Law Enforcement

LAPD seeks help finding 'person of interest' in 'death warrant' case
Los Angeles police released a photograph Thursday evening of a "person of interest" in a trio of stabbings of homeless people in which the suspect left behind signed "death warrants" at the crime scenes. David Ben Keyes, who has been missing for weeks from the Santa Barbara area, is being sought by detectives with the LAPD's Robbery-Homicide Division and Santa Monica investigators. Authorities stressed that he is a "person of interest" and not yet a suspect.
Los Angeles Times

Man shot by police in Winnetka dispute will likely face charges
A man shot by Los Angeles police Thursday morning in Winnetka has been released from the hospital and will likely face charges, authorities said. Police would not release the man's name, nor that of the two officers who were on the call. Officer Bruce Borihanh, an LAPD spokesman, said the man was hit in the arm. It was unclear what charges he'll be booked on. Police said they were called to a home on Welby Way near Aura Avenue about 4:20 a.m. for a roommate dispute.
Los Angeles Daily News

Pinkberry co-founder to stand trial in alleged assault of transient
A Superior Court judge has ordered the co-founder of yogurt giant Pinkberry to stand trial in the alleged assault of a homeless man on the side of the road after the alleged victim testified that the entrepreneur struck him over and over with a tire iron. In a preliminary hearing for Pinkberry co-founder Young Lee, the alleged victim Donald Bolding, 42, said that after a second blow, his left arm broke, dangling in front of him as he crouched to try to protect himself from his attacker.
Los Angeles Times

Adult theater where Fred Willard arrested is frequent LAPD target
The manager of the adult theater in Hollywood where actor-comedian Fred Willard was arrested said Los Angeles police have conducted checks there dozens of times since late 2011. Tiki Theater manager Kazi Jafor said that since November 2011, officers have been to the theater 40 times and made 23 arrests. Jafor said the theater displays in writing rules against lewd conduct.
Los Angeles Times

'Death warrants' left at scene of 3 homeless stabbings, LAPD says
Los Angeles and Santa Monica police are investigating at least three stabbings of homeless people as they slept and where typed and signed "death warrants" were left at the scene, according to several law enforcement sources. The victims, two men and a woman in their 50s, survived the attacks. The first incident was reported July 4 when a 56-year-old homeless man was found bleeding with a large "hunting-type" knife protruding from his back near the intersection of 3rd and Main streets in Los Angeles, according to the sources.
Los Angeles Times

Former U.S. attorney steps down from Police Commission
Debra Wong Yang will step down from the Los Angeles Police Commission after a little more than 2 ½ years on the oversight board. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa tapped Yang, a prominent, highly sought-after attorney, to replace a departing member of the five-person panel in late 2009. Though Yang is widely respected in legal and law enforcement circles for her work in private practice and her stint as U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, her frequent absences from meetings limited the role she played on the commission, which oversees and sets policy for the Los Angeles Police Department.
Los Angeles Times

FBI arrests 6 in Southern California for baby formula trafficking
Federal authorities say they've arrested six people in Southern California for trafficking in pricey white powder: baby formula. The FBI said in a statement that the six people arrested Thursday - four from San Diego County, one from Alhambra and one from Fontana - were named in a 22-count indictment returned earlier this week. The indictment says five of the people were involved in the same conspiracy to buy thousands of cases of infant formula they believed to be stolen, in order to resell them at inflated prices.
Associated Press

State Budget

A good end to a rough year for California taxes
California ended the last fiscal year on a high note, raking in 5.6% more tax revenue than expected in June. Income taxes were responsible for most of the boost, coming in at 8.4% above projections. The details were released in a report from Gov. Jerry Brown's Department of Finance, and they show that revenue is outpacing revised estimates made in May and codified in the budget signed last month. But that doesn't mean the last several months weren't financially difficult for California.
Los Angeles Times

Traffic

Carmageddon II: 405 Freeway to shut down Sept. 29-30
Another 10-mile full closure of the San Diego (405) Freeway through the Sepulveda Pass -- already being billed as "Carmageddon II" -- will take place the weekend of Sept. 29-30 so crews can demolish the other half of the Mulholland Drive bridge over the freeway, transportation officials announced Thursday. Officials with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority have already begun advising motorists across the state to plan ahead and avoid the area that weekend to prevent massive traffic congestion.
City News Service

City Government

City Hall park to reopen to public after Occupy L.A. renovations
Nearly eight months and more than $1 million later, the park surrounding Los Angeles City Hall will be open to the public Thursday. The 1.7-acre area was cordoned off by chain-link fence last year after police cleared hundreds of Occupy Los Angeles demonstrators who had camped on the lawn for nearly two months. The encampment took its toll on the park, city officials said, resulting in a list of repairs that included a new irrigation system, replanting and paving.
Los Angeles Times