Los Angeles Police Department

Gregg Reese  |   OW Staff Writer
May 5 2011

A more humane approach sought

Downtown’s skyline continues its ascent upward while at street level the battle continues for the fate of the less fortunate in Los Angeles’ halls of justice.

On April 22, the United States District Court handed down a restraining order against the Los Angeles Police Department, the county Department of Public Works, and other agencies, which prevents them from confiscating or destroying the property of its homeless citizens in the city.
 

May 4 2011

"Operation Villainz Ink"

LOS ANGELES, Calif.—Law enforcement officers today arrested 19 people for alleged firearms and drug violations in an anti-gang sting that involved a Venice tattoo parlor run by undercover agents.

"ATF will aggressively pursue these violent gangs that occupy our communities and will continue to work with our partners to ensure that they know we are coming for them,'' Torres said.

"Operation Villainz Ink" targeted gang members in an area controlled primarily by the Venice 13, Chris Hoffman of the ATF said.

Apr 28 2011

Unconfirmed reports state that Williams was deaf and could not hear the officers' commands

LOS ANGELES, Calif.—Authorities today identified a woman fatally shot by three Los Angeles police officers in Watts when she allegedly refused to drop a handgun that she was pointing at a neighbor.

Brenda Williams, 56, was shot about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in the 10000 block of Anzac Avenue, the Los Angeles Police Department reported. She died at the scene.

The shooting was one of three involving LAPD officers on Wednesday—two of them in Watts and one of them in Panorama City.

Apr 26 2011

Accused of selling or destroying $400,000 in property

LOS ANGELES, Calif.—Former major league baseball star Lenny Dykstra posted bail recently with help from actor Charlie Sheen, a celebrity website said.

TMZ.com reported that Sheen fronted $22,500 for Dykstra's $150,000 bail for a federal case in which Dykstra, 48, of Encino, is accused of selling or destroying $400,000 in property that was part of his 2009 bankruptcy case.

Apr 25 2011

A-Star American Eurocopter

VAN NUYS, Calif.—A gunman distraught over a friend's death fired a rifle round into an LAPD helicopter, forcing it to make a perilous but injury-free landing at Van Nuys Airport as his relatives subdued him and held him for police, authorities said.

Danny Lopez, 18, was booked on suspicion of attempted murder on a police officer, said Los Angeles police Detective Gus Villanueva.

Across Black America

Here’s a look at African American people and issues making headlines throughout the country.
 

Alabama
Freeman A. Hrabowski, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, will address the annual African American Business Council luncheon on June 28. Hrabowski, who is chairman of President Barack Obama’s Advisory Commission on Education Excellence for African Americans, has a national reputation for his work studying the performance of minority students in math and science. Hrabowski, named one of the 10 best college presidents in the country by Time magazine, was a child leader in the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham in the 1960s.
 

Arkansas
The Liberty Counsel filed a motion and a brief in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas seeking to intervene on behalf of a Concepts of Life crisis pregnancy center to defend against a suit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Reproductive Rights. The groups seek to impose a permanent injunction before the Human Heartbeat Protection Act goes into effect July 18. Liberty Counsel also filed a brief opposing the ACLU’s request for an injunction. The “Heartbeat” bill states that when a woman seeks an abortion at or after the 12th week, doctors must test for a fetal heartbeat before an abortion is performed and inform the pregnant mother that the child in her womb has a heartbeat. If a heartbeat is detected, a woman cannot have an abortion, except in cases of rape, incest, and if a mother’s life is in danger. “As we promised when the legislation was introduced, Liberty Counsel will defend this law without reservation for the people of Arkansas, born and pre-born,” said Matt Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel. “No right is more foundational than the right to life. Without life, all other rights are irrelevant,” concluded Staver.