Phil Spector Convicted of Second Degree Murder

The latimes.com website reported in an article on April 13, 2009 that music producer Phil Spector, 69 was found guilty of second degree murder in California of actress Lana Clarkson. The shooting took place six year ago. A Los Angeles Superior Court jury came to its verdict after nine days of deliberation. This is the second trial. The first jury ended deadlocked, 10 out of the 12 jurors in favor of guilt.

Spector gained fame after working with musical bands including the Righteous Brothers, the Beatles, and Tina Turner. When sentenced, Spector faces a minimum of 18 years in prison. The jury concluded that Spector murdered Clarkson, who was a tall blond actress, in February 2003 just hours after he met her.

During the trial which began in October, Spector was described by the prosecution as being a brutal women hater who had a track record of more than three decades of playing Russian roulette with women when intoxicated.

In summation, a prosecutor said, “By the grace of God, five other women got the empty chamber and lived to tell. Lena just happened to be the sixth woman who got the bullet.”

Spector’s lawyers argued that Clarkson had killed herself. The defense claimed that Clarkson was depressed about her unsuccessful career and money problems leading to her shooting herself after drinking with Spector.

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Mass Shootings Create Critical Time for Second Amendment Gun Rights

Nine people were shot at a private religious college in East Oakland, and the police officials believed that seven have been pronounced dead, according to ABC News. The shooting took place on Monday morning, April 2, 2012 at Oikos University, an independent Korean Christian school that offers undergraduate courses in ministry and nursing, among other degree. Authorities tracked down the gunman more than a mile away in an Alameda shopping mall an hour after the shooting. A suspect was detained, and Pastor Jong Kim, the school founder, said the shooter had previously been a nursing student at Oikos but was no longer enrolled. He was unsure whether the shooter had been expelled or dropped out voluntarily.

Oakland Mayor Jean Quan said most of the victims appeared to be from the city’s Korean-American community, and the city was working to find multilingual counselors to help survivors. “No American mayor wants to have this situation,” she said. “It seems over the last decade, we’ve gotten used to seeing senseless mass killings like this, and we’ll have to question the availability of guns and the need for other services in our community.

After the Trayvon Martin case, this incident offers another crucial test of Second Amendment rights that could have repercussions for California’s sweeping slate of state and local gun control laws. Conceal-carry permits are now allowed in 49 states (Illinois and Washington D.C. do not have conceal-carry laws), and “Stand Your Ground” laws are on the books in 21 states. Bay Area counties from Alameda and Marin to San Mateo have enacted laws that forbid the sale or possession of guns on government property, effectively banning gun shows at some of the best spots to hold them.

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Los Angeles Area Homicides Hit a Historic Low in 2010

The homicide rate in the areas served by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department dropped to 0.61 deaths per 10,000 residents in 2010, the lowest it has been since 1965, according to data recently released by the Sheriff’s Department. The numbers are taken from the entire area served by the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. In order to be included as a “homicide,” a crime had to involve the killing of one person by another, whether intentional or accidental.

In total, 181 homicides occurred in Los Angeles County in 2010, the lowest number in any one year since 1971. Overall, since 1960, the year with the fewest total homicides was 1972, with 146 deaths. The year that saw the most homicides was 1995, when 473 lives were lost.

Although a few years since 1960 have seen fewer total homicides than 2010, the rate of homicides – or the number of deaths divided by the total number of people in the area – was at a historic low in 2010. The rate of 0.61 deaths per 10,000 people in 2010 is similar to the rates of the early 1970s and is much lower than the rates in the mid-1990s, when rates of 1.5 homicides per 10,000 people were not uncommon.

Every type of homicide charge carries serious penalties if the charged person is convicted. If you have been charged with murder, manslaughter, or a similar crime in California, experienced Los Angeles homicide defense lawyer Lawrence Wolf has the experience to provide an aggressive defense that protects your legal rights and fight for the best possible outcome in your case. For a free and confidential consultation, call the Law Offices of Lawrence Wolf today at [number type=”1″].

Five-Year-Old Boy Killed on Halloween in Alleged Gang Shooting

Tragically, a five-year-old boy was gunned down in an alleged gang attack while getting ready to go trick-or-treating, according to The Los Angeles Times.

The young boy was posing in a Spiderman costume in his backyard in Los Angeles. The attack is suspected of being misdirected gunfire between the Crips and the Bloods, two notorious rival Los Angeles gangs. The young boy was hit in the head with a stray bullet and died immediately. Although the boy’s house is in the middle of an area notorious for gangs, no one in his family is connected to a gang.

Along with the shooting of the young boy, his uncle was hit in the wrist and his grandfather was hit in the leg. The young boy was the 32nd person killed within a 12 square mile radius that is one of the most dangerous areas in Los Angeles. Typically, children are not targeted by gangs, although children are sometimes hit by stray bullets.

In prior years, a killing such as this one would have resulted in many more revenge killings. Now, however, gang interventionists are paid by the city to work the streets in order to stop retaliations. Residents in the area immediately provided details about the killing to police, who arrested two alleged members of the Kitchen Crips gang.

Individuals involved in a gang are often viewed as guilty until proven innocent. If you have been charged with a violent crime in relation to alleged gang activity, contact our experienced Los Angeles murder defense attorneys at the Law Offices of Lawrence Wolf. For a free consultation, call us at [number type=”1″].

Use of Familial DNA to Solve Crimes is Debated

The recent arrest of the “Grim Sleeper” killer has shined a light on California’s policy of allowing familial DNA searches, according to the New York Times. Familial DNA searches are the use of DNA samples from convicts to find relatives who may have committed a crime.

Only California and Colorado have written policies allowing familial DNA searches, although the technique is commonly used in England. Earlier this summer, the L.A.P.D. used a familial DNA search to find the “Grim Sleeper” killer, who is accused of having killed at least 10 victims in the L.A. area over 25 years. In their attempt to solve the crime, California’s DNA lab analyzed old crime scene evidence and found a link between the evidence and the killer’s son, who was convicted of a felony and had his DNA in the state database. The police then followed the suspect and nabbed his DNA from a pizza slice he threw away. This represents the first time that familial DNA has been used in a murder case in the U.S.

Although many in the police community are hailing the use of familial DNA to solve cases, there are many criticisms of the technique. Critics claim it is imprecise and has the potential to invade individuals’ privacy. They also claim it is a type of racial profiling because a higher percentage of inmates are minorities. Also, although California restricts the use of familial DNA searching to major, violent crimes, critics worry that other states may use the technique for other crimes as well.

Have you or a loved one been accused of a violent crime in Los Angeles based on DNA evidence? If so, contact the experienced Los Angeles murder defense attorneys at the Law Offices of Lawrence Wolf. Our legal team will analyze all the evidence and work hard to provide you with the best possible defense for your case. Contact us today at [number type=”1″].

Grim Sleeper Suspect Arrested in Los Angeles

Lonnie Franklin Jr. was arrested in Los Angeles on July 7 on suspicion of being the “Grim Sleeper” killer. In the 1980’s, a series of killings of young black women occurred and then stopped, resuming 14 years later, which inspired the name Grim Sleeper.

Lonnie Franklin was charged with 10 counts of murder, as well as other charges, reports anABC News article. Franklin was arrested 15 times over the past several decades for burglary, car theft, gun possession and assault. However, he was never entered into California’s DNA database because his crimes were not serious enough.

Despite all his arrests, Franklin’s DNA was never entered into a DNA database. His last conviction occurred one year before all felony convicts in California were required to have their DNA placed in a state database.

Franklin was discovered by authorities using a familial DNA match. In June, the California Department of Justice ran DNA from the case through a database. The database failed to find any matches, but it did find a familial match, which means that a different convicted felon’s DNA showed that he was a brother or a son of the Grim Sleeper killer. Detectives used that information to locate Franklin.

Man Faces Multiple Murder Charges in Slaying of Pregnant Venice Woman

According to the Los Angeles Times, a 22-year-old man faces three counts of capital murder after a pregnant Venice woman was fatally stabbed. The 38-year-old woman, and the twins whom she was pregnant with, were killed during a robbery. The suspect accused of the murder has also been charged with rape.

According to the report, while the suspect does have a history of burglary and trespassing, there was never any indication that he was predisposed to the violence found to have taken place in the Venice slaying. In any Los Angeles murder case, it is vital that all details of the incident are carefully examined in order to determine as accurately as possible the events that transpired. The suspect has pled not guilty to all charges, and police investigation is still ongoing.

East LA Man Charged in Murder of Reseda Woman

The boyfriend of a slain 24-year-old Reseda woman has been charged with her murder. According to an abclocal.go.com article, the 30-year-old East Los Angeles man allegedly had an altercation with the woman on December 20, 2009, which reportedly ended with the woman being repeatedly stabbed with an ice pick. The boyfriend now faces one charge of murder with a deadly and dangerous weapon. If convicted, he faces a maximum prison term of 26 years-to-life, and is currently in custody on $1 million bail.

The story explains that the woman’s body was discovered the following day in Winnetka. The woman’s brother reportedly found the woman’s body in her car. There was no mention of whether or not eyewitnesses saw the accused man place the woman’s body in the car, nor was there mention of whether or not the man was seen near the location where her body was discovered. Police investigation into the matter will undoubtedly provide more details as to the events that transpired that night.

Los Angeles Homicides at Lowest Level Since 1960s

Although it was speculated that a down trodden economy would inevitably lead to an increase in criminal activity, the crime rate in Los Angeles has dropped in 2009 with homicide numbers plummeting to levels not seen since the 1960s. According to the Los Angeles Times, 2009 marks the seventh consecutive year that the number of serious crimes committed in Los Angeles County has dropped. The number of violent crimes in Los Angeles dropped by about 10%, while the number of property crimes fell by about 8%. All in all, the Los Angeles Police Department and Sheriff’s Department has had to handle nearly 20,000 fewer crimes in 2009 than they did in 2008.

The article mentions the theory that crime rates tend to rise as unemployment numbers increase. However, the report also speculates that the increased number of individuals sitting at home, rather than being at work, may have contributed towards a decrease in crime. This is due to the fact that these individuals are at home in their neighborhoods keeping a watchful eye over things.

Criminal Charges Still Pending in Michael Jackson Wrongful Death Case

The circumstances surrounding Michael Jackson’s death may have cleared up over the last few months, but details surrounding criminal charges are still being determined. Reportedly, decisions regarding criminal charges connected to the pop singer’s death will not be made before 2010. According to the Los Angeles Times, the evidence involved in the case, much of which is complicated medical data, is so extensive that outside medical experts have been called in to help determine the scope of negligent action that played a role in Jackson’s death.

Jackson died on June 25th, the official cause determined to have been “acute propfol intoxication.” Dr. Conrad Murray, Jackson’s personal physician, remains the primary suspect. While specific charges are still pending, manslaughter is one charge that will certainly be sought in connection to the death. Ultimately, this case is emblematic of the careful examination that should accompany all criminal investigations. Regardless of the circumstances or the scope of the investigation, every detail should be thoroughly examined to ensure that all available information is present during the trial process.