Law Enforcement News
Prosecutors Sought 33 Years To Life, But Mongols Biker Who Killed Cop May Be Freed By March
David Martinez, a member of the Mongols motorcycle gang, was sentenced to 10 years in prison Tuesday after pleading no contest in November to charges of voluntary manslaughter for killing a Pomona police officer during a 2014 raid. Martinez has already been tried twice for the killing, and his lawyers were hoping he could be immediately freed, since he has spent more than eight years behind bars. Los Angeles County Deputy Dist. Atty. Jack Garden, meanwhile, pushed for 33 years to life in prison, said Det. Ray Lugo with the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department. The judge handed down a 10-year term, which means Martinez — who shot SWAT Officer Shaun Diamond with a 24-gauge shotgun, severing his spine and shattering his jaw — could be out of prison as soon as March. One day after the Oct. 28, 2014, shooting, Diamond was taken off life support and died at Pasadena’s Huntington Hospital. Following the shooting, Martinez, 44, was tried for first-degree murder and found not guilty, but the jury deadlocked on a count of second-degree murder, and the judge declared a mistrial. In a second trial, jurors found him not guilty of second-degree murder but deadlocked on two lesser charges of voluntary manslaughter and assault with a firearm on a police officer.
LA Times
Man Charged With Murder In Death Of Woman At South L.A. Street Takeover
An Orange County man has been charged with murder in connection with the death of a woman at a South Los Angeles street takeover on Christmas Day. Dante Terrel Chapple-Young, 28, was also charged with one count of hit-and-run resulting in the death of 24-year-old nursing student Elyzza Guajaca, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. The charges also include the special allegation that he used a deadly and dangerous weapon, his vehicle. Chapple-Young was arrested in Albuquerque last week. LAPD’s investigation took them to Long Beach, Anaheim, Arizona and eventually New Mexico. One detective compared Chapple-Young’s ability to elude police to “a game of chess.” The deadly incident occurred around 9 p.m. Dec. 25 during a large street takeover at the intersection of Florence Avenue and Crenshaw Boulevard.
KTLA 5
Man Armed With Knife Kills Relative's 3 Dogs At Home In Sun Valley, Police Say
A suspect broke into a relative's home in Sun Valley and then killed three dogs who tried to defend the property, police said. The disturbing incident happened around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday in the 9100 block of Cayuga Avenue in Sun Valley. Police said a suspect armed with a knife broke into a home. The family's dogs then began attacking the suspect in defense of the home. The suspect killed three of the dogs, police say. The suspect was taken into custody. Police said the suspect is a relative of the homeowner, though further details weren't immediately released.
ABC 7
Hate Crimes In LA Reach Highest Point Since 1991, Per LAPD Data
Last summer, Patricia Roque and her family, who are of Filipino descent, became the target of a hate crime while in a drive-thru in the San Fernando Valley. On May 13, 31-year-old Nicholas Weber allegedly bumped Roque's car in a McDonald's drive-thru and proceeded to taunt her and her mother. While mocking an Asian accent, Weber shouted at the pair saying "You're so Asian" and "I kill you." The incident escalated into a physical altercation when Roque's father arrived. Weber allegedly punched Roque's father and grabbed her mother by the neck. "Regardless of whether they are skyrocketing or remaining stagnant, there are still a lot of hate crimes that go unreported," said Roque. Weber has been charged with two counts of assault with a special allegation of a hate crime. He missed his first few court dates but is expected to appear in court on March 6.
CBS 2
Hate Crimes In LA Reach Highest Point Since 1991, Per LAPD Data
Last summer, Patricia Roque and her family, who are of Filipino descent, became the target of a hate crime while in a drive-thru in the San Fernando Valley. On May 13, 31-year-old Nicholas Weber allegedly bumped Roque's car in a McDonald's drive-thru and proceeded to taunt her and her mother. While mocking an Asian accent, Weber shouted at the pair saying "You're so Asian" and "I kill you." The incident escalated into a physical altercation when Roque's father arrived. Weber allegedly punched Roque's father and grabbed her mother by the neck. "Regardless of whether they are skyrocketing or remaining stagnant, there are still a lot of hate crimes that go unreported," said Roque. Weber has been charged with two counts of assault with a special allegation of a hate crime. He missed his first few court dates but is expected to appear in court on March 6.
CBS 2
SWAT Team In Standoff With Man Who Stabbed Roommate In Koreatown: LAPD
The Los Angeles Police Department is in a standoff with a man in Koreatown after he allegedly stabbed his roommate. Officers responded to the 500 block of South Hobart Boulevard just before 1:30 a.m. Thursday for the reported stabbing, which occurred during an altercation between the roommates, police said. “It sounds like it was a fight first, which then escalated into a stabbing,” said Capt. Aaron Ponce. The victim was taken to a local hospital in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries, while the alleged attacker ran back into the apartment and is refusing to come out, police said. A SWAT team is working to coax out the alleged stabber, who may have mental health issues, police said. A second victim, a friend who came to the apartment, was battered, according Ponce. That person’s condition is unknown at this time.
KTLA 5
Woman Injured During Alleged Road Rage Shooting At Hollywood Gas Station
A woman was injured during a shooting at a gas station in Hollywood Wednesday afternoon that may have been sparked by road rage, investigators said. It happened at the Chevron gas station on Sunset Boulevard. AIR7HD captured the woman on the stretcher as the investigation was unfolding. She was reportedly hit in the shoulder and is recovering at a local hospital. Police said the shooting started as a dispute on the roadway and ended with the suspect shooting into the woman's car then driving off. The suspect, who has not yet been identified, was last seen driving a grey SUV heading southbound on Crescent Heights Boulevard. Anyone with information is urged to contact police.
ABC 7
Third Homeless Person Found Dead In Front Of Sherman Oaks Businesses
Sherman Oaks business owners are outraged after a third homeless person was found dead on the street in front of their stores and restaurants. "How do we normalize this? This isn’t normal to me, this is a woman, this is somebody’s daughter, sister, dead on the street," said Angela Marsden, the owner of Pineapple Hill Saloon and Grill. Marsden is extremely upset because she’s been begging city and county officials for help in dealing with the homelessness crisis in her community. "We are a third-world country, critical mass in Sherman Oaks. This is supposed to be an exclusive area, of LA. We’ve had three dead bodies, three dead bodies in a week, and we’re still dealing with all the other stuff, the robberies, drug use, the mentally ill wandering around," she said. Andy Bales, President & CEO of Union Rescue Mission, said what Marsden is experiencing is sadly quite common.
FOX 11
South Gate Father Sentenced For Murdering His 5-Month-Old Daughter
A South Gate man who pleaded no contest to murdering his 5-month-old daughter was sentenced Wednesday to 15 years to life in state prison. Jose Francisco Aleman -- who was 22 at the time of the crime and is now 26 -- pleaded no contest last Sept. 1 to second-degree murder for the Feb. 23, 2019, death of his daughter, Selena. The baby died from abusive blunt force head trauma, according to records from the Los Angeles County coroner's office. South Gate police officers responded at about 5 a.m. that day to a call of a baby not breathing at a home in the 8000 block of California Avenue and saw paramedics performing life-saving efforts on the girl, who died at the scene, Deputy Michelle Sanchez of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said soon afterward. Aleman was arrested less than two weeks later following an "exhaustive investigation,'' according to a statement released by the sheriff's department following his arrest. He has remained behind bars since then.
NBC 4
Georgia Trooper Shot, Wounded By 'Cop City' Protester As LEOs Attempt To Clear Training Center Site
Authorities said they killed a man who shot and injured a Georgia state trooper Wednesday morning as law enforcement officers tried to clear protesters from the site of a planned Atlanta-area public safety training center that activists have dubbed “Cop City.” Officers from several law enforcement agencies were conducting an operation to clear people out of the area around 9 a.m. when someone fired at them and officers shot back in self-defense, Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Mike Register said during a news conference. A trooper was shot in the abdomen and the man who shot at the officers was killed at the scene, Register said. The trooper was rushed to a hospital, where he underwent surgery, Georgia State Patrol Col. Chris Wright told reporters. The trooper's vital signs are good and he's in stable condition, but he is in the intensive care unit and "he's still not out of the woods yet,” Wright said.
Associated Press
Judge Sets $1 Bond For 43-Year-Old Repeat Offender Accused Of Kidnapping, Beating Woman
It's in black and white. 43-year-old Aubrey Taylor is a habitual offender. "You've got eight prior felony convictions, two of them for robbery," said Andy Kahan with Crime Stoppers. According to court documents, the DA's Office wanted Taylor jailed with no bond or a high bond, because he's accused of holding the victim in his car for several days and repeatedly choking her and beating her. "He's charged with two serious violent offenses," Kahan said. 232nd Criminal District Court Judge Josh Hill made Friday the 13th a lucky day for Taylor. He granted him an unheard of bond amount. "A dollar bill," said Kahan. "Since there were two cases, a 2-dollar bill." According to court documents, Judge Josh Hill was making his feelings known about Senate Bill 6, which eliminates PR or personal recognizance bonds for violent offenses. "It's like, I wish I could give you a PR bond, I can't, so I'll make it a dollar," Detoto said. "That's nonsensical to me." "If I'm outraged, I can't imagine what the victim in this case must be going through considering all she did," Kahan said.
FOX 11
Public Safety News
Despite Decline In US Cancer Rates, Prostate Cancer Appears To Be On The Rise, Report Says
The big picture when it comes to cancer in the U.S. is steadily improving. The American Cancer Society's annual report finds overall rates continue to decline with prevention in some areas and it shows great promise. In California, however, there's a problem: One type of cancer is rising steadily. At City of Hope, urologist Dr. Diana Londoño said she is treating more men with late stage prostate cancer. It has the largest impact among certain communities. "We do see African American men are most effected, but also Latino men, especially in L.A., Riverside and San Bernardino counties," Londoño said. While the American Cancer Society's annual report finds prostate cancer overall has declined more than 50% since 1991, for the past seven years, it's been increasing. "We're seeing an increase averaging about 5% a year for men presenting with advanced disease," said the American Cancer Society's Scientific Advisor Dr. Bill Dahut. He said the data also reveals Black men are 70% more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer. Especially on the West Coast, that is the biggest gap seen with the advanced disease.
ABC 7
Local Government News
LA City Council Approves $50 Million Emergency Fund For Homelessness
In a unanimous vote, the City Council has given $50 million fund for Mayor Karen Bass' efforts to help her handle the homeless crisis. The funding will help finance Bass' Inside Safe Initiative, which aims to bring homeless residents into housing. "We are in this crisis right now and we want the mayor to succeed," said Councilman Bob Blumenfield. "We want to do everything we can. Even though it's a lot of money, it's actually a drop in the bucket of what is needed and what will be needed for the emergency efforts." According to City Administrative Officer Matt Szabo, the $50 million will help pay for hotels and bolster the number of outreach workers. Szabo added that before the new funding, the city could not pay providers in a timely manner. "The program has brought to our attention the need to have an account of flexible dollars that can be spent quickly without going through the standard process of appropriation from this body," he said.
ABC 7
LA City Council Votes To Extend State Of Local Emergency Due To Storms
The City Council Wednesday voted to ratify and continue a state of local emergency in Los Angeles as the city recovers from a series of strong storms that brought fierce rain and wind over the past few weeks. The declaration, issued Friday by Mayor Karen Bass, directs the city's Emergency Operations Organization to take steps to protect life and property and requests that Gov. Gavin Newsom waive regulations to assist response and recovery efforts. Bass also called for funds under the California Disaster Assistance Act and for the state to expedite local access to other disaster relief programs and resources. A series of atmospheric rivers has slammed California last week and over the weekend. Areas such as the Hollywood Reservoir saw 5.75 inches of rain on Jan. 9-10. That storm also opened a sinkhole in Chatsworth and closed Mulholland Drive. There were power outages, downed power poles and trees and substantial mud and debris flows.
NBC 4
