on suspicion of arson.

• Saticoy Street, Van Nuys: A 20-year-old laborer was arrested on suspicion of making criminal threats with a gang enhancement.

• 14600 block of Blythe Street, Panorama City: An 18-year-old landscaper from North Hills was arrested on suspicion of violating terms of an injunction.

• 18100 block of Nordhoff Street, Northridge: A 32-year-old man from Arleta was arrested on suspicion of disruption on campus at Cal State Northridge.
  

Last time I went to court, the judge had a big sign on the wall prohibiting sandals and shorts in his courtroom. Well, thanks to our friends at the Associated Press in Dallas, we can share with you the story of a man who ditched the shorts, sandals and everything else.

DALLAS — A man stripped naked inside a Dallas County courthouse and tried to grab a weapon from an officer who attempted to subdue him, officials said.
A receptionist saw the 33-year-old man taking off his clothes on the 11th floor of the court building near the district attorney’s office on Thursday, authorities reported. She called for help, and a prosecutor chased the man into a stairwell.
An officer was trying to help the prosecutor when the man placed his hand on the officer’s weapon, officials said.
The man faces a charge of trying to take a weapon from a peace officer.

Ohhh-kayyyy.... No word on why he got buck naked or why he decided to allegedly grab the cop's gun. But whatever the case, I'm sure he'll have a very interesting time telling his side of things in court. I'd imagine the deputies will make sure his jumpsuit's zipped extra tight.

Some big changes in how and where juvenile and adult California prisoners do their time. For the kiddies, the California legislature just passed a bill that would largely eliminate the current system and have all but the most violent juvenile offenders dealt with locally.
San Francisco Chronicle

The Los Angeles Times has a story about how the state is dealing with its overpopulated adult prison population by shipping inmates out of state to private prisons, much to the chagrin of the state's prison guard union.

Los Angeles Times

This is still developing, but cops were out in force this morning in predawn raids across the San Fernando Valley, a task force of police is cracking down this morning on gang members, career criminals, parolees and probationers in "Operation Heatwave." dailynews.com

Click below for crime news.

The mother of murdered CSUN student Michael Lynn Presley II. (photo by Kristine Keller, CSUN Daily Sundial staff photographer)

Son suffers same fate as slain father
Twenty years after his father was shot to death, Michael Lynn Presley II was also gunned down. The CSUN student had a stellar GPA and massive potential. According to this story from the Daily Sundial, CSUN's student newspaper, Presley is the third student murdered this summer.

• Actor Mel Gibson has been complying with the terms of his probation for a DUI arrest during which he disparaged Jews and women, his attorney told a judge today. dailynews.com

• Actress Lindsay Lohan was charged today with seven misdemeanor counts, including two counts each of driving under the influence. dailynews.com

• The assistant to the top general in the California National Guard remains on leave today amid an investigation of a Web site he maintains called Howtokillpeople.com. dailynews.com

• A 32-year-old fugitive who was brought to the United States from his native Armenia to face charges in a 2000 murder has pleaded guilty to manslaughter in exchange for a lighter sentence. dailynews.com
  

The following arrests were made on Aug. 21:

• Raven Street: A 30-year-old collections worker from San Fernando was arrested on suspicion of carjacking.

• 11100 block of North Sepulveda Boulevard: A 38-year-old roofer was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

• 13600 block of Daventry Street, Pacoima: A 38-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of robbery.

• Mount Gleason Street, Tujunga: A 29-year-old medical worker from Burbank was arrested on suspicion of making a threat to an officer.
  

Jason and I had a fascinating talk with Tony Rafael the other day, who's both the author of the recently released The Mexican Mafia and moderator of In the Hat. I've only read the first few chapters, but so far, it's pretty riveting stuff.

I wanted to talk to Rafael for a project I'm working on regarding gang origins. In Southern California, Sureño territory, you can't really tell the story of street gangs without including the influence of the prison gang known as Mexican Mafia, also known by its Spanish initial, La Eme. I'll save the good stuff for later, but in the meantime, here's some interesting tidbits.

A follow-home robbery ended in a donnybrook Tuesday night when the victim fought with his assailant in a Panorama City home. dailynews.com

This just in.... Our colleague Mr. Dobuzinskis has the news that former Sheriff's Deputy John Racz has been convicted of murder. Click the link or read on below for the first news we've got. More to come soon....

I'll admit it, I'm a sucker for a feel-good story. Writing about crime, you don't find a whole lot of them. The students, teachers and administrators at St. Genevieve's High School provided a pleasant break from arrests, drugs and murder. While I initially had my doubts about how their feel good, integrity first curriculum would fare in the real world (especially since the campus is only a few blocks from where another nice guy I know got arrested), it looks like it's paid off in terms of enrollment, academics and athletics. Every now and then, it's nice to see the forces of good win out.

Here are a couple of interesting cop stories I found this morning that will get your day started off.

• Police are investigating whether two more hospitals may have dumped patients on Skid Row. AP via kfwb.com

  
  

• Former Deputy U.S. Marshal Richard Carl Eaton, a Burbank resident, was arrested Saturday on suspicion of passport fraud. burbankleader.com

Here's an "every parent's worst nightmare times two" story. A brother and sister were both killed while attending a house party in South Los Angeles.

I know that people often tune out violence that happens in particular neighborhoods over and over again, but attending house parties is practically a right of passage for young people in Los Angeles and should be something they're able to do safely. Whether kids are cutting loose at a party in Woodland Hills, Pacoima or, in this case, South Los Angeles, it shouldn't be something that costs them their lives.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who enjoyed "busting a move" on a Bermuda-grass dance floor. My condolences to the family.

Anyone with information can call the South Bureau detective at (213) 485-2417, during normal business hours or 1-877-LAW-FULL (877-520-3855) after hours.

CBS 2 News

LAPD Online

Last week, Hans and I took a little Wednesday night trip with Lt. Tom Smart and his officers of the Gang Enforcement Detail for LAPD's West Valley station. Smart's a friendly, engaging guy who seems to embody all the qualities that his last name suggests.

The squad was checking up on Canoga Park Alabama members out on parole. They'd been getting guns lately -- an AR-15 turned up on an earlier caper and this gentleman who lives across the street from Lanark Park was suspected of possessing a strap. To paraphrase my late grandmother: when you're on parole, that's a no-no.

Around 9:45 p.m., the cops strode into the courtyard of 21817 Lanark Street. No guns drawn or battering rams this time, just a firm knock on the door of an upstairs apartment and an announcement that the police had come to visit. Little kids kept wandering the complex. This wasn't the first time cops had come calling.

The gentleman with whom they'd hoped to chat wasn't at home, but his aunt, who lived there, eventually showed up to let the cops and a probation officer attached to the unit inside. She didn't look thrilled to have them digging through her nephew's belongings, but both sides were cordial. Her apartment was nicely kept up, filled with religious statues and sweltering in the late summer heat.

The probation officer in charge of the search noted that the gangster kept his room in nice shape, very neat, very clean. Unfortunately for him, that made it easy to find the paintball gun, collection of gang hats and small bottle of booze all verboten under the terms of his probation. As the cops prepared to cart it all away, his mom arrived and claimed the liquor as her own. She thought her son, who was supposed to be home by then, was at his girlfriend's house. She received a warning that he had to abide by terms of his probation-- no staying out late, no alcohol, no hanging around with the homeboys, no gang attire-- or he'd be headed back behind the walls.

As the cops finished the check, they discovered one final thing in his collection of gang artifacts: a copy of Rick's story on Canoga Park Alabama. The coppers got a good laugh out of that one-- it wasn't the first time they'd found news clippings about the gang in its members' possessions.

While we here at It's a Crime don't condone lawbreaking in any form, we're glad to see someone's reading the paper.

A judge today sentenced two gang members to 15 years to life in prison for the beating death of a 17-year-old Glendale boy. dailynews.com

The following arrests were made on Aug. 20:

• 6600 block of Whitsett Avenue, North Hollywood: A 33-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.

• 6300 block of Tujunga Avenue, North Hollywood: A 45-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.

• 8500 block of Cantaloupe Avenue, North Hills: A 68-year-old housewife was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.

• 900 block Irolo Street, Los Angeles: A 34-year-old actor from Burbank was arrested on suspicion of stalking.

• 13700 block of Wingo Street, Arleta: A 21-year-old construction worker was arrested on suspicion of lewd act with a child under 14.
  

Two guys apparently Jonesn' for a fix of OxyContin and Dilaudid held up a drugstore on Aug. 11. The problem was that they were being filmed by a store surveillance camera and now cops are looking for folks to help identify the men.

The drama began Saturday, around 11:40 a.m., when the men, described as black entered the AD-RX Pharmacy at 6240 Wilshire Boulevard. They walked past the front counter to the rear of the business. One man, armed with a gun, confronted three employees and then demanded the name brand pharmaceutical drugs OxyContin and Dilaudid. When workers informed the suspect that the drugs were not available, he pistol-whipped two of the employees.

The second suspect was not armed and served as a lookout.

The suspects stole Vicodin and Tylenol 3 before fleeing the pharmacy.

The first suspect was in his 40s, 5'7" tall, 200 pounds, with a light complexion. The second suspect was in his 30s, 5'10" tall, 170 pounds, also with a light complexion.

The store employees received minor injuries and did not require hospitalization.

Anyone with information is asked to call Wilshire Robbery Detectives at (213) 922-8205. On weekends and during off-hours, phone the 24-hour toll-free Detective Information Desk at
1-877-LAW-FULL (877-529-2855).

Courtesy of our friend, Mr. Kandel, we have this story:

RESEDA - Two men were injured early Sunday with a three-foot machete in a fight at a Reseda duplex and two men were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in the attack, police said.

Police didn't know what set the men off, but alcohol may have been involved.

Booze prompting a fight between roommates? I'm shocked.

I once had a roommate who left his dirty underwear in my bed and habitually kept all the lights in the apartment on at the same time, but even when he left his porn in my VCR while my girlfriend was visiting, I resisted the urge to attack him with a machete. Let's hope the accused and the victim are able to patch things up.

LAPD's vice squad snapped up 17 guys and gals while targeting hookers on my home street of Sepulveda Boulevard on Friday night. I've never been so glad to have been out of town.

And the johns weren't John Does, either. Wanna read the names of the accused? Oh, come on, you know you do: click here to see the official news release, complete with the names and communities of the folks who got caught.

Jill Leovy of the Times' Homicide Report has a piece looking at the disproportionate number of homicides in minority communities today

Homicide is not fair, hitting hardest among Latinos and especially among blacks. Latinos are killed at more than three times the rate of whites, while blacks succumb to homicide at three times the rate of Latinos, the Times analysis shows.

Adult males are the eye of the storm. The national homicide rate is about six deaths per 100,000 people each year. But for Latino men in their 20s in Los Angeles County, the rate is 52 deaths, and for black men, 176 deaths. In human terms, that means that losing a son to homicide, a remote possibility in some neighborhoods, looms as a daily threat in others.

And while the Valley certainly has its share of problems, she points out that the possibility of your kid getting blown away in Woodland Hills is considerably slimmer than the chance in Compton.

The following arrests were made over the weekend:

• 12700 block of Van Nuys Boulevard, Pacoima: A 19-year-old cabinet maker was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder .

• 5700 block of Vineland Avenue, North Hollywood: A 34-year-old manager from Glendale was arrested on suspicion of forgery.

• 6900 block of Baird Avenue, Reseda: A 29-year-old retail worker was arrested on suspicion of cultivating marijuana.

• Burbank Boulevard: A 25-year-old Sherman Oaks man was arrested on suspicion of possession of marijuana.

• 8900 block of Cedros Avenue, Panorama City: A 51-year-old gardener was arrested on suspicion of assault with a gun.

• 5600 block of DeSoto Avenue, Woodland Hills: A 51-year-old engineer was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon with an enhancement.

• 14400 block of Erwin Street, Van Nuys: A 20-year-old constructionf worker was arrested on suspicion of intimidation of a witness.
  

A convicted sex offender wanted for questioning in connection with the disappearance of an Orange County college student is in Los Angeles police custody in on an unrelated charge. Police said that 35-year-old John Burgess was the last person seen with 19-year-old Donna Jou on the night that she vanished. knbc.com

The San Fernando Police Department detective squad was out looking for a gun floating around the community and hassling a few punk taggers on Friday when someone dropped a dime. A guy named Jaime was selling dope out of a converted garage over on Kewen Street near Workman.

Three Crown Vics rolled up and the officers poured out, surprising the suspect as he worked on his car in the driveway. Jaime, an average looking guy with a white undershirt, blue shorts and filthy hands stood up, something black and metallic in his palm.

A man severely beat a woman in a rape attempt in the courtyard of a Glendale church but was interrupted by a good Samaritan who stabbed him repeatedly with a pocket knife. dailynews.com

The following arrests were made on Aug. 16:

• Laurel Canyon Boulevard: A 49-year-old Sylmar man was arrested on suspicion of commercial burglary.

• Nordhoff Street, A 31-year-old construction worker from Pacoima was arrested on suspicion of a hit and run with injuries.

• Lassen Street, A 41-year-old self employed man from Glendale was arrested on suspicion of possession of a pipe.

• Woodley Avenue, A 20-year-old unemployed man and an 18-year-old female student were arrested on suspicion of first-degree robbery.

• Sepulveda Boulevard, A 40-year-old transient from Mission Hills was arrested on suspicion of possession of syringes.

• 7700 block of Foothill Boulevard, Tujunga: A 34-year-old caregiver and a 29-year-old unemployed woman from Pasadena were arrested on suspicion of burglary.

• Dronfield Street: A 22-year-old unemployed man from Lake View Terrace was arrested on suspicion of carrying a loaded, concealed weapon.

• Glenoaks Boulevard: A 25-year-old security guard who lives on Harmony Street in North Hollywood was arrested on suspicion of carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle.
  

Click below for your Friday crime news report.

I've been getting a bunch of emails looking for more info regarding Sandra Ruiz, who was badly injured in the attack that took her 6-year-old son on Sunday night. I've been out of the loop, covering other things lately, so I don't have much new info, but a source at Amgen passed along the news that the Ventura County DA had set up an assistance fund to help her out. Here's the info:
Attn: Catherine Duggan

Ventura County District Attorney's Office

Crime Victims Emergency Fund (for the benefit of Sandra Ruiz)

800 S. Victoria Ave

Ventura, CA 93009

Phone is 805-654-3622

Amgen, Ruiz's employer, will match any employee donations through its corporate charity. I'm going to be away for a few days, but hope to pass along any more details I can dig up.

Previously:
Cleaver attack kills 6-year-old

A 15-year-old boy was sentenced today to 11 years in the California Youth Authority for killing a fellow youth baseball player in Palmdale with a bat. dailynews.com

Police this morning were searching for the operators of a sophisticated pot growing operation responsible for growing 5,000 marijuana plants worth some $10 million nestled in the Verdugo Mountains above Glendale. A helicopter scouring the area located the plants on Tuesday and narcotics detectives hiked up the mountain and discovered sophisticated marijuana grow spread throughout the area. The operators had designed a watering system using the water from a tower that was designed to be used in case of brush fires. dailynews.com

The following San Fernando Valley area arrests were made on Aug. 15:

• 8700 block of Orion Avenue, North Hills: A 21-year-old carpenter from Van Nuys was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. Police said the man tied a rope into a noose and tried to strangle his girlfriend. She was not seriously hurt.

• 12400 block of Roscoe Boulevard, Sun Valley: A 25-year-old student was arrested on suspicion of battery on school grounds.

• 18200 block of Hatton Street, Reseda: A 31-year-old construction worker was arrested on suspicion of possession of an assault weapon.

• 14000 block of Riverside Drive, Sherman Oaks: A 20-year-old student and a 23-year-old stripper, both from Los Angeles, were arrested on suspicion of grand theft.

• 9800 block of Amboy Avenue, Pacoima: A 24-year-old ex-con was arrested on suspicion of possession of a gun.
  

Here's a new one. Out of the Daily Bulletin, our sister paper over in Ontario: Prosecutors say they will consider filing charges of illegal human experimentation against a defense attorney and his hired consultant who used a police stun gun on their own client in an attempt to re-create injuries the man suffered at the hands of police. dailybulletin.com

The following arrests were made on Aug. 14:

• 20400 block of Sherman Way, Winnetka: A 24-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of child annoying.

• 14400 block of Erwin Street, Van Nuys: A 57-year-old general contractor was arrested on suspicion of grand theft money.

• 6600 block of Gaviota Avenue, Van Nuys: A 20-year-old unemployed man was arrested on suspicion of grand theft.

• 19500 block of Ventura Boulevard, Tarzana: A 37-year-old receptionist from Woodland Hills was arrested on suspicion of forgery.

• 14400 block of Erwin Street, Van Nuys: A 23-year-old contractor from North Hollywood was arrested on suspicion of receiving stolen property.

• 6600 block of Woodman Avenue, Van Nuys: Five men from Van Nuys, Palmdale and North Hollywood were arrested on gang and narcotics related charges.

• 8500 block of Reseda Boulevard, Northridge: A 25-year-old man from Glendale was arrested on suspicion attempted robbery.
  

As a 21-year-old student from Los Angeles faces rape and kidnap charges in connection with an attack of a 19-year-old woman in Reseda earlier this month, police are seeking additional victims who may have been attacked by the same man but who have not yet come forward. dailynews.com

Here's a report from yesterday's Police Commission meeting:

•Assistant Chief Earl C. Paysinger reported there are currently 393 recruits in the Police Academy, with the ethnic breakdown of 8.65% Black, 51% Hispanic, 7.38% Asian/Pacific Islander, 31.55% Caucasian, 1.78% Filipino. 83.46% are male and 16.54% are females.

•The Executive Director reported on the regulation of tow operations within the City.

•The Inspector General reported that the investigation of the January 2006 officer involved shooting involving Matthew Powell is nearing completion.

•The Inspector General reported that Lt. Fred L. Booker of Community Relations Section is retiring and will be replaced by Lt. Doug Miller.

•The Department's report, dated August 9, 2007, relative to a donation of equipment in the amount of $36,356.80, to be used by the Chief of Police and senior staff members, from the Los Angeles Police Foundation, was approved.

•The Department's report, dated August 7, 2007, relative to a request for Travel Authority for the Chief of Police to travel to Aspen, Colorado from August 23 through August 26, 2007, to participate as a speaker at the 2007 The Aspen Institute on the subject of “Policing Terrorism,” was approved.

•The verbal presentation and discussion, relative to the Department's policy as it relates to participation in U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency enforcement at medical marijuana dispensaries, was given by Commander David Doan.

•Police Commission President Anthony Pacheco asked to reschedule the presentation on status of preventative maintenance and installation of mobile radios and funding for new Astro Radios.

•The verbal presentation and discussion from the Department, relative to the process and methodology for deploying police resources, was presented by Sgt. Dan Gomez, OIC Field Deployment Unit, and Captain Robert Hauck, Special Assistant to the Assistant Director of Office of Operations.

•The Department's report, in response to City Council request (Council File No. 07-1331), relative to methamphetamine related arrests and convictions, and strategies for suppression of methamphetamine production and trafficking, as set forth, was approved.

•The Executive Director's report, relative to Proposed Fee Changes for Renewal and Relocation Permits for Fiscal Year 2007/2008, was approved.

•The Department's report, in response to City Council request (Council File No. 06-0600S78), relative to Year-end Adjustment and Financial Status Report, was approved.

•The Department's report, relative to the Ethics Enforcement Section Quarterly Report, Second Quarter 2007, in accordance with the Annual Audit Plan, was approved.

•The Department's report, relative to the Amended Discipline Report, First Quarter 2007, Table L, in accordance with Paragraph 88 of the Consent Decree, was approved.

•The Department's report, relative to the Activity Report for the month of May 2007, was approved.

•The Department's report, in response to City Council request, relative to evaluating the feasibility and cost of using Senior Detention Officers for prisoner release at the Los Angeles County Courts, was approved.

Click below for your daily crime report.

I just traded messages with the spokeswoman at Los Robles Medical Center and she gave me an update on Sandra Ruiz, who was seriously injured in Sunday night's cleaver attack that killed her son, Sev'n Molina. As of this afternoon, Ruiz has been upgraded from critical condition to serious. Doctors removed her from a ventilator and she's alert. We offer our sincere condolences to her and her family and hope she'll be able to recover.

The following arrests were made on Aug. 13:

• 16200 block of Nordhoff Street, North Hills: A 28-year-old laborer was arrested on suspicion of possession of an illegal weapon.

• 14600 block of Calvert Street, Van Nuys: A 21-year-old construction worker was arrested on suspicion of rape.

• 10200 block of Samoa Avenue, Tujunga: A 21-year-old AT&T worker was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping with intent to rape.

• 12700 block of Van Nuys Boulevard, Pacoima: A 48-year-old warehouse worker was arrested on suspicion of lewd conduct with a prior.

• 11100 block of Telfair Avenue, Pacoima: A 41-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of making criminal threats.
  

Click below for your early morning crime report.

Calvin Sharp
Here's the updated post on the stomach-turning case of the cleaver-wielding killer. Rick ran out to get the details and I worked the phones. I can't even imagine how horrible the scene must have been for all involved. We heard a report, but couldn't confirm it, that the little boy stepped in between his alleged killer and his mother before he was butchered. When Sandra Ruiz stepped in to protect her child, she nearly suffered the same fate.

I see from the comments on the Ventura County Star's Web site that many people would have liked to see bystanders or the police kill Sharp, who's accused of these heinous crimes. I don't think any of us can honestly say what we'd really do in that situation, whether we'd rise up like the two neighbors who saved the day, or stand there fearfully. I hope I never have to find out. Whatever the case, the neighbors sound like the real heroes in this. Hopefully, we'll be able to update you on who they were and why they exhibited such courage under duress.

Elsewhere, the Times was also on the scene early and did a nice job with it.

Click below to read the whole thing.

Jack McClellan
Beth Barrett's chasing after this one at the moment, but here's a quick piece on controversial pedophile Jack McClellan, who got popped at UCLA after he was seen lurking on campus with a camera. No word on whether McClellan was wearing his creepy, Zorro-like hat.

Here's the news, if you don't want to click on the link....

WESTWOOD - UCLA police arrested admitted pedophile Jack McClellan today after he was spotted loitering near an infant development center with a camera.

He was released without bail and is required to appear in court on Sept. 13, the statement said.

Rick's on his way to the scene of this horrible homicide, so we'll get you the details as they materialize. In the meantime, here's the early version:

NEWBURY PARK — A Sunday night attack with a meat cleaver left a little boy dead, his mother severely wounded and Calvin Sharp under arrest, sheriff’s deputies reported today.
Neighbors said in news reports that Sharp screamed “Die! Die!” as he chopped the 6-year-old in the head with the blade, then attacked 33-year-old Sandra Ruiz when she tried to stop him.
Neighbors pounced on the 28-year-old man, knocking the butcher’s tool away and restraining him until the arrival of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department.
Deputies shot Sharp with a stun gun several times and arrested him.
Ruiz is in critical condition at Los Robles Medical Center. A neighbor who helped in the struggle for the cleaver was treated for a cut to the face and released.

Elsewhere:
Ventura County Star
LA Times

Armando Eugene Sanchez?
The FBI didn't even have to come up with a clever name for this suspected bandit, opting instead for the one his mamma gave him: Armando Eugene Sanchez.

On August 7, Sanchez, 29, allegedly held up the Washington Mutual Bank in Camarillo and fled in a tan Ford Taurus that was later found abandoned on the 101 freeway. Employees and customers fingered Sanchez after looking over a photographic lineup. Prior to the alleged robbery, the Santa Ana resident registered as a sex offender and is now a parolee at large.

There's a federal warrant out for his arrest, so if you happen to notice a pudgy 5-foot-7 man who weighs around 195 lbs. and has brown hair and brown eyes with "Ruby" and "I'll Always Love My Mamma" tattooed on his chest, call the FBI. Agent Derrel Craig would love to hear from you at (805) 677-7348 or (805) 857-6429.

As a note on his tattoos (a subject we previously had much fun with Aryan Brotherhood member wears his heart on his face on an earlier post), do you suppose the mom he'll always love is proud that her son's a sex offender wanted for bank robbery? I think if I were her, I'd suggest he change to something like "I'll Always Love Mamma Mia!" or "I'll Always Love My Mamma's Cooking."

Prosecutors have declined to file murder charges against a 54-year-old man who was arrested in connection with the stabbing and beating death of a 92-year-old woman who was out collecting recyclables last year. dailynews.com

Police today were searching for two men who held up a Jon's Market and threatened to shoot one of the employees, before making off with $1,470 in cash and property. dailynews.com

In addition to keeping an eye on unusual neighborhood personalities and crime, I also cover the porn beat, which is not quite as lurid as you'd probably suspect. On Friday, I caught up with the folks from Evil Angel, who've been wrangling in court for several years with some accused Canadian movie bootleggers.

Here's what we ran in Business:
VAN NUYS — After three years of legal wrangling, adult film producer Evil Angel won an $11.2 million court victory against Canadian pirates on Friday.

The Van Nuys-based studio and its co-plaintiff, Jules Jordan Video, accused distributor Alain Elmaleh and his subsidiaries, Kaytel Distribution and Leisure Time Canada, of selling fake movies to retailers. After more than a week in court, the jury found Elmaleh and the others liable for ripping off 31 Evil Angel titles and 13 of Jordan's movies.
In addition to the $11.2 million awarded to Evil Angel, the defendants owe Jordan around $5 million.

"It's a good day — a very good day," said EA spokeswoman Karen Stagliano, wife of EA owner John Stagliano. "Of course, we were nervous. We felt we had a solid case, but we were afraid we'd get tripped up on some little legal detail. Now, everybody's overjoyed."

I meant to put these up last night, but got waylaid by some carne asada that then sent me to an early sleep. My apologies and happy reading.

Tony Castro's got a sad tale of an LAPD-FBI probe that uncovered a baker's dozen of alleged perverts. Unfortunately, the Valley had more than its fare share and, as Deputy Chief Moore points out, they seem like normal guys.

"These are faces of a typical American," Moore said. "They approach this as if they are on a date with another consenting adult. They romance or pursue these individuals in such a manner, as well.
"And of course, as parents, we need to be mindful that these are people who are very effective in this pursuit."

And, in a happier note, Burbank has a new police chief. Our colleague Angie Valencia has the of Tim Stehr taking over the department where he's worked for 28 years. In the normally sleepy town, he got a hot welcome week with a triple fatal last Thursday. Hopefully, things will settle down a bit in weeks to come.

The following arrests were made on Aug. 12:

• 8300 block of Van Nuys Boulevard, Panorama City: A 23-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of robbery.

• 14300 block of Valerio Street, Van Nuys: An 18-year-old Van Nuys student and two construction workers, ages 20 and 21, from Pacoima, were arrested on suspicion of conspiring in an assault with a deadly weapon.

• 7400 block of Kester Avenue, Van Nuys: A 20-year-old unloader was arrested on suspicion of burglary at a school.
  

Good morning. It's Monday. Click below for all the crime news you want to know about this morning.

This is one of those horrible crimes that can happen to anybody who has ever yelled at a driver who almost hit him – that would include me and just about everybody I know.

Two Van Nuys brothers were crossing the street Thursday at White Oak Avenue, near Wyandotte Street, when things went horribly wrong and one of the brothers was intentionally struck by a driver, police said.

Police need help identifying the car and the guy driving it. Also, check out the full story in the Daily News on Saturday, August 11.

Anyone with information is asked to call West Valley homicide detectives at (818) 374-7730. After hours contact the toll-free 24-hour anonymous tip line at 1-877-LAWFULL (529-3855).

Colleagues and I have been chasing this story all day. A shooting rampage ended with three people killed, including a man who turned the gun on himself and injured one other in quiet Burbank. Officials this morning identified two of the three people who died in an apparent murder-suicide shooting in a quiet residential neighborhood as Manyam Masihi, 49, and Vahik Farhadian, 48, both of Burbank. dailynews.com

Click below for your daily crime news report.

A Los Angeles police officer fatally shot a man Thursday night after he tried to choke another officer. latimes.com

Maribel Rodriguez Vasquez

The FBI announced today that it's in search of Maribel Rodriguez Vasquez, a fugitive on the lam for her role in a prostitution ring. According to the press release, the feds and the US Attorney's office accuse Rodriguez and her family of running a sex-trafficking ring from Guatemala. Now that she's on the run, the FBI believes she may have gone into the family business and begun working as a prostitute herself.

They also helpfully included the cheesy photographs of Ms. Rodriguez Vasquez, whom they describe as "in her early thirties, 5'2", approximately 130-140 lbs (though her weight is known to fluctuate). ... probably speaks English with a Spanish accent, and may have changed her hair-style/color." As a little note to myself, I'm gonna go throw out my old prom pictures, lest I ever be accused of a crime and have them distributed to ID me.

With a classy outfit like this, it's hard to believe she could be involved in prostitution

All kidding aside, if the things she and her family are accused of are true, it's pretty heinous stuff. If you know anything about it, the FBI would love to hear from you at (310) 477-6565.

Man, it's been a busy day for Mr. Tong, who generally covers much more subdued territory in Glendale and Burbank. In addition to heading to the scene of the triple fatal, he also picked up the Sylmar bank robbery.

From the story, the scene went something like this:

The woman, described to be in her 40s, was allegedly armed with a handgun as she exited a Bank of America branch in the 13500 block of Foothill Boulevard when she was confronted by two officers, said Michel Moore, LAPD Deputy Chief.

The woman suffered a gunshot wound to the head and died at the scene, said Mike Bowman, Los Angeles Fire Department Battalion Chief.

Gary Owen was leaving an Italian restaurant next to the bank as police arrived and quickly blocked the driveway, trapping Owen in the restaurant parking lot. Owen, 55, said he heard about a dozen shots.

"It was just bam-bam-bam-bam," said Owen, a Hesperia resident.

Audio slideshow by Hans Gutknecht and Carla Acevedo here.

Here's a early version of the story Eugene and Rick are chasing after. From the sound of it in the newsroom, things were pretty nasty.

A UCLA football coach is off the hook as far as facing burglary charges following earlier allegations that caused quite a stir. DA officials said there was a lack of cooperation from victims and witnesses.

Normally, the DA will not proceed with a case if they know what they have won't hold up in court, so it's safe to assume they don't have much on receivers coach Eric Scott. Which means that Scott is, at the moment, innocent of any crime and should be treated as such.

When the story broke I said that as a USC fan, I would have posted the story even if it was a USC coach that was accused.

So USC coaches, Fight On ... figuratively not literally. Otherwise, I'll be forced to blog about it.

San Fernando's usually a pretty quiet town, with little in the way of the violent crime that mars surrounding parts of the Northeast Valley. It's only had one shooting this year, but that was enough to get the City Council riled up earlier this week.

On July 2, a suspected gang member showed up in San Fernando and got into a beef with some locals. He disappeared for a few hours and returned to the 1100 block of Kewen Street slightly before 10 p.m. He lurked next to a dumpster, then popped out and drew down on two guys walking home from a nearby store.

Sophie David

According to the show notes for America's Most Wanted....
On July 10, 1991, Sophie David allegedly blew away her boyfriend Fekade Ashine. Her marriage had already crumbled, her relationship with Ashine was on the rocks and she suspected he had cheating on his mind. So, police suspect, she confronted him on the street, whipped out a gun and capped him from several inches away. Then she walked back to her car and placidly pulled away.

The show first aired an episode on Ms. David in 2004, but her trail had long gone cold. On Saturday, it'll air a reminder of the cold case to try to stir up new leads.

It's early yet on this one, but a female suspect is believed to be responsible for a bank robbery this afternoon at a Bank of America branch in Sylmar. dailynews.com

The Los Angeles Police Department announced the addition of another red light camera to help cut the number of crashes caused by people running red lights.

From the press release:

Today, the Los Angeles Police Department announces the activation of a Photo Red Light (PRL) system at the intersection of Manchester Avenue and Airport Boulevard This is the sixth activation within Operations-West Bureau (23rd in the City) with a new PRL monitoring system, which records vehicle license plates that run red lights. In the near future, additional locations will be outfitted with comparable machinery, totaling 32 intersections Citywide.

In June 2005, the City’s PRL contract was not renewed after many years because of the poor quality of photographs. In November 2005, the City Council approved the contract with a new vendor, Nestor Traffic Systems, Inc. The new system is an improvement over the former system.

The dual-digital video camera system will record violators as they approach and travel through an intersection, after the light has changed to red. The license plate will be photographed from the front and rear. It is with the rear-facing camera that officers anticipate will increase the likelihood of convictions.

The digital video system will record 30 still frames per second for each violation, allowing a greater opportunity to get a clear photograph of the driver.

The new system has added features like the ability to monitor and adjust the equipment remotely via satellite. It will also provide live photographs from the intersection during a breaking emergency.

A sergeant and four officers will be assigned full time to administer the program. They will use a laptop computer in court to present the digital evidence during disputed cases.

Media inquiries regarding this system may be referred to Sergeant Matthew MacWillie, Traffic Coordination Section, at (213) 847-1705.

A SWAT standoff in the parking lot of a Taco Bell ended early this morning with the arrest of a suspected car thief who was found sleeping in a stolen car with a realistic looking pistol sitting on the passenger seat. dailynews.com

The following arrests were made on Aug. 7 in the San Fernando Valley:

• 7100 block of Vineland Avenue, North Hollywood: A 27-year-old tire repairman from Arleta was arrested on suspicion of attempted kidnap for sex charges.

• 4200 block of Laurel Canyon Boulevard, Studio City: A 24-year-old barber from Palmdale was arrested on suspicion of being in possession of narcotics and a gun.

• 16800 block of Roscoe Boulevard, Van Nuys: A 19-year-old man from Los Angeles was arrested on suspicion of shoplifting.
  

• 8100 block of Langdon Avenue, Van Nuys: A 20-year-old North Hills man was arrested on suspicion of possession of meth.

• 20200 block of Gresham Street, Winnetka: A 25-year-old cook from Canoga Park was arrested on suspicion of looking into an inhabited dwelling.

• 6100 block of Woodley Avenue, Encino: A 31-year-old Salvation Army worker from Panorama City was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping.

• 6100 block of Topanga Canyon Boulevard, Woodland Hills: A 20-year-old saleswoman from Sun Valley was arrested on suspicion of receiving stolen property.

• 6500 block of Cedros Avenue, Van Nuys: A 33-year-old man from Arleta was arrested on suspicion of robbery.

• 12700 block of Van Nuys Boulevard, Pacoima: A 27-year-old security guard from North Hollywood was arrested on suspicion of robbery.
  

Click below for your daily crime news report.

Here's a distraction crime against the elderly that is definitely on the rise in the Valley. My colleague, Jason Kandel, wrote a July 11 article about a similar case (sorry, the story link is expired, so I can't post it).

If you're a senior or have elderly parents living alone, make sure they know to never, never, let strangers into their homes.

An elderly, and quite pleasant, Reseda couple contacted me after their home was robbed by con artists posing as construction workers recently. A man and a teenage boy rang the bell to the couple's home located in the 7400 block of Vanalden Avenue. While the couple invited the pair in, a second adult man smoking a cigarette, waited outside.

Once inside the house, the first man told the couple that he was doing some work on a wall behind their residence and needed permission from the couple in case anything spilled into their yard.

"Come on momma. Come on papa," the man said to the couple as he led them out through a back door toward the back yard. "I want to show you."

As they walked to the back of the house the elderly man said he thinks the teenage boy unlocked the front door so the guy waiting outside could come in and burglarize the home. The couple said a sizable amount of cash was stolen, money that they were going to use to pay taxes and possibly take a trip.

All three of the thieves were white, the couple said. The man who came into the house was a clean-shaven, short man in his 40s. The boy appeared to be 13 to 15 years old. The residents did not get a good look at the man outside smoking.

Anybody with information can call West Valley Detectives at (818) 374-7730.

This is the second call I've received recently about a crime like this, so beware and please spread the word.

The Los Angeles Police Protective League just put out the following statement about a jump in attacks on cops:

The Los Angeles Police Commission yesterday discussed the significant increase in the number of shootings at police officers in 2007. Assaults on police officers have risen by 39 percent as of the six-month mark this year. In response to the remarks by Chief Bratton made at the Police Commission meeting, Tim Sands, president of the Los Angeles Police Protective League, has issued the following statement:

"While we agree with the Chief's assertion that shooting at police officers is 'idiocy,' we think that the spike in these cases is deadly serious, and demands further public attention. Where is the public outcry? A successful police department is a department that is supported by its community and elected officials. The officers who protect Los Angeles need the community and the media to support their police department and the men and women who risk their lives every day to keep our streets safe."

As an example of a recent officer involved shooting in the Valley, click here.

Police Commissioners got a run down of crime reduction goals and an overview of recruits and recruiting numbers during yesterday's Police Commission meeting at Parker Center.

Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton wants to bring crime down another 5 percent this year, a Police Commission report noted. The chief also reported that the second recruit class for fiscal year 2007-2008 has 51 recruits. The ethnic breakdown is 2 percent African American, 51 percent Latino, 8 percent Asian, 4 percent Filipino, and 35 percent white. Twelve percent are female and 88 percent are male. There are currently a total of 398 recruits in the Academy. On August 17, 2007, 60 recruits will graduate.

Here's more:

• The Department hiring goal for fiscal year 2007-2008 is 780 recruits. The Department hired 731 recruits in fiscal year 2006-2007 and 545 recruits in fiscal year 2005-2006.

• At the August 14, 2007 Police Commission weekly meeting, the Department will make a presentation on deployment, including a section featuring deployment in the San Fernando Valley. Chief Bratton stated that, if the Valley were viewed separately from the rest of Los Angeles, it would rank #11 on the list of the nation's biggest cities. Furthermore, it would rank #2 on the list of the nation's safest big cities. The Valley, which is similar in size to Chicago and has far less police officers, is actually safer than Chicago.

• The Executive Director reported that negotiations with IBM for the in-car video cameras are still in progress.

• The Executive Director reported that a representative from the City Attorney's office will make a presentation on the Safer Cities Initiative at the August 14, 2007 Police Commission weekly meeting.

• The Department's report, relative to approving a $480,000 grant award entitled, "Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act (JJCPA) Program," for the period of July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2008, was approved.

• The Department's report, and the Inspector General's report, relative to the Complaint, Form 1.28, Investigations Audit-Phase II, Third Quarter, Fiscal Year 2006/2007, in accordance with the Annual Audit Plan, was approved.

• The Department's report, and the Inspector General's report, relative to the Ethics Enforcement Section Quarterly Report, First Quarter 2007, in accordance with the Annual Audit Plan, was approved.
  

Click below for crime news of the day

Officer David Hance, of the LAPD's 77th Street Station got himself arrested on fraud and receiving stolen property charges today. We've got a little bit here and hope to provide more details later on.

Elsewhere: LAPD Blog.
Previously, in Hance's neck of the woods:
Solving Murders in 77th - Why They Put on the Badge
The neon lights aren't so bright on the Broadway -- Another trip to 77th

The following arrests were made Aug. 4 in the San Fernando Valley:

• 11500 block of Harstook Street: A 51-year-old man from North Hollywood was arrested on suspicion of stalking.

• 12800 Encinitas Avenue: A 42-year-old female care taker from Palmdale was arrested on suspicion of embezzlement.

• Gault Avenue, Van Nuys: A 29-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man from Van Nuys were arrested on suspicion of robbery.

• 14300 block of Tyler Street, Sylmar: A 77-year-old retiree from Sylmar was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.

• Golden State (5) Freeway: A 24-year-old man from Pacoima was arrested on suspicion of attempted sexual battery.

• 19900 block of Kittridge Street, Winnetka: A 19-year-old stocker from Reseda was arrested on suspicion of attempted robbery.

• 11700 block of Odessa Avenue, Granada Hills: A 33-year-old man from Granada Hills was arrested on suspicion of being a gang member and carrying a concealed weapon.
  

Click below for your daily dose of crime news.

Click below for all your crime news of the day.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's effort to put his affair with a local Telemundo reporter behind him backfired this morning when a Port of Los Angeles police officer protecting him shoved a Spanish-language reporter against a steel container.

Ooops!

There's some great footage on KNBC.

From my story:

As a crowd of reporters pushed forward toward the mayor, Azteca America reporter Alicia Unger ran toward the gate. As she approached, a port police officer pushed her against the steel container.
"He pushed me with his hand, pushed me against the container, slammed me there," she said.
"The whole media was trying to interview the mayor but security is not allowing us and I think they are violating our rights once again," she said, referring to the Los Angeles Police Department's violent confrontation with the members of the media and the public during a May 1st immigration rights rally at MacArthur Park. Sgt. Ken Hawkes of the Port of Los Angeles police said the agency will launch an internal investigation into the officer's actions.

Los Angeles police Chief William Bratton has decided to deploy camera crews to follow officers through major incidents to avoid a repeat of the excesses that occurred in the MacArthur Park melee.

"Every 15 minutes or 30 minutes, the incident commander will narrate what is occurring at the event," Deputy Chief Mike Hillman, the new head of the department's critical-incident training bureau and the man who developed the idea. dailynews.com

A 21-year-old man has been arrested in connection with grabbing a 19-year-old woman off the street near Calvin Avenue and Sherman Way and pulling her into the back of his SUV where he sexually assaulted her. dailynews.com

A 20-year-old man who miraculously survived a gunshot wound to the head after a fight outside Millie's restaurant last month was identified today as David Soto. dailynews.com

A 54-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the 2006 stabbing and bludgeoning death of a 92-year-old woman who was out collecting recyclables. Bernell Ross, of Sylmar, was being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the Los Angeles County Jail on murder charges in the death of Sophia Gomez. dailynews.com

Click below for crime news.