Law Enforcement

Police seek two in killing of Highland Park clerk in robbery attempt
Los Angeles police were seeking the public's help Monday night in finding two men who killed a 7-Eleven store clerk in Highland Park. Gonzalo Perez, 38, was gunned down Sunday night at the store in the 5100 block of North Figueroa Street during a robbery attempt, the Los Angeles Police Department said. Friends of Perez told KTLA-TV Channel 5 that he had saved enough money to take his daughter to Disneyland for Christmas. Perez was "just doing his job," Lt. Patricia Sandoval told reporters. "It's very sad."
Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles woman gets 180 days in jail for making 400 9-1-1 calls over 3 years
A woman who made more than 400 calls to 9-1-1 operators over the past three years was convicted of multiple counts and sentenced to 180 days in jail, City Attorney Mike Feuer announced Monday. After a one-week trial in Los Angeles Superior Court, a jury found 43- year-old Linette Young guilty of 12 counts of making annoying or harassing 911 calls and 13 counts of making a false emergency report.
City News Service

LAPD celebrates Christmas with the community of South LA
For the first time, thousands of children in South Los Angeles saw snow and could play a snowball thrown. It was not a change in temperature, but the first Christmas celebration of the Police Station 77th Street . On Thursday afternoon, thousands of children and their families enjoyed the wintry atmosphere and were amazed to see the arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus on a helicopter to take pictures with them. Captain Lillian Carranza said the station had managed to collect 1,200 shoes to donate to underprivileged children.
La Opinion

Person detained in connection with woman's West LA stabbing
A person was detained Monday in connection with the stabbing and robbery of a woman by a man who may have followed her home from a gas station in West Los Angeles Sunday night, authorities said. The Los Angeles Police Department first said they had arrested a man in connection with the violent home invasion who may be responsible for similar crimes in the area, but police later refused to confirm whether anyone was arrested.
NBC LA

Guns

Gun laws passed in 2013 take effect at different times
Some California gun owners say they're confused about the new gun laws that will take effect in 2014. The law causing the most confusion doesn't take effect in 2014. It will ban lead ammunition for hunting when it takes effect in 2016. At the Just Guns store in Sacramento, Troy Alvarez was picking up three boxes of ammunition for target shooting over Christmas break. The ammo is legal, but the magazine he currently has for his pistol will be illegal July 1st. A new law bans magazines with more than ten bullets. All sales of ten-round clips will be illegal January 1st.
Capital Public Radio

A plea to deny gunmen their quest for infamy
Call him the gunman. Call him the killer or the perpetrator, the defendant or the assailant. Only, the survivors urge, do not say his name. This is the new plea after another shooting has upended a community in suburban Denver and turned a high school into a bloody crime scene. As people grope for responses, many families of victims and law enforcement officials have begun urging journalists and public officials to avoid using the gunmen's names and photos in public.
New York Times

Pensions

Pensions for city workers can't be cut, but pay can, judge rules in major San Jose case
In a landmark ruling that could help shape city budgets around the state, a judge invalidated key parts of San Jose's voter-approved pension cuts but upheld other elements that could still save huge taxpayer costs. Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Patricia Lucas' tentative decision released Monday prohibits the city from forcing current employees to contribute significantly more toward their pensions, as called for in last year's Measure B.
San Jose Mercury News

Legislation

Sentencing commission, suggested in Sacramento, faces long odds
Key California lawmakers this summer suggested that a commission to review and overhaul criminal sentences not only could bring coherence to a disjointed system but also perhaps ease chronic prison overcrowding in the long term. But the idea now appears stalled, despite the incentive of federal litigation that could force Gov. Jerry Brown to release as many as 10,000 inmates next spring. Lawmakers chastened by a history of unsuccessful sentencing commission bills hold out little hope that this time could be different.
Sacramento Bee