Law Enforcement

Grim officer-fatality statistics at mid-year
As we followed news reports in the first half of 2011, we suspected that law enforcement fatalities were up sharply. Sadly, statistics released this week by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) bear out our worst fears. Ninety-eight law enforcement officers died in the line of duty during the first half of this year, up 14 percent over the 86 officers who lost their lives during the same period last year. Equally alarming is the fact that 40 officers were killed by gunfire, a 33 percent increase over the same period last year, and the highest number in two decades.
LAPPL Blog

Police investigate Northridge hate crime
Los Angeles police are looking for the vandals who spray painted swastikas and racist messages on sidewalks and walls in a Northridge residential area over the weekend. Police covered up most of the disturbing images with plastic tarps as they analyzed the scene. The vandalism took place along Wilbur Avenue and Tribune Street. Investigators said they believe the graffiti is the work of a white supremacist group.
NBC LA

Dodger Stadium beating suspects bragged to co-workers, police say
The two new suspects accused in the Dodger Stadium beating of Bryan Stow bragged to co-workers after the attack, police sources said. Police said they were able to identify the men from Rialto -- Louie Sanchez, 29, and Marvin Norwood, 30 -- based in part on their unruly behavior at the March 31 game and after they bragged to co-workers about their fights. The men were charged with assault and mayhem Friday afternoon and were being held on $500,000 bail.
Los Angeles Times

Stow beating suspects' arraignments delayed
The arraignments for two men suspected of attacking San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow in the parking lot of Dodger Stadium were delayed Monday. Louie Sanchez, 29, and Marvin Norwood, 30, have been in custody since Thursday in lieu of $500,000 bail. Shortly before noon, the judge announced that the arraignments would be delayed until Aug. 10.
NBC LA

Police hunt arsonist who set as many as 18 fires
Authorities searched on Monday for whoever is responsible for setting as many as 18 arson fires in the North Hollywood area since Thursday. Multiple car and structure fires were reported on Saturday and Sunday mornings within the same area, starting around 3 a.m. each day, but there were none Monday morning, said Sgt. Ernie Fisher of the Los Angeles Police Department's North Hollywood Station. The fires broke out in an area bounded by Lankershim Boulevard on the east, Vanowen Street on the north, Laurel Canyon Boulevard on the west and Burbank Boulevard on the south.
Los Angeles Daily News

Drivers can disregard red-light camera tickets in L.A.
Motorists who get tickets under the city's controversial red-light camera program can shrug them off, Los Angeles officials agreed Monday. That was one of the few points of consensus to emerge from a three-hour City Council committee hearing on the future of the much-debated photo enforcement system. The session ended with a recommendation to stop issuing citations at the end of the month and "phase out" the program.
Los Angeles Times

Jailhouse informant bill a test for Jerry Brown
Testimony from a prisoner that a fellow inmate confessed to a crime can be powerful evidence of guilt. But a Bay Area legislator and a statewide commission say such testimony may also be self-serving and unreliable and can send innocent defendants to prison. Now Gov. Jerry Brown must decide whether to ban California juries from convicting defendants based solely on jailhouse informant testimony. The bill, passed by the Legislature, is sponsored by defense lawyers and opposed by the statewide prosecutors' association - with the notable exceptions of the San Francisco and Los Angeles district attorneys, who support it.
San Francisco Chronicle

Government Budget Crises

California seeks $5 billion loan as U.S. states work to avoid debt chaos
California will borrow $5 billion today through a temporary loan as U.S. states make plans to cope with any credit-market disruption should lawmakers fail to raise the federal debt ceiling by the Aug. 2 deadline. Proceeds from California's bridge loan will help pay bills until the state can sell cash-flow notes that had been scheduled for late August.
Bloomberg

Immigration

Jerry Brown eases path for undocumented college students to receive aid
Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation Monday allowing undocumented college students to access private financial aid for college, calling the new law "another piece of an investment in people." But he said he was not yet ready to commit to signing a second piece of the Dream Act, which would provide public funding for those students.
Los Angeles Times

City Government

Seven candidates file so far to raise funds for 15th Council District race
Seven candidates so far have filed paperwork with the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission to clear the way to raise campaign funds for the newly opened 15th Council District seat. There are two years remaining on Janice Hahn's term and the city has scheduled a special election for Nov. 8, with a runoff, if needed, on Jan. 17. Hahn was elected to Congress this month, leaving the council seat vacant in her third and last term. Candidates who have filed with the ethics commission are Justin Brimmer, Joe Buscaino, Mervin L. Evans, Warren Furutani, James T. Law, Pat McOsker and Rudy Svorinich.
Torrance Daily Breeze