Arraignment postponed in BP Rampage

Arraignment for Roy Perez has been postponed to April 7. Perez, is accused of killing his mother, a neighbor and her 4-year-old daughter and critically injuring the neighbors two other children during a shooting rampage in Baldwin Park last month.

Sheriff’s homicide Lt. Dan Rosenberg said Perez was found by Baldwin Park police in front of his residence in the 14500 block of Rockenbach Street, where authorities said he lived with his mother, sister, niece and nephew.

 

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Swifty justice

The one-man Azusa crime wave known as Ralph  “Swifty” Flores, 26, received the death penalty Tuesday, as Tribune night guy Brian Day reported:

Deputy District Attorney Michele Hanisee, who prosecuted the case along with Deputy District Attorney Ian Phan, said Flores deserves to be put to death, “Because he smirks when he plans to kill people, he laughs when he does it, and he brags about it afterward. That’s what the evidence showed.”

She added that Flores has shown no compunction for his crimes, as he demonstrated by assaulting a sheriff’s deputy before the trial began and ordering a “hit” on a deputy during the jury selection process.

Flores sat silently and motionless as the verdict was read, Hanisee said. He showed no reaction at all, she added.

Defense attorney Pierpont M. Laidley said he believes negative feeling toward gang members in general caused jurors to overlook problems in the prosecutions case. “That’s why I feel my guy was lynched,” he said.

Los Angeles Times’ EME expert Sam Quinones extensively covered the trial and put some context in his story about the significance of the sentence and the effect of Flores’ crime wave on Azusa politics. Quinones also notes the connection between Azusa 13 and Jacques Padilla, an Azusa emero who’s been in the news lately. Here’s a snippet from the Times:

For Azusa, the case marks the end to a violent chapter in which a handful of gang members called the “trigger clique” terrorized the town with a series of shootings, killings, robberies and hate crimes targeting blacks.

Their rampage lasted from 1999 to 2004.

Besides Flores, seven other Azusa 13 gang members were convicted of the crimes and sentenced to lengthy prison terms — five of them in one 2004 trial.

“It was a violent time for the city,” said Sgt. Mike Bertelsen, Azusa’s gang expert. “We were having a murder a month at the end of 2002.”

What brought this violent period to an end “was a combination of citizens, the clergy, City Council and police all working together,” said City Manager Francis Delach. “I think that had a big impact.”

Azusa’s experience shows how a few gang members following directives from the Mexican Mafia prison gang can become a public policy issue, scaring residents while taxing the budget and police resources of an otherwise peaceful town.

 

 

 

 

Continue reading “Swifty justice” »

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Web site rates the cops (*Updated)

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It’s called Rate My Cop and essentially it allows users to rate their interaction with the cops on the beat or at the station.

Seems to have a lot of potential, but it’s not really being hit — yet.

I attempted to look up officers from Covina, Alhambra and the LAPD without much success. I’m sure the size of the database will grow as it gets more use.

The site is here.

*After a little more searching of the site I came across some ratings for El Monte Police officers. Of the 148 listed officers, four have been rated, including Chief Weldon. There’s also this gem from user “flores666”:

“This officer helped me with my problems even though he has arrested me in the past. He is fair.”

This photo, from the LA Daily News, came with this caption:

 Gino Sesto operates his RateMyCop.com website out of his Culver City  

 

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Fugitive in double murder returns to LA

This from MyFOX LA:

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A man suspected of killing his estranged wife and stepson more than nine years ago was returned to Southern California Tuesday, according to a broadcast report.

Fu Lin Wang reportedly arrived on a flight to Los Angeles International Airport.

Wang was arrested by Chicago police last Monday after his picture and description were publicized on the Web site of the Fox Broadcasting series  “America’s Most Wanted”  and in Chinese newspapers throughout the United States and Canada, Alhambra police Sgt. George Flannagan said.

So much for FOX.

Here’s what my new favorite Chinese language newspaper, the World Journal is saying about the flight from Chicago to LA and the paper’s role in Wang’s capture (notice they refer to Wang as Wong):

Mr Wong hand and the shackles on the freedom of movement so that he can not only its own activities room for the diet drink. A year ago, Mr Wong stroke symptoms, a slight inconvenience action, with the entire flight performance.

(Alhambra police Detective) Black stressed that Mr Wong on the tattoo, especially the legs Houwang logo for the Chicago police to determine his identity play a crucial role. He also once again on the “World Journal” to play in the case of express my sincere thanks.

Black said that no Chinese media, in particular the World Journal timely reports and cooperate with, it would be impossible to suspect arrested.

 

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Death

A jury in the death penalty trial of Ralph Flores, 26, an Azusa 13 gang member recommended Tuesday he be put to death, officials said.

A defense attorney for Flores tried to sway jurors to vote against the Death Penalty by using the lingering doubt argument, which is allowed in California criminal trials. 

The attorney was apparently unsuccessful.

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Can you smell what the Proc is cooking?

Pasadena blogger, Philadephia Eagles fan and former pro wrestler Aaron Proctor has posted what appears to be an e-mail exchange with interim Pasadena City Manager Barney Melekian. It comes after a more Dickensian interview by Miss Havisham. Here’s a snippet from Proctor’s interview:

The Proc Says:  Which show was better:  Adam 12 or Dragnet?

Melekian: Adam 12 since they have better hats.

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For no reason at all

Three black males were targeted in a shooting on North Fair Oaks near Washington in Pasadena at 1:30 a.m., Tuesday.  Suspects in the case were described three Latino males in their 20s, Pasadena police told reporter Amanda Baumfeld.

The men were targeted for “no reason at all.”

Meanwhile, officials continue to claim there is no racial undercurrent in recent violence on Southland streets. 

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Richter recap

Here’s what we know about the investigation into the missing persons case involving a former police officer who disappeared just after Christmas:

1). The “badly decomposed” body of former Pasadena police Lt. David Richter was found beneath a freeway overpass in Irwindale last Thursday.

2). There was a weapon at the scene, according to Ed Winter of the Los Angeles County Department of Coroner.

3). Richter’s girlfriend, Noah Beltran, personal assistant to interim Pasadena police Chief Chris Vicino, has been placed on paid administrative leave for “misleading investigators” who were searching for Richter.

4) One of Richter’s cars, which had been originally reported as missing, turned up in the garage of a friend.

5) Despite the discovery of a gun at the scene, no suicide note was recovered from his body, either car or his home.

6) Investigators from Irwindale, who recovered the body have been asked to remain silent about the circumstances.

Questions of the day: Is there something more sinister than a suicide going on here? Why all the mystery?

 

 

 

 

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Another luchador (Completely *UPDATED and spell checked!)

This guy is not called “Super Mojado.” *He’s “Viper,” Super Mojado’s arch enemy.* I heard about the duo on the Bill Handel show, and found this Fox News story on them . Here’s an excerpt:

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Super Mojado Super Wetback, if you translate the Spanish slur is a new Mexican wrestler making his debut Saturday in Van Nuys, Calif., to help raise money for some of the more than 100 undocumented workers busted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement last month.

“We decided to make a hero that would be for all the people that don’t have papers,” said Joseph Medina, a wrestling promoter and the character’s creator. He said Super Mojado’s role is to educate the public.

 

 

No word on whether these guys are suspects in the Lucha Libre/ WWF Shotgun Bandit spree. We’ll keep an eye on it, but don’t bet on it.

In the meantime, don’t forget Wrestlemania is just a few days away.

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*As for Super Mojado, here he is!

Thanks Trench

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Tuesday’s column

The discovery of a missing Pasadena police lieutenants decomposed body is one of those head scratchers that come along every now and again on the police beat.

David Henry Richter, 55, of Arcadia was reported missing just after Christmas by his father, a Palm Springs doctor. Right after that, investigators found Richters 2007 Lexus abandoned on Rivergrade Road in Irwindale.

From there, bloodhounds led police to a chalky, deep pond at the bottom of a nearby gravel pit. Divers searched the pit and the Coast Guard brought in sonar equipment, all in hopes of finding Richters body.

He wasnt found, and the case remained unsolved until late last week.

On Thursday a Caltrans worker picking up trash underneath an overpass where the 605 crosses Rivergrade Road discovered Richters body. By then it was so badly decomposed that determining how he died apparently isnt a slam dunk.

We have learned that he was clothed. There was no note at the scene and he had a weapon with him, according to Ed Winter, assistant chief of the coroners department.

Its a probable suicide, but weve deferred the ruling pending additional stuff, Winter said.

Among the additional stuff is likely an interview with Richters friends, particularly girlfriend Noah Beltran, a one-time assistant to interim Pasadena police Chief Chris Vicino.

Following Richters disappearance, Beltran was placed on paid administrative leave by the department for allegedly giving false information to Arcadia police investigators searching for her boyfriend.

No one will say what that false information was, or how long Beltran will remain on leave.

It has been reported that a second car belonging to Richter, originally thought missing, turned up in the garage of an acquaintance, Arcadia police told us in January. They did not identify the acquaintance.

As for Richter, he was born in Pasadena, grew up here, graduated from John Muir High School and pretty much went to work for the Pasadena PD right after that, according to his father, Dr. Henry Richter of Palm Springs. Investigators notified Dr. Henry Richter that his sons body had been found, but there was no surprise.

We didnt expect a different outcome, Henry said. We emotionally said goodbye when his car was found in January and bloodhounds tracked him to the gravel pit. It was pretty clear to us then that he was gone.

Henry does defend Beltran, whom he described as delightful, but fragile.

I dont know all the details, he said. What happened to her happened early on. I thought it was unfair.

Richter will be laid to rest in a small, private ceremony, according to his dad.

Thats what he wanted, Henry said. Beyond that were trying to sort things out. Its not easy when a person doesnt leave a note, a will or any trace.

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