July 2011
27 posts
Jurors Sent Back to Deliberate Lesser Charge in... →
Jurors are either deadlocked or have most likely found Costa not guilty on the murder charges, as they continue to deliberate the lesser charges.
Homeless man killed in Fullerton police brawl;... →
via latimes.com
Investigators are seeking witnesses to a brawl involving Fullerton police that led to the death of a homeless man.
Kelly Thomas, 37, became involved in an altercation with officers (links to video that contains strong language) at the Fullerton bus depot July 5 that left him in critical condition on life-support.
He died five days later at the UC Irvine Medical Center in...
Failure to Follow Legal Procedures Results in,...
In short, a DUI arrest led to a “notice to appear”. When defendant appeared, there was no filing. Months later, the prosecutors filed a new case without an arrest warrant or proper notice. After appearing and challenging this procedural failure by the prosecutors, the judges denied the motion to dismiss, contrary to what the legislature passed as a law which REQUIRED this...
Jail conditions lawsuit can go to trial, appeals... →
Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca isn’t immune from liability in a racially motivated gang attack on an inmate at a county jail five years ago, a federal appeals court ruled Monday in sending the stabbing victim’s lawsuit to trial.
A panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in February that Baca could be sued by the inmate, who alleges Baca is deliberately indifferent to...
Motorists outraged at paying ‘voluntary’ red-light... →
LAPD believes suspect not responsible for Bryan... →
Unfortunately, eyewitness identifications are not always accurate. Likewise, there is even a jury instruction which warns jurors to be cautious about statements attributed to defendants if they are not recorded. Though the original suspect obviously had a criminal record, he apparently had been misidentified in this case, and therefore a tragedy of false identification and conviction was...
Federal Crimes Reaching Innocent Intent of... →
San Diego pays $500,000 to settle lawsuit... →
San Francisco may bar employers, landlords from... →
City officials are considering a law that would prohibit private employers, landlords and city contractors from inquiring about an individual’s arrest or conviction history before determining whether that person is qualified for a job or housing. If the law is approved, San Francisco would join Hawaii, New York, Massachusetts and Philadelphia in protecting most people with criminal records...
Bicyclist Killed in Possible Road Rage Crash →
L.A. County is seeing a spike in deputy-fraud... →
Expunged State Court Drug Possession Conviction...
A recent court case (Nunez-Reyes v. Holder) ruled that a STATE court conviction for drug possession that is expunged does NOT protect an immigrant from removal or deportation. If the case were a FEDERAL drug possession conviction, the person is protected. But a STATE court conviction? Not so. The old rule, Lujan-Armendariz v. INS, which indicated that equal protection allowed for protection...
Barron Hilton ordered to pay $4.9 million in... →
Barron Hilton, the younger brother of Paris Hilton, has been ordered to pay $4.9 million to a former gas station attendant he struck with his Mercedes-Benz, an attorney said Friday.
via latimes.com
Judge declares mistrial in Roger Clemens perjury... →
via latimes.com
Court: Jared Loughner can refuse anti-psychotic... →
July 13, 2011 8:16 a.m. EDT
CNN) — A three-judge federal appeals panel has ruled that Tucson shooting suspect Jared Lee Loughner can refuse anti-psychotic medication.
Tuesday’s ruling comes days after the court said it would review an appeal by attorneys for the government who argued the alleged gunman should be forced to take anti-psychotic drugs for his behavior.
The federal...
Rodney King free on bail after arrest on suspicion... →
Rodney G. King Jr. was free on bail Wednesday after being arrested in Moreno Valley on suspicion of driving under the influence.
King, 46, was the subject of the infamous videotaped beating by Los Angeles police in March 1991 that resulted in four officers being tried. Their acquittal led to the 1992 Los Angeles riots.
Since then King has had a number of run-ins with police across Southern...
Veteran LAPD officer indicted for prescription... →
Inmate may be first to be set free under 'medical... →
A man convicted of home invasion and serving 68 years is set to be released from prison under a law signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger allowing those deemed too disabled to no longer pose a threat to safety to be let out of prison.
via latimes.com
State prison protest continues →
About 1,600 inmates continued to take part in a hunger strike protesting conditions in the state prison system’s maximum-security isolation units, down significantly from the peak of roughly 6,600 strikers over the July 4 weekend, said Terry Thornton, a spokesperson for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
via latimes.com
L.A. County probation officer arrested on federal... →
Documentary portrays criminally insane -- through... →
New discipline policy at LAPD results in some... →
A growing number of Los Angeles police officers who have used excessive force, driven while intoxicated, falsely imprisoned people or committed other serious misconduct are being let off without punishment as part of a new, controversial approach to discipline at the LAPD.
Instead of handing down suspensions without pay, as was the norm for such offenses, police officials increasingly are...
Casey Anthony not guilty of first-degree murder →
Judge dismisses investigator, top prosecutors in... →
An Orange County Superior Court judge has ordered the district attorney’s office to remove its main investigator and three top deputies from the case against a group of college students accused of disrupting an ambassador’s speech at UC Irvine.
Judge Peter Wilson’s dismissal Thursday of the prosecutors attempts to remedy the D.A.’s unauthorized use of privileged...
Argument over testimony stalls Casey Anthony trial →
U.S. ends most CIA abuse cases, to probe two... →
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A prosecutor will conduct a full criminal investigation into the CIA’s handling of two prisoners who died in U.S. custody, but about 100 other cases of alleged mistreatment by the CIA were closed, Attorney General Eric Holder said on Thursday.
via reuters.com
Strauss-Kahn Case Faces Test in Hearing →
The sexual assault case against Dominique Strauss-Kahn is on the verge of collapse as investigators have uncovered major holes in the credibility of the housekeeper who charged that he attacked her in his Manhattan hotel suite in May, according to two well-placed law enforcement officials.
Although forensic tests found unambiguous evidence of a sexual encounter between Mr. Strauss-Kahn, a...
