June 2009 Archives

The legend of John Dillinger still burns brightly throughout the Midwest. A stick-up man with a penchant for violence, Dillinger was shot to death outside the Biograph Movie Theater in Chicago by FBI agents hellbent on stopping an unparalleled crime wave.

On Sunday, July 22, Special Agent Samuel Cowley ordered all Agents of the Chicago office to stand by for urgent duty. Anna Sage called that evening to confirm the plans, but she still did not know which theater they would attend. Therefore, Agents and policemen were sent to both theaters. At 8:30 p.m., Anna Sage, John Dillinger, and Polly Hamilton strolled into the Biograph Theater to see Clark Gable in "Manhattan Melodrama." Special Agent Melvin Purvis phoned Cowley, who shifted the other men from the Marbro to the Biograph.

Cowley also phoned Hoover for instructions. Hoover cautioned them to wait outside rather than risk a shooting match inside the crowded theater. Each man was instructed not to unnecessarily endanger himself and was told that if Dillinger offered any resistance, it would be each man for himself.

At 10:30 p.m., Dillinger, with his two female companions on either side, walked out of the theater and turned to his left. As they walked past the doorway in which Purvis was standing, Purvis lit a cigar as a signal for the other men to close in. Dillinger quickly realized what was happening and acted by instinct. He grabbed a pistol from his right trouser pocket as he ran toward the alley. Five shots were fired from the guns of three FBI Agents. Three of the shots hit Dillinger and he fell face down on the pavement. At 10:50 p.m. on July 22, 1934, John Dillinger was pronounced dead in a little room in the Alexian Brothers Hospital.

Some Dillinger links of note:

When gangsters flourished in the Middle America during the Great Depression, none was more cold-blooded than Alvin "Creepy" Karpis. Public Enemy No. 1, Karpis is briefly profiled in the movie of the same name, starring Johnny Depp, as John Dillinger.*

This from the "Aging Rebel" blog, which adds some context to several of the stories we've reported about the triple homicide in Pico Rivera Saturday night:

Last week the Azusa, California Police Department issued a "tactical alert" that the Mongols were planning a party at a restaurant on Foothill Boulevard, old Route 66, in Azusa. When the partiers arrived they were greeted by a command center and officers from the Montebello, Azusa, Glendora, Arcadia and Monrovia Police departments. The Mongols and friends were also surveilled by a Los Angeles County Sherriff's Department helicopter.

A source has alleged that ATF Case Agent John Ciccone and another well known "outlaw motorcycle gang investigator" named Chris Cervantes both attended the event with their special spy cameras. Cervantes works for the Montebello police and his hobbies include the Mongols.

Garret Dandini, a Naval veteran and recruiter has been identified by family members as among the dead at the Falcone's Pizza parlor shooting in Pico Rivera Saturday night. Here's a link to his myspace and at left is a photo of Garret.

Police officials said they were on alert Saturday for outlaw motorcycle gang activity in Azusa, but were taken by surprise when three people were killed and seven people were injured at a fundraiser held in Pico Rivera by the Old School Riders motorcycle club.

Here's a poster advertising Old School Bike Night. Members of the motorcycle club were apparently targeted in a mass shooting Saturday night that left three dead and seven wounded. 

PICO RIVERA -- Detectives tried to make sense Sunday of a pizza parlor shooting that left three men dead and seven people wounded during a charity fund-raiser.
The names of those killed were not released Sunday evening pending notification of family members, coroner's officials said. Two of the dead men were cousins.
The attack occurred about 6:45 p.m. on Saturday in front of Falcone's Pizza, at 9247 Slauson Ave.
Officials believe the Old School Riders motorcycle club was holding a charity event in the eatery's parking lot when a male Hispanic adult opened fire.
"(He was) firing wildly into the crowd," said Detective Joe Sheehy of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Homicide Bureau, which is investigating the shooting.
The gunman was last seen getting into the passenger side of a dark-colored vehicle with a waiting driver, Sheehy said. The car sped away west on Slauson Avenue.
No further description of the gunman was available Sunday.
The three deceased victims were pronounced dead at the scene. Additionally, four men and three women were hospitalized, but all were expected to survive their injuries, Sheehy said.
About a dozen children were present when the shooting occurred, Sheehy said. "It was very lucky no kids were hit."
It was unclear Sunday what motivated the attack, which appeared to be unprovoked, Los Angeles County sheriff's Deputy Byron Ward said in a written statement.
Sheehy declined to say if additional gunmen may have been involved.
"That's something we're going to have to hold back for right now," he said.
Officials said detectives were sifting through footage on surveillance tapes from nearby businesses. About 40 witnesses inside the pizza parlor had been interviewed Saturday night.
Sheehy said the Old School Riders has no gang affiliation, and Falcone's Pizza is not a gang hangout.
While some witnesses said the shooting may have involved members of the Mongols motorcycle gang, Sheehy said he did not believe anyone attending the party Saturday was a Mongol.
"If this was (an attack) against Mongols, it was definitely a case of mistaken identity," Sheehy said.
"Friends, family members, that's who was attending this," he added. "That's about all it is."
Falcone's Pizza was open for business Sunday, but an on-duty manager declined to comment. A memorial of flowers and candles stood in the parking lot.
A stray bullet Saturday had pierced the window in front of the playground area of a nearby McDonald's restaurant, but no one was injured. By Sunday, the window had been replaced and the business was also open.
Rey Castillo, 52, of Highland Park said his daughter's boyfriend, Garret Dandini, and Dandini's cousin, Tony Dandini, were among the dead.
He said the two were members of the Old School Riders club -- which he described as a group of motorcyclists who enjoy riding together and raising money for charity.
"The club's just family and friends," Castillo said. "All they want to do is ride together and have fun."
Attempts to reach the Old School Riders were unsuccessful Sunday.
The group's Web site, www.oldschoolriders.com, described its members as "ordinary people who enjoy the freedom of riding."
"No one represents any club," a statement on the site read. "We are just friends and family who gather together and ride."
A flyer on the Web site advertised Saturday's event as "Bike Night," and indicated there would be awards for best motorcycles, a raffle and security.
Sheehy said detectives needed witnesses to step forward and identify suspects.
"We'd like to ask for the public's assistance in helping solve this one," he said.

PHOTO: A memorial of candles and flowers stood in the parking lot of Falcone's Pizza, 9247 Slauson Ave., in Pico Rivera Sunday, June 28, 2009. Three people were killed and seven others wounded at the pizza parlor the previous evening.

PASADENA -- Three local men and a teenage boy were arrested on suspicion of burglary Saturday with the help of an observant neighbor, police said.
Marquise Montgomery, 18, Antonio Dismuke, 18, Lance Black, 20, and a 17-year-old boy were booked on suspicion of burglary, Pasadena police Lt. Tracey Ibarra said.
The incident began about 1:50 p.m. when someone called police from the 2000 of Dudley Street to report three suspicious looking men going into a neighbors backyard, the lieutenant said.
The men had already left the neighborhood in a blue Oldsmobile Cutlass when officers arrived, but the witness gave a description of the car and police stopped on Villa Street near Martelo Avenue, Ibarra said.
The men and boy were allegedly found with property stolen from a home on Dudley Street and arrested, she added.
Police are investigating the possibility the men may be responsible for more crimes, as Pasadena has recently seen an increase in daytime burglaries, Ibarra said.
The lieutenant advised residents to report suspicious people or solicitors in their neighborhoods to police.
According to court records, the adult suspects are being held in lieu of $50,000 bail each. Initial court dates for the men were not available Sunday.

UPDATE: Sheriff's officials confirmed Sunday that this shooting is apparently an extension of the ongoing violence between the Bassett Grande and Puente 13 street gangs. The suspect in the shooting, a juvenile, is believed to be a member of Puente 13, authorities said, while the wounded man, estimated to be in his 20s, is believed to be a member of Bassett Grande.

LA PUENTE -- A teenage girl who allegedly drove a car with her young daughter in the back as a teenage boy passenger carried out a drive-by shooting was in jail Saturday, authorities said.
The mother was initially detained as officials examined her involvement in the shooting and was ultimately booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon along with the male suspect, sheriff's officials said.
The girl was taken into protective custody, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Steven Katz said. She appeared to be a toddler.
The shooting occurred about 7 p.m. Friday in the 13800 block of Amar Road.
A Latino man estimated to be in his 20s was airlifted to the hospital in critical condition, sheriff's and fire officials said.
Though officials initially reported the shooting was not a drive-by, Katz said Saturday that "Shots were fired from a (passing) vehicle at pedestrians."
Several other people who may have been with the wounded man when he was shot had not been located Saturday, he added.
Due to their age, the suspects' names were not released, Katz said, and a their ages and cities of residency were unavailable Saturday. The relationship between the male and female suspects was also unclear.
The incident was believed to be gang-related, Katz said, and may have been related to ongoing violence between the Bassett Grande and Puente 13 street gangs. The gang affiliations of those involved in the shooting were not available Saturday.
The female suspect crashed the car into a curb and pole just after the shooting, but no one was seriously injured in the crash, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Gerard Velona said.
The alleged shooter fled on foot but was quickly captured, he addded. A gun was located in a nearby yard.
The attack was the 26th La Puente-area shooting reported this year, and the 6th reported this month.
About a dozen of this year's shootings are believed to be connected to the Bassett Grande street gang, which officials said is trying to exploit perceived weakening of the Puente 13 street gang and expand its territory.

See original posting for more information.

PHOTO: Los Angeles County sheriff's officials investigate the scene of Friday's shooting in the 13800 block of Amar Road.

POMONA -- Officials rushed a 1-year-old girl to the hospital in critical condition Friday after she was run over by a neighbor's car.
Police received 9-1-1 calls shortly after 2 p.m. reporting a child had been run over by a car in the 1300 block of Laurel Avenue, Pomona police Sgt. Patrick O'Malley said in a written statement.
"Pomona police officers responded and located the child in the arms of family members," the statement said.
Authorities flew the injured girl by helicopter to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, O'Malley said.
The girl's neighbor, a 45-year-old woman, apparently ran over the girl accidentally in her Toyota Corolla, police said.
"The preliminary investigation indicates the small child walked out of the garage at the same time the neighbor was backing their vehicle out of he driveway," according to the police statement.
Police did not suspect drugs or alcohol were involved.

LA PUENTE - A man was flown to the hospital in critical condition and a suspect was behind bars Friday after an apparent gang-related shooting, authorities said. 
  The incident occurred about 7 p.m. in front of Sylvia's Beauty Salon in the 13800 block of Amar Road, just east of Puente Avenue, sheriff's officials said. 
  The alleged attacker fled the scene in a car driven by a woman and with a small child in the back seat, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Gerard Velona said. The car crashed only blocks away. 
  Officials declined to release the name of the suspect pending further investigation by sheriff's gang investigators, Velona said. He was described only as a Latino man. 
  "He appears to have gang ties," the sergeant said, though it was not clear what gang he was associated with. 
  It was not known if the wounded man had gang ties, he added. Sheriff's and fire officials initially described the wounded man only as Latino and estimated to be in his 20s. 
  Velona declined to release the circumstances of the shooting, but said it was not a drive-by. 
  Frank Galtman, 20, of Montebello said he was driving on Ardilla Avenue, just south of the shooting scene, when he saw a car make an abrupt right turn onto Homeward Street and crash into a curb. 
 A man with a gun got out of the car and ran, Galtman said. 
 "He was tucking (the gun) away in his waist," he said. 
  The woman driver got out of the car and immediately began saying, "My baby, my baby," he said. 
  A woman and toddler girl were seated in the back of a patrol car near the crashed car late Friday. 
  Velona said the woman had not been arrested, and officials were investigating her connection to the shooting. 
 The male suspect was captured in the area by deputies, Velona said, and a gun was found in a backyard near where the car crashed. 
  Friday's shooting came on the heels of a spate of violence in the La Puente area this month. 
  The shooting was the 26th handled by the sheriff's Industry Station - which patrols Industry, La Puente, and surrounding unincorporated areas such as Bassett and Valinda - this year. 
  On June 5, an 18-year-old man was shot and wounded on Amar Road and Ardilla Avenue, just yards from the scene of Friday's shooting, officials said. 
  On Tuesday, four men were arrested in connection with a drive-by shooting in the 800 block of Meeker Street in La Puente. 
  On Sunday, 24-year-old Michael Gudiel was killed in an alleged gang-related shooting in the 13900 block of Proctor Avenue in Bassett. 
  On June 18, an unidentified man was critically wounded and another slightly in a drive-by shooting near the intersection of Puente Avenue and Amar Road in West Valinda. The gunman shouted out the name of a Baldwin Park street gang, "East Side Bolen," before opening fire. 
  About four hours later, Carlos Yanez, 18, of Valinda was killed and his teenage friend was wounded in a drive-by shooting on Griffiths Avenue near Fellowship Street in Valinda. Stray bullets from the incident struck a home and nearly hit toddlers playing inside, witnesses said. 
  On June 6, 15-year-old Ivan Sanchez of La Puente was fatally shot in a shooting authorities believe was gang-related drive-by shooting on Maplegrove Street, just west of Hacienda Boulevard. 
 
 

Well, with the rest of the media tossing out their two cents about the passing of Michael Jackson, I guess I may as well share how I will remember the "King of Pop."

Child molestation accusations aside, I will always remember Michael Jackson as "Captain EO," the star of a 3-D movie played at Disney theme parks between 1986 and 1994.

I was bit too young to be a fan of Michael Jackson's music at the height of his popularity in the 1980s, but the Captain EO movie at Disneyland made an impression on me as a child.

The sci-fi movie, which required 3-D glasses to view, directed by Francis Ford Coppola and executive-produced by George Lucas.

Anyone else out there have fond memories of watching Captain EO save the universe at Disneyland?

From the Associated Press:

BOSTON -- Lawyers for the man who calls himself Clark Rockefeller are asking a Boston judge to throw out his kidnapping and assault convictions.
The defense is challenging the credibility of the state's mental health expert. They also fault the prosecutor for telling jurors not to allow Rockefeller to pull off the "culminating manipulation" -- an insanity defense.
Rockefeller is a German man whose real name is Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter. He was convicted earlier this month in the kidnapping of his 7-year-old daughter and the assault of a social worker.
His lawyers claim the state's expert was not qualified to testify about whether Gerhartsreiter was legally insane because he gave the wrong definition for criminal responsibility to the jury.
California authorities have identified him as a "person of interest" in the 1985 disappearance and presumed slayings of a newlywed couple from San Marino. A grand jury is investigating the case.

From the Associated Press:

SANTA ANA -- Orange County authorities have arrested an emergency room technician they believe raped an unconscious patient who was awaiting treatment.
Sheriff's spokesman Jim Amormino says Jesse Pena, 31, of Murrietta remained jailed Friday on $100,000 bail. Pena was arrested Thursday after DNA test results matched him to the crime.
Amormino says a 31-year-old woman who went to Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo in February awoke and realized she'd been raped.
Amormino says she disconnected her IV, went to a phone and called 911.
Amormino says Pena worked at other hospitals in Riverside and San Diego counties and investigators want to determine if there are other victims.
Amormino didn't know whether Pena had a lawyer.

LOS ANGELES -- Rapper Coolio, whose real name is Artis Leon Ivey, entered a guilty plea Friday to a single felony count of cocaine possession, authorities said.

The 45-year-old hip-hop artist was arrested March 6 at LAX after airport officials found cocaine in his luggage, Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office spokeswoman Jane Robison said in a written statement.

Ivey was initially also charged with misdemeanor counts of battery -- for allegedly grabbing the airport official's arm to prevent the search of his luggage -- and possession of a smoking device, however those charges were dropped as part of Friday's plea deal, Robison said.

Ivey was ordered to enter an 18-month drug rehabilitation program, and can request the case be dismissed after successfully completing it, authorities said.

The rapper is due back at LAX Superior Court on Sept. 28 for a progress report.

*ABOVE: AP photo of "Coolio"

AZUSA -- Police jailed three local men Wednesday on suspicion of breaking into a business, officials said.
Gregory Darlin, 22, Denver Bryant, 18, and James Darlin, 28, were booked on suspicion of commercial burglary, Azusa police Sgt. Andy Sutcliffe said in a written statement.
Police responded to a burglar alarm about 6:45 p.m. at B & Z Truck Bodies, Inc., 501 W. Foothill Blvd., the sergeant said.
Gregory Darlin and Bryant were seen cutting a hole in the chain link fence surrounding the business from the inside, and fled when they saw police, Sutcliffe said.
After an hour-long search with the help of a police helicopter, all three suspects were spotted walking together in the area and detained.
Officials determined Gregory Darlin and Bryant had broken into a building and were presumably cutting a hole in the fence to remove stolen goods Sutcliffe said. James Darlin is believed to have acted as a lookout.
Gregory Darlin and Bryant were being held in lieu of $20,000 bail, according to court records. James Darlin, a parolee, is being held without bail.
All three are due for arraignment in West Covina Superior Court Friday.

ROSEMEAD -- A woman was shot and wounded in an apparently unprovoked attack at a party late Thursday, authorities said.
The shooting occurred just after 11:30 p.m. in a residential neighborhood in the 3400 block of Kelburn Avenue, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Michael Martinez said.
"There was a party at the location," the sergeant said. "For no apparent reason, somebody shot and struck one of the partygoers."
The wounded woman was hospitalized with an injury that did not appear to be life threatening, Martinez said.
The shooter was initially described only as male, he said, and an SUV may have been involved in the attack.
Sheriff's gang investigators are investigating the possibility of gang involvement in the shooting, he added, though the wounded woman was not believed to have any gang ties.

In 1987, nothing said celebrity like Michael Jackson.

The King of Pop owned the music business and he could do no wrong.

I was 26, a new father and still searching for a direction in life. Since I was a salesman, I often had time on my hands between appointments.

It just so happened I was in Hollywood, and decided to kill time at a used bookstore on the north side of Hollywood Boulevard, near Highland Avenue.

I walked inside and the place seemed empty except for the large goon standing at the end of one of the rows. The fact he was there made me curious. I walked to the other end of the row and made my way back toward the front of the bookstore, when I noticed a man lying on his side on the floor.

The first thing I saw was a combination of black shoes and white socks. I looked closer and realized the man was Michael Jackson.

"Hey what are you looking at?" I said.

"Books about Disney," he said.

Jackson had one opened that had pictures of the rides at Disneyland.

"Nothing about music?"

"Nope, I'm really interested in Disney," Jackson said as he scooped up a stack of about five books and headed for the counter.

I followed.

He pulled out a credit card to pay. I asked for an autograph.

"Sure. You got something to write on?"

I pulled out my wallet and searched for a blank piece of paper. A business card. Anything.

I flipped through the plastic picture holder and stopped at a photo of my infant son, Alex. "I can sign the back of that," Jackson said, whipping out a red pen, then scribbling his name. "Nice looking child."

At that he got the credit card receipt and walked out to the street, where a small, blue Volkswagon was waiting. Jacko and the big guy climbed in and drove off.

Sometimes when I tell the story, people ask, "Did he have a high, squeaky voice. I say I don't remember.

When they ask "was he wearing a glove?" I give the same response.

Somewhere along the line I lost the wallet, the photo and the autograph. Maybe it would have been a hot property years later when allegations of child molestation were leveled at Jackson.

But then again, maybe not.

The bookstore is gone. The Kodak Theater is there now, and a mall. Whatever character Hollywood had in the mid-80s is mostly gone too.

Now Michael Jackson is a ghost as well.

POMONA -- Closing arguments began Thursday in the trial of two men charged with murder in connection with an El Monte street racing crash that left a local woman and her two children dead.
The jury was advised they may consider three counts of gross vehicular manslaughter as a verdict, in addition to three counts of second-degree murder.
Robert Canizalez, 20, and Martin Morones, 22, are charged with the Oct. 8, 2007, deaths of 41-year-old Dora Groce, her 8-year-old son Robert and her 4-year-old daughter Catherine in an Oct. 8, 2007, crash at Elliot Avenue and Parkway Drive. Authorities allege the deaths were the result of a street race between the two defendants.
The prosecutor in the case, Deputy District Attorney Stacy Okun-Wiese, argued the case was an obvious case of gross vehicular manslaughter that rose to the level of murder.
"They have no regard for human life," Okun-Wiese said. "This disregard of human life makes these defendants guilty of murder."
Defense attorney Henry Bastien, who represents Canizalez, argued that while what his client and Morones did was dangerous, they did not recognize a risk to human life, and therefore lacked the intent or "implied malice" required for a murder conviction.
"Have you ever climbed into the mind of a teenage boy?" Bastien said. "They think differently when it comes to recognition of risk. They just don't recognize the risk."
The prosecutor argued that the men knowingly endangered the lives of others when they engaged in a race on a residential street at speeds estimated at 77-87 mph. The men had both lived in a nearby mobile home park, where the Groces also lived, so they were familiar with the area and knew it to be well-travelled and regulated by stop signs.
The disregard for others was further evidence, the prosecutor said, by the fact that the defendants fled the scene.
When Canizalez did return to the crash scene minutes after the crash, as witnesses testified, Okun-Wiese argued he showed no regard for the injured and dying Groces.
"Does he come back to help? No," she said. "He comes back to threaten people and to make terrible statements."
According to witness Gerardo Romero, the prosecutor said, following the crash Canizalez stated, "I don't care about the(expletive) kids, look at my (expletive) car."
After Morones pushed his damaged car away from the crash scene, Okun-Wiese said, "He flees to Mexico. That's why he's here today, because he was apprehended by U.S. Marshals."
"The facts are so much more than manslaughter," she added. "They showed implied malice, which is murder."
"The evidence is overwhelming that they knew what they were doing and didn't care," Okun-Wiese said.
Bastien said the evidence did not prove Canizalez and Morones displayed conscious disregard for human life.
The attorney said the road was clear ahead of them and the race occurred in broad daylight, so the racers did not believe they were putting lives at risk.
Bastien said although witnesses testified they saw Canizalez driving erratically only hours before the fatal crash, there was no evidence he had ever crashed or even had a near miss.
"When there are no accidents, that success breeds confidence and fans the flames of invincibility," he said.
The defendants may have been, "walking around with blinders" concerning the danger street racing poses to human lives, the attorney said, but they were not guilty of murder.
Bastien further argued that a culture filled with movies like "The Fast and the Furious" and video games that glorify the adrenaline rush of racing contribute to the feeling of invincibility young street racers feel.
"They glorify the adrenaline rush, they emphasize the skill level and they desensitize," Bastien said.
Bastien is expected to conclude his closing arguments Friday, and defense attorney Gary Meastas will present his closing statement on behalf of his client, Morones, before the case is turned over to the jury for deliberation.
In response to the crash, the City of El Monte has installed speed bumps in the area where the collision occurred.
Throughout the trial, a group of about half a dozen members of the defendants' families as well as the father and husband of the crash victims, Stephen Groce, and his nephew.
Family members of both groups declined to comment during the trial.
Stephen Groce, who lost his wife and two children in the 2007 crash, has filed a a $100 million lawsuit against Canizalez, Morones and the Nissan Corporation, which manufactured the Altima sedan the Groces died in.
Canizalez and Morones face possible sentences of 15 years to life in prison for each count if convicted of murder. Gross vehicular manslaughter carries with it a a possible sentence ranging from less than one year in county jail to six years in prison for each count.
Canizalez has also been charged with witness intimidation after allegedly threatening a young witness at the crash scene.
If convicted of witness intimidation, Canizalez could be sentenced to an additional two to four years in prison.
El Monte police Detective Rick George, who investigated the case, said the crash was a tragedy.
"No matter what, I wish this never happened," he said.

1,500 plus CPDRC inmates of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center, Cebu, Philippines, practice their 'Thriller' routine.

and, of course:

Pop singer Michael Jackson has died, according to TMZ.com

TMZ reports that singer Michael Jackson suffered a cardiac arrest and was rushed to a Los Angeles hospital this afternoon. Paramedics administered CPR en route. His mother is headed to the same hospital, the celebrity gossip site reports.

Actress Farrah Fawcett has died, according to several news reports. The actress had battled with cancer for several years and was reportedly in grave condition Wednesday afternoon.

POMONA -- A detective testified Wednesday he forgot to have a blood sample of a defendant in a alleged fatal El Monte street racing crash case tested for alcohol as defense lawyers sought to poke holes in the prosecution's case.
El Monte residents Robert Canizalez, 20, and Martin Morones, 22, are each charged with three counts of murder in connection with the Oct. 8, 2007 crash.
Dora Groce, 41, and her children, Robert, 8, and Catherine, 4, were killed in the fiery crash after Canizalez and Morones allegedly crashed into their Nissan Altima while racing against each other on Parkway Drive at Elliot Avenue.
The prosecution rested its case Wednesday, and the defense attorneys called their witnesses, which included investigators from the El Monte Police Department.
Defense attorneys Gary Meastas, who represents Canizalez, and Henry Bastien, who represents Morones, attempted to cast doubt on the testimony of other witnesses and the credibility of law enforcement.
When asked why blood samples taken from Canizalez shortly after the crash had not been tested for alcohol content, El Monte police Detective Rick George responded, "I forgot."
The case is complex, he said, and that piece of investigative work was simply overlooked. Neither defendant has been charged with drunken driving.
During prosecution cross-examination, El Monte police Traffic Investigator Darrell Carter testified the crash appeared to have been caused by street racing.
"It was my opinion at the time," he said, "that the preliminary collision factor was racing," he said.
The officials cause of the crash was ultimately determined to be running a stop sign, with a secondary factor of excessive speed, which Carter said was related to racing.
Though witness Victor Uruena, 18, testified last week that he saw Canizalez get out of his crashed Mustang and run away following the crash, Carter told the court Wednesday that Uruena initially told him he could not identify the driver of the Mustang immediately following the crash.
The defense attorneys also pointed out that witnesses who testified about details such as Canizalez fleeing the scene, denying being the driver of the Mustang and threatening a witness did not mention any of those things to police during initial interviews following the crash.
Carter said the crash crash scene was bustling with activity following the crash.
"I don't know if chaotic's the word, but it was a very stressful situation," he said.
Both the defendants and the Grove family lived in the same mobile home park only a block from the crash scene.
The trial will continue Thursday, court officials said, when closing arguments are expected.

ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST -- A young Pico Rivera man was killed and three others were injured late Tuesday after a car they were in drove off the edge of Highway 39 north of Azusa, authorities said.
Steven Alex Sanchez, 19, of Pico Rivera was killed in the crash, according to coroner's and California Highway Patrol officials.
"A 2005 Ford Mustang ... went over the side, approximately 50 to 60 feet down an embankment after the driver failed to negotiate a curve in the roadway," CHP Sgt. Jesse Holguin said in a statement.
"As a result of the collision, the right rear passenger ... sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene," he added.
The driver of the 2005 Mustang, 19-year-old Jose Torres of Pico Rivera, and a passenger, 20-year-old Carlos Ineriano of Pico Rivera, were flown by helicopter to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center with moderate injuries, CHP officials said.
Another passenger, 19-year-old Javier Araujo of Pico Rivera, was treated at the scene for minor injuries, officials said.
Sanchez was the only person in the car not wearing a seat belt, CHP officials said.
More than 40 people from the Los Angeles County Fire Department responded to the accident and it took about two hours for them get the injured to the hospital and clear the accident scene, department spokeswoman Fred Stowers said.
The two injured passengers had to be carried to the road before they were flown to a local hospital, he said. The dead man had to be freed from the wreckage by fire personnel.
The crash remained under investigation Wednesday, Holguin said. CHP officers are looking for witnesses.

An FBI investigation that lead to the federal indictment of several members of MS13 details murders, drug deals, robberies and witness intimidation that even in dry legal language is quite chilling.

This from the AP. I'll get a copy of the indictment up as soon as I have it:

LOS ANGELES - Federal and local authorities in the Los Angeles area have arrested the executive director of a high-profile anti-gang nonprofit organization as part of an action against the notorious Mara Salvatrucha street gang.

FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller says Alex Sanchez, who heads Homies Unidos, was arrested at his home in Bellflower early Wednesday on federal racketeering charges. In all, about eight people have been arrested.

The indictment names 24 members of Mara Salvatrucha, also known as MS-13, and alleges crimes including several murders, conspiracies to commit murder and narcotics offenses. Several of those named were already in custody.

Homies Unidos works to rescue kids from gangs in Los Angeles and Sanchez's native El Salvador. A message left at the organization's offices was not immediately returned

EL MONTE -- The developer behind a proposed $1 billion transit-oriented project in the city was in custody Sunday night on suspicion of fraud and embezzlment, among other charges, authorities said.
John Leung, President and Chief Exectuive Officer of The Titan Group, was arrested Friday night by El Monte Police officers on suspicion of forgery, embezzlement, grand theft, burglary and fraud, Police Chief Tom Armstrong said. Leung, 53, was being held at the Men's Central Jail in Los Angeles on $1 million bond.
His El Monte-based development company is in exclusive talks with the city to build the El Monte Transit Village -- a 65-acre residential and commercial complex planned for Santa Anita Avenue off the 10 Freeway.
Armstrong said Sunday Leung's case did not in any way involve the city.
"This investigation is ongoing and the victim is not the city of El Monte ... but a private citizen," he said. "That is where we are with it right now."

*UPDATED:

BASSETT -- A 24-year-old La Puente man was shot and killed early Sunday morning in what police say may have been a gang-related attack.
Michael Alexis Gudiel, 24, of La Puente died at the scene of the shooting, which occurred about 3:15 a.m. in the 13900 block of Proctor Avenue, coroner's and sheriff's officials said.
Though authorities believe the shooting may have been gang-related, family members of Gudiel said he was not involved with gangs.
"He had a good heart," said Michael Gudiel's brother, Jose Gudiel. "He used to make me laugh."
Deputies from the sheriff's Industry Station had initially responded to reports of a shooting when, "they discovered the victim lying in the street, suffering from an apparent gunshot wound," Deputy Lillian Peck said in a written statement.
Homicide detectives handling the investigation could not be reached for comment Sunday.
Michael Gudiel's sister, Rose Gudiel, said her brother was attacked in a drive-by shooting as he walked home alone.
She said her brother was unmarried and had no children, but was working with an employment agency at the time of his death and was studying for a career with computers.
"He had plans to come ahead in life," Rose Gudiel said. "He had plans to get married and have kids."
Letty Gudiel, Michael Gudiel's sister-in-law, said although Michael Gudiel was the youngest of his brothers and sisters, "he was very protective of his family."
Family members also recalled him as a funny and shy man who loved music and the Lakers. They said Michael Gudiel was also competitive and athletic, and loved playing basketball.
"He was definitely funny," said brother Herbert Gudiel. "And confident."
Since the shooting, Rose Gudiel said the family has received support and comfort from neighbors.
Family members urged anyone who may have information about the shooting to come forward.
"If anyone saw anything, please help us," Jose Gudiel said.

From the Associated Press:

IMPERIAL BEACH -- Border Patrol agents say two men on surfboards have been
arrested after they were found off of Imperial Beach towing another surfboard laden with marijuana.
Border Patrol spokesman Ralph DeSio says the men were arrested late Thursday. They were spotted about 200 yards offshore.
Agents towed them back to shore and turned the suspects over the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.
DeSio says the men told agents they were Mexican citizens in the U.S. illegally.
The marijuana was tightly wrapped in bundles weighing 141 pounds and with an estimated street value of $84,600.

From the Associated Press:

LOS ANGELES -- Authorities say a homeless man found burned to death in his wheelchair may have accidentally set himself on fire at a Los Angeles strip mall.
Police say paramedics pronounced the man dead early Friday after a motorist reported seeing him engulfed in flames. Investigators found a small makeshift encampment in front of a restaurant, and a candle and some alcohol near his charred body.
Police say the 54-year-old's death was likely an accident because there was no evidence of an assault or fire accelerants at the scene.
His name has not been released.

From the Burbank Leader: 

From the San Bernardino Sun's Twitter feed:

VALINDA -- One person was killed and another wounded in a shooting Thursday, authorities said.
It was the second double-shooting in the area in four hours.
The drive-by shooting occurred about 8:30 p.m. on Griffith Avenue near Fellowship Street, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Arthur Scott said.
Both victims were believed to be male, however their ages were not immediately known, the lieutenant said.
One was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other suffered an apparently non-life-threatening wound to his leg, Scott said.
The suspect vehicle was described only as a dark-colored compact car, he said.
No further details were available.
It was not immediately clear of the shooting was related to a another shooting earlier in the day in West Valinda that left two men wounded.
Two men were standing on Judith Street near Millbury Avenue about 4:30 p.m. when a dark-colored car with four young men inside stopped.
Someone in the car yelled "East Side Bolen" -- the name of a local area street gang -- before the front passenger opened fire nine times, authorities said.
A man in his 30s was shot in the torso and hospitalized in critical condition, officials said. The other victim, a man in his 50s, was shot in the leg and listed in stable condition.
The two attacks occurred less than three miles apart.

To see the map and charts detailing SGV homicides for 2009 click here.

EL MONTE -- More details emerged Thursday about a shooting at a graduation party that left a 20-year-old man dead.
The shooting was reported about 1 a.m. at the a house a the corner of Fairview Street Elrovia Avenue, officials said.
Lt. Dan Coleman of the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau said he estimated there were several dozen partygoers at the home prior to the shooting.
Three to four suspects described only as male Latinos tried to get into the party but were not allowed in, Coleman said.
Exactly what happened next remained under investigation Thursday, he said, and one or more of the suspects opened fire with two or three shots. It was not clear if there was a fight, and it was unknown if the dead man was targeted in the shooting.
"At this point in the investigation, we don't know if he was the specific target or was struck by an errant bullet," Coleman said.
Both the shooter or shooters and the dead man were believed to be out in front of the home when the shooting occurred, officials said.
The dead man did not live at the home, and his connection the the party remained under investigation, the lieutenant said.
The shooting did not appear to be gang-related, he added. "I think it was just related to the party."
"It's unfortunate," Coleman said. "Another party that ends up tragic."

Details still streaming in from this one. Essentially a 20-year-old man was shot to death early this morning outside a graduation party he was attending in El Monte. There is speculation at the scene that the man caught a bullet that wasn't intended for him. 

This photo comes from a reader at the scene of Wednesday's prostitution bust in East Pasadena The van was impounded after its driver was nailed by cops:

PASADENA -- Eighteen men and one woman were arrested Wednesday during a prostitution sting along Colorado Boulevard, police said.
The police operation was carried out between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. along East Colorado Boulevard, where Pasadena police Lt. Tom Delgado said prostitution is an ongoing problem.
"We receive regular complaints of this type of activity on the east side of town," he said.
To combat the problem, "Undercover officers posed as both prostitutes and customers in a sting operation for male and female participants," Delgado said.
All the men arrested were allegedly seeking purchase the services of a prostitute, while the woman was suspected of trying to offer sexual services for money, Delgado said.
Ten of the suspects were booked on suspicion of soliciting acts of prostitution, and nine were arrested for loitering for the purpose of prostitution, the lieutenant said.

WHITTIER -- Officials released the name Wednesday of a woman whose body was found in the back seat of a car in an unincorporated county area near Whittier Monday.
Jeannine Escoto, 29, was found dead in the back of a BMW parked in the 11700 block Santa Gertrudes Avenue, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner Lt. Larry Dietz said. Her city of residency was not listed with coroner's officials.
Escoto's cause of death remained undetermined Wednesday as investigators carried out forensic testing, Dietz said. Those tests may take up to two months two complete
Sheriff's Sgt. Raul Gama said people passing by called 9-1-1 after noticing a strange smell and seeing the body in the back of the vehicle.
Officials initially said the body may be related to a missing person's case from Pico Rivera, however it was not clear Wednesday if that was the case.

In a Worldwide exclusive of sorts, the Octorazzi blog has posted documents from the state that include a copy of Octomom Nadya Suleman's contract with RadarOnline. 

From the Associated Press:

Don't know all the details yet, but the state has apparently gone after RadarOnline for filming Octomom's kids in violation of state labor laws.

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- California authorities slapped an online site Tuesday with a series of child-labor law violations for videotaping two of Nadya Suleman's octuplets.
State Labor Commissioner Angela Bradstreet said RadarOnline endangered the newborns, Noah and Isaiah Suleman, by failing to get required state permits and videotaping the infants at hours and for periods of time banned by regulations.
"These babies were put at risk and exposed to conditions that violated California labor laws," Bradstreet said. "In this case, we are dealing with premature babies."
Suleman had an exclusive contract with the Web site that permitted videotaping of the children, according to a copy reviewed by The Associated Press.
Chris Myers of RadarOnline said he hadn't seen the violations and had no immediate comment. The site's executive vice president, David Perel, did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.
Suleman, a single mother who already had six children, gave birth to her octuplets on Jan. 26. The births set off media frenzy, with public adoration soon turning to scorn with revelations that Suleman was unemployed and had conceived all her children through in vitro fertilization

A study in contrasts? Florida justice? Celebrity justice?

Donte Stallworth, a pro athlete, gets a minimum sentence for killing a man in a DUI-related incident in  Florida:

MIAMI (AP) -- Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte' Stallworth is going to serve 30 days in jail after pleading guilty in Florida to a DUI manslaughter charge.

The plea deal announced Tuesday calls for the 28-year-old Stallworth to also serve 10 years' probation and do 1,000 community service hours for killing a pedestrian he hit with his car. Stallworth had faced up to 15 years in prison.

Police say Stallworth was drinking at a hotel bar before the March 14 crash that killed 59-year-old construction worker Mario Reyes. Tests showed Stallworth's blood-alcohol content was .126.

Stallworth also reached a confidential financial settlement with the Reyes' family. A person close to the negotiations told The Association Press about the agreement on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk about the deal.

Meanwhile, a San Gabriel Valley man is facing a stiff sentence for killing Angels rookie pitcher Nick Adenhart and Cortney Stewart, 20, of Diamond Bar, in a DUI accident earlier this year in Florida:

The criminal complaint also alleged that Andrew Thomas Gallo caused great bodily injury and death to more than one victim. In addition, he faces sentencing enhancements for inflicting great bodily injury.

Schroeder said Gallo faces 54 years and eight months to life in prison if convicted on all counts.

Gallo's attorney, Randall Longwith, entered the not guilty plea for him. Longwith later told reporters he would seek a change of venue for the upcoming trial.

"Generally the emotion here, it's so heated," Longwith said. He said he and Gallo have received death threats.

From KABC this afternoon, after leading with a reference to a recent Duarte incident, where a black family was targeted by Hispanic gang members, the story continued:

"We want a public campaign to ostracize those small groups of people that would try to draw a wedge between black and brown in this city," said Leon Jenkins, NAACP president.
Jenkins, along with other local African-American leaders, is reaching out to Latino leaders with an invitation for both communities to work together to end "brown on black" and "black on brown" attacks.

"We're opening up a dialogue with our Hispanic brothers and sisters," said Jenkins. "Secondly, we will file a formal complaint with the FBI, and we will put the city of L.A., the district attorney's office, and the county sheriff's office, that we want vigorous re-enforcement and enforcement of the law against all hate crimes."

Leaders in both communities don't want to focus on the tension between the groups, saying there many more blacks and Latinos who get along than those who don't, but in a recent FBI raid, 147 gang members from a notorious Latino gang were arrested in Hawaiian Gardens. Among the allegations against them, was that they specifically targeted blacks.

WHITTIER - A woman was found dead in the back seat of a car early this morning, deputies said.

The grisly discovery was made about 2:20 a.m. in the 11700 block of Santa Gertrudes Avenue which is in the unincorporated county area of Whittier.

Sheriff's Sgt. Raul Gama said people passing by noticed a strange smell and saw the body in the back of the vehicle. He said it could be connected to a missing person's case out of Pico Rivera.

There were no details released on the missing person.

Sheriff's Homicide Bureau, which also handles missing persons, is investigating the case. Detectives couldn't be reached for comment this morning.

Coroner's officials haven't identified the body yet and haven't determined how long the body had been in the car before being discovered.

DUARTE -- A woman was arrested on suspicion of carjacking Sunday after allegedly punching another woman in the face and stealing her car with the help of a male accomplice, authorities said.
Her name was not immediately available, Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Jeff Walker said.
The incident occurred about 7:15 p.m. at the Duarte Liquor Store, 1302 Duarte Road, the sergeant said.
A woman was approached by the female suspect and punched in the face, Walker said.
She and an accomplice, a man, then drove away in the woman's Nissan Pathfinder SUV, he said.
The SUV crashed and overturned about half a mile east of the liquor store at Duarte Road and Highland Avenue, Walker said.
As deputies were investigating the crash, the apparent victim approached officials and pointed out the female suspect driving away in another car, he said.
The car was pulled over and the woman was arrested without further incident, Walker said. Three other men inside the car with her were not believed to be involved in the carjacking.
The woman who allegedly had her car stolen was hospitalized with a possibly broken nose, the sergeant added.
The male suspect remained at large, he said.

The California Fire Page advises that riots have broken out in downtown Los Angeles after the Lakers won the NBA Championship Sunday night. 

SAN DIMAS -- A masked man used a handgun to rob a motel Friday, officials said.
The crime was reported about 10:30 p.m. at the Extended Stay America, 601 W. Bonita Ave., Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Bruce Vallerand said.
The lone robber had his face covered as he entered the lobby and demanded cash from a female clerk, the sergeant said.
The woman was so frightened, she was not able to provide a further description of the robber, he said. No getaway car was seen.

LA PUENTE -- Investigators from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Arson/Explosives Detail are investigating a "suspicious fire" reported in a motel room Sunday, authorities said.
The blaze was first reported about 8:40 a.m. at the Prince Inn, 830 Puente Avenue, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Hiroshi Yokoyama said.
The fire was mainly centered on the bed in the motel room, which was not being occupied by a guest, Detective G. Everett of the Sheriff's Arson/Explosive Detail said.
It caused about $5,000 in damage to the room, mostly in smoke damage, Yokoyama said. Special investigators were called in because the fire appeared "suspicious."
The cause of the fire remained under investigation, Everett said, and it was too early to tell if arson was involved.

From the Associated Press:

LONG BEACH -- A tanker truck hauling 8,000 gallons of ethanol crashed on a highway, exploding into an inferno that sent a river of flame into storm drains, officials said. The driver was killed.
The truck crashed around 6 p.m. Saturday when it hit the side rail of eastbound State Route 91 at the transition to Interstate 710, the Long Beach Fire Department said in a statement.
The driver's name was not immediately released.
Witnesses said the heat was so intense it melted guardrails and all that remained of the truck were its axles and small portions of the cab.
A stream of fire flowed from the tanker into a storm drain, causing plumes of flame to spew 20 feet in the air from other storm drains.
The large quantity of ethanol in the truck fueled a huge fireball that enveloped the overpasses, Long Beach Fire Department Capt. Jackawa Jackson said. Firefighters snuffed the flames with foam, he said.
Officials worried the fire may have weakened the elevated stretch of road, the fire department said.
The cause of the crash was under investigation and the roadway remained closed while inspectors examined it.

PASADENA -- A man was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving early Saturday after crashing into a police car, police said.
Levon Grigoryan, 26, of Glendale was allegedly driving erratically about 1 a.m. near Colorado Boulevard and Garfield Avenue when a police officer tried to pull him over, Pasadena police Lt. Tracey Ibarra said.
Grigoryan apparently made an attempt to parallel park and struck the police car as he was backing up, causing minor damage, she said.
He told officers he did not realize they were behind him trying to pull him over, Ibarra said, and he was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving.
According to court records, Grigoryan was released after posting $15,000 bail. An initial court date was not available Saturday.

PASADENA -- Police arrested three men and a teenage boy on suspicion of two separate robberies Friday, authorities said.
The arrests stem from robberies that occurred Friday afternoon as well as Monday, Pasadena police Lt. Tracey Ibarra said.
Jailed were Michael Vasquez, 19, of Pasadena, Carlos Mercado, 18, of Pasadena, Rudolph Vasquez, 23, of Corona and a 17-year-old Pasadena boy, Ibarra said.
A 15-year-old Pasadena boy was walking on Raymond Avenue at Claremont Street about 4:45 p.m. Friday when he was approached by a robber who brandished a handgun and demanded his money and iPod, the lieutenant said.
The robber fled with the boy's property and the boy began walking home to call police.
As he was walking, however, the boy came across Pasadena police officers who already had the suspect detained in the 1000 block of North Raymond Avenue along with three others, Ibarra said. He told them that Michael Vasquez had just robbed him.
Police were in the area investigating another robbery that occurred on June 8, she said.
Michael Vasquez was arrested on susicion of Saturday's robbery, Ibarra said, while the other three suspects were jailed in connection with the June 8 crime.
A realistic-looking BB gun was taken from the suspects, she said.
Detectives are continuing to work to see if they can connect the suspects to additional robberies, she added.
According to court records, the adult suspects are being held in lieu of $50,000 bail each. An initial court date for the suspects was not available.

I'll be on Dateline NBC tonight at 7 p.m.

The show will devote an hour to the mystery of John and Linda Sohus.

The couple disappeared in 1985 from their home on Lorain Road.

Clark Rockefeller, 48, whose real name is Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter, has been identified as a person of interest in the case. Using the name Christopher Chichester, Rockefeller lived with the Sohuses and vanished several weeks after they did.

Too bad the show goes head-to-head with the Laker game...

Here's an excerpt from a September episode on the case:

LA PUENTE -- A 17-year-old paraplegic boy who fatally shot himself in what family members believe was an accident last month is due to be buried later this month after his organs were donated and used to save five lives, family members said.
Anthony Robert Chacon, known to friends and family as "Bobby," accidentally shot himself inside his home May 29 while playing Russian roulette, his aunt, Sandra Herrera said.
He died the following day at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner Investigator Mario Sainz said. The officials cause of death was listed as suicide, though investigators confirmed the death appeared to have occurred during a Russian roulette game.
Chacon's mother, Veronica Palma, elected to donate her son's organs, Herrera said.
"Because he was a generous, kind-hearted person, my sister knew that's what he would have wanted," she said. "That's the kind of person my nephew was."
Chacon had been paralyzed from the waist down since December, when he was shot while attending a local party, family members and authorities said.
The constant medical care and assistance Chacon has required ever since took a toll on him and he became depressed in recent months, his aunt said.
Chacon's debilitation also took a toll on the family financially, Herrera said, and family members are now struggling to pay for his services.
He will be buried on June 21 at a private ceremony at the Pierce Brothers Mortuary in West Covina, Herrera said.
Anyone wishing to contribute to the burial fund can make donations payable to the Angel Pierce Brothers Mortuary, 2333 W. Merced Avenue, care of funeral director Mike for the Bobby Chacon fund.
Herrera said she remembers Chacon as a "very giving and loving young man" who loved jet skiing and wakeboarding behind a family boat during vacations prior to the December shooting.
"Bobby was part of our close-knit family," Herrera said. "We will never be the same without Bobby. We will miss him so much."

BASSETT -- A gunman escaped with an unknown amount of cash after robbing a Shell gas station Saturday, officials said.
The crime occurred about 1:15 p.m. at the gas station on Valley Boulevard at Sunset Avenue, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. James Wolak said.
The robber, who was described only as a man, used a black handgun and demanded cash from the register, he said.
Wolak added he was last seen fleeing the area south on 7th Avenue in an unknown-type vehicle.

WEST COVINA -- Firefighters made quick work of two grass fires along the 10 Freeway Saturday that authorities believe may have been intentionally set.
The blazes were reported about 1:10 p.m. just south of the freeway near Holt Avenue, West Covina Fire Department Capt. Marco Arredondo said.
One of the blazes, which was just west of the Holt Avenue off-ramp, scorched an area of about 100 feet by 50 feet before being doused, Arredondo said.
A second fire about 100 yards to the east was about half that size, he added.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department helped West Covina fire officials with the grassfires.
Though the officials cause of the fires was undetermined, the proximity of the two blazes made them appear suspicious and they may have been set on purpose, the captain said.

*UPDATED

MONTBELLO -- Three people were wounded early Saturday when gunfire erupted at a birthday party, authorities said.
The possibly gang-related shooting occurred just before 3 a.m. in a residential neighborhood in the 900 block of Los Angeles Avenue, Montebello police Lt. Richard Meadows said.
Two men and a woman, all estimated to be in their 20s, suffered gunshot wounds, he said. None of the injuries appeared to be life-threatening.
The victims were standing in front of a home when the shooting began, Montebello police Lt. Brad Keller said.
"The shooter or shooters approached from a breezeway and started firing rounds," he said.
A man was shot in the stomach, another man was shot in the leg and foot and a woman was shot in the foot, he said.
The attack appeared to be unprovoked, police said.
No description of the shooter or shooters was available, Keller said, however the incident may have been gang-related. One of the victims is a known gang member.

From an FBI press release:

EL MONTE MAN WHO ALLEGEDLY MOLESTED MINORS AND IS
CHARGED FEDERALLY WITH PRODUCTION & POSSESSION OF CHILD
PORNOGRAPHY ATTEMPTED TO WORK FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT

Los Angeles - An El Monte man who was arrested for molesting a minor, has been charged federally with the possession and production of illegal pornographic images of his victim. The SAFE Team (Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement), which includes investigators with multiple state, local and federal agencies, is releasing the man's photograph in order to locate additional victims that may not yet have been identified.

This investigation was initiated when investigators with the California Highway Patrol uncovered alleged criminal activity during a preliminary employment background check. Written responses made during the applicant process led to a CHP investigation of Christian Hernandez, 29, for the alleged molestation of a five year-old child. According to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, Hernandez applied to be an officer with the California Highway Patrol in October 2008.
Hernandez admitted on an employment questionnaire that he had accessed illegal pornography on the Internet, and had viewed illicit photos of a minor as recently as one-month prior to applying for employment, according to the complaint.

Guilty he will get four to five years for the kidnapping and 2-3 years for the assault. The sentences will run concurrent, according to judge Frank Graziano. Cedar Junction Prison in Mass. Fee of $90 imposed has right to appeal.

 

 

 

Prosecutors also asked for a 20-year probation. The first 10 years will be supervised with a GPS monitor. The second 10 unsupervised.

Contact with his daughter Reigh Boss will be limited.

Prosecutors also read victim impact statements to the court.

Among those statements was one from the court-appointed monitor assaulted by Rockefeller. The man still suffers from physical injuries. Asked for the strongest sentence available under law.

 

Clark Rockefeller has been found guilty on two of four counts in his parental abduction trial. Rockefeller, whose real name is Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter, will be sentenced later this morning.

So far the jury has issued a statement, as have other officials.

Here's what Suffolk County DA Spokesman Jake Wark wrote following the verdicts this a.m.:

In a complete rejection of his insanity defense, jurors convicted GERHARTSREITER of custodial kidnapping and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Jurors acquitted him outright -- that is, not for lack of criminal responsibility -- on charges of providing a false name to police and assault and battery.  Judge Gaziano will sentence the defendant at 2:00 pm in courtroom 906.

As for the jruors, a panel of four men and eight women. They've issued a joint statement. Here's what it said:

 

Jurors have reached a verdict in the trial of Clark Rockefeller, accused of parental abduction in Boston.

BASSETT -- Sheriff's officials and school administrators placed Bassett High School on lockdown Thursday -- the last day of school -- after a student reported hearing talk of a shooting, authorities said.
The incident began just after noon at the high school, 755 Ardilla Ave.
"One kid overheard another student saying there was going to be a shooting after school," Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Arthur Scott said.
The student notified a parent, who then called sheriff's officials, Scott said.
The school was immediately placed on lockdown as patrol cars filled the neighborhood.
A junior at Bassett High School, Rene Payan, said students were told over the intercom system to stay in their classrooms, though they were not told why.
Class by class, sheriff's deputies escorted the students in a single-file line from the campus through the rear exit on Puente Avenue, the student said.
Shortly after 2:15 p.m., the campus had been emptied of students, Watanabe said. Students were scheduled to be released at 12:15 p.m.
No weapons or evidence of a shooting plot was found, sheriff's officials said, however the incident remains under investigation.
Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. John McBride said authorities took the potential threat seriously.
The fact that the incident occurred on the last day of school, along with the fact that an 18-year-old man was shot and wounded in a drive-by shooting near the campus at Amar Road and Ardilla Avenue on June 5, added to officials' concerns, McBride said.
As a precaution, the number of deputies on duty at Thursday night's graduation ceremony was more than doubled, from nine to more than 18, authorities said.
"(Deputies) will be highly visible tonight," Watanabe said. "You can't take any chances."
As she waited to pick up her brother from school, Zulema Carmona of West Covina said she was confident that the sheriff's and school officials were keeping the students safe.
She added that she was concerned, however, because she and other parents had not been told why the lockdown had been ordered.
"If they don't tell us why, I'm not going to feel safe enough to come back to the graduation," she said.
The superintendent said parents of Bassett High School students were being notified through a phone system of what happened, and that the school was safe for the graduation ceremony.
The seniors were practicing their march when the lockdown began, Watanabe said.
The school choir sang to students who had to wait in the gym during the lockdown, he said. "The kids were very well-behaved," he added.

BASSETT -- Authorities locked down Bassett High School Thursday afternoon after receiving reports of a planned shooting on campus.

The report came in about 12:10 p.m. , according to Sheriff's Sgt. S. Bracken, at the Industry substation.

"It was an anonymous call about a potential shooting," Bracken said. "Our lieutenants and sergeants are at the scene right now attempting to sort it out."

The school remains on lockdown.

Bracken said the call came from a concerned parent.

"A kid wanted to come home early because he heard there was going to be a shooting on campus," Bracken said.

Bracken did not know if the threat was gang related.

This from a Tony Bell press release:

LOS ANGELES COUNTY -- During the month of May, D.I.S.A.R.M officers confiscated 109 weapons - including 56 handguns, 7 assault rifles, and 27 rifles/shotguns, over $1.8 million in illegal drugs, and arrested 142 probationers during 1,609 unannounced searches of residences, persons, vehicles, and businesses, announced Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich. 

Deliberations in the Clark Rockefeller case entered a fourth day Thursday and new information emerged about the eight-woman, four-man panel and its deliberations.

The jury foreman is a Harvard Law professor which could make reaching a verdict a painful and un-fun experience....probably a guarantee in there that the foreman's working on a book to go with as well...might as well milk it...

Anyway the jury was instructed Wednesday on the finding it must reach to conclude that Rockefeller is guilty in the kidnapping. Here's what Judge Frank Graziano said:

"The Commonwealth does have to prove the defendant could appreciate the criminality or legal import and the wrongfulness or moral import of his conduct," Gaziano told the jurors. "Further, when you asked 'Or can the Commonwealth meet its burden by proving just one of these?' The answer to that question is no."

In other words Rockefeller's got to know that what he did was morally wrong and illegal...

 

The mayor, a former mayor and a campaign fixer/suspected bagman who hoped to be on the council face some serious felony bribery/perjury charges after finally appearing in court Wednesday.

If you believe what the DA alleges, small-time greed drove these political hacks to basically extort a developer who may have been in over his head in the first place.

The truth of the matter is Temple City is probably not only local government corrupted by the easy cash that flows from developer's pockets. It's just that most developers aren't carrying around a pocket wire to record the transaction and burn the council. Here's an excerpt from our story on Boss Wilson and her crew:

LOS ANGELES - Temple City's mayor, its former mayor and a former City Council candidate were indicted Wednesday on felony charges of bribery, perjury and other counts related to a nine-month corruption probe into their dealings with a local developer.

The 21-count indictment was returned Monday by the Los Angeles County Grand Jury and unsealed Wednesday by Judge Patricia Schnegg at the criminal courts building in downtown Los Angeles.

Temple City Mayor Judy Wong was charged with six counts of bribery, three counts of perjury and one count of solicitation of bribery. Former mayor Cath Wilson was charged with three counts of bribery and three counts of perjury.

Former City Council candidate Scott Carwile, who was also once Wilson's campaign treasurer, was charged with four counts of perjury and one misdemeanor count of failing to report a campaign contribution.

"It's actually quite rare that we bring bribery charges, because of the nature of the crime," said Deputy District Attorney David Demerjian, who heads the DA's Public Integrity Division. "Normally, neither side involved in the bribery will report it to us. It's usually beneficial to them to just continue on with the conspiracy."

<snip> 

Bail was set at $250,000 for Wong, $150,000 for Wilson and $100,000 for Carwile. All three posted bail, were booked, and were ordered to return July 9 for a pre-trial hearing.

 

MONTEBELLO -- Two additional suspects believed to be part of a nationwide burglary crew that was busted Tuesday at the Montebello Town Center are in custody, authorities said Thursday.
Los Angeles police did not release the names of the suspects citing the ongoing investigation.
The first three suspects were arrested while trying to break into a jewelry store at the shopping center, at 2134 Montebello Town Center, shortly after 5 a.m. Tuesday, Montebello police Lt. Brian Bart said.
LAPD officials had tipped off local authorities that the burglary crew may have been planning to strike at the mall that morning, he said.
"It was a good effort by multiple agencies," Bart said.
After the three suspects were arrested at the mall, Montebello and Monterey Park police searched the area seeking additional suspects, LAPD officials said, but none were found.
LAPD detectives then worked with the Orange County Sheriff's Department and the Glendale and Santa Ana Police Police Departments to serve search warrants at six Southland locations, according to an LAPD statement.
The two additional suspects were arrested during the search, and evidence connecting them to the crimes was recovered, police added.
Los Angeles police described all five suspects as black men in their mid-20s to mid-40s. They have been booked on suspicion of burglary and conspiracy to commit burglary.
"The crew's method of operation was to hit shopping malls during off-hours and burglarize predetermined jewelry businesses," the LAPD statement said.
Police added the alleged crew is believed to be connected to a commercial burglary ring "that has been active in at least five states, spanning from coast to coast."
Detectives from the LAPD's Southeast Area Property Crimes Unit had been looking into the suspected burglary crew for four months prior to the arrest, officials said.

From the Associated Press:

BOSTON -- Jurors deliberating kidnapping charges against the man who calls himself Clark Rockefeller asked a judge Wednesday to explain what prosecutors must do to show he was legally sane when he took his 7-year-old daughter.
The jurors sent a written question to Judge Frank Gaziano on Wednesday morning asking if prosecutors have to show either that he knew what he was doing was criminal or that he knew it was morally wrong.
Gaziano told them it is not enough for prosecutors to prove one of those things; they must show both.
The question appeared to show that jurors, who have been deliberating since Monday, are struggling with the legal definition of insanity.
Defense lawyers say Rockefeller, whose real name is Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter, was delusional and legally insane when he fled to Baltimore with his daughter, Reigh, during a supervised visit in Boston last July after he lost custody of the girl to his ex-wife.
A psychiatrist who testified for the defense said Gerhartsreiter believed his daughter was
communicating with him telepathically and telling him she needed to be rescued.
Prosecutors call his insanity claim "preposterous" and say he is a con man who planned the kidnapping for months. A prosecution psychiatrist said Gerhartsreiter was not delusional and appeared to exaggerate his symptoms.
Gerhartsreiter, 48, is accused of snatching his daughter during his first visit with the girl after his December 2007 divorce.
He also faces two assault charges for allegedly pushing a social worker overseeing the visit to the ground and instructing his hired driver to "Go! Go! Go!" while the social worker grabbed onto the car door. The social worker suffered minor injuries.
The German-born Gerhartsreiter is also charged with providing a false name to police.
During the trial, several witnesses testified about elaborate tales Gerhartsreiter told during the three decades he has lived in the United States, including his claims of being a physicist, ship's captain and debt negotiator for small countries.
Prosecutors say he used multiple aliases -- including the famous Rockefeller name -- to ingratiate himself in wealthy circles in New York, Boston and Los Angeles.
California authorities have labeled him a "person of interest" in the 1985 disappearance and presumed slayings of a San Marino couple, Jonathan and Linda Sohus. Gerhartsreiter, who then went by the name Christopher Chichester, was living in a guest house on the family's property when they disappeared. A grand jury has been hearing evidence in the case. He has said he had nothing to do with their disappearance.

Some media outlets have reported that the Los Angeles District Attorney is ready to indict Clark Rockefeller in connection with the disappearance and presumed murder of a San Marino couple.

DA Spokeswoman Jane Robison said the Sheriff's Department is investigating but there is no indictment pending.

"That is absolutely false," Robison said.

Rockefeller is on trial on the east coast on charges he kidnapped his daughter. Jurors are deliberating in that case today.

I should have had this earlier in the day, but got busy.
George Torres, an Arcadia resident had his racketeering conviction overturned in federal court Wednesday after a judge ruled that prosecutors withheld exculpatory evidence. Torres was represented by Pasadena City Councilman Steve Madison at trial.

LOS ANGELES - A federal judge has dismissed two of the most serious convictions in a racketeering case against the founder of a Southern California grocery chain.

U.S. attorney's spokesman Thom Mrozek says the judge on Tuesday tossed out racketeering and conspiracy convictions against George Torres, of Arcadia, founder of the Numero Uno stores. Torres was ordered released on $1 million bond.

The judge's order came after federal prosecutors discovered jailhouse recordings containing potentially exculpatory statements made by a witness in the case.
Torres was convicted of 55 felony counts in April and had faced a potential life sentence. He now faces a shorter sentence.

Authorities are responding to a two-alarm commercial structure fire in the 13200 block of East Brooks Drive in Baldwin Park. Apparently one unit of the building is heavily involved in flames. Intrepid SGV Trib reporter Jennifer McLain is on the way to the scene. More details as they come in...

Jessica Corde wants to know what happened to her son Marquis LeBlanc at a Pomona party on April 17. She says he was beaten to death, stabbed and shot by a group of youths as many as 20 strong. The slaying appears to have been racially motived. Le Blanc was black. His attackers, Hispanic. 

Police arrested three members of a suspected burglary ring at the Montebello Town Center this morning. Investigators kept the mall closed as they searched for a fourth possible suspect who never materialized.

As of 11:15 a.m., the mall remained closed.

Sherri Rasmussen was beaten and shot to death back in 1986. Originally police suspected burglars were responsible for the crime, but last week Detective Stephanie Lazarus, one of LA's finest, was arrested on suspicion of the crime after detectives made a DNA link to the case.

After Sherri Rae Rasmussen was beaten and shot to death in 1986, her father urged Los Angeles police to investigate a fellow officer who had had confrontations with his daughter in the months leading up to her death, according to attorneys for the victim's family.

But Nel Rasmussen's pleas, which he said he made during several interviews with police and in a letter to then-Chief Daryl F. Gates, apparently were ignored by detectives as they pursued a different theory of how his daughter had been killed.

IN hopes of capturing a suspect in the murder of a young man outside a Seven-11 on San Bernardino Road last week, the Covina PD released a video of the homicide. Here it is. Additionally there is a sketch of the suspect below:

Insane or just angry? A Boston jury will decide the parental abduction case against Clark Rockefeller:

Roberto Lozano took nine bullets to the head after cashing a paycheck at a Baldwin Park bar back in 1976. After 33 years, detectives arrested Carmen Garcia in Laredo, Texas when he attempted to purchase a handgun at a pawn shop.

Peter Fullam, one of our copy editors, did something behind the wheel that got him a ticket. As a result he attended comedy traffic school so you don't have to. His conclusion, "lame."

LA PUENTE -- A teenage boy died at the hospital Saturday after being wounded in a drive-by shooting on Hacienda Boulevard, authorities said.
Ivan Sanchez, 15, of La Puente died at an area hospital shortly after the shooting, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner Lt. Larry Dietz said..
The possibly gang-related shooting occurred about 9:30 p.m. on Maplegrove Street, just west of Hacienda Boulevard, Detective Philip Guzman of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Homicide Bureau said.
An employee at a nearby business, who asked that her name not be published for fear of retaliation, said she was working when she heard what sounded like two to three gunshots and went outside to look.
"He was walking, and then he fell," she said of the wounded teenager.
The woman added she saw a black car speed away from the area.
While a motive in the shooting was not definitively known Sunday, Guzman said it was likely gang-related.
"It sure looks that way," he said.
Sanchez was walking when he was approached by a dark-colored vehicle, Los Angeles County sheriff's Deputy Derrick Thompson said in a written statement.
"An unknown suspect in the vehicle fired several rounds at the victim, striking him in the upper torso," the statement said.
The teen was shot while walking on Maplegrove Street before ultimately collapsing a short distance away behind a nearby Autozone store, Guzman said.
No further details about the circumstances of the shooting were released.
Employees at the Autozone as well as a nearby restaurant Sunday who were working during the shooting said they did not see or hear anything until authorities arrived.
The only evidence of the shooting that remained at the scene Sunday were several discarded wrappers from alcohol-soaked cleaning pads behind the Autozone, presumably left behind by paramedics.

AZUSA -- A man and a teenage boy were shot and wounded early Sunday during a fight on a residential street, police said.
Officers responded about 2:15 a.m. to reports of a shooting with several victims in the 600 block of East Lime Street, Azusa police said in a written statement.
"On arrival, they located the two victims, both of which were suffering from gunshot wounds," the statement said.
The wounded, a 17-year-old boy and a 22-year-old man, were hospitalized in unknown condition, authorities said. Both are local residents.
The shooting occurred after a group of suspects confronted the victims and an argument erupted, Azusa police Sgt. John Madaloni said.
It was unclear if their was anyone else with the two victims when the shooting occurred, he said.
Detectives were still seeking a motive Sunday and had not ruled out gang involvement, Madaloni said.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Azusa Police Department.

LA PUENTE -- A teenage boy died at the hospital Saturday after being wounded in a drive-by shooting on Hacienda Boulevard authorities believe may have been gang-related.
His name was not available Sunday pending notification of his family members, coroner's officials said.
The shooting occurred about 9:30 p.m. in the 1400 block of N. Hacienda Boulevard.
The victim was walking when he was approached by a dark-colored vehicle, Los Angeles County sheriff's Deputy Derrick Thompson said in a written statement.
"An unknown suspect in the vehicle fired several rounds at the victim, striking him in the upper torso," the statement said.
The wounded boy was taken to an area hospital where he died from his injuries, Thompson said.
No further details were released.

SAN DIMAS -- A 28-year-old man shot and wounded at a gang picnic at Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park Saturday died from his wounds at a hospital shortly after the shooting, officials said.
His name was not released Sunday pending notification of his family members, coroner's officials said.
The man was shot several times as he congregated with about 30 other young people on the north side of the park, Los Angeles County police Sgt. Brian Decker said.
The group was believed to be mainly members of a Compton street gang having a barbecue, he said.
The wounded man was taken to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival, Los Angeles County sheriff's officials said.
Another woman, who was estimated to be in her early 20s, was also wounded in the shooting, Decker said.
She was dropped off at a local hospital by a private vehicle in unknown condition, he said.
Los Angeles County sheriff's Deputy Derrick Thompson said the shooting was the result of an argument.
The shooter was described only as a man who arrived and left the area in a gray vehicle, Decker said.
The others at the barbecue were not cooperating with investigators Saturday, he said.

SAN DIMAS -- A gunman opened fire on a gang picnic at Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park Saturday, wounding a man and woman, authorities said.
The man was shot several times and was hospitalized in grave condition, officials said, and the woman was hospitalized in unknown condition and was undergoing surgery late Saturday. Both were estimated to be in their early 20s.
The incident occurred shortly before 6:30 p.m. on the north end of the park, near Brackett Airfield, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Craig Boyett said.
A group of about 30 young people, mostly associates of the Compton Piru Bloods street gang, had been congregating at a picnic area in the park and barbecuing much of the day, Los Angeles County Police Sgt. Brian Decker said.
"We got a call of several shots fired and people running up there," he said.
Los Angeles County Lake Lifeguards were the first on scene and found the wounded man lying on his back, not breathing, Decker said.
Lifeguards performed CPR on the man until paramedics arrived to take him to the hospital, he added.
The woman was dropped of at an area hospital by a private vehicle, Decker said. She was conscious when she arrived.
The picnicking group was "absolutely uncooperative" in providing information about the shooting to police, Decker said.
No one at the picnic called authorities to report the shooting, he said, and the group was reluctant to even tell officials the name of the badly wounded man.
They told police a man in a grey car drove up, got out of his car, walked over to the picnic and opened fire before getting back into his car and driving off, said Decker. No further details were available.
Between 10 and 15 shots were fired in all, he said.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Los Angeles County Police at (800) 834-0064.

*PHOTO: Los Angeles County Police officials investigate the scene of a shooting at Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park on Saturday, June 6, 2009.

NORWALK -- A man was shot and killed Saturday as he sat on a park bench at Norwalk Park, authorities said.
The attack occurred about 8:45 a.m. at the park, 12203 Sproul Street, Los Angeles County sheriff's Deputy Rick Pedroza said.
The dead man, who was initially described only as a Latino man, was shot several times and pronounced dead at the scene, Deputy Byron Ward said.
His name was not released Saturday pending notification of family members, coroner's officials said.
Sheriff's officials did not release any suspect description or further information about the shooting Saturday.

A registered sex offender from West Covina was being held without bail in Murrieta Saturday after having his tongue bitten off by a woman he allegedly sexually assaulted, authorities said.
Ronald Douglas McGowan Jr., 32, was booked on suspicion of rape and robbery Friday when he went to an emergency room for treatment, Murrieta police Sgt. Tony Conrad said.
According to state records, McGowan is a registered sex offender with previous convictions including rape and child molestation.
"I think she showed a lot of courage to fight back," Conrad said.
In many cases when only property is at stake, police advise crime victims to comply with criminals, he said. "In this case, I think she was fighting to save her life."
The attack was reported about 10:20 a.m. at an apartment in the 24800 block of Hancock Avenue in Murrieta, Conrad said.
"During the assault, it was determined the victim bit off the suspect's tongue in an attempt to defend herself," police said in a written statement. "The tongue was located at the scene by officers."
Within an hour, McGowan arrived at an area emergency room and was arrested, Conrad said. Doctors could not reattach the tongue.
"It's uncomfortable for him to speak," Conrad said, adding that when McGowan does talk, he now slurs his speech.
Police believe McGowan specifically targeted the woman, but declined to give further details about the motive or whether McGowan and the woman knew each other prior to the incident
The woman, who was in her 20s, was initially hospitalized but has since been released Conrad said.
According to court records, McGowan was booked on suspicion of rape, robbery, kidnapping to commit robbery and a special allegation of committing a felony causing great bodily injury with three prior convictions. He is being held without bail and is due for arraignment at the Riverside Superior Court Southwest Justice Center Tuesday.

*Booking photo of Ronald McGowan Jr. courtesy of the Murrieta Police Department

This unusual story comes courtesy of the Associated Press:

MURRIETA -- A Murrieta woman bit off the tongue of an alleged rapist from West Covina who was arrested at a hospital emergency room where he went for treatment.
Police found the suspect's tongue at the woman's apartment Friday morning. Authorities say the woman had injuries consistent with a violent assault.
Officers say they arrested 32-year-old Ronald McGowan of West Covina, who is a registered sex offender.
Physicians at the Rancho Springs Medical Center could not reattach his tongue.

ALTADENA -- Authorities arrested two men Friday after they allegedly wounded another man in a gang-related drive-by shooting that was witnessed by police officers.
Dalonte Andrews and Terence Bonds, both 18-year-old Pasadena residents, were jailed in connection with the shooting, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Larry Landreth said.
The wounded man, who was 18-years-old, was shot once in the buttocks and had already been released from the hospital late Friday, he said.
Los Angeles police officers in plain clothes witnesses the shooting about 2:30 p.m. in the 2300 block of N. Lincoln Avenue and alerted local sheriff's deputies, the lieutenant said.
The LAPD officers followed the suspects in a Volkswagen Touareg SUV, which was later determined to be stolen, before officials stopped the vehicle and arrested the men without further incident, Landreth said.
Authorities believe the shooting was gang-related.
The suspects are believed to be associated with the Pasadena Denver Lanes Bloods gang, while the victim is believed to have ties to the Squiggly Lane Bloods gang, Landreth said.
Andrews and Bonds were booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and auto theft, he added.
According to court records, Bonds, who was on parole for burglary, was being held without bail. Andrews was being held in lieu of $50,000 bail.
Both suspects are due in Pasadena Superior Court for arraignment Tuesday.

West Covina police, working with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, seized about 3,500 pounds of Mexican marijuana Friday hidden in camouflaged crates in a tractor-trailer, authorities said.
The pot, with an estimated street price of more than $10 million, was discovered in an industrial area in Cerritos shortly after 8 a.m., West Covina police Lt. Paul LaCommare said.
"This will be a costly seizure for the smugglers," he said.
The marijuana was hidden inside makeshift crates disguised to look like stacks of lumber, West Covina police Chief Frank Wills said.
"It was just all nailed together," he said.
Seven crates in total were found inside the truck, each containing about 500 pounds of pot each, LaCommare said.
The crates were pushed to the very front of the trailer and hidden behind legitimate cargo, he said.
No one was inside the truck when the seizure was made, and no one has been arrested, LaCommare said. The investigation was in its early stages.
The truck was discovered in the area of Alondra Boulevard and Shoemaker Avenue in Cerritos, LaCommare said, however he declined to say what specific business it was found at or who owned the truck. He added it was possible the involved businesses were not aware of the marijuana.
The shipment originated in Mexico, he said.
"Any time you have a load that big, it's going to go through cartels or major narcotics traffickers," LaCommare said. "At this point, we're investigating to see who's involved."
He said the West Covina Police Department became involved in the investigation at the request of ICE.

This from LAObserved via the LA Times:

Stephanie Ilene Lazarus, 49, was arrested this morning at Parker Center. Cold case investigation into the 1986 beating death of the wife of her ex-boyfriend led to Lazarus, and her DNA was secretly gathered last week to help make the case.

In a City News story, the head of the Police Protective League is also quoted responding to the news:

Paul M. Weber, president of the Los Angeles Police Protective League, said Lazarus'
arrest "is deeply disturbing to LAPD officers and the people of Los Angeles."
"If convicted, the actions of one police officer should not tarnish the trust and
respect the public has for the more than 9,800 dedicated police officers who serve and
protect the community and its residents every day," he said.

Here's the LATimes story archive on the case.

Craig Monteith, a West Covina native who inflitrated several Southern California mosques filed suit against the FBI asking for $10 million in damages for an informant fee he never received.

Here's a bit from the Associated Press:

The claim, dated Saturday, alleges the FBI failed to pay Monteilh $100,000 and provide witness protection as part of an exit strategy from his work as an undercover informant in Southern California mosques.

Monteilh, 46, also accuses the FBI of letting him serve eight months in prison on a grand theft charge he said was related to his work on a case involving the illegal distribution of steroids and human growth hormone.

FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said the agency does not comment on claims.

MONROVIA -- A house fire displaced a woman and four children and caused about $40,000 in damage to the home and its contents, officials said.
The blaze was reported about 8 p.m. at 1318 S. Magnolia Avenue, Monrovia Fire Department Capt. Dave Rapp said.
All five residents were able to get out of the home before firefighter arrived, he said.
The fire was extinguished in about 15 minutes, the captain said.
The displaced residents are staying with family members in the area, he added.
Two dogs kept as pets in the home were found unharmed, while two of four cats remained missing, Rapp said. The cats were not believed to have been injured or killed in the fire.
The cause of the fire remained under investigation, Rapp said, however it appeared to have originated near the home's hot water heater.

ARCADIA -- An eight-car pile-up on the 210 Freeway Thursday sent three people to the hospital and prompted officials to issue a brief Sig Alert, authorities said.
The crash was reported about 6:50 p.m. on the eastbound freeway at Santa Anita Avenue, according to California Highway Patrol logs.
Two adults and one teenager were hospitalized with minor injuries following the crash, Arcadia Fire Department Battalion Chief Rick Braun said. They were all riding in different vehicles.
The crashed cars were spread out over about 150 yard on the freeway and blocked the carpool and two left lanes, Braun and CHP officials said.
The cause of the crash was being investigated by the Altadena office of the CHP.

PASADENA -- Police and coroner's officials are investigating an elderly man's death after his badly decomposed body was found inside the home he shared with his wife.
The name of the dead man was not released pending notification of family members, officials said.
The man appeared to have been dead for two to four months, Pasadena police Lt. Randell Taylor said.
Officers responded to a house in the 1200 block of North Allen Avenue about 1:30 p.m. after neighbors reported they hadn't seen the residents in weeks and were concerned, the lieutenant said.
A woman estimated to be in her mid-70s answered the doors and was reluctant to let officers in her house, Taylor said.
When police entered, they found the body of the woman's husband lying on a couch near the front door, he said.
While no foul play was suspected Thursday, the body was sent to the Los Angeles County Department of Coroner where investigators will determine the man's cause of death, Taylor said.
The woman appeared to be in the advanced stages of dementia, he said.

POMONA -- A jury convicted three men Thursday in the shooting death of a 17-year-old Baldwin Park girl whose body was dragged behind a car, officials said.
Abraham Ruben Acuna, 34, Matthew Andrew Garcia, 27 and Victor Monge, 32, were each convicted of first-degree murder in the death of Gloria Gaxiola, court officials said.
Her body was found after being dragged several miles by a car on Oct. 12 of 2002, at Hacienda Boulevard and Colima Road in Hacienda Heights, authorities said.
The slaying is believed to have occurred on Turnbull Canyon Road in Hacienda Heights.
All three men are due back at Pomona Superior Court for sentencing on June 29, Los Angeles County District Attorney's officials said.
Acuna and Monge may face sentencing under "third strike" guidelines, as they both have prior convictions.
Garcia was tried as a "second strike" case.
All three men face the possibility of life in prison when sentenced.
The jury returned with the guilty verdicts after less than a day of deliberations.
After five years without an arrest, Acuna, Monge and Garcia were arrested in early 2008 after a witness came forward with new information.
District Attorney's officials said Gaxiola was a runaway at the time of her death and may have been staying with one of the killers or one of their friends.

This comes from the Arcadia Police Officers Association Blog:

The Arcadia City Council voted last night (Tuesday) to add an additional $20,000 reward in the robbery/murder case of Jason Wei. Jason was killed in November 2007 during a robbery at the Osaka Ya restaurant in Arcadia. This reward offer brings the total reward offer to $40,000. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted last week to offer a reward in the case.

Any information can be directed to APD Detectives at (626) 574-5160.

Given the fact that the U.S. government just got a 60 percent in General Motors, my guess is that it's only a matter of time until we see this commercial on late night television:

Announcer:Here's Barack Worthington and his dog Spot!

Background singers:

If you need a bailout go see Barack.

When you want some easy money go see Barack.

When your corporate bonds are junk,

Cause your owners' spend like drunks

Go see Barack, go see Barack, go see Barack.

Cut to Barack.

He's wearing an oversized Cowboy hat, a big, sterling silver belt buckle and smiling way too much. Standing next to Barack is a leashed-and-drooling, buck-toothed, braying donkey.

Barack: Our goal is to help GM get back on its feet ... and get out quickly.

Some said a quick bankruptcy was impossible ... they were wrong.

Some unnamed critics predicted car sales would fall off a cliff and they were wrong.

Spot breaks from his leash and proceeds to jump up and down on the hood of a 2009 Pontiac GTO.

Barack (laughs) : Hey now Spot, don't go trashing all this fine surplus merchandise.

(He jerks Spot's leash. Now speaking through clenched teeth and in a serious, whispered tone): We gotta move these heaps quick. I just put another $30 billion in this junk pile and...

(Smile comes back, Barack turns to camera, begins to speak fast):

Let me tell you good folks about the deals we have this week at Barack Worthington's Government Motors:

Here's a 2009 Chivy Suburban. Looks nice, runs great, gets 14 miles per gallon on them city streets and 19 on our government-owned highways.

You better hurry. We'll be going green next year and you might never get another full-sized utility vehicle like this ever again.

Call us collect. You already bought and paid for this fine vehicle when you sent your taxes in this April. So why not pay for it again?

It's the American thing to do.

Barack winds up his pitch, The music returns.

Barack just grins and holds tightly to Spot's leash.

Fine print appears at the bottom of the screen:

Bailout of GM not subject to public discussion. Taxpayers will be lucky if the government ever gets paid back. Don't expect any relief on California Vehicle License Fees either. Any similarities between Obama Administration fiscal strategies and Soviet-style economic policy are merely a figment of your imagination.

If we can't feed the poor, fix the highways, mend the prisons, solve the immigration problem, lower the trade deficit, tighten up the banks, improve the real estate market, end the medical care crisis, or make affordable public transportation available, don't hold your breath for the U.S. Government or its assignees to honor your warranty either.

Your mileage may vary.

Thought you may want to know that the cold case you were
following involving Gloria Gaxiola, who was murdered and dragged
four miles from Turnball Canyon,  is on trial at pomona courthouse. I
t started last tues....your support would be greatly appreciated. It
has been 7 years and people forget.  Can you please inform the
public, being that the courtroom is almost empty.

This from LA Now:

San Jacinto police and Riverside County firefighters responded to the 900 block of Idyllwild Drive about 1:20 a.m. after someone reported seeing fireworks at what used to be San Jacinto Golf Center, said Herlinda Valenzuela, a spokeswoman for the Riverside County Sheriff's Department. 

"They thought it was fireworks, but once we got there, it was actually a fire," Valenzuela said.

It appeared that the two men had been stealing wires from a transformer and, in the process, accidentally electrocuted themselves, she said.

 

Here's the story:

A Walnut man who forced his way into a Pomona apartment Monday evening was shot after he stabbed a man inside the residence.

Paramedics flew Anthony Zabele, 27, to Los Angeles County USC Medical Center for treatment of gunshot wounds to his lower legs.

Police received a call about a stabbing and shooting in the 700 block of East Third Street at 6:14 p.m. They found Keith Kilpatrick, 28, of San Bernardino, April Chacon, 24, of Pomona and Zabele in the apartment.

Officers discovered that Zabele entered the apartment and attacked Kilpatrick and Chacon. Kilpatrick was stabbed during the fight. Kilpatrick shot Zabele in self-defense, police said.

This from the WDN:

WHITTIER - After only a year of being in business, a controversial shop that specializes in adult items has closed.
Good Time, located at 13425 Whittier Blvd., closed on May 28, city officials said. The store had gotten complaints from neighbors who thought it did not belong in a residential neighborhood, officials said.

From the "Only in Pasadena" file:

PASADENA - Cornered atop a parking structure with no way out, a suspected bank robber made a desperate move Monday as officers closed in - he jumped from the roof of the five-story structure.

Seriously injured, the man was taken to a hospital, where he was in critical condition, authorities said.

Workers in the area said they heard a scream, then heard a loud thump; several said they then saw the man lying on the ground before paramedics arrived.

About an hour earlier, at about 9:16 a.m., the man held up the California National Bank, 101 N. Lake Ave., telling a clerk he had a gun, police said.

He ran out with an undisclosed amount of cash. But a person inside the bank, either an employee or a teller, ran after the man, calling 9-1-1 and providing police with a "good" description of the robber, Pasadena Police Department spokeswoman Janet Pope Givens said.

I've been catching as much coverage of the trial as possible on television, and the witness testimony all seems to have a common thread -- Rockefeller's a liar. 

He seems relaxed and subdued, really. Not crazed.

Suffolk County DA spokesman Jake Wark has been doing some writing of his own with lively press releases. Here's an excerpt from today's media memo, following the testimony of Sandra Boss, Rockefeller's ex:

Cross-examination of GERHARTSREITER's second ex-wife is expected to take place tomorrow morning. For planning purposes, his first ex-wife and an FBI print examiner may take the stand thereafter, but this is not set in stone.

Online editor Rod Leveque has been working with a database tracking local homicides and has put together some interesting displays, including a Google map and charts based on the data.

As seen by Larry Wilson, our public editor:

Sign at the counter at beantown on baldwin in sierra madre says it's no longer accepting $100 bills after rash of counterfeit 100s were passed in the town ...

We're checking on it