Pasadena: July 2008 Archives

Firefighters from several local agencies left for Mariposa County Sunday to help officials there battle the "Telegraph Fire," officials said.
A strike team led by Pasadena Fire Department Battalion Chief Scott Dandridge was called to the fire Sunday afternoon, Pasadena Fire Department spokeswoman Lisa Derderian said.
The strike team includes one engine from the Pasadena Fire Department, two engines from the Glendale Fire Department, one engine from the Monrovia Fire Department and one engine from the Monterey Park Fire Department, Derderian said.
The fast-spreading blaze has charred more than 18,000 acres since Friday as wooded slopes ignited amid hot, dry conditions that have plagued California for months. The fire was completely uncontained Sunday morning.
The wildfire led officials to order the evacuations of 170 homes under immediate threat. About 2,000 homes faced at least some danger from the fast-spreading flames.
Most of the evacuated homes are in the town of Midpines, located along Highway 140, about 12 miles from the park.
Cal Fire spokesman Daniel Berlant said the southern edge of the blaze was as little as two miles from Mariposa, a town of about 1,800 residents.

This letter comes from Gloria Baptiste, sister of Shawn Baptiste, who was shot to death in Pasadena Fre. 7, 2007/ Baptiste was one of several killed during a spike of violence that took hold in Pasadena in 2007. Here's the letter:

 

During the week of July 14, 2008 a preliminary hearing took place at the Pasadena Superior Courthouse. The prosecution presented its evidence which included witness testimonies and audio tapings. At the end of the week-long proceedings the four men suspected of murder; Michael Grigsby, Jerrell Sanford, Jeremi Carr and Dwayne Rice, were formally charged with murder of Shawn Baptiste and attempted murder against the two men who were in the car with Shawn when the shooting took place. The case goes to trial August 1, 2008.

 

I know you probably get many stories similar to this, especially with the rising gang violence that has plagued Pasadena over the last 18 months. The violence has not only affected my family, but also the families of the other victims. However, what about the families of those who are guilty for these acts? What about the mothers of the four men on trial for the murder of my brother? Do they not grieve over the loss of their son? Do the men on trial not grieve over the loss of their future; their freedom?

I love listening to Coast to Coast AM when I'm out late. There's always some interesting discussion (usually kooky) but hey as PT Barnum said ...

Anyway, I noticed the show has linked to Tuesday's Column about Oregon psychic Beyona Queen and the investigation into the death of Pasadena police Lt. David Richter. It's one of their "hot stories of the day."

Thanks Art Bell or George Noory, or whoever is hosting now.

After reading the site, I decided to search Beyona Queen on Google and low and behold I found this:

 

    The death of retired Pasadena Police Lt. David Richter has highlighted the need for responsible journalism in a time when tabloid reporting and the sentiments of bloggers are confused with news.

    Richter's abandoned car was found by a water-filled pit in Irwindale last January. Police assumed the retired lieutenant had either taken his own life or simply walked away from his financial troubles.

    The later discovery of Richter's corpse and a firearm under a nearby overpass seems to corroborate the theory that Richter took his own life. But then there's the conspiracy theorists, and admittedly the case possesses all the potential of a Law and Order episode.

    Thursday, I read an article by Andre Coleman of the Pasadena Weekly. Buried on page 13, the article uses an unnamed source and anonymous letter to create speculation amongst readers. After a short recap of the facts, Coleman delves into a lengthy digress about an anonymous letter sent to members of the Pasadena City Council.  The letter alleges everything from police malfeasance to racism.

    Coleman's sublimation of this anonymous letter leads to another anonymous source:

"According to an earlier conversation with one coroner's office employee who did not wish to be named, among the factors that may have led authorities to reopen the case (the case was never closed) was that a gun found near Richter's body appeared to have been fired four times, and one bullet remained in the weapon."

    Keeping in mind that they are a tabloid, I find it alarming that the Pasadena Weekly published this story. Had someone in the coroner's office made the statement, a statement that Los Angeles County Coroner Assistant Chief Ed Winter doubts the legitimacy of, I would have written it off as conjecture, rather than present it as news. How would someone in the coroner's office know this information? According to Winter, homicide detectives would have taken the weapon and run ballistics on it, not the coroners office. While the article spends ample time on anonymous sources, it fails to mention Richter's financial possible motives for Richter to commit suicide.

    Prior to writing my article on Richter, I searched for reliable information, unfortunately reliable sources of information weren't permitted to comment.

    Friday I spoke with a psychic who claims the spirit of David Richter awakens her every morning seeking justice for his murder.

    Monday morning I listened to a voice-mail from an anonymous caller who presented himself as law enforcement by using the word "we" often in his rant. I listened to the message several times in an ill-fated attempt to extract meaningful insight.

"You'll never find out what happened, because that's what happens to us good cops when we make promises we can't keep."

What promises? Promises to financial institutions involving adjustable rate mortgages?

    After racking my brain for three days I had an epiphany: there probably isn't any credible information indicating Richter's death was anything but a suicide.

    Let's face it, Richter was a retired cop and retired cops kill themselves. By the age of 55 Richter had spent his entire adult life in law enforcement, and didn't have a spouse or children.

    Police who survive years of service, only to take their own lives after retirement is not a new concept. My own grandfather retired after 30 years as a Philadelphia homicide detective, and spent the next ten years drinking himself to death.

    Sure, it's possible that Richter caught a bullet during an old-west-style shootout with a crooked cop. However, it's far more likely that Richter was lamenting his career, his impending financial doom, and a Christmas without not only kin but comrade, last holiday season when he died.

    Regardless of what happened to Richter, it's important that journalists remember their role: to report the news not create it. That's why I take it as a compliment when bloggers like Aaron Proctor recognize me with a "ham and egger" award for "stealing" a story. So long as the Associated Press continues to recognize the difference between news coverage and misleading narratives, there just might be hope for the media and the role it should play in our society.

I saw this on Twitter. Don't know if it's true but, if it is, it's interesting:

PCCinTech The Mayor of Sierra Madre was given a parking ticket in Pasadena even though her car is total electric so exempt, so much for green? about 9 hours ago from web

Pasadena police have questioned three youths in connection with the Friday afternoon fire above Hastings Ranch.

There has been no arrests. The three were seen leaving the scene as soon smoke appeared.

No further information was available.

 *Three youths are reportedly now in custody according to one of our wire services.  We are confirming the story. (As of 5:46 p.m.) They are juveniles.

** From interview at 5:52 p.m. with Pasadena Fire Spokeswoman Lisa Derderian .. the youths were not residents of the area . . still trying to determine the origin a neighbor called it in great description and PPD were on it right away. . . .

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Pasadena PD may have an embarassing scandal on its hands in the wake of an article that appeared in Thursday's Pasadena Weekly.

Andre Coleman reexamines the investigation into the death of former police Lt. David Richter and turns up some interesting tidbits.

Here's the lede:

Homicide investigators with the LA County Sheriff's Department are taking a second look into the death of retired Pasadena police Officer David Richter -- a case that, although initially thought to be suicide, has already been at the center of an internal affairs investigation in Pasadena and caused at least one person to lash out anonymously against Pasadena police leadership.

<snip>

 

The semi-annual report to the Board of Supervisors by Special Counsel Merrick Bobb focuses on the treatment of women inmates and lawsuits against the department. Among those helping prepare the document was Pasadena police Chief Barney Melekian.

It would be interesting to see a similar report done on the Pasadena Police Department -- but then again they are not under a federal mandate to do so.

 

 

A man with a gun has apparently taken a hostage in Pasadena near the intersection of Michigan and Walnut, officials said. We are monitoring the situation.

This is occurring at a Massage Parlor, approximately 1190 block of Walnut 

As of 5:33 a man is in custody ...no one was hurt.

The man apparently came out waving a white t shirt when threatened by a Pasadena PD sharpshooter.

Byron Herrera, 39, of Pasadena, was arrested and held on $1 million bail Tuesday after he attempted to abduct a child at a home in the 1800 block of N. Raymond Avenue, officials said.

Here's what the Pasadena PD told reporter Brian Day:

"Shortly before noon the victim's mother observed the suspect grab the child by her shoulders and start to pull her into the front door of his apartment. The mother immediately notified her brothers and they ran to the suspect's residence, The suspect saw them and flen the residence. The suspect was located in the 1800 block of N. Raymond."