LA Weekly takes a look at SGV’s case of Linsanity

It’s something we’ve been talking about in the newsroom, but seems more and more apparent — GOP Assembly candidate Dr. Matthew Lin has a really good chance of taking out Dem Ed Chau of Montebello in the 49th Assembly District.

Why?

As Simone Wilson points out in a piece published in Thursday’s LA Weekly it could be as simple as Lin’s track record as an open mind on the San Marino City Council. Then again, it could be something else entirely:

Lin isn’t exactly demure about his nearly 40 years as an orthopedic
surgeon, or the praise he gets. “People tell me, ‘We don’t need more
personal-injury lawyers in Sacramento. … We need a healer, we need a
doctor,'” he says.

Weina Xiong, a young Chinese immigrant who recently began
volunteering for Lin’s campaign, agrees: “Doctor is much better than
lawyer.”

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“Clark Rockefeller” to be charged in San Marino murder mystery

This from City News Service, via the Los Angeles County DA’s Office:

LOS ANGELES — A man who allegedly posed as a member of the Rockefeller
family was charged today with the 1985 murder of a San Marino man whose
body was discovered nearly a decade later.
Prosecutors are seeking the extradition Christian K. Gerhartsreiter, a 50-year-old
German national, who is serving a prison sentence in Massachusetts for kidnapping.
Press Release: Jane Robinson:  “A con man who crisscrossed the country under assumed identities including posing as a Rockefeller was charged today with the 1985 murder of a San Marino man whose body was discovered a decade later.
Christian K. Gerhartstreiter, 50, a German national better known as Clark Rockefeller was charged with the Feb 1985 murder of JHohn Sohus. Deputy DA Habib A. Balian with major crimes filed a felony complaint in Alhambra Superior Court seeking the defendant’s arrest and extradition from Massachusetts. 
John Sohus, 27, was last seen in early 1985 shortly after his disappearance a man calling himself Christopher also vanished, Investigators later identified Christopher Chichester as Gerhartsreiter.
 In May 1994 a body was discovered buried behind the Sohus home on Lorain Road. The remains were later identified as John Sohus. An investigation determined he was killed by Blunt Force Trauma to the head. The case was filed Tuesday in Alhambra Superior Court. Detectives are seeking $10 million bail. 

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San Marino burglars take man’s ashes

This comes from reporter Beige Luciano-Adams:

SAN MARINO – Mary Jean and Charles Lynberg had long talked about spreading their ashes together after their deaths.

“He’d say Laguna, I’d say La Jolla – and he’d joke and say, `I’ll never find you there.’ I wouldn’t really care where they’re spread, just as long as they’re together,” Mary Jean said.

But burglars who broke into her home last Wednesday spoiled her plans.

Lynberg said she returned home from a short afternoon outing and found her home ransaked and the box containing her husband’s ashes gone.

Charles A. Lynberg died of cancer three years ago, leaving his wife alone in their San Marino home of 25 years.

Apparently there’s a rash of these instances. Then there’s the urn found Sunday in Covina. Don’t know if there’s any relationship between the two stories.

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Who is Clark Rockefeller?

Lifetime unveiled their heavily advertised made-for-TV movie this week. In case you missed it, here’s my review: (Snippet below)

Every now and again we in the newspaper business get packages containing DVDs of upcoming television programs.

It’s never anything good like “The Sopranos” or “Man v. Food.” So usually the DVDs end up in the round file with the all the other junk that entertainment publicists send here.

Needless to say that basket has been filled up with its share of Artemis Pyle CDs and “Dora the Explorer” lunchboxes.

About two weeks ago I got a DVD from Lifetime Network as part of a package touting an upcoming movie titled “Who is Clark Rockefeller?”

Honestly I had no desire to watch it.

Besides re-runs of “The Simpsons,” my box set of “The Wire,” “Poorman’s Bikini Beach” “Kelly’s Heroes” “Dirty Harry” or just about any Jackie Chan movie, my boob tube diet is limited – and it doesn’t include Lifetime.

But instead of tossing it, I stuffed it in a box in my garage and forgot about it.

I understand why they sent it my way.

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Dateline NBC focuses on San Marino mystery

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:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

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Notes from the Rockefeller case

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:

 

Continue reading “Notes from the Rockefeller case” »

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Verdict in Rockefeller case — Guilty

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

Guilty of parental kidnapping, guilty of assault using a dangerous weapon, not guilty of battery, not guilty of furnishing a false name.

Rockefeller, whose real name is Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter, is a person of interest in a 1985 missing persons case in San Marino.
Rockefeler is in court now. Jurors have been deliberating since Monday afternoon.
It remains to be seen what effect the verdict will have on California authorities who suspect Rockefeller in the 1985 disappearance of John and Linda Sohus and their possible slayings.
Rockefeller, as Christopher Chichester, lived in a home with the Sohuses on Lorain Road in San Marino.
Rockefeller faces a lengthy sentence in Boston for the kidnapping verdict. Sentencing will take place at 2 p.m. Eastern
Defense lawyers for Rockefeller hoped to earn an acquittal for their client on the theory he was insane.
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UPDATE: Indictment for Rockefeller in San Marino case?

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.

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Notes from the trial of “Clark Rockefeller”

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.

But there are some other interesting glimpses as well. Vanity Fair reporter Mark Seal offered some insight Wednesday with these observations:


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.



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Clark Rockefeller: ready to stand trial

Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter, aka Clark Rockefeller, stands trial Tuesday morning in Boston on charges stemming from the abduction of his daughter Reigh “Snooks” Boss last summer.

What happens after that is anybody’s guess. The Los Angeles County District Attorney has convened a grand jury looking into allegations that Rockefeller was once Christopher Chichester, lived in San Marino and was the last person to see John and Linda Sohus alive.
The couple vanished in 1985 without a trace. Bones found in the backyard of the Lorain Road home where they lived surfaced in 1994, and they are believed to be those of John Sohus.
Here’ some of the stories cooking on the wire this Memorial Day afternoon:
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