Blog
According to the Los Angeles Times, film director Roman Polanski will be extradited to the United States so that he may face child-sex charges dating back to 1978. Polanksi is currently being held by Swiss officials, and is fighting the extradition. Based on correspondence sent between the two countries, extradition seems likely at this point. Reportedly, U.S. officials were tipped off by the Swiss federal office of justice that Polanski would be entering Switzerland to attend the Zurich film festival. He was then arrested as he stepped off an airplane at a Swiss airport. In 1978, Polanski was accused of… Read More
CNN.com story recently chronicled the ongoing legal troubles of actress Lindsay Lohan. According the article, a Beverly Hills judge just extended Lohan’s probation in order to give her more time to complete her court-ordered alcohol counseling treatment. To date, Lohan has reportedly not completed the program and her attendance has been less than satisfactory. While her defense attorney explained that Lohan’s career hindered Lohan from completing the program, the presiding judge warned that if she hears of Lohan missing any more meetings, she will sentence Lohan to jail time. Successful completion of the program was mandated based on a 2007… Read More
According to a recent Los Angeles Times article, October playoff baseball may bring out the worst in some fans. That is, Orange County officials are on high alert for individuals that choose to drink during baseball games, and then proceed to operate motor vehicles soon thereafter. The high alert comes on the heels of the death of Nick Adenhart, a promising young pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. In April 2009, the 22-year-old Adenhart and two of his friends were killed by an alleged drunk driver less than ten miles from Angel Stadium of Anaheim, where Adenhart had… Read More
According to ktla.com, two suspects were recently arrested and are being investigated for the theft of catalytic converters from cars and trucks in the Los Angeles area over the last several months. Supposedly, the suspects were seen by officers removing the car part from a parked car on the University of Southern California campus, and were detained for questioning and further investigation as to whether or not they are responsible for the 60-plus incidences to-date involving the stolen piece. The parts are deemed desirable amongst thieves for the precious metal they contain, creating the opportunity to easily sell such an… Read More
The Los Angeles Times recently reported that the Los Angeles Police Department and federal authorities teamed up in a raid that targeted a Los Angeles street gang responsible for crimes ranging from assault to drug charges to murder. The street gang in question calls multiple cities and areas in the Los Angeles area its home, has affiliations with prison gangs, and has a long history of committing violent acts against those whom they consider outsiders. The raid involved the detainment and arrest of a large number of individuals for a wide variety of charges. In such matters, it is important… Read More
According to latimesblogs.latimes.com, a shooting occurred outside of a marijuana dispensary in West Los Angeles. Two people were seriously injured, and were taken to local area hospitals where they are in critical and serious conditions. Police investigating the matter believe that the shooting was an attempted robbery. Los Angeles police officials cited an increase in crime levels occurring around marijuana dispensaries. Although marijuana is legal for medical purposes, the very fact that it is illegal otherwise can cause for some complicated matters pertaining to the law. Marijuana users that need the drug for medicinal purposes might be subject to investigation,… Read More
A recent story put out by the Associated Press tells of a startling trend pertaining to homicides involving children. In Los Angeles, a woman stands accused of killing her two daughters, ages 11 and 17. In Orange County, a 5-year-old and a 3-year-old were allegedly wounded by their mother. And in Ventura County, a 12-year-old boy and his 7-year-old sister were stabbed to death allegedly by their father. In all of these cases, the serious question as to why parents are supposedly willing to hurt their children needs to be asked, and the circumstances surrounding the slayings and injuries need… Read More
According to Los Angeles’s KTLA-TV channel 5, the trial of a man responsible for a drunk-driving crash that took the lives of three people will be postponed for at least six months. Such a decision was determined after the private attorney defending the 22-year-old removed himself from the case, citing inability to adequately defend his client as the basis of his necessary leave. This particular case gained notoriety in that one of the crash victims was 22-year-old Nick Adenhart, a professional baseball player of the Angels. The motorist responsible for the accident now faces 54 years to life in prison… Read More
Although it was speculated that crime rates would rise in such a down-trodden economy, the level of crime actually dropped an average of 7.4%, according to year-to-date statistics that were released on September 5th. According to contracosttimes.com, auto theft plummeted 17.6% year-to-date and homicides dropped almost 15%. Overall, crime levels seem to be dropping or at the very least remaining stagnant, both signs that economic misfortune is not having an impact on the likelihood that an individual will resort to committing property crimes as a means of supporting oneself. During tough times such as these, individuals are often left wondering… Read More
According to the Associated Press, a California man currently stands on trial for the 2000 death of his 4-year-old daughter. The young girl plummeted to her death from a 120 foot-high cliff in Rancho Palos Verdes. Speculation on the part of the prosecution claims that the father, in a wayward attempt at having to avoid paying child support, threw his daughter off the cliff. On the other hand, the defense claims that the whole incident was an accident and that the 47-year-old father loved his daughter dearly and would never do such a thing. This most recent trial is the… Read More