BURBANK – A 30-year-old man was charged today with attempted murder and other counts for the shooting of two Burbank Police Department officers outside a Kmart department store, the District Attorney’s Office announced.
Jamie Warren Willard was arraigned in Burbank Superior Court on Wednesday.
Willard is charged with two counts of attempted murder of a peace officer with special allegations that he personally and intentionally used and discharged a firearm, a handgun, which caused great bodily injury.
The defendant is also charged with one count each of second-degree commercial burglary, assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury and assault with a deadly weapon, a metal fire extinguisher.
Private security guards at the Kmart department store in Burbank had detained the defendant for commercial burglary and shoplifting. After being detained, the defendant allegedly assaulted each of the security guards.
Two Burbank Police Department officers responded to the Kmart in order to take custody of the defendant. While the officers were attempting to place the defendant in the back of a patrol car, Willard allegedly gained control of one of their handguns and shot and wounded the two officers.
Bail was recommended at $4 million for Willard. If convicted, he faces a state prison sentence of 25 years to life for each count of attempted murder of a peace officer.
A montage of the possible victims of Lonnie David Franklin....updated December 17, 2010. Photos from LAPD.
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office today announced it has prepared a felony complaint charging 10 counts of murder and other crimes against a Los Angeles man accused in a series of murders of women in the South Los Angeles area spanning more than 20 years.
Lonnie David Franklin Jr., 57 (dob 8-30-52), was arrested today by Los Angeles Police Department Robbery-Homicide detectives after a lengthy task force investigation. The complaint prepared for filing later today charges 10 counts of murder with the special circumstance allegation of multiple murders, making him eligible for the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole.
“This was accomplished by the LAPD’s hard work with great assistance from the CaliforniaDepartment of Justice Division of Law Enforcement personnel,” Cooley said.
The complaint also charges Franklin with one count of attempted willful, deliberate and premeditated murder. Franklin is expected to be arraigned tomorrow in Department 30 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center.
Major Crimes Head Deputy Patrick Dixon will lead the prosecution team.
The murders took place between August 1985 and January 2007, according to the criminal complaint. The victims range in age from 14 - 36 years old. All resided within Los Angeles County.
Most of the victims were discovered dumped in alleys, covered with debris, with gunshot wounds to the chest and/or strangled. The District Attorney’s Office will not decide whether to seek the death penalty against the defendant until the case moves closer to trial.
Southern California has just suffered a 5.9 earthquake in the Borrago Springs area of Southern California. We felt it here in Cerritos, around 70 miles to the west of the epicenter. This area is in the Palm Springs Riverside area.
It was a rolling and a jolt. It was followed byy many smaller 3.6 aftershocks.
California-Nevada Fault Map is centered at 33°N,116°W
Funeral arrangements for popular Perris Planning Director Brad Eckhart have been set for this Friday at 2 p.m. at the England Family Mortuary at 27135 Madison Avenue in Temecula.
Mr. Eckhardt is survived by his wife, Edna; two daughters and a son.
Cards and expressions of condolences may be sent to the City of Perris, 101 North D Street, Perris, CA 92570. Those will be forward to Mr. Eckhardt’s family.
Eckhardt, whose work is credited with remaking the City’s historical and business districts, was killed July 4th when he lost control of his motorcycle and was struck by an oncoming vehicle while riding in San Diego County.
“Perris is a great City because we have awesome people who are passionate about their work and this community,” said City Clerk Judy Haughney, who also serves on the Planning Commission and spent many hours working with Eckhardt on a wide variety of projects. “Brad loved this City. He wanted Perris to succeed and become the best city in Riverside County, if not all of California. He brought hard work, commitment and passion to his job.”
Eckhardt, 48, was responsible for guiding several major planning and development projects through to completion, including the Downtown Specific Plan, the North Perris Gateway Plan, the Perris Crossing Shopping Center and the Hanes Brands Distribution Center, the largest green building in the world.
Eckhardt was fatally injured as he drove his vintage 1969 Yamaha motorcycle on a rural two-lane road east of Fallbrook. The California Highway Patrol said Mr. Eckhardt was driving alone when he somehow lost control of the motorcycle on the winding roadway.
Hey. I wanted to post these "updates" about our Assemblyman Tony Mendoza and all of the controversy he stirred up this past legislative session that ended on June 30th. Remember, California does not have a budget for the next fiscal year, yet our leaders in Sacramento insist on picking fights with the hearing impaired community. What is wrong with Sacramento and Washington, DC? Just follow the money....lots of it. As soon as the latest campaign reports are issued from the Sec of State, I will "follow the money" on this proposed law. RrE
Image via WikipediaI wanted to post a couple of items about what our Assemblyman Tony Mendoza is doing on our behalf in Sacramento.
Dan Levin, from the American Renaissance News regarding our local Assemblyman Tony Mendoza and his recent "attack" on the hearing impaired community with his AB 2072.
The above video is from Deaf Bunny, and has been making the hit list over on You Tube.
Ms. Bunny writes that "Tony Mendoza signed to pass deaf newborns law for Cochlear Implants and he is visiting Deaf Bunny, LLC."
Interesting...stuff to see how our elected officials are acting up in Sacramento...and all the behind the scenes brew ha ha.
Another view of Mendoza and his antics from this post from You Tube from one of our neighbors here in the 56th Assembly District! right on!
"Tony Mendoza has been our Assemblyman for 5 years. His staff is not aware that there is free access to any Deaf related information downstairs on the first floor. He failed to obtain further information to make his proposal AB2072 equal, balanced and unbiased. However, his assistant was so generous that she supports father Shaun McLaughin to fighting against audism in Idaho court. She did an appropriate communication through ASL/English interpreter. I thanked her for making some time to answer my questions. I hope she will keep her job if Mr. Mendoza finds out about her opposition on any one's practice of audism like what he did on Reps floor."
California Assemblyman Tony Mendoza has been stalled in his effort to pass legislation the deaf community feels will launch a eugenic campaign against them. Although originally scheduled for brief testimony and a vote last Wednesday, June 16, 2010, an informal survey of Health Committee members by Mendoza's office determined he did not have the votes. Other Health Committee members, stung by accusations of a slide back to California's dark history of Nazi-style eugenics, have declared their unwillingness to vote for the measure in its present form.
California eugenics was a system of eliminating unwanted bloodlines of those who were deemed "social misfits" in the twisted pseudoscience. Those targeted included such groups as the poor, prostitutes, Asians, whites with brown hair, those needing glasses, the deaf and many others. The radical early twentieth century social engineering plan became entrenched decades before Hitler came to power. Hitler emulated the California state statutes in his own Nazi eugenic crusade. Ultimately, some 66,000 Americans under 27 state laws were forcibly sterilized for a variety of eugenic reasons, with about a third to a half of the victims in California. That state's legislature has already issued a formal apology for targeting groups for extinction.
Mendoza's eugenic bill, known as AB2072, admittedly seems innocuous enough at first blush, critics argue. AB2072 calls for all newborns to be screened for hearing problems; and if found to be deaf, their parents are to be given an "informative brochure" describing the options. The problem, complain large numbers of deaf people, is that the brochure is under the control of the well-financed cochlear implant industry, the audiology profession and various Alexander Graham Bell foundations--all of which are determined to see deaf culture, and its distinctive American Sign Language, disappear. Alexander Graham Bell was a pioneer of American eugenics. Cochlear implants are controversial medical devices that augment hearing and, in many ways, tend to do away with the need to communicate using American Sign Language. For their part, the generation-to-generation deaf are passionately determined to keep their special identity which depends upon visual communication, including sign language. They have fought back with mass protests and letter writing campaigns, as well as STOP AB2072 Internet sites and t-shirts. The deaf community also brought in the historical expertise of Edwin Black, author of the award-winning eugenics book War Against the Weak, which chronicled the deep relationship between California eugenicists and the Third Reich.
Last week, Black lectured on eugenics in Sacramento to more than 500 members of the deaf community, including many who traveled from around the state to attend the event and thousands more who attended online. The presentation was cosponsored by a number of groups including the Jewish Federation and Gallaudet University as well as the Auto Channel, which video-streamed the lecture live worldwide with numerous sign language interpreters in attendance. Questions from deaf and hearing viewers were taken live from across the country and answered on the air. The historical ramifications of AB2072 as well as both the Nazi and California precedents of targeting the deaf were included in Black's presentation. Mendoza's legislation was a central theme of many questioners. Participants declared that Mendoza's name would go down in history as the man who nudged California back to its eugenic past and they predicted the same for any Committee members who voted with him.
The following day, June 16, 2010, at a mass rally was held by the deaf community on the steps of the California State Capitol with speakers, including Black, giving perspective on why AB2072 would endanger the existence of the generation-to-generation deaf. On the spot, one member of the Health Committee sent word down to the rally that her "yes" vote was being withdrawn as she learned of the state's prior involvement with anti-deaf and other Nazi-style eugenic measures. When deaf contingents, wearing bright yellow STOP AB2072 t-shirts, proceeded to Mendoza's office in the Capitol attempting to obtain a meeting with the lawmaker, they ran into a group of pro-AB2072 advocates filing out of his office. However, Mendoza refused to see the deaf constituents congregated at his door and outside in the hallway. Leaders of the deaf complained that Mendoza had declined to consult them when the bill was drafted, and had been continually rude and insulting whenever they would approach or ask a question.
"Mendoza Eugenics seems to be supported," explained Black, "by the medical industry that stands to profit from the cochlear implants buttressed by passionate, hearing parents of deaf children who have no connection to the traditional deaf community. These loving but distressed parents see deafness as an unexpected family tragedy. At the same time, the deaf are seen by Mendoza as defective Americans whose affliction requires American Sign Language. Mendoza believes neither should exist in the next generation of Californians. He thinks the deaf can be legislated away."
After first being rebuffed by Mendoza's office, a small group of the activist deaf were finally allowed in to speak to the Assemblyman's point man for the measure, legislative director Rene A. Bayardo. When briefed on the history of California eugenics and its relation to Nazi genocide, Bayardo seemed bewildered and confused, according to reports of those in the office. He seemed completely unaware of California's history of marriage prohibition and the forced sterilization of more than 20,000 persons deemed unfit. He did not seem aware of California's Senate Resolution 20 that apologized for the state's eugenic past and assured it would never again undertake such legislation.
Bayardo's disconnect was only compounded when Mendoza's office issued an email that audiologists are "doctors" and competent providers of medical advice. Audiologists, in truth, are "technicians" who, in large measure, screen for hearing problems; but they are not doctors, cannot diagnose or offer medical advice. The relevant medical doctors are ear, nose and throat specialists, also known as otolaryngologists. The fact that Mendoza sits on the Health Committee but did not know that audiologists are not trained or licensed to render medical opinions caused one observer to refer to Mendoza as "incompetent." Discussions among the deaf began about recalling him. Nor was progress made when a deaf contingent met at a nearby hotel restaurant with advocates of the measure. One pro-AB2072 mother said her son's cochlear implants were so successful, "you can't even tell my son is deaf." That was taken as an offensive remark by the deaf adults who celebrate their status. During the get-together when an effort was made to explain California's eugenic past and its impact on deaf people, AB2072 advocates abruptly stopped the presentation, asserting they did not want to know details of the historical past and preferred "to negotiate." The deaf, however, were fundamentally unwilling to negotiate away their group's continuing existence, but said they would listen to suggestions for fixing the legislation. Political observers familiar with the Health Committee process predicted the bill was dead for this session unless it could be revived before July 2, 2010. With the amendments and the stain of the legislation that was suggested, a vote seemed unlikely. Still some careful insiders suggested a vote could be scheduled at any moment. "Who would vote for such a measure?" asked Black, "It would only make themselves infamous as the Health Committee members who nudged California back to the slippery eugenic slope?"
Call this crime your not so "Excellent Adventure, Dude."
A local Sheriff's Deputy and a carjacking suspect ended up with minor injuries Tuesday after engaging in a fist fight over at "Adventure Park" in an unincorporated part of LA County here.Norwalk, CA
Here is what went down:
A local deputy sees this 18 year old guy trying to carjack someone about 1 p.m. over at Adventure Park on Gunn Avenue near the SFS/Whittier "county strip."
The deputy tried to arrest the suspect and the fistfight broke out.
Both were checked at local hospitals and the Deputy ended up with bumps and bruises.
Norman Donovan, 18, was arrested and booked on suspicion of attempted carjacking and resisting arrest and tonight he is sitting in the slammer over at the Norwalk Station jail with an $100,000 bail and will be in Court on Thursday at Whittier Superior Court.
It happened shortly after 11 a.m. at a place called "The Gift of Green" Dispensary in the 3200 block of Adams Avenue in San Diego.
San Diego police are looking for five suspects. All are believed to have been carrying guns when the dispensary was robbed. They probably are a little stoned by now, so be on the look out.
A shotgun was also taken from the dispensary during the robbery. How many more of these pot shops are going to be robbed, and how many more people are going to be killed before someone steps in....
The Los Angeles CountyGrand Jury is a bee hive of political activity this week with the appearance and testimony from six members of Los Angeles City Councilman Richard Alarcon's senior staff.
The list of those who are testifying on Wednesday (I originally reported that they would be at the GJ on Tuesday) about where their boss "actually lives" is an impressive group of rising political stars within Los Angeles City Hall and Democratic Partypolitics.
Key testimony is expected to focus on two of Alarcon's key political inner circle, his Chief of Staff Saeed Ali, and Communications Director Becca Doten.
Doten, is also a Member of the Democratic National Committee, as well as a leader with the Los Angeles and California Young Democrats. Doten is pictured here with Alarcon.
Other key Alarcon staffers who were instructed to appear today are his legislative aide Ackley Padilla who is the brother of state Sen. Alex Padilla and office manager Lidia Soto as well as his executive assistant Nancy Hodges.
Also considered a key witness will be his cousin John de la Rosa (seen above), who serves as his district director.
This case is important. Elected officials need to live where they need to live LEGALLY...period.
Too many of our elected officials are cheating and fooling voters and the media sometimes gives "free passes" in covering these type of cases.
I hope the truth will come out in the testimony in this case. Don't lie boys and girls, it could land you in the slammer.
We all deserve an open and honest Democracy in America and that includes Los Angeles City Hall!
Patterson was arrested on Saturday at 7:01 p.m. when Cypress Police Officers responded to a residence in the 10300 block of St. Alban, regarding a male subject who assaulted his 66 year-old father and barricaded himself inside the bathroom.
When officers arrived at the scene, they found the 66 year-old victim severely battered and bleeding from his head.
Orange County Fire Authority paramedics treated the victim and transported him to the Los Alamitos Medical Center as officers tried to negotiate the suspect’s surrender from the bathroom.
Eventually, officers were able to talk the suspect, Patterson out of the bathroom where he ultimately surrendered without incident. He was arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245), Elder abuse – (PC 368(b)(1)), and assault and battery (PC 240 / 242).
The victim was admitted into the Los Alamitos Medical Center with moderate injuries and is expected to survive.
The suspect was booked into the Cypress City Jail on the above charges and later transported to the Orange County Jail where he is being held on $50,000 bail. He is expected to appear in Court at the West Justice Center on Tuesday.
Indicted are Nicholas Frank Prugo, 19; Rachel Lee, 19; Diana Tamayo, 20; Courtney Leigh Ames, 19; and Roy Lopez, Jr., 28.
Each defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges before Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg last Friday before the holiday weekend.
The defendants were ordered to return to Department 106 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center on Aug. 12.
The indictment charges the defendants with one count each of conspiracy to commit burglary.
Additionally, Prugo faces seven counts of first degree residential burglary. Lee is charged with two counts each of first degree residential burglary and receiving stolen property.
Ames is charged with one count of first degree residential burglary and two counts of receiving stolen property. Tamayo and Lopez each face one count each of first degree residential burglary and receiving stolen property.
Between September 2008 and August 2009, the crew allegedly netted more than $3 million in jewelry, designer clothes and accessories from the homes of Orlando Bloom, Lindsay Lohan, Brian Austin-Green and Paris Hilton, among other celebrities.
Defendant Lopez was remanded into custody today for failure to post a bond of $90,000. The remaining co-defendants were expected to post indictment bonds. Bail for the defendants ranged between $200,000 and $90,000.
The Los Angeles County Grand Jury will be packed full of staff members for Los Angeles City Councilman Richard Alarcon on Wednesday to determine exactly where the councilman and former state legislator calls "home."
The probe into where Alarcon actually lives has been investigated for months. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this one out, trust me. Six of his employees have been ordered to appear before the Los Angeles County Grand Jury on Wednesday, including his Chief Staff Saeed Ali.
The Los Angeles Times is reporting that Los Angeles County District AttorneySteve Cooley's office received permission back in January to search two homes owned by Alarcon's wife, Flora Montes de Oca — one on Nordhoff Street in Panorama City, the other on Sheldon Street in Sun Valley.
Alarcon contends that he resides at the house on Nordhoff but moved his family to another address, one in the district represented by Councilman Paul Krekorian, after a transient broke into his home and changed the locks on the doors.
Alarcon must be shaking in his boots tonight....
Alarcon said he has complied with the law. Stay tuned. It always amazes me when a politician thinks that they can actually get away with these types of most basic rules. Do you really know where your elected official lives? It would blow your mind to actually know the truth on many of the bad political boyz and girlz. Let the bean spillin' begin!
Eckhardt lost control of his vintage motorcycle and hit a pickup truck. He was a Temecula resident and died at around 10:30 a.m. Sunday morning. The crash occurred at Lilac Road south of West Lilac Road in Valley Center, according to San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office officials.
Eckhardt was riding his 1969 R350 Yamaha motorcycle southbound when he lost control of the bike and slid into the path of an oncoming Dodge Ram 2500 pickup. Paramedics were not able to resuscitate Eckhardt. RIP!
It turned out to be a hellish nightmare for one local Southern California community at an annual fireworks show last night.
A woman was fatally struck by an out of control vehicle and her three children were seriously injured and four other people were also injured at the City of Valencia Fireworks Show on Sunday night.
The horrific accident involved two cars and took place outside the Westfield Valencia Town Center mall at McBean Parkway and Valencia Boulevard about 9:50 p.m. last night.
The impact of the collision caused one of the vehicles to jump a curb and strike a crowd of pedestrians, according to local law enforcement officials. I cannot imagine the shock and scene of those who witnessed this accident, and today my heart goes out to those involved.
Matilda Gamica, 43, died at the scene, and one of her sons was airlifted to Children's Hospital with a head injury described as critical. Gamica's two other children, 6 and 12 years old, suffered unspecified injuries described as non-life-threatening, as did four other pedestrians.
All six are now at the Henry Mayo Memorial Hospital.
The names of the drivers involved were not immediately available. As soon as the names are released, and an update given on the victims, I will post it here on the Blog.
We celebrated a great 4th of July here in my hometown of Cerritos, CA on Sunday. I had a total blast. This is my ALL TIME FAVORITE HOLIDAY, and this one was a great time with great friends, and family and the people I love the MOST....my "peeps" here in Cerritos.
I wanted to upload this fireworks clip. This is my FIRST YOU TUBE VIDEO ever uploaded. (Yeah, who knew. I'm a little slow on the trigger so to speak...so cut me some slack.)
...watch the last 30 seconds. No, Cerritos didn't burn down after this show.
Don't believe "EVERYTHING" you see on You Tube. Happy Birthday America! Let Freedom Ring!
More than 250 firefighters are on scene at a wild fire that broke out on Fourth of July at the Irvine Regional Park. As of 1 a.m. Friday, Orange County firefighters said at least 100 acres have burned and containment has been made. Officials are confident that they are getting the "upper hand" on this fire and that no one has been injured thus far.
The fire was reported at 3:16 p.m. Sunday afternoon over on Jamboree Road and Chapman Avenue. No structures are currently threatened and it is still unclear just how the fire started.
Today, I wanted to pass along my thoughts and prayers to my longtime friend Julie Butcher and her husband Don who laid their son Matthew Butcher to rest on Saturday.
Julie is the leader of the Service Employee International Union Local 721 here in Southern California, and someone who is passionate about worker rights.
Today, the Butcher Family is still trying to make sense of the murder of their beloved son Matthew who was brutally shot and killed on June 24th in an Echo ParkPot Dispensary.
Julie posted this on her Facebook Page today:
"Matt was shot and murdered June 24th at 4:14 in the afternoon, when armed robbers broke into the Echo Park medical marijuana shop in which he was working as a clerk and book keeper. He was forced onto his knees and shot in the head.
Matt was a kind, intelligent, quiet young man, who was extraordinarily loved by his parents Don & Julie Butcher & his younger brother Steven.
Matt had an extensive list of friends and loved ones who miss him dearly.
All abhor the senseless violence. RIP."
A Memorial Service was held at Brookside Golf Club in Pasadena on Saturday and was attended by hundreds of friends of Matt as well as many elected officials.
The Butcher Family have established a Memorial Fund to remember Matthew. Please feel free to forward contributions to:
Matthew Butcher Memorial Fund
Attn: Steven Butcher
P.O. Box 411621
Los Angeles, CA 90041
Butcher was fatally shot inside the Higher Path Holistic dispensary on June 24 around 4:10 p.m. in the 1300 block of Sunset Blvd. A co-worker at the Higher Path Holistic shop was also shot and was in critical condition at a nearby hospital.
Anyone with any information about the shooting should contact Robbery Homicide Division Detectives at (213) 486-6894.
Image via Wikipedia
