Family Corruption In The Big Easy

Were They Hearing Things?

2008-05-12T12:47:00.000-07:00

I wonder how this will play out. Where did the shots really come from?

Believing they were under fire, Inglewood police officers Sunday shot and killed a passenger in an approaching car and wounded the driver, but no weapons were found and no one has been charged, authorities said.

The passenger was identified as 19-year-old Michael Byoune of Los Angeles, who died at the scene from gunshot wounds to the torso, said Los Angeles County coroner's investigator Jerry McKibben.

The officers were in their patrol car near Crenshaw Boulevard and 8th Avenue about 1:40 a.m. when they heard gunfire and pursued a man who was running, said Inglewood Police Sgt. Hector Ramirez.

The man jumped into a slow-moving car in the 3000 block of Manchester Boulevard, and the officers heard more shots and felt something hit their cruiser, Ramirez said.

The officers then fired several shots as the vehicle came toward them, according to police. The driver is in stable condition with a leg wound, and a third man in the car was not injured. He was taken into custody, questioned and released, police said.

Police Sgt. Dennis Brown later said the patrol car had not been hit by gunfire. Investigators initially indicated that the incident might have been gang-related, but later said the three men were not suspected gang members.

Let's hope this matter is not swept under the rug.

Pay The Workers Their Due

2008-05-09T12:36:00.000-07:00

Equal pay for all:

Hoping to prevent the strike from escalating as it did eight years ago, Mayor Villaraigosa called a closed-door meeting at City Hall between the janitors and key building owners to encourage the two sides to return to the bargaining table. Although the contract negotiations are technically between the janitors and the cleaning companies that hire them, building owners hold significant leverage in moving negotiations along.

Because the owners pay the contractors for janitorial services, they can threaten to stop hiring a cleaning company if prices get too high. But if a strike becomes widespread and disruptive, owners might feel pressured to settle quickly rather than risk bad publicity.

The union is seeking unspecified wage increases, but the main issue is to narrow the gap between janitors with the highest and the lowest pay. Janitors in downtown Los Angeles and Century City earn $1.30 an hour more on average than janitors in outlying areas.

Drug Dealing Doctor Gets Indicted

2008-05-01T07:55:00.000-07:00

When they are good, that fine---but when they are bad, it makes the entire profession look bad.

Dr. Masoud Bamdad, 54, of Granada Hills was arrested April 17 and indicted by a federal grand jury late Tuesday. He faces numerous counts of prescribing drugs for no medical purpose.

Bamdad, who is being held without bail pending trial, could not be reached for comment. There is no indication that Bamdad knew homeless people were being recruited to see him as part of a scheme to sell the drugs he prescribed for a profit, authorities said.

An eight-month undercover DEA investigation into Bamdad's practice was cut short last month after the apparent overdose death of a 23-year-old recovering drug addict to whom he had prescribed oxycodone and another drug, according to court documents.

As part of the Drug Enforcement Administration investigation, agents went to Bamdad's office pretending to be people in search of drugs, according to an arrest affidavit by Special Agent Susannah Herkert.

During the visits, Bamdad made only cursory physical examinations -- or conducted no exam -- before prescribing the powerful and addictive painkillers, authorities say. He prescribed the medications even though the "patients" said they were experiencing only minor pain, that they wanted the drugs only for enjoyment or were getting them for somebody else, authorities allege. The doctor even discussed the street price of OxyContin with one of the undercover agents, authorities said.

DEA agents believe Bamdad was generating up to $100,000 in cash per week by writing the bogus prescriptions. Bamdad charged $100 to $300 for each prescription, depending on the number of pills a person wanted, said Assistant U.S. Atty. Lisa E. Feldman, who is prosecuting the case.

"And he would put the cash right into his pocket," she said.

Based on a review of pharmacy records, agents determined that Bamdad prescribed about 70,000 OxyContin tablets in 2007, making him one of the top five prescribers of the drug in Southern California, Nevada and Hawaii.

Could it be possible that there are doctors responsible for the illegal drug activity in this country?

UCLA Medical Records Snooper Gets Indicted

2008-04-30T08:48:00.000-07:00

This news is not surprising:

Lawanda Jackson, a former administrative specialist at UCLA Medical Center, was indicted April 9 on a charge of obtaining individually identifiable health information for commercial advantage. Actress Farrah Fawcett and her lawyers allege that Jackson leaked personal information about her battle with cancer to the National Enquirer and other tabloids.

Earlier this month, The Times reported that Jackson had allegedly pried into the private medical records of California First Lady Maria Shriver, Fawcett and 60 others. In an April 8 interview with the newspaper, Jackson denied that she had leaked the information or otherwise profited from it.

There are probably countless others who are trying to make a buck off of others right to privacy. The National Enquirer should face criminal charges as well.

Awarding Of Airport Contracts Called Into Question

2008-04-29T07:42:00.000-07:00

Take it from the City of New Orleans; you better nip this in the bud before it gets out of hand:

Los Angeles City Councilwoman Janice Hahn said Monday that she wants to question airport executive director Gina Marie Lindsey about the awarding of a $25-million management contract in March to DMJM Aviation Inc. of Tampa, Fla., whose parent company is based in Los Angeles.

DMJM was selected by the Board of Airport Commissioners although Bechtel Corp. of San Francisco was initially recommended for the job during the evaluation process.

If you think that is bad, it gets worse:

A letter, which began circulating last week at City Hall and the headquarters of Los Angeles World Airports, accused Lindsey of manipulating the contract process and pushing for the hiring of DMJM instead of Bechtel. After weighing bids from competing companies, airport records show that on Jan. 9 an evaluation panel recommended four to one that Bechtel be awarded the project management contract.

Bechtel also was slightly ahead of DMJM in points earned during written and formal presentations to the review panel. But for reasons airport officials would not explain, a second panel was convened Jan. 15-16, which voted 5 to 0 in favor of DMJM and awarded the company enough points to take a 43-point lead over Bechtel.

Airport records show that two airline representatives who had been on the first panel were no longer part of the evaluation process and that Lindsey attended the meetings to observe the reevaluation of DMJM and Bechtel. The airport sources said Lindsey was unhappy with the initial recommendation of Bechtel and ordered the second review.

Now do you think the contract was awarded fairly? Lindsey's actions should not be taken lightly. It is time to call in the feds.

Defining Intent To Commit Murder

2008-04-28T12:02:00.000-07:00

When one intends to commit suicide, the offsetting effects to others is of little importance to that person.

Juan Manuel Alvarez does not dispute that his actions led to the tragic Metrolink train collision three years ago in which 11 people were killed and more than 180 injured. What he does contest is that he intended to harm anybody other than himself.

The issue of whether the 29-year-old Compton man willfully set out to derail a train, commit arson, maim and kill people will be at the core of arguments that a jury of three men and nine women will begin to hear today as Alvarez's trial gets underway.

Alvarez's intent is important in a legal sense: If he meant to kill passengers on the train, he could be found guilty of first-degree murder. But even if jurors do not find that intent, Alvarez could be convicted of second-degree murder if it can be shown that his actions created a high probability of death, and that he knew of the
risks associated with parking his vehicle on the tracks.

He should at least face second degree murder.

How Do You Help A Bald Penquin?

2008-04-25T15:54:00.000-07:00

You build him a wetsuit..

Biologists at the California Academy of Sciences had a custom-made wetsuit created for, 25 year old Pierre, an African penguin to help him get back in the swim of things.

Isn't science amazing?

Being Falsely Convicted

2008-04-24T17:49:00.000-07:00

What should be your compensation when a rogue judge bullies you into confessing to a crime you did not commit? A California man is about to find out:

A state agency has recommended that a former Buena Park man be paid $31,700 for spending 10 months in prison for a carjacking he did not commit.

On Wednesday, James Ochoa, 22, also reached a tentative $550,000 settlement of lawsuits he had filed against Buena Park, its Police Department and a dog handler involved in the investigation.

The judge should lose his job.

Los Angeles Imposes Green Building Rules

2008-04-23T06:27:00.000-07:00

Los Angeles has begun its fight against global warming by imposing "green" building rules that would potentially cut millions of tons of pollution over the next decade.

In a unanimous vote, the City Council passed an ordinance requiring builders of large commercial and residential developments to adopt such measures as planting drought-resistant landscaping and using recycled materials and energy-efficient heating, cooling and lighting.

Let's hope other cities follow Los Angeles' lead.

Couple Who Stole From Pentagon Plead Guilty

2008-04-22T06:02:00.000-07:00

This husband and wife crime team could not fathom buying a race car, home and luxury items based on old fashion hard work. They decided that the government should fit the bill:

A former Northrop Grumman employee and his wife pleaded guilty Monday to scamming the defense contractor and the Pentagon out of $2.5 million.

Michael Crabtree, 47, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and money laundering. His wife, Susan Crabtree, 44, pleaded guilty to wire fraud.

Susan Crabtree faces up to 20 years in prison, and her husband faces 15 years when they are sentenced July 14. They also face fines of up to $750,000.

I hope they are not parents. Just look at the example they have set.

L.A. Revised Anti-Gang Strategy

2008-04-21T05:54:00.000-07:00

The Mayor of Los Angeles is making revisions to his strategy of curbing gang violence. Will his plan work?

Under Villaraigosa's proposal, prevention programs once spread across 27 middle schools will now be placed primarily in 12 gang-reduction zones -- neighborhoods where gang violence is four times the citywide average.

Instead of focusing on children who face milder difficulties, the programs will target children who are at the most extreme risk of joining gangs, Carr said. Each of the 12 zones -- neighborhoods such as Panorama City, Cypress Park and Baldwin Village -- will receive $1 million per year in prevention funds, enough to target at least 200 children per zone.

Wrongly Convicted Marine's Widow May Sue

2008-04-19T01:54:00.000-07:00

Can yo imagine spending over 2 years of your life, in prison, for a fabricated crime? Well, that is exactly what happened to Cynthia Sommer:

On Thursday, San Diego County Dist. Atty. Bonnie Dumanis moved to dismiss murder charges against Sommer, telling reporters that overlooked evidence and new scientific scrutiny had poked holes in the prosecution's assertion that she used arsenic to kill Sgt. Todd Sommer.

It was a startling conclusion to a murder prosecution built on a tabloid-style scenario of a scheming wife poisoning her younger husband, watching as he died and then -- soon after -- getting a $5,400 breast augmentation, partying and having sex with several partners.

I hope she sue the pants off of these incompetents. She has lost precious time, with her children, that can never be replaced.

LAX To Use New "Body Imaging" Technology

2008-04-18T06:05:00.000-07:00

How would you like airport officials to get a glimpse of your naked body before boarding a plane? Well, that day has finally come:

Some travelers at Los Angeles International Airport will be searched for weapons and explosives using a new scanner that peers through their clothes and creates an image of the person's body.

The machine uses radio waves to create an image from energy reflected from the human body. This results in a 3-D image that essentially shows how the person looks without clothing. It also shows hidden objects such as guns and explosives.

True, we want to be safe-----but what about that constitutional notion of right to privacy.

Helen Golay Convicted Of Murder

2008-04-17T06:54:00.000-07:00

A jury has convicted a Helen Golay, a 77-year-old woman of murder and her 75-year-old co-defendant of conspiracy to commit murder in a chilling slow-motion plot to kill two homeless men for $2.8 million in life insurance.

Jurors are still considering two murder charges and a second conspiracy count against the younger woman, Olga Rutterschmidt.

Theo Lacy Jail Makes Headlines Again

2008-04-16T06:24:00.000-07:00

What is wrong with the deputies at the Theo Lacy Jail? First they were accused of allowing inmates to do whatever they wanted now they may be into killing animals.

Concern about the conduct of deputies inside Orange County jails intensified Tuesday as the Sheriff's Department investigated reports that deputies used a Taser stun weapon on a cat at Theo Lacy Jail.

What next...molesting young children. Let's stop the madness.

Elderly Murderers Turn On Each Other

2008-04-15T01:59:00.000-07:00

The two elderly women, on trial for murdering homeless men, are trying a new strategy in order to win their cases: turn on each other.

In an eleventh-hour shift in defense strategy, one of two septuagenarian women charged in a hit-and-run murder case turned on her co-defendant Monday, a move some legal experts said could backfire.

Roger Jon Diamond, who represents Helen Golay, 77, told jurors shortly before they began deliberating that co-defendant Olga Rutterschmidt, 75, conspired with Golay's daughter Kecia in the 2005 slaying of Kenneth McDavid.

This pathethic shift will definitely backfire on these two geezers.

Senior Citizens Get Their Due

2008-04-14T07:20:00.000-07:00

Deliberations begin today in the trial of the two elderly women who are accused of killing two homeless men in order to collect insurance money. Should the jury feel sorry for them? Well, there is speculation that that could happen. I do not feel sorry for them because these two old biddies are ruthless killers.

Helen Golay and Olga Rutterschmidt are accused of killing Kenneth McDavid, 50, in 2005, and Paul Vados, 73, in 1999. The men died in staged hit-and-run accidents, according to the prosecution. Their mangled bodies were found in alleys in Hollywood and Westwood.

History of Snoops at UCLA

2008-04-11T04:07:00.001-07:00

Don't these employees know that everyone has a right to privacy?

Though UCLA Medical Center has portrayed recent privacy breaches as the rare actions of rogue employees, the hospital has known since at least 1995 that staffers were peeking into the medical records of such prominent patients as Tom Cruise and Mariah Carey -- and even spying on one another's medical care, according to records and interviews.

Nutty Judge To Resign

2008-04-10T04:11:00.000-07:00

When you start acting like you lost your mind, then it is time you lose your job.

Superior Court Judge James M. Brooks, who was disciplined several times for misconduct has agreed to resign. The judge will step down April 30.

On Friday, the state Commission on Judicial Performance publicly admonished him for failing to uphold order and decorum in the court during a 2005 employee discrimination case. He jokingly used hand-lettered signs to overrule objections and allowed an attorney to taunt a plaintiff with the "Twilight Zone" theme.

Sheriff Anderson Suspends Employees

2008-04-09T03:54:00.000-07:00

Getting the FBI involved is a good move but what made them feel so comfortable in doing this anyway?

Orange County Acting Sheriff Jack Anderson suspended five employees Tuesday and called for an FBI investigation after the release of grand jury transcripts that showed Theo Lacy jail guards relying on inmates to enforce order while they watched TV, slept, played video games and engaged in cellphone text chats.

The paid suspensions include the three jailers on duty in October 2006 when John Derek Chamberlain was tortured, sodomized and beaten to death by fellow inmates during an attack that lasted nearly an hour not far from the glass-enclosed guard station.

Maybe other jails should be investigated to see how widespread is this type of behavior .

Prisoners Rule

2008-04-08T05:41:00.000-07:00

If you are an inmate, the best place to be locked up is in Orange County:

A grand jury transcript released Monday describes an Orange County jail in disarray, with deputies watching television, playing video games and taking naps while inmates were allowed to use brutality and intimidation to keep order in the cellblocks.

Some incentive to deter crime, hey deputies!!!

Breaking Confidentiality

2008-04-07T02:11:00.000-07:00

What's with the snooping? People will do anything in order to make a quick buck.

A UCLA Medical Center worker who sneaked into the confidential medical records of '70s TV icon Farrah Fawcett last year also improperly viewed the electronic files of 32 other celebrities, politicians and high-profile patients, including California first lady Maria Shriver, according to interviews with hospital and state officials Sunday.

The breaches expose UCLA to state sanctions and amount to a major embarrassment for one of the nation's preeminent medical centers. The UCLA employee allegedly looked up information on noncelebrity patients as well, accessing 61 patients' records without permission in 2006 and 2007, state and hospital officials said.

This is how the tabloids get their stories.

Exchange Between Killers

2008-04-06T01:43:00.000-07:00

This exchange between the two elderly women who are on trial for murdering homeless vagrants in order to collect insurance money shows how the two did not even trust each other during their scams.

"I want to report a fraud. I'm the fiancee; she's not the fiancee," said the woman, identifying herself only as Olga, Resmick recalled recently outside court.

Speaking in a heavy accent, Olga began "ranting and ranting like a lunatic" that Helen Golay had committed fraud by listing herself as the beneficiary on a policy for a down-and-out man who had been killed in a hit-and-run accident.

Those two old bitties are what you call psychopaths. I hope they receive the maximum sentence.

Deputy Commits Suicide Before Impending Arrest

2008-04-05T04:15:00.000-07:00

An O.C. Deputy committed suicide, after he accessed computer information concerning his impending arrest for molesting a 12 year old boy.

Gerald Stenger, a 20-year veteran of the department, was charged with molesting a boy he met through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County, where he had served as a volunteer from 1991 to 1995. The molestation began in 1995 and continued for two years.

Farrah Fawcett's Privacy Breached At UCLA

2008-04-03T08:17:00.000-07:00

Months before UCLA Medical Center caught staffers snooping in the medical records of pop star Britney Spears, '70s TV icon Farrah Fawcett learned that a hospital employee had surreptitiously gone through records of her cancer treatments there, documents and interviews show.

Fawcett's lawyers said they are concerned that the information may have been subsequently leaked or sold to tabloids, including the National Enquirer.

Shortly after UCLA doctors told Fawcett that her cancer had returned -- and before she had told her son and closest friends -- the Enquirer posted the news on its website. Indeed, alarming headlines regularly cropped up in the Enquirer and its sister publication, the Globe, within days of Fawcett's treatments at UCLA.

UCLA terminated the employee who inappropriately reviewed Fawcett's records, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity.