Law Enforcement

Accident that killed postal worker referred to L.A. city attorney
The case of a driver who struck the rear end of a U.S. Postal Service van in Boyle Heights, severing the legs of a postal worker who later died of his injuries, has been referred to city prosecutors, authorities said Thursday. The Los Angeles County district attorney's office determined that motorist Felipe Soto, 59, had not been operating his vehicle negligently March 7 when he reportedly fell asleep and hit Earl Anthony Dunn of Compton. Dunn was pinned between the car and his truck, which was parked in the 1100 block of Prado Street.
Los Angeles Times

Man killed in Van Nuys by Metrolink train; witnesses sought
Police are searching for people who witnessed a fatal trash collision Thursday morning, in which a man sitting on the tracks in Van Nuys was struck by a Metrolink train and instantly killed, authorities said. "There was a pedestrian that was sitting on the tracks and the engineer saw him and blew the horn," said Sgt. Mike Zaboski of LAPD Valley Traffic Division. "And he didn't move." It was unclear if the man's death was a suicide, Zaboski said.
Los Angeles Daily News

Lindsay Lohan unlikely to face LAPD probe over alleged hit-and-run
The Los Angeles Police Department is unlikely to take action against Lindsay Lohan amid allegations that she hit a man with her car outside a Hollywood club. The incident occurred shortly before 1 a.m. at a parking lot in the 6500 block of Hollywood Boulevard, said Officer Norma Eisenman. Lohan was surrounded by paparazzi and was trying to negotiate a U-turn in a parking lot when her car allegedly brushed the leg of the man, reportedly a manager at a nearby club.
Los Angeles Times

24-year-old woman missing since November is found safe
A 24-year-old Tennessee woman who went missing in Los Angeles in November was found in good condition Thursday, authorities said. Satara Stratton, who came to Los Angeles in June to pursue an acting career, was found at a local hospital. She is believed to have been frequenting the Hollywood area in recent months, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
Los Angeles Times

Seeing red over green: Some unhappy with Spring Street bike lane
When Los Angeles painted a 1.5-mile strip of Spring Street neon green last year, it was hailed as a major step in the city's effort to have cars and bicycles share the road. But now, the bike lane has become a symbol of how hard it can be to reserve room for cyclists in a city dominated by the car. The green lane has been criticized by the film industry, which frequently uses the stretch of Spring Street, in the heart of old downtown, as a stand-in for other cities and eras.
Los Angeles Times

Homeland Security

FBI on guard against terrorist cyber attacks
FBI Director Robert Mueller said Thursday he is concerned about the potential for terrorists mounting cyber attacks and that the bureau is working "to stay ahead of these threats, both at home and abroad." "While to date terrorists have not used the Internet to launch a full-scale cyber attack, we cannot underestimate their intent," Mueller testified to a Senate Appropriations subcommittee in which lawmakers pressed him about what additional funding and laws may be necessary to combat the cyber threat.
CNN

FBI warns of homegrown violence after Afghan massacre
Federal authorities have issued a warning there could be "acts of violence" in the homeland sparked by the recent massacre of 16 civilians in Afghanistan allegedly by an American soldier. "The FBI and DHS are concerned that this event could contribute to the radicalization or mobilization of homegrown violent extremists in the homeland, particularly against U.S.-based military targets which HVEs have historically considered legitimate targets for retaliation in response to past alleged U.S. military actions against civilians overseas," the FBI and DHS said in a joint "awareness bulletin" to law enforcement agencies Wednesday.
ABC News

The Courts

Déjà vu for the 9th Circuit
It's shaping up to be another tough year for the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. After being reversed by the U.S. Supreme Court in 19 out of the 26 cases it reviewed in 2011, the trend appears to continue in 2012 to the benefit of police. Last month, the Supreme Court threw out yet another 9th Circuit decision. This time the high court ruled that California officers could not be sued over using a possibly defective warrant to search a home.
LAPPL Blog

City Government