Law Enforcement

LAPD names suspects in Hollywood stabbing death
The LAPD has released the identities of three homeless suspects connected to the fatal stabbing of a 23-year-old woman in Hollywood on Tuesday. Dustin Kinnear, 27; Jason Wolstone, 33; and Brian Widdows, 34; have been booked on suspicion of murder in the slaying of Christina Calderon. They are accused of stabbing her to death near the intersection of Hollywood Blvd and Highland Ave after she and a friend took photos of the three men and their signs, according to the LAPD.
Southern California Public Radio

No foul play suspected in Michael Hastings' death, LAPD says
The Los Angeles Police Department said there appears to be no foul play in the one-vehicle accident that killed journalist Michael Hastings. The Los Angeles County coroner on Thursday positively identified Hastings as the driver of a Mercedes that crashed on Highland Avenue near Melrose Avenue on Tuesday morning.
Los Angeles Times

LAPD need your help identifying suspects in transgender attack
There are new photos of 4 suspects wanted in the severe beating of a transgender woman, and a new $25,000 reward for their arrest. The LAPD has released security video of the attack. You can see the transgender woman walking on a sidewalk along Hollywood Boulevard near Ivar early in the morning, nearly three weeks ago.
Fox LA

Will L.A. Councilman Joe Buscaino raise hell over LAPD's questionable hit-and-run report?
In January, Los Angeles City Councilman Joe Buscaino asked LAPD Chief Charlie Beck to deliver a report that shows how the police department is addressing L.A.'s major hit-and-run problem. That request came after L.A. Weekly revealed that a hit-and-run epidemic is gripping the city. Now Beck has delivered the report, and critics and experts have told the Weekly that they are not impressed. L.A. police commissioners essentially gave Beck a pass when they reviewed the report a week ago. The big question now is, with lives on the line, will Buscaino raise hell or follow the lead of the politically appointed commissioners?
LA Weekly

Canadian tourist Elisa Lam's death ruled an accidental drowning
A Canadian tourist whose body was discovered in a water tank atop a downtown Los Angeles hotel four months ago died in an accidental drowning, coroner's officials said Thursday. A maintainence worker discovered the body of Elisa Lam, 21, on Feb. 19 after residents of the Cecil Hotel complained about low water pressure. At the time Lam had been missing for several weeks from the hotel after traveling there from Vancouver.
Los Angeles Times

Encino suspects tried to run over officer
A search is under way for two suspects who tried to run down a police officer early Thursday morning in Encino. The incident took place at around 1 a.m. near Burbank Boulevard and White Oak Avenue. The officer is said to be OK, though it's not clear if he received any injuries or exactly what prompted the incident. Police set up a perimeter and shut down part of the 101 Freeway for about 10 minutes. Descriptions of the suspects were not immediately available.
ABC7

$4.2m payout OK'd in LAPD mistaken ID shooting
The Los Angeles City Council has agreed to pay $4.2 million to two women whose truck was shot up by police during the manhunt for cop-turned-killer Christopher Dorner. City News Service says the council voted 10-nothing on Wednesday to approve the claim settlement with 47-year-old Margie Carranza and her 71-year-old mother, Emma Hernandez. They earlier were granted $40,000 to replace their truck.
Associated Press

Obama to pick Bush-era Justice Dept. official to lead FBI
President Obama on Friday plans to announce the nomination of James B. Comey, a senior Justice Department official under President George W. Bush, to become the next director of the FBI, according to White House officials. The Senate, which will not be in session in August, is bracing for a significant fight over nominations in July, and it is not clear whether the administration has allotted enough time for the Senate to confirm him by Sept. 3, when Robert S. Mueller III, the FBI director, is mandated to leave his post.
New York Times

Prisons

Judges: Brown must fully comply with prison order
A panel of federal judges on Thursday rejected Gov. Jerry Brown's attempt to circumvent its long-standing order for reducing California's prison population, the latest step in an ongoing legal drama over how to improve inmates' medical and mental health care inmates. Brown quickly announced that he will ask the courts to stay what he called an "unprecedented order to release almost 10,000 inmates by the end of this year."
Associated Press