Retaining unfounded abuse reports in database is justified
The County of Los Angeles does not violate a man’s due process and privacy rights by retaining in its internal database 2014 allegations against him of child abuse which had been determined by a judge of the Los Angeles Superior Court’s Juvenile Court to be unfounded, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held yesterday.
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City unable to limit profane political speech
Political speech is protected by the First Amendment, even if it’s profane. City of Warren Manager Nancy Freenock said the city has received complaints about campaign flags. The flags, supporting President Donald Trump in the upcoming election, include phrases such as “No More Bull…” and “(Expletive) Your Feelings.”
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Male inmate claiming gender bias can’t sue under Unruh Act
A male state prisoner claiming an equal protection violation because those of his gender are not permitted to buy certain food and personal care products that female prisoners can obtain, cannot maintain an action under the Unruh Civil Rights Act, the Court of Appeal for this district has held, declaring that the act does not create rights where other laws have reasonably limited them.
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Appellate court shuts down Oakland’s speech protection suit against coal exporters
A state appellate court chided the city of Oakland Thursday for bringing an anti-SLAPP motion against developers of what stands to be the largest coal export terminal on the West Coast on the site of a decommissioned army base in West Oakland. The city is accused of trying to thwart the project being developed by a cadre of industry players like Phil Tagami, President of California Capital & Investment Group.
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Federal appeals court decision may impact police immunity from lawsuits
When the Virginia Senate sidelined a bill last week that would have stripped police officers in the state of immunity from lawsuits alleging brutality and violations of constitutional rights, the result was to leave families to face arduous and expensive court fights to hold officers accountable.
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Senate approves new federal judge for Riverside
John W. Holcomb was confirmed Tuesday by the Senate to be a U.S. District Court judge presiding over matters in Riverside after spending his legal career in private practice, primarily focusing on intellectual property law. The Senate voted 83-12 to confirm President Donald Trump’s appointment of Holcomb to fill the vacancy created when District Judge Dean D. Pregerson assumed senior status in January 2016.
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Unions dealt major blow with 1st Circuit ruling on lobbying dues
Private-sector unions can’t force employees to contribute toward lobbying activities, the First Circuit ruled Tuesday, the latest court defeat for labor organizers since a major Supreme Court loss in 2018. Glenn Taubman, staff attorney for the National Right to Work Legal Defense and Education Foundation, predicted in an interview that the court’s reasoning could apply to every private-sector union in the country.
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Public employees who leave a union can’t claw back dues, court rules
The Supreme Court’s 2018 ruling that barred public employee unions from collecting fees from nonmembers did not give union members a right to resign and recover dues they have already paid, a federal appeals court said Wednesday.
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Calif. law deans push for open-book bar exam in October
A group of 15 law school deans from around California on Monday urged the state Supreme Court to shift the upcoming bar exam to an open-book test, saying students are grappling with a slew of unprecedented challenges caused by wildfires, COVID-19 and racism.
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Disabled grads sue in Calif. over bar exam, claim virus risk
Plans for disabled law school graduates to take the California bar exam in-person puts them at special risk of contracting Covid-19, according to a new lawsuit. As many as 11,000 people are scheduled to take the exam online Oct. 5-6, but a small group has been asked to travel to sit for it in-person to accommodate special needs.
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Young woman’s conviction upheld for USC student’s killing
A state appeals court Tuesday upheld a young woman’s conviction for her involvement as a 16-year-old in the beating death of a USC graduate student from China, but ordered the case against her to be sent back to the trial court for re-sentencing.
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Ninth Circuit overturns federal judge’s ban on immigration holds in California
The Ninth Circuit overturned a federal judge’s ban on immigration holds throughout Southern California on Friday, finding the judge wrongly concluded it is unconstitutional for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to rely solely on information from its own databases in making probable cause determinations for such holds.
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Federal appeals court denies Florida felons owing fines the right to vote
In a 6-4 decision on Friday, the US Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit ruled that felons in the state of Florida cannot have their voting rights restored until they pay all restitution, fines and fees. Chief Judge William Pryor, writing for the majority, first noted the “historic amendment” that Florida voters passed in 2018, Amendment 4.
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Judge says survivor of unmarried same-sex couple due Social Security benefits
A member of a same-sex couple whose partner died before they could legally marry is entitled to the same Social Security survivor’s benefits as a widow or widower, a federal judge ruled Friday. In denying benefits to a woman in Washington state whose partner of 27 years died in 2006, six years before the state legalized same-sex marriage, the Social Security Administration “relied on an unconstitutional law that discriminated on the basis of sexual orientation,” said U.S. District Judge James Robart of Seattle.
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COVID-19 & Justice System |
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Landlords sue CA, LA County over rent, eviction measures
A group of apartment owners and lessors are suing the state, Los Angeles County and multiple cities, alleging they have been forced through tenant eviction protection ordinances enacted during the coronavirus pandemic to shoulder financial burdens that should be borne by the public at large.
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Feds have no duty to subsidize strip clubs in a pandemic, judge rules
Strip clubs cannot force the Trump administration to make them eligible for pandemic relief loans because the government has no legal obligation to provide financial aid to erotic dance clubs, a federal judge ruled Friday.
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Delays in Santa Barbara County jury trials lead to impacts across court system
Santa Barbara County jury trials have been delayed since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, impacting defendants, victims, judges and attorneys who continue to seek justice. "(A defendant's) fundamental right to a trial, let alone a speedy trial, for all intents and purposes has been stripped away," said Tracy Macuga, who heads the County Office of the Public Defender.
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Former manager at Police Academy gun store charged with stealing guns, unlawfully selling to others
A former civilian manager of a gun store at the Los Angeles Police Academy has been charged with stealing more than 20 weapons and then illegally selling them, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced today. Archi Duenas was charged in case BA489891 with one felony count each of grand theft of a firearm, grand theft by embezzlement and illegal possession of an assault weapon.
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LA County sheriff's deputy charged with fraud related to disability benefits
A Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy was charged Monday with workers' compensation fraud for allegedly filing a fake claim for disability benefits. Kevin Adams, 47, of Covina, is set to be arraigned Jan. 11 on one count of workers' compensation insurance fraud. He was arrested Monday morning and released in less than two hours on zero bail, according to online jail records.
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LAPD will refer incident in which firefighter punched restrained detainee to D.A.
The Los Angeles Police Department will refer to prosecutors for possible criminal charges a 2019 incident in which an L.A. firefighter punched a restrained detainee in the head, police officials said Friday.
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Feds charge Palm Desert man in firebombing of Republican women’s club’s office in La Quinta
A Palm Desert man faces a federal charge of attempted arson in the May 31 firebombing of the East Valley Republican Women Federated office in La Quinta. Carlos Espriu, 23, was named in the federal criminal complaint and is expected to be taken into federal custody later Thursday for an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles Friday.
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DA race Los Angeles - George Gascón: A political chameleon
George Gascón panders to progressive audiences by claiming to support efforts to defund the police and moral opposition to the death penalty. The truth is Gascón’s positioning on the death penalty depends on his audience. During an interview with the ADDA, Gascón was specifically asked if he would change the LADA policy on the death penalty if elected.
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Los Angeles’ divisive - and defining - District Attorney’s race
As a summer of unrest draws to a close, the contest to lead the nation’s largest district attorney’s office is heating up. The two candidates running for Los Angeles district attorney are incumbent Jackie Lacey, who took office in 2012, and George Gascón, who served as San Francisco’s chief of police before taking over as San Francisco’s district attorney in 2011, when Kamala Harris became California’s attorney general.
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LA County DA candidates share views on Zoom meeting
LA County district attorney candidates, incumbent Jackie Lacey and former San Francisco DA George Gascón, were asked what they admired about each other during a Zoom meeting hosted by All Saints Church in Pasadena. The compliments didn’t last long.
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Jackie Lacey v. George Gascon: Do Angelenos want a progressive new district attorney?
Following the March primary, the race for the Los Angeles district attorney’s office whittled down to moderate incumbent Jackie Lacey and former San Francisco district attorney George Gascon, who is running on a platform of lowering the prison population.
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Beware of George Soros’ trojan horse prosecutors
George Soros, with his hundreds of millions in donations, has ended the U.S. Constitution in Chicago, Philly, San Fran and trying to end it in Los Angeles. He backs candidates for DA that oppose arrest of criminals, that go after cops and refuse to send criminals to prison.
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SF DA Chesa Boudin, George Gascón & others start reform-focused prosecutors group
Several current and former Bay Area top prosecutors joined forces on Tuesday to create a first-of-its-kind law enforcement association focused on criminal justice reform. San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin, his predecessor George Gascón, Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton, and San Joaquin County’s Tori Salazar are the founding members of the Prosecutors Alliance of California.
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Deputies Shot/Related Issues |
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Reward for wanted gunman who shot 2 Los Angeles sheriff's deputies grows to $675,000
The reward offered for a gunman wanted in the shooting of two Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies last week has grown to nearly $700,000, officials said. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors had initially authorized a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the gunman who shot the deputies multiple times in their parked patrol SUV Saturday night in what officials described as an ambush-style attack.
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Lynwood City Manager on paid leave following social media post in response to shooting of deputies
Lynwood City Manager Jose Ometeotl was placed on paid administrative leave Tuesday night pending an internal investigation after he posted a response to the shooting of two sheriff's deputies in Compton. Ometeotl posted a response on his Instagram account on Sunday to the shooting of the two deputies with a photo of Malcolm X with writing over it that said "Chickens come home to roost.''
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Faith leaders appeal for peace and swift recovery of LA County sheriff's deputies
Community activist Sweet Alice Harris was among a group of leaders who visited St. Francis Hospital Wednesday to pray for the recovery of the two sheriff's deputies who were shot in Compton and also to show unity with law enforcement.
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Several LA county, city officials calling for Sheriff Villanueva to resign
Several key city and county officials are calling on Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva to resign. Those calling for the elected sheriff to step down include county supervisors Mark Ridley-Thomas and Sheila Kuehl, as well as Los Angeles City Councilman David Ryu.
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Inspector General says prelim evidence suggests parts of claims made by sheriff's may be false in reporter's arrest
With the inspector general questioning the sheriff's version of events leading to the arrest of a local reporter, the commission that oversees the agency asked county attorneys Thursday to prepare a report on legal responsibilities involved in law enforcement activities at protests.
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Media companies complain to sheriff's dept. about arrest of reporter
A coalition of 64 media organizations called on the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Wednesday to withdraw a citation against KPCC and LAist reporter Josie Huang, who was pinned to the ground and handcuffed while covering an arrest of a man outside a hospital following the shooting of two deputies in Compton.
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Vanessa Bryant questions LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva’s challenge to LeBron James
Vanessa Bryant, the widow of the late Kobe Bryant, does not appear to want Lakers superstar LeBron James to take up a challenge from Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva to double a reward for information leading to the arrest of a gunman who critically wounded two deputies in an ambush attack.
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Grocery stores are pushing California to be tougher on crime. Here’s why
In 2003, Brian Beinlich stood before a judge in an Orange County courtroom, barely comprehending what had happened. The judge had just told Beinlich he was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences in prison. He would not be eligible for parole for 81 years. His crime? Stealing two bottles of Hennessy from a Costco in Fountain Valley, Calif., and waving a box cutter at the security guards who chased him down.
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Newsom signs bill changing sex offender law
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday signed a law that would give judges a say on whether to list someone as a sex offender for having oral or anal sex with a minor. The bill would expand the discretion currently granted judges in statutory rape cases and was promoted as bringing fairness under the law to LGBTQ defendants.
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A crime reporting app shifts to tracking COVID-19, raising privacy questions
Citizen, an app that lets you see unverified crime reports in your neighborhood, has often been used to advance false claims. One doozy: a tiger reportedly loose in Manhattan that turned out to be a raccoon. Now the company wants to help cities track cases of COVID-19.
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California’s department of justice is facing a lawsuit from blocking the Title 1 firearm
The Department of Justice, also known as the D.O.J., for the state of California has blocked the legal transaction of purchasing the “Title 1” Firearm manufactured by Franklin Armory. California’s D.O.J. has been using what’s known as a backdoor ban, meaning that they are using different tactics to block the legal transaction of the Title 1 Firearm.
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In effort to change sex crimes law, California governor's LGBTQ rights record faces a test
A California bill intended to prevent discrimination against LGBTQ people in sex crime convictions has captured the attention of Republicans and far-right conspiracy theorists, who are demanding a veto from Gov. Gavin Newsom and say state Democratic leaders are putting teenagers at risk.
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Majority of police reform bills struggle to pass California Legislature
During the final day before recess in the California State Legislature, lawmakers scrambled to vote on dozens of bills on Aug. 31. California senators and Assembly members grew impatient throughout the night due to technology issues and scuffles between lawmakers.
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LA County votes to establish local ordinance to support crackdown on human trafficking
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to develop an ordinance to crack down on human and sex trafficking, targeting motels, hotels, massage parlors and sports and entertainment venues. Supervisors Mark Ridley-Thomas and Janice Hahn co-authored a motion calling for enforcement at the local level.
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Grand Park to close down for maintenance after a summer of protests and homeless encampments
Grand Park in downtown Los Angeles will be closed for maintenance, graffiti removal and other repairs. Sheriff's officials declared an unlawful assembly at the north end of the park Sunday, clearing the area of all occupants, including protesters and homeless people who had erected tents and canopies in the park's playground and dog park area.
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Civic group says L.A. Council met illegally when federal judge held court in City Hall
By any account, the Aug. 7 hearing convened in Los Angeles City Hall by U.S. District Judge David O. Carter was unusual. “This is a rather historic occasion that the federal court would gather in the City Council chamber,” Carter, who took the chair usually reserved for the council president, said. “I hope it’s very positive.”
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Prep for layoffs, LA mayor tells city department managers
As city officials report revenues continuing to fall short amid an economic downturn spurred on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has called on city officials to prepare for a “potential layoff scenario.” In a letter issued Friday, Sept. 11, Garcetti directed the general managers of the city’s more than 30 departments to begin a “layoff evaluation” process and to identify positions that could be eliminated, among other potential cost-cutting measures.
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LA County Board backs proposition that would allow parolees to vote
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Tuesday threw its support, on a 4-1 vote, behind a proposition that seeks to restore voting rights to parolees. The November ballot measure would give U.S. citizens living in California on parole - an estimated 50,000 people - the right to vote.
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Muslim woman sues Los Angeles Police Department for forcibly removing her hijab
A 26-year-old Muslim woman is suing the Los Angeles Police Department a year after she said officers forcibly removed her hijab. The federal lawsuit, filed Thursday (Sept. 17) in the Central District of California, names the city of Los Angeles, Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore, police Detective Corey Harmon and four officers as defendants.
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A dramatically diminished L.A. school police force under proposed cuts
Two months after a divided Los Angeles Unified school board slashed funding for its police department by more than a third, the contours of a dramatically diminished force emerged this week. Under a plan presented to the board on Tuesday, police officers would be removed from school campuses and weekend patrols meant to protect schools from vandalism would be eliminated, among other cuts.
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SF lab analyst's arrest could impact city's criminal cases
A lab analyst at the San Francisco medical examiner's office has been arrested and charged in Utah after authorities say an evidence bag of methamphetamine was found in his car during a traffic stop. Justin Volk, 40, has been charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
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Unlikely endorsement: Oakland officers union endorses strengthening police commission
In a move that may stun many people, the Oakland police union has come out in support of a November ballot measure to strengthen the independent, citizen Oakland Police Commission, which has been a leading voice for defunding the department, reducing the use of force and greater disciplining of officers accused of misconduct.
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Orange County deputies under investigation for allegedly submitting doctored military orders to get paid time off
Several Orange County sheriff’s deputies, who are also military reservists, were accused of submitting doctored military orders to get time off from work. One of the deputies who was on probation has since been let go and six others were placed on administrative leave while the criminal and internal investigation continues.
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44 arrested in Beverly Hills for unemployment benefits fraud and identity theft
Since Sept. 3, police have arrested 44 people in Beverly Hills responsible for identity theft and EDD fraud totaling over $2.5 million, said the Beverly Hills Police Department. Police add that a total of 129 fraudulent California unemployment benefits debit cards have been recovered, and over $289,000 in U.S. currency have been located on the suspects and seized.
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LA Police Chief Michael Moore says pandemic driving up violence
Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore says the COVID-19 pandemic has helped drive gun violence and increase killings in the city this year, including spurring economic despair and interpersonal dramas while undercutting efforts to interrupt cycles of retaliation.
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Lawlessness in San Francisco blamed on District Attorney Chesa Boudin
The San Francisco Marina Times has a story about a meth-addicted homeless vagrant who was caught on video surveillance in August burgling a commercial building in the Mission District. Members of the San Francisco Police Department recognized the guy and actually knew exactly where he camped.
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OC Sheriff’s investigator admits to forging recommendation to help friend get hired
An 11-year veteran of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department remained under internal investigation as of Tuesday, Sept. 15, after admitting in August that he forged a recommendation for an applicant who was fired from the Pomona Police Department for making social media posts with racial connotations.
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Las Vegas man arrested in 40-year-old cold case of slain woman in San Bernardino County
A cold case from 1980 revolving around the slaying of an 18-year-old woman was finally solved with the help of DNA technology, nabbing a suspect in Las Vegas, Fontana police said. In 1980, officers discovered the body of Michelle "Missy" Jones in the city of Fontana near Live Oak and Santa Ana avenues.
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Draft report on L.A.'s response to summer protests notes flaws in inter-agency coordination
In the midst of rowdy protests, arsons and other property damage in Los Angeles this summer, officials from various city agencies that had been called into the field were requesting escorts from the already-overwhelmed Los Angeles Police without any centralized coordination and at times in areas where there was no unrest.
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With violent crime on the rise in Mpls., City Council asks: Where are the police?
The meeting was slated as a Minneapolis City Council study session on police reform. But for much of the two-hour meeting, council members told police Chief Medaria Arradondo that their constituents are seeing and hearing street racing which sometimes results in crashes, brazen daylight carjackings, robberies, assaults and shootings.
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Overview of Preliminary Uniform Crime Report, January - June, 2020
The FBI’s Preliminary Uniform Crime Report, January - June, 2020, reveals overall declines in the number of violent crimes and property crimes reported for the first six months of 2020 when compared with figures for the first six months of 2019. The report is based on information from 12,206 law enforcement agencies that submitted three to six months of comparable data for both years to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program.
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FBI task force targets drugs, gun sales from Asian gangs in Southern California
Authorities arrested 18 people who have ties to Asian gangs operating in Southern California that illegally sold drugs and guns as part of an 18-month investigation, federal officials said Tuesday. The probe into the Black Dragons, Wah Ching and Asian Boyz gangs was based on their activity in the San Gabriel Valley, said Jack Bennett, acting assistant director in charge of the FBI's Los Angeles field office.
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Ventura County woman arrested, accused of making false claims to police that landed ex-boyfriend in jail
A Newbury Park woman was arrested for making false emergency calls to police, including stalking, which resulted in her ex-boyfriend's arrest, authorities said. The Ventura County Sheriff's Office says that 23-year-old Emily Bolio told deputies she was battered and threatened with a knife by her ex-boyfriend, who lives in Reno, Nevada, following a report to the sheriff's office on Aug. 12 that Bolio was possibly the victim of domestic violence.
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FBI strategy addresses evolving cyber threat
FBI Director Christopher Wray announced the Bureau’s new strategy for countering cyber threats in remarks at the National Cybersecurity Summit today. The strategy, Wray explained, is to “impose risk and consequences on cyber adversaries” - making it harder for both cyber criminals and foreign governments to use malicious cyber activity to achieve their objectives.
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Protests & Related Issues |
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Police chief says protests have hurt department’s ability to respond to crime
Long Beach Police Department Chief Robert Luna said that his department’s focus on dozens of protests over the past few months have hindered its ability to respond to crimes in the city. “Managing these protests takes a lot of time, effort, money and resources,” Luna said.
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Tustin Police Department's new video series creates open dialogue
The sight of Sgt. Robert Nelson, dressed in a backward hat, black hoodie, and talking into a cellphone, may not be the image most residents connect with the Tustin Police Department. But the message - his take on the George Floyd killing - was real, it was heartfelt, and it was a perfect way for the Tustin Police Department to kick off its recent campaign to connect with the community.
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LA Sheriff to politicians: Emphasize trust in justice system
The Los Angeles County sheriff on Monday criticized elected officials, sports figures and civic leaders for “fanning the flames of hatred” as America grapples with racism and police brutality, saying they instead should emphasize trust in the criminal justice system.
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Phoenix police now patrolling with 2 officers together at all times
The Phoenix Police Department is making changes to how they patrol the streets following a couple of violent incidents against law enforcement. The department will have two officers patrolling together at all times. "I stand with Chief Williams on this decision, to ensure our brave officers have proper back-up," said Councilman Michael Nowakowski, who represents District 7.
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Attorney General William Barr suggests charging violent protesters with sedition
Attorney General William Barr expressed frustration with some local and state prosecutors' handling of riot-related crimes, telling top Justice Department prosecutors that he wants them to be aggressive in bringing charges related to protest violence, including exploring using a rarely used sedition law, according to a person familiar with the matter.
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Man indicted, accused of shining laser into sergeant's eye during Portland protest
A grand jury indicted a man Tuesday who's accused of injuring a Portland Police Bureau sergeant by shining a high-powered laser into his eye during a protest. The suspect, 36-year-old Bryan Kelley, is charged with one count of second-degree assault, one count of unlawful use of a weapon, and two counts of unlawful directing of light from a laser pointer.
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Ohio high school reinstates two football players suspended for carrying 'thin blue line,' 'thin red line' flags on field
Two Little Miami High School football players are no longer suspended from the football team after they ran onto the field carrying a “thin blue line” flag and a “thin red line” flag. Before Little Miami's game on Sept. 11, cornerback Brady Williams and linebacker Jared Bentley ran onto the field carrying these flags.
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U.S. Senators demand Amazon recall unsafe products
Three United States Senators are demanding Amazon recall hazardous "Amazon Basics" labeled products after an investigation revealed the products melted, burst into flames, or exploded. Amazon Basics is one of Amazon's private-label product lines, offering more than 5,000 products that range from cell phone chargers to kitchen appliances.
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Amazon under fire for Covid-19 pandemic price gouging
Amazon charged consumers inflated prices for Covid-19 pandemic essentials, says a consumer watchdog report accusing the world’s largest online retailer of price gouging. Relying on its observations and data from price-tracking sites, the nonprofit public interest group found Amazon "jacking up prices on face masks, toilet paper, and antibacterial soap by up to 1,000% .”
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Proposition 20 would change current laws that criminals take advantage of
With the elections approaching, Californians are proposing a new law to fix some unintended consequences of existing laws. Proposition 20, also known as the Criminal Sentencing, Parole, and DNA Collection Initiative, would restrict early parole, recategorize crimes, and require DNA collection for some misdemeanors. It will be on the ballot on Nov. 3.
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District attorneys, victims’ groups urge Proposition 20 opposition
A letter, sponsored by several of the largest crime victims’ organizations in California, was sent to mayors of the state’s 13 largest cities Thursday, urging them to oppose Proposition 20 - a statewide initiative that they believe will increase incarceration rates and costs, while cutting investments in services necessary to help survivors.
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Prop. 20: Tougher penalties, parole req’s for non-violent crimes; DNA collection for convicts
There’s some serious debate surrounding a little-covered measure up for a popular vote in two months: Proposition 20. What is Proposition 20? In a nutshell, it’s three separate things: It would allow prosecutors the option to charge some theft-related misdemeanors as felonies. It would make it harder for those convicted of “non-violent” crimes to get early parole.
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California aims to phase out state-operated youth prisons
After years of fruitless debate, California now is on the verge of phasing out its state-operated juvenile prison system, a move hailed by reform advocates and criticized by counties that would assume responsibility for some of the state’s most violent criminal youth.
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New California law helps former inmate firefighters get jobs
California’s inmate firefighters will have a shot at becoming professional firefighters once they complete their sentences, under a bill Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law on Friday. The new law will allow state and county inmates who train as firefighters to seek to erase the criminal records that often are a bar to employment as firefighters or in other professions.
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Attack on California prison nurse investigated as attempted murder, CDCR says
An inmate at a prison in Stockton hit a registered nurse on the head with an unknown object in an attack authorities were investigating as an attempted homicide, California prison officials said. The nurse was recovering from his injuries at his home after the attack on Monday afternoon, according to a news release issued Tuesday by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
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Man convicted of murder granted clemency denied parole
A man who was convicted of a 1994 murder has been denied parole. Richard Flowers, 64, was denied parole during a video conference on Wednesday afternoon. Tulare County District Attorney's prosecutors secured a 3-year parole denial for Flowers. In 1994, Flowers stabbed, strangled, and robbed 78-year-old Mary Eloise Garcia in her Tulare home.
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Inmate dies after being attacked by cellmate at Corcoran prison
An investigation is underway after authorities say an inmate was killed at the California State Prison in Corcoran on Thursday night. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) said 44-year-old Adrian Rodriguez died after being attacked by his cellmate, 29-year-old Daniel Santo, around 8:15 p.m.
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New legislation allows inmate firefighters to be eligible for professional firefighting careers
The California Senate approved a bill on Aug. 31 that will allow nonviolent offenders who volunteer in fire camps as inmate firefighters to get their records expunged and become eligible to serve as firefighters once released.
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Convictions/Plea/Sentence |
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LAPD officer sentenced to probation on employee time theft allegation
A Los Angeles Police Department officer was sentenced on Friday for alleged time theft at work. Monica Renee Moore was accused of falsely reporting that she was at work 18 times between April 2017 and October 2018 and was paid $8,543 in wages for those hours, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
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Former SD sheriff's captain pleads guilty to trafficking ‘off-roster' firearms
A former San Diego County sheriff's captain pleaded guilty Tuesday to running a longstanding illegal arms trafficking operation, in which he bought and resold guns available only to law enforcement for both financial and professional gain.
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Camarillo man found guilty of hate crime against African American fisherman
Ventura County District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced Friday that, on Aug. 31, a jury found a Ventura County man guilty of a hate crime against an African American man. On Sept. 25 of 2019, 50-year-old Vidal Fregoso of Camarillo allegedly approached 72-year-old Luther Swayne, an African American man, while the two were on an overnight offshore fishing charter that originated in Ventura County.
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Man charged with alleged unprovoked bus stabbing near LAX pleads not guilty
A man suspected in an alleged unprovoked stabbing attack on an LAX custodian aboard a shuttle bus has pleaded not guilty to an attempted murder charge, according to court records. Ryan M. Gimeno, 41, also denied a second charge of carrying a concealed dagger and was ordered to return to court in October to set a date for a preliminary hearing.
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La Crescenta man sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison for trying to obtain deadly biological toxins
A La Crescenta man was sentenced Monday to 3 1/2 years behind bars for attempting to obtain deadly biological toxins via the dark web and ship the poisons through the mail to a commercial building in downtown Los Angeles. Steve S. Kim, 42, now claims he intended to use ricin to commit suicide, but there are indications he may have planned to murder his wife or another person with the undetectable toxin, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
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The IRS offers a $625,000 bounty to anyone who can break Monero and Lightning
The United States Internal Revenue Service has offered a bounty of up to $625,000 to anyone who can break purportedly untraceable privacy coins such as Monero as well as trace transactions on Bitcoin’s Lightning Network. The official proposal, published last week, says the IRS will accept submissions in the form of working prototypes until Sept. 16.
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Supreme Court makes local tax hikes easier
In a roundabout, passive way, the California Supreme Court last week handed a big victory to the advocates of higher taxes. Without comment, the justices declined to take up a state appellate court decision that would allow specialized local government taxes to be increased by a simple majority of voters, if they are placed on the ballot by initiative petitions rather than by the governments themselves.
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Ready for an evacuation? Here’s what to pack
One key to getting through any emergency situation is preparation. With wildfires raging across California, more and more residents are being faced with having to evacuate. The Mendocino Complex fire is now the largest wildfire in state history, a record previously held by last year’s Thomas fire. The first thing to pack should be your “go bag” of essentials.
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Fired clubhouse attendant files suit against Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, MLB
The attorneys for a former Los Angeles Angels clubhouse attendant who was fired earlier this year have filed a complaint in Orange County Superior Court, alleging that their client was unfairly depicted as "a scapegoat" in Major League Baseball's efforts to curb the use of foreign substances.
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We must vote like as if our lives depended on it … because it does!
Noted activist, playwright and novelist, James Baldwin, wrote “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” His words are as relevant today as they were when Baldwin first wrote them. The world is out of sync.
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Entertainment Union Coalition hails new law easing path for workers to borrow from their pension plans
The Entertainment Union Coalition is hailing a bill signed into law by California Governor Gavin Newsom that will make it easier for workers to borrow from their employer-sponsored pension plans. EUC members include SAG-AFTRA, the California IATSE Council, Laborers Local 724, and Teamsters Local 399.
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Benefit reductions, price hikes coming for CalPERS long-term care insurance plans
CalPERS hasn’t publicly estimated how much it might raise premiums on its long-term care insurance policies next year, but the anticipated rate hikes are prompting the system to consider a wide range of changes including benefit reductions.
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