Law Enforcement

LAPD Chief Charlie Beck responds to wrongful conviction of LA man
LAPD Chief Charlie Beck responded Tuesday to the case of John Edward Smith, a man wrongfully convicted of murder and attempted murder in a 1993 drive-by shooting in the Mid City neighborhood. Smith was exonerated Monday and walked out of Men's Central Jail that evening a free man for the first time in 19 years. Smith's 1994 conviction was based on a single eyewitness identification.
Southern California Public Radio

Northridge drive-by shooting leaves 1 dead, 3 others hospitalized
One person died after an apparent drive-by shooting early today in Northridge that injured three other people, Los Angeles police said. The shooting was reported about midnight at Balboa Boulevard and Parthenia Street, Officer Heriberto Salazar of the Devonshire Division said. The four victims were in a car in a residential area, and police don't yet know what might have led to the shooting, Salazar said. He said police are looking into possible gang connections.
Los Angeles Daily News

Man Fatally Shot While Sitting on Park Bench, LAPD Says
A 19-year-old man was fatally shot Tuesday afternoon while sitting on a park bench in Los Angeles, according to LAPD. The shooting, which detectives say appears to be gang related, went down around 3:15 p.m. at 1535 W. 62nd Street, near Jackie Tatum Harvard Recreation Center. The victim was identified as Patrick Caruthers, according to LAPD. Friends say Caruthers was developmentally disabled, but often volunteered at the park.
NBC4

KNX, KFWB radio stations evacuated for 2 hours over suspicious packages
At least part of 27-story Wilshire Boulevard building housing AM news radio stations KNX and KFWB was evacuated for more than two hours Tuesday because of a suspicious package, which eventually was determined to contain a clock. A Los Angeles Police Department bomb squad was sent to the building in the 5600 block of Wilshire Boulevard around 8:25 a.m.
City News Service

Feds target 71 medical marijuana dispensaries in L.A. County
Federal authorities on Tuesday took legal action against 71 medical marijuana dispensaries in Los Angeles County, part of an ongoing campaign to crack down on the establishments. "Over the past several years, we have seen an explosion of commercial marijuana stores -- an explosion that is being driven by the massive profits associated with marijuana distribution," said U.S. Atty. André Birotte Jr. in a statement.
Los Angeles Times

Spate of prison riots raises concerns about safety for staff and inmates
California corrections officials are investigating an unusual spike in prison riots during the last week. The first riot broke out over a little more than a week ago, at 11 o'clock Saturday morning at Salinas Valley State Prison. Two inmates at the Central Valley facility stabbed another inmate to death with hand-made weapons. On the maximum-security yard, 30 inmates began to attack each other and a riot ensued. A few days later on Wednesday, at California State Prison-Sacramento - or "New Folsom" - inmates began attacking each other with makeshift knives.
Southern California Public Radio

Immigration

Immigrant requests strain consulates, schools
Schools in Yakima, Wash., are taking nearly a month to deliver transcripts to former students. The Mexican consulate in Denver introduced Saturday hours last month after passport applications spiked by one-third. San Diego public schools added five employees in a new office to handle records requests. Schools and consulates have been flooded with requests for documents after President Barack Obama announced a new program allowing young people living in the country illegally to apply for two-year renewable work permits.
Associated Press

City Government

L.A. City Council backs pension cuts for new workers
Despite raucous protests and threats of a lawsuit from labor unions, the Los Angeles City Council voted Tuesday to roll back pension benefits and boost the retirement age to 65 for new civilian employees. The 14-0 vote represented a major victory for Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who has been pushing pension reform for months in the face of criticism from labor leaders who have compared him to Scott Walker, the Wisconsin governor who has battled unions for much of his first term.
Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles City Council tentatively approves 11.1% hike in electricity rates
The Los Angeles City Council approved an 11.1 percent electricity rate hike over the next two years Tuesday, as the Department of Water and Power warned that more increases are coming. By a 10-4 vote, the council approved a new rate that will cost an average homeowner about $3.65 a month. Customers with larger homes or who use more power will see their bills rise about $18.79 a month.
Los Angeles Daily News

Legislation

Gov. Jerry Brown beefs up protection of domestic violence victims
Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a group of bills to help victims of domestic violence, including new protections for those who need to break a lease so they can move for safety reasons. State Sen. Leland Yee (D-San Francisco) authored the lease-related bill, saying its expansion of help for victims of elder abuse and other domestic violence is needed to allow them to seek a safe haven. "We must do everything possible to ensure survivors of domestic violence and elder abuse are not revictimized," Yee said of his SB 1403.
Los Angeles Times

Google's Sergey Brin joins California Gov. Jerry Brown to sign new driverless car law
Google co-founder Sergey Brin and Gov. Jerry Brown car-pooled to work Tuesday in a white Toyota Prius, and no one was driving. One day, in the not-so-distant future, you can join them. Brown hitched a futuristic ride to Google's Mountain View headquarters to sign landmark legislation that will for the first time allow self-driving cars to hit California streets by 2015.
San Jose Mercury News