VICTOR OROZCO'S FAMILY GETTING BACK ON THEIR FEET
I reported previously that the PLATA family had been burned out of their house in ANGELINO HEIGHTS a few weeks ago. Their son, VICTOR OROZCO, was killed by a single bullet in the face in 1999 while he was standing at a pay phone on FIGUEROA and 67th. The alleged shooter was ANTHONY "SMOKEY" OCHOA from the AVENUES gang and a prospective member of JIMMY "DRAC" MAXSON'S crew. OCHOA commited suicide sometime after the shooting. For those of you keeping track of all this, you'll recall that RICHIE "LIL PEE WEE" AGUIRRE was driving the car that OCHOA was riding in when OCHOA allegedly shot OROZCO. RICHIE is currently in custody awaiting trial on the OROZCO murder charge as well as the murder of drug dealer ALLEN DOWNEY.
We're happy to report that the PLATAS have found a new apartment. Thanks to the help from the RED CROSS, their extended family and members of their church, the PLATAS are getting back on their feet. The DAD has been forced to stop working due to a severe back injury but their remarkable spirit is keeping them optimistic and cheerful.
As always, the accused are innocent of charges until proven guilty.
Wednesday, September 03, 2003
SCANNING AIN'T CHEAP OR EASY ANYMORE
We've gotten more than a few emails from curious readers who want to know how to listen in on LAPD, LASD and CHP radio transmissions. We can't answer each reader individually so here goes for a rundown on what's going on in the world of cop communications.
It used to be that a $150 Radio Shack scanner and a few minutes with a frequency guide would get you all the LAPD radio transmissions you could handle -- including surveillance freqs which were the coolest things to listen to. All that has changed.
Last year, LAPD traded in the ancient but reliable analog radio system for the new digital APCO 25 protocol. APCO stands for Association of Police Communications Officers, a group that oversees all police communications and is supposed to make sure that, among other things, adjacent police departments (LAPD and PASADENA for instance) can talk to each other in an emergency or pursuit or if officers need assistance.
The APCO 25 digital system CANNOT be monitored with conventional analog scanners like you used to be able to get from RADIO SHACK and UNIDEN, among others. Tune into the old 506 or 507 Megahertz (Mhz) LAPD frequencies these days and all you'll get is static.
Here's the interesting thing. Departments like ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFFS also went with APCO 25 digital. But unlike the LAPD, ORANGE COUNTY uses level III encryption. That means there's no way that any civilian can legally monitor that department. Level III encryption is proprietary and you need to be licensed and permitted to use it. News organizations for instance, can still listen. Civilians are basically out of that loop and will remain out of it. Period.
The LAPD, on the other hand, did not go with encryption. So legally, you can still monitor LAPD transmissions. It's just going to cost you a lot. Right now, the only scanner that can monitor LAPD is the UNIDEN BC785D DIGITAL MOBILE BASE UNIT. This is roughly the same size as the old RADIO SHACK mobile/base units and it easily fits under the dash of most cars. The cost is $369.95 from discounters. As it comes from the factory, it can follow trunked conversations such as the ERICSSON (EDACS), MOTOROLA and JOHNSON (LTR) system. It can also monitor conventional analog signals.
But to get the LAPD, you'll also need to plug in the UNIDEN BCi25 CARD. That's an additional $299.95. This card activates level I and II APCO 25 digital communications. But not Level III. Civilians are prohibited from Level III as noted earlier. Add sales tax and a few accessories such as a noise filter, car antenna and magnetic mount, a frequency manual and maybe a carrying case and you're in the high $800 range. Not cheap. But it's the only game in town. SO FAR!
Other makers may get into this market if they see a demand. So there's an outside chance the free enterprise system will come to the rescue and bring prices down. However, there's no guarantee that LAPD won't go the Level III encryption route sometime in the future. Which means your expensive UNIDEN scanner will become a very technoid looking coaster. Oh yeah, the LAPD has one frequency left that you can still monitor on analog. That would be 154.830, the decades-old citywide hotshot frequency. It's good for the occasional thrill like, "Man with unknown type gun there now. Male hispanic, shaved head, tan pants, unknown shirt. Last heading northbound on York from Avenue 50." But that's all you're gonna get. The days of following the responding officers to the call, the CODE 3 run and the aftermath are now gone -- unless you have the $800 to spend on eavesdropping gear.
There is good news though. You can still monitor the CHP on just about any scanner made. So far, CHP is sticking to its traditional 42 Mhz frequency band and they're staying analog and unencrypted. But let's face it, compared to listening to the North Hollywood BoA shootout, the OJ chase and the 24/7 felony stops, monitoring the CHP is a snooze.
We've gotten more than a few emails from curious readers who want to know how to listen in on LAPD, LASD and CHP radio transmissions. We can't answer each reader individually so here goes for a rundown on what's going on in the world of cop communications.
It used to be that a $150 Radio Shack scanner and a few minutes with a frequency guide would get you all the LAPD radio transmissions you could handle -- including surveillance freqs which were the coolest things to listen to. All that has changed.
Last year, LAPD traded in the ancient but reliable analog radio system for the new digital APCO 25 protocol. APCO stands for Association of Police Communications Officers, a group that oversees all police communications and is supposed to make sure that, among other things, adjacent police departments (LAPD and PASADENA for instance) can talk to each other in an emergency or pursuit or if officers need assistance.
The APCO 25 digital system CANNOT be monitored with conventional analog scanners like you used to be able to get from RADIO SHACK and UNIDEN, among others. Tune into the old 506 or 507 Megahertz (Mhz) LAPD frequencies these days and all you'll get is static.
Here's the interesting thing. Departments like ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFFS also went with APCO 25 digital. But unlike the LAPD, ORANGE COUNTY uses level III encryption. That means there's no way that any civilian can legally monitor that department. Level III encryption is proprietary and you need to be licensed and permitted to use it. News organizations for instance, can still listen. Civilians are basically out of that loop and will remain out of it. Period.
The LAPD, on the other hand, did not go with encryption. So legally, you can still monitor LAPD transmissions. It's just going to cost you a lot. Right now, the only scanner that can monitor LAPD is the UNIDEN BC785D DIGITAL MOBILE BASE UNIT. This is roughly the same size as the old RADIO SHACK mobile/base units and it easily fits under the dash of most cars. The cost is $369.95 from discounters. As it comes from the factory, it can follow trunked conversations such as the ERICSSON (EDACS), MOTOROLA and JOHNSON (LTR) system. It can also monitor conventional analog signals.
But to get the LAPD, you'll also need to plug in the UNIDEN BCi25 CARD. That's an additional $299.95. This card activates level I and II APCO 25 digital communications. But not Level III. Civilians are prohibited from Level III as noted earlier. Add sales tax and a few accessories such as a noise filter, car antenna and magnetic mount, a frequency manual and maybe a carrying case and you're in the high $800 range. Not cheap. But it's the only game in town. SO FAR!
Other makers may get into this market if they see a demand. So there's an outside chance the free enterprise system will come to the rescue and bring prices down. However, there's no guarantee that LAPD won't go the Level III encryption route sometime in the future. Which means your expensive UNIDEN scanner will become a very technoid looking coaster. Oh yeah, the LAPD has one frequency left that you can still monitor on analog. That would be 154.830, the decades-old citywide hotshot frequency. It's good for the occasional thrill like, "Man with unknown type gun there now. Male hispanic, shaved head, tan pants, unknown shirt. Last heading northbound on York from Avenue 50." But that's all you're gonna get. The days of following the responding officers to the call, the CODE 3 run and the aftermath are now gone -- unless you have the $800 to spend on eavesdropping gear.
There is good news though. You can still monitor the CHP on just about any scanner made. So far, CHP is sticking to its traditional 42 Mhz frequency band and they're staying analog and unencrypted. But let's face it, compared to listening to the North Hollywood BoA shootout, the OJ chase and the 24/7 felony stops, monitoring the CHP is a snooze.
Friday, August 29, 2003
RICHARD AGUIRRE SENTENCING DELAYED
WALLY thought he was done with the AGUIRREs for the week, but sometimes you can't seem to get away from them. On AUG. 27, WALLY was doing his usual snooping and schmoozing in the CRIMINAL COURTS BUILDING when his PALM PILOT alerted him that he had something scheduled. It turned out to be RICHARD AGUIRRE'S SENTENCING. So WALLY ankled it over to JUDGE MAUREEN DUFFY-LEWIS' court room and got there just in time.
MR. AGUIRRE'S private defense counsel LETITIA AGUIRRE (no relation) informed judge DUFFY-LEWIS that there had been two recent deaths in the AGUIRRE family. One was MR. AGUIRRE'S son BENNY. The other was the matriarch of the family RUTH AGUIRRE, RICHARD and CHEECH'S mother. Both died of complications due to diabetes. She was scheduled for burial on his sentencing day so JUDGE DUFFY-LEWIS granted the request. ADA DAVID GELFOUND did not object to a continuance until next week. The new date is SEPT. 4.
The last time that WALLY saw MR. AGUIRRE was on one of LIL PEE WEE'S court dates. At that time, he looked hearty and vigorous. His beard had a few traces of white but it was still mostly dark and he was tanned and fit. At his sentencing, MR. AGUIRRE 's beard was completely white, he was pale and he walked like a tired old man. Even DAVID GELFOUND noted how rapidly RICHARD AGUIRRE had aged.
And it's no wonder. His oldest son is doing life without parole in MARION FEDERAL PENITENTIARY. Another has just died. His youngest is looking at a double murder case and will probably get a long sentence is state prison. His mother just died and brother CHEECH is a sad homeless drug addict. WALLY would love to have a little heart to heart with MR. AGUIRRE to see what's going on in that head and heart.
WALLY thought he was done with the AGUIRREs for the week, but sometimes you can't seem to get away from them. On AUG. 27, WALLY was doing his usual snooping and schmoozing in the CRIMINAL COURTS BUILDING when his PALM PILOT alerted him that he had something scheduled. It turned out to be RICHARD AGUIRRE'S SENTENCING. So WALLY ankled it over to JUDGE MAUREEN DUFFY-LEWIS' court room and got there just in time.
MR. AGUIRRE'S private defense counsel LETITIA AGUIRRE (no relation) informed judge DUFFY-LEWIS that there had been two recent deaths in the AGUIRRE family. One was MR. AGUIRRE'S son BENNY. The other was the matriarch of the family RUTH AGUIRRE, RICHARD and CHEECH'S mother. Both died of complications due to diabetes. She was scheduled for burial on his sentencing day so JUDGE DUFFY-LEWIS granted the request. ADA DAVID GELFOUND did not object to a continuance until next week. The new date is SEPT. 4.
The last time that WALLY saw MR. AGUIRRE was on one of LIL PEE WEE'S court dates. At that time, he looked hearty and vigorous. His beard had a few traces of white but it was still mostly dark and he was tanned and fit. At his sentencing, MR. AGUIRRE 's beard was completely white, he was pale and he walked like a tired old man. Even DAVID GELFOUND noted how rapidly RICHARD AGUIRRE had aged.
And it's no wonder. His oldest son is doing life without parole in MARION FEDERAL PENITENTIARY. Another has just died. His youngest is looking at a double murder case and will probably get a long sentence is state prison. His mother just died and brother CHEECH is a sad homeless drug addict. WALLY would love to have a little heart to heart with MR. AGUIRRE to see what's going on in that head and heart.
INTHEHAT IS HUGE IN DENMARK
The frozen north is about as far as you can get from the gun-blasted streets of East LA. But somebody up there likes us. The good people at the DANISH BROADCASTING COMPANY have been reading INTHEHAT and apparently they like what they see. They liked it enough to send a reporter and a photograher to LA to interview WALLY and get background information on what's going on in the world of HISPANIC STREET GANGS. WALLY, the media whore that he is, was more than happy to oblige and spent two days driving the intrepid duo around AVENUES, TOONERVILLE and FROGTOWN neighborhoods.
WALLY introduced the DANISH DUO, MADS and KLAUS to DETECTIVE JOHN BERDIN and some of the detectives in NORTHEAST homicide. MADS got a good interview with BERDIN, KLAUS got some good pictures and they both left NORTHEAST police station loaded down with T-shirts, flashlights, keychains, D.A.R.E. bumper stickers and other assorted trinkets. BERDIN was generous to a fault and everyone around the station made the two DANES and WALLY feel very welcome.
After the interview, BERDIN arranged a ride-and-drive in a black and white with SERGEANT GREG STAATS. Like BERDIN, STAATS (who incidentally is of DANISH extraction) was more than generous with his time. He knew exactly where to go to give KLAUS what he wanted. KLAUS shot lots of images of TOONERVILLE soldiers flashing their signs and generally grandstanding for the camera. This thrilled KLAUS. After two days of not finding ideal subjects and missing the good light, he finally got what he wanted and he got it in the pre-sunset golden light that is "THE" magic light of every photographer we know.
We've always been told that if you do well by others, it will come back to you many-fold. We've always believed and just got another confirmation of good karma on Monday night, the last night that MADS and KLAUS were here. WALLY was rewarded with meeting another figure in the legendary AGUIRRE family.
It happened like this. WALLY and the DANES were hanging out on YORK BLVD. and they were approached by a gregarious veterano-looking dude in a wheelchair. This guy first asked for 80 cents. WALLY gave him a buck. Then the wheelchair guy proceeds to tell the three that his missing left leg was the result of him being on the wrong end of a 12-gauge shotgun blast and that he was stabbed 12 times and left for dead on the street.
It turns out that MR. WHEELCHAIR is CHEECH AGUIRRE -- yet another member of the AGUIRRE dynasty. We understand his street name is PSYCHO. He's RICHARD senior's brother, and the uncle to ALEX and RICHIE. CHEECH said that he was shot four years ago by MARAVILLA, that he's now homeless and sleeps on the streets around YORK and that he's trying to divert young people from getting into gangs. When WALLY told CHEECH that he (wally) knew all about the AGUIRRES -- ALEX (PEE WEE), RICHIE (LIL PEE WEE) and RICHARD SENIOR (HALF MAN) -- CHEECH became defensive and implied that maybe we were rats working for the cops. CHEECH wanted to know how come WALLY knew so much. WALLY said that he knows a lot about a lot of people. Then CHEECH thought that the DANES were rats. WALLY then told CHEECH the LAPD doesn't have the kind of money to hire people from DENMARK to infiltrate the AVENUES. And besides, how much sense does it make to spy on AVENUES with DANISH guys? CHEECH bought that but his change of attitude was pronounced and he wasn't the same gregarious fellow after that. MADS got CHEECH to do a radio promo for DANISH radio. WALLY can't wait to hear that tape. Live on tape directly from the EAST LA BARRIO reaching to places that have never heard of HINAS, JURAS, HOMEBOYS and GHETTO BIRDS!! You gotta love the internet.
MADS and KLAUS left the next morning for BURNING MAN in NEVADA.
The encounter on YORK wasn't the end of WALLY's experiences with the AGUIRRES. Check out the post above for more.
The frozen north is about as far as you can get from the gun-blasted streets of East LA. But somebody up there likes us. The good people at the DANISH BROADCASTING COMPANY have been reading INTHEHAT and apparently they like what they see. They liked it enough to send a reporter and a photograher to LA to interview WALLY and get background information on what's going on in the world of HISPANIC STREET GANGS. WALLY, the media whore that he is, was more than happy to oblige and spent two days driving the intrepid duo around AVENUES, TOONERVILLE and FROGTOWN neighborhoods.
WALLY introduced the DANISH DUO, MADS and KLAUS to DETECTIVE JOHN BERDIN and some of the detectives in NORTHEAST homicide. MADS got a good interview with BERDIN, KLAUS got some good pictures and they both left NORTHEAST police station loaded down with T-shirts, flashlights, keychains, D.A.R.E. bumper stickers and other assorted trinkets. BERDIN was generous to a fault and everyone around the station made the two DANES and WALLY feel very welcome.
After the interview, BERDIN arranged a ride-and-drive in a black and white with SERGEANT GREG STAATS. Like BERDIN, STAATS (who incidentally is of DANISH extraction) was more than generous with his time. He knew exactly where to go to give KLAUS what he wanted. KLAUS shot lots of images of TOONERVILLE soldiers flashing their signs and generally grandstanding for the camera. This thrilled KLAUS. After two days of not finding ideal subjects and missing the good light, he finally got what he wanted and he got it in the pre-sunset golden light that is "THE" magic light of every photographer we know.
We've always been told that if you do well by others, it will come back to you many-fold. We've always believed and just got another confirmation of good karma on Monday night, the last night that MADS and KLAUS were here. WALLY was rewarded with meeting another figure in the legendary AGUIRRE family.
It happened like this. WALLY and the DANES were hanging out on YORK BLVD. and they were approached by a gregarious veterano-looking dude in a wheelchair. This guy first asked for 80 cents. WALLY gave him a buck. Then the wheelchair guy proceeds to tell the three that his missing left leg was the result of him being on the wrong end of a 12-gauge shotgun blast and that he was stabbed 12 times and left for dead on the street.
It turns out that MR. WHEELCHAIR is CHEECH AGUIRRE -- yet another member of the AGUIRRE dynasty. We understand his street name is PSYCHO. He's RICHARD senior's brother, and the uncle to ALEX and RICHIE. CHEECH said that he was shot four years ago by MARAVILLA, that he's now homeless and sleeps on the streets around YORK and that he's trying to divert young people from getting into gangs. When WALLY told CHEECH that he (wally) knew all about the AGUIRRES -- ALEX (PEE WEE), RICHIE (LIL PEE WEE) and RICHARD SENIOR (HALF MAN) -- CHEECH became defensive and implied that maybe we were rats working for the cops. CHEECH wanted to know how come WALLY knew so much. WALLY said that he knows a lot about a lot of people. Then CHEECH thought that the DANES were rats. WALLY then told CHEECH the LAPD doesn't have the kind of money to hire people from DENMARK to infiltrate the AVENUES. And besides, how much sense does it make to spy on AVENUES with DANISH guys? CHEECH bought that but his change of attitude was pronounced and he wasn't the same gregarious fellow after that. MADS got CHEECH to do a radio promo for DANISH radio. WALLY can't wait to hear that tape. Live on tape directly from the EAST LA BARRIO reaching to places that have never heard of HINAS, JURAS, HOMEBOYS and GHETTO BIRDS!! You gotta love the internet.
MADS and KLAUS left the next morning for BURNING MAN in NEVADA.
The encounter on YORK wasn't the end of WALLY's experiences with the AGUIRRES. Check out the post above for more.
ANDY TEAGUE DOING BETTER ALL THE TIME
The good news is that Detective ANDY (BOY) TEAGUE is on the mend and is making an unexpected and some would say even miraculous recovery. Look back to earlier posts for details on what happened to ANDY and his partner ABIEL BARRON.
ANDY's unique brand of humor is back in all it's cynical glory, his mind is sharp and clear and he's expected to go home from rehab by the first week of SEPTEMBER. We'll keep you up to date on his progress.
On an ANDY-related matter, TIM (HUERO) MCGHEE has been shooting his mouth off in county about how he orchestrated the traffic accident that killed ABE BARRON and severely injured TEAGUE. The depths that this guy will sink to cannot be measured by man. This is one sick puppy. To their credit, none of the inmates in COUNTY JAIL that we've heard of believe a word of it. They know he's full of crap and with each outrageous statement he articulates, he makes himself less liked by the very people he's trying to impress. Maybe MCGHEE may not make into the brotherhood after all.
The good news is that Detective ANDY (BOY) TEAGUE is on the mend and is making an unexpected and some would say even miraculous recovery. Look back to earlier posts for details on what happened to ANDY and his partner ABIEL BARRON.
ANDY's unique brand of humor is back in all it's cynical glory, his mind is sharp and clear and he's expected to go home from rehab by the first week of SEPTEMBER. We'll keep you up to date on his progress.
On an ANDY-related matter, TIM (HUERO) MCGHEE has been shooting his mouth off in county about how he orchestrated the traffic accident that killed ABE BARRON and severely injured TEAGUE. The depths that this guy will sink to cannot be measured by man. This is one sick puppy. To their credit, none of the inmates in COUNTY JAIL that we've heard of believe a word of it. They know he's full of crap and with each outrageous statement he articulates, he makes himself less liked by the very people he's trying to impress. Maybe MCGHEE may not make into the brotherhood after all.
Saturday, August 16, 2003
STRUCK BY TRAGEDY AGAIN
Why does it always seem that the good people are the ones who are constantly tested and challenged by circumstances. This week, the PLATA family was burned out of their rented ANGELINO HEIGHTS home when the house next door caught fire and the flames spread to theirs. Fortunately, none of the PLATAS were hurt but everything they owned was destroyed in the fire. This is not the first time tragedy has struck this family of six. The PLATA'S oldest son, VICTOR HUGO OROZCO was killed by a single bullet to the face allegedly fired by "SMOKY" OCHOA in 1997. LIL PEE WEE was allegedly driving the car with SMOKY riding shotgun when OROZCO was shot. VICTOR was 21 at the time of his murder, had just fathered a child and was working three jobs to keep the families going.
PEE WEE is currently in COUNTY JAIL awaiting trial on VICTOR'S murder and the murder of ALLEN DOWNEY, a low level drug dealer. The real tragedy is that OROZCO was never involved in gangs and was using the pay phone on the 6600 block of FIGUEROA when he was shot. He was calling his brother-in-law to ask for a ride home because the people he was with couldn't drive him.
The PLATA family is incredibly tight and religious and we're certain they'll weather through this as they did the killing of VICTOR. They probably see this as a test of their faith. We wish we are as strong as these good people.
Why does it always seem that the good people are the ones who are constantly tested and challenged by circumstances. This week, the PLATA family was burned out of their rented ANGELINO HEIGHTS home when the house next door caught fire and the flames spread to theirs. Fortunately, none of the PLATAS were hurt but everything they owned was destroyed in the fire. This is not the first time tragedy has struck this family of six. The PLATA'S oldest son, VICTOR HUGO OROZCO was killed by a single bullet to the face allegedly fired by "SMOKY" OCHOA in 1997. LIL PEE WEE was allegedly driving the car with SMOKY riding shotgun when OROZCO was shot. VICTOR was 21 at the time of his murder, had just fathered a child and was working three jobs to keep the families going.
PEE WEE is currently in COUNTY JAIL awaiting trial on VICTOR'S murder and the murder of ALLEN DOWNEY, a low level drug dealer. The real tragedy is that OROZCO was never involved in gangs and was using the pay phone on the 6600 block of FIGUEROA when he was shot. He was calling his brother-in-law to ask for a ride home because the people he was with couldn't drive him.
The PLATA family is incredibly tight and religious and we're certain they'll weather through this as they did the killing of VICTOR. They probably see this as a test of their faith. We wish we are as strong as these good people.
Monday, August 04, 2003
NINA GUERRERO DIES
We've just learned that NINA GUERRERO passed away on July 29. Nina was shot on June 11, 2001 while in the company of MANUEL APODACA. MANUEL was killed instantly, but NINA (who was known as PEBBLES), survived five gun shot wounds. She never fully recovered and was in and out of hospitals and rehab centers for two years before finally falling victim to her injuries. She leaves behind two children who are being raised my MANUEL'S PARENTS. The suspect in the shootings of these two young people is TIMOTHY McGHEE. We pray for NINA's soul and for a violence-free future for her two children.
We've just learned that NINA GUERRERO passed away on July 29. Nina was shot on June 11, 2001 while in the company of MANUEL APODACA. MANUEL was killed instantly, but NINA (who was known as PEBBLES), survived five gun shot wounds. She never fully recovered and was in and out of hospitals and rehab centers for two years before finally falling victim to her injuries. She leaves behind two children who are being raised my MANUEL'S PARENTS. The suspect in the shootings of these two young people is TIMOTHY McGHEE. We pray for NINA's soul and for a violence-free future for her two children.
Thursday, July 24, 2003
SALINAS QUOTES FROM THE LAW BOOKS
It always amazes INTHEHAT how loudly convicted killers scream when they suspect their rights have been violated. And we're not talking about the big rights here, like the right to free competent defense, free medical care, a speedy trial and all the rest of the big ones. We're talking about not getting eggs when they want eggs.
We were looking through our TIGGER SALINAS file and we found this hand-written note he sent to JUDGE TRICIA BIGELOW on APRIL 21, 2003. He complains to JUDGE BIGELOW about his breakfast stating that he received 1 jelly package, 1 bun, 1 bowl of cereal and one 6 oz. carton of orange juice. He did not receive his milk or the 2 eggs he was supposed to get. Then he quotes the CALIFORNIA CODE OF REGULATIONS TITLE 15, PENAL CODE SECTION 1241 that he's entitled to receive the "full amount recommended in the daily allowance with all meals."
It's amazing that SALINAS, who killed his girlfriend SOFIA BERNICE GOMEZ for throwing a beer in his face, should be so outraged when other people don't appear to be following the strict letter of the law. When SALINAS levelled the handgun at GOMEZ on the night of August 19, 2000, would it have stopped him from pulling the trigger five times if she'd suddenly quoted section 187 of the PENAL CODE about murder? We doubt it. With people like ALFREDO "TIGGER" SALINAS, the law is for other people to follow. Not for him. Judge BIGELOW ordered the SHERIFFS to ensure that SALINAS gets his full tax-payer funded breakfast every morning.
It always amazes INTHEHAT how loudly convicted killers scream when they suspect their rights have been violated. And we're not talking about the big rights here, like the right to free competent defense, free medical care, a speedy trial and all the rest of the big ones. We're talking about not getting eggs when they want eggs.
We were looking through our TIGGER SALINAS file and we found this hand-written note he sent to JUDGE TRICIA BIGELOW on APRIL 21, 2003. He complains to JUDGE BIGELOW about his breakfast stating that he received 1 jelly package, 1 bun, 1 bowl of cereal and one 6 oz. carton of orange juice. He did not receive his milk or the 2 eggs he was supposed to get. Then he quotes the CALIFORNIA CODE OF REGULATIONS TITLE 15, PENAL CODE SECTION 1241 that he's entitled to receive the "full amount recommended in the daily allowance with all meals."
It's amazing that SALINAS, who killed his girlfriend SOFIA BERNICE GOMEZ for throwing a beer in his face, should be so outraged when other people don't appear to be following the strict letter of the law. When SALINAS levelled the handgun at GOMEZ on the night of August 19, 2000, would it have stopped him from pulling the trigger five times if she'd suddenly quoted section 187 of the PENAL CODE about murder? We doubt it. With people like ALFREDO "TIGGER" SALINAS, the law is for other people to follow. Not for him. Judge BIGELOW ordered the SHERIFFS to ensure that SALINAS gets his full tax-payer funded breakfast every morning.
THE BACKDOOR OUT OF THE EME
Some years ago, RANDY "COWBOY" THERRIEN, a carnal in the EME, was quoted in an FBI wiretap saying, "Religion ain't the back door out of this thing [THE MEXICAN MAFIA]. You pick up a Bible and think you're out, I'm gonna come looking for you." Well, Randy, it looks like you're wrong. In my previous post, I mentioned DONALD GARCIA, ART BLAJOS and KILROY ROYBAL. I calculated how long they've been out of the EME and it's been almost two decades for all of them. That's a long time. Apparently there is a way out. The back door is religion. The brothers used to like to say BLOOD IN, BLOOD OUT. It now appears that it's BLOOD IN, BIBLE OUT. So much for the fearsome retaliatory power of the EME. Unless, of course, some other dynamic is at work that we don't know about or can't speculate on. In time, we suppose, all will be revealed.
Some years ago, RANDY "COWBOY" THERRIEN, a carnal in the EME, was quoted in an FBI wiretap saying, "Religion ain't the back door out of this thing [THE MEXICAN MAFIA]. You pick up a Bible and think you're out, I'm gonna come looking for you." Well, Randy, it looks like you're wrong. In my previous post, I mentioned DONALD GARCIA, ART BLAJOS and KILROY ROYBAL. I calculated how long they've been out of the EME and it's been almost two decades for all of them. That's a long time. Apparently there is a way out. The back door is religion. The brothers used to like to say BLOOD IN, BLOOD OUT. It now appears that it's BLOOD IN, BIBLE OUT. So much for the fearsome retaliatory power of the EME. Unless, of course, some other dynamic is at work that we don't know about or can't speculate on. In time, we suppose, all will be revealed.
Sunday, July 20, 2003
THE EME AND VICTORY OUTREACH
A few nights ago I was re-reading BLOOD IN, BLOOD OUT, the famous how-I-escaped-the-Mexican-Mafia book by ART BLAJOS. I was struck by how little the movie had in common with the book. There are sections of the book where BLAJOS quotes liberally from former drug czar and recovering gambling addict WILLIAM BENNETT and WILLIAM BUCKLEY (yeah that BILL BUCKLEY, the conservatives' spritual leader). Obviously, none of that got in the movie because having EDWARD JAMES OLMOS stop in the middle of a prison rape and start spouting conservative ideology would have made the ticket buyers stay away even more than they did when the movie was released. The movie was a failure on virtually every level. One of these days, someone will make a "real" Mexican Mafia movie.
As coincidence would have it, today I was re-reading the trial testimony of JOHN ANTHONY TORRES, a confidential witness in a FEDERAL RICO case and an EME dropout. He was testifying for the prosecution that the MEXICAN MAFIA is a powerful organization that operates on violence, extortion and drug trafficking. The position of the DEFENSE in this case was that the EME was a figment of the prosecution's imagination and the government had no basis for a RICO case.
Anyway, during his cross examination, TORRES mentions that the brothers in COUNTY JAIL at the time he was voted in were JOE MORGAN, DANIEL GRAJEDA, ART BLAJOS, KILROY ROYBAL, MICHAEL MORENO, MANUAL LUNA, and RICHARD RESENDEZ. TORRES stated that he was "made" in 1979 in LA COUNTY JAIL. It happened on the 1750E ROW – the HIGH POWER row in COUNTY.
For those of you keeping score at home, here was the situation in 1979 in HIGH POWER in COUNTY. BLAJOS and MICHAEL MORENO were both in COUNTY during their murder trial. They were being prosecuted for the killing of NICKY VILLA. They were convicted, but the ruling was eventually overturned on appeal.
RICHARD RESENDEZ aka BABY BOY, aka BABITO, would eventually be killed because he supposedly dissed ROYBAL's wife. According to law enforcement sources, the killer was allegedly DONALD "BIG D" GARCIA. GARCIA was always very close to ROYBAL during their EME days and that relationship continues to this day. ROYBAL, BLAJOS and GARCIA are now all EME dropouts and members of VICTORY OUTREACH. And they're all targeted for death by the BROTHERS. Numerous wire and phone intercepts have confirmed that these three, and others, are "always green." The orders to kill them whenever and wherever the opportunity arises still stands. The question then is, why are these three men still alive?
They preach, they travel, they work on the street to defuse retaliations before they get out of hand. They expose themselves to retaliation almost every day. And yet, no one has ever so much as raised a finger to hurt them. This has law enforcement puzzled and wrily bemused. Law enforcement officials close to these men won't go on the record and speculate on why these men are still alive. Let's just say many cops are amazed at the bullet free zone these three have created around themselves.
A few nights ago I was re-reading BLOOD IN, BLOOD OUT, the famous how-I-escaped-the-Mexican-Mafia book by ART BLAJOS. I was struck by how little the movie had in common with the book. There are sections of the book where BLAJOS quotes liberally from former drug czar and recovering gambling addict WILLIAM BENNETT and WILLIAM BUCKLEY (yeah that BILL BUCKLEY, the conservatives' spritual leader). Obviously, none of that got in the movie because having EDWARD JAMES OLMOS stop in the middle of a prison rape and start spouting conservative ideology would have made the ticket buyers stay away even more than they did when the movie was released. The movie was a failure on virtually every level. One of these days, someone will make a "real" Mexican Mafia movie.
As coincidence would have it, today I was re-reading the trial testimony of JOHN ANTHONY TORRES, a confidential witness in a FEDERAL RICO case and an EME dropout. He was testifying for the prosecution that the MEXICAN MAFIA is a powerful organization that operates on violence, extortion and drug trafficking. The position of the DEFENSE in this case was that the EME was a figment of the prosecution's imagination and the government had no basis for a RICO case.
Anyway, during his cross examination, TORRES mentions that the brothers in COUNTY JAIL at the time he was voted in were JOE MORGAN, DANIEL GRAJEDA, ART BLAJOS, KILROY ROYBAL, MICHAEL MORENO, MANUAL LUNA, and RICHARD RESENDEZ. TORRES stated that he was "made" in 1979 in LA COUNTY JAIL. It happened on the 1750E ROW – the HIGH POWER row in COUNTY.
For those of you keeping score at home, here was the situation in 1979 in HIGH POWER in COUNTY. BLAJOS and MICHAEL MORENO were both in COUNTY during their murder trial. They were being prosecuted for the killing of NICKY VILLA. They were convicted, but the ruling was eventually overturned on appeal.
RICHARD RESENDEZ aka BABY BOY, aka BABITO, would eventually be killed because he supposedly dissed ROYBAL's wife. According to law enforcement sources, the killer was allegedly DONALD "BIG D" GARCIA. GARCIA was always very close to ROYBAL during their EME days and that relationship continues to this day. ROYBAL, BLAJOS and GARCIA are now all EME dropouts and members of VICTORY OUTREACH. And they're all targeted for death by the BROTHERS. Numerous wire and phone intercepts have confirmed that these three, and others, are "always green." The orders to kill them whenever and wherever the opportunity arises still stands. The question then is, why are these three men still alive?
They preach, they travel, they work on the street to defuse retaliations before they get out of hand. They expose themselves to retaliation almost every day. And yet, no one has ever so much as raised a finger to hurt them. This has law enforcement puzzled and wrily bemused. Law enforcement officials close to these men won't go on the record and speculate on why these men are still alive. Let's just say many cops are amazed at the bullet free zone these three have created around themselves.
WE NEVER THOUGHT WE'D HEAR IT FROM FATHER BOYLE
Wally Fay has had his differences with Father Gregory Boyle in the past. Those familiar with Boyle, a Jesuit priest, know that he runs HOMEBOY INDUSTRIES in BOYLE HEIGHTS and that he has testified as a witness for the Defense in many cases involving Hispanic gangsters.
In court and in the LA TIMES OP ED pages BOYLE has made some startling assertions such as 1) the MEXICAN MAFIA has little influence on the street 2) there's no such thing as a "gang associate" 3) once in the COUNTY-wide gang database, a kid stays in that database for the rest of his life 4) there's no such thing as mutli-generational gangsters etc. All of this is nonsense as anyone with even a nodding acquaintance with the subject can confirm.
For years, Boyle has been the go-to guy for CELESTE FREMON of the LA WEEKLY. FREMON wrote a book years ago called FATHER BOYLE AND THE HOMEBOYS so we can assume that BOYLE and FREMON probably have a relationship that transcends that of the usual reporter/subject. There's obviously some sympatico there.
In the past, whenever the LAPD or the CITY COUNCIL passed a new gang-suppression initiative, you could bet your last dollar that FREMON's piece on it with would carry a BOYLE quote. Generally, his quotes were to the effect that the LAPD was being short-sighted, heavy handed and ineffective. Plus the LAPD history of horrible civil rights abuse would nullify any gains made in the crime stats blah, blah, blah. You could set your watch by it.
So Wally was reading FREMON's piece on the latest gang injunction against the Rollin 60s Crips. (The piece calls them the "ROLLING 60s" by the way. In MONSTER CODY'S book, he calls them the ROLLIN 60s. We'll go with the spelling from the guy who killed a good number of them. He should know, right?) And in this piece, FREMON does her usual lap around the "experts" and prosecutors, eliciting quotes. The experts said the injunction won't work and it's violation of basic civil rights. Which, by the way, we agree with. It is a violation of civil rights and discriminatory. But then so is giving seniors a break on movie tickets.
But here's what floored WALLY. In the inevitable BOYLE quote, the good father says that GANG INJUNCTIONS are not only an indication that the community has had enough of the violence, but that injunctions can benefit the gang members themselves. FREMON quotes BOYLE. "I mean, eight minutes after one was filed here on the EASTSIDE, I had kids in my office saying 'Get me a job.'" You could have knocked WALLY over with a communion wafer. What's going on here? Has FATHER BOYLE had his brain electronically scanned and "re-educated?"
Actually, we see something nearly as effective. We think we see the fine, charismatic hand of POLICE CHIEF BRATTON at work. We know for a fact, that one of the first people BRATTON spoke with when he took the job of CHIEF was FATHER BOYLE. And BRATTON has been cultivating BOYLE like a hothouse rose ever since. They appeared together on WARREN OLNEY's WHICH WAY LA. They appeared together on the same panel with FREMON and TOM HAYDEN at the ANNENBERG SCHOOL for a discussion on the gang problem. They speak regularly. They're, shall I say it? Almost pals.
FREMON quotes BOYLE in her piece again. "For an injunction to work well, it really needs a police department that we don't currently have. But we're getting there under BRATTON. While under PARKS, you never wanted an injunction because it could only lead to abuse."
WHOA! FATHER BOYLE is actually absolving the LAPD of something. He's on their side on this. Let's break it down shall we.
BOYLE is saying that the LAPD under the leadership of a black chief who was supposedly more sensitive to racial issues and police abuse would probably trample all over minority rights compared to a department run by a white guy? BOYLE may be drummed out of the PC brigade for this break with dogma. Everybody at the WEEKLY and on the Democrat Party mailing list knows that white chief equals insensitivity and abuse while black or latino chief equals "building bridges to minority communities." If we've heard that once, we've heard it enough times to induce nausea.
But we never expected it from BOYLE. And we bet FREMON didn't either. We knew BRATTON was smart, slick, an effective operator and a tremendous "convincer." But we had no idea he could get even GREG BOYLE to come around to some common sense conclusions. Has BRATTON the power to cloud men's minds like the SHADOW? If so, we urge him to go cultivate the CITY COUNCIL. Maybe he can get them to stop wasting time on resolutions on the IRAQ war and corporate descendants of slave profiteers and urge them to get on with the real business of running this city.
Wally Fay has had his differences with Father Gregory Boyle in the past. Those familiar with Boyle, a Jesuit priest, know that he runs HOMEBOY INDUSTRIES in BOYLE HEIGHTS and that he has testified as a witness for the Defense in many cases involving Hispanic gangsters.
In court and in the LA TIMES OP ED pages BOYLE has made some startling assertions such as 1) the MEXICAN MAFIA has little influence on the street 2) there's no such thing as a "gang associate" 3) once in the COUNTY-wide gang database, a kid stays in that database for the rest of his life 4) there's no such thing as mutli-generational gangsters etc. All of this is nonsense as anyone with even a nodding acquaintance with the subject can confirm.
For years, Boyle has been the go-to guy for CELESTE FREMON of the LA WEEKLY. FREMON wrote a book years ago called FATHER BOYLE AND THE HOMEBOYS so we can assume that BOYLE and FREMON probably have a relationship that transcends that of the usual reporter/subject. There's obviously some sympatico there.
In the past, whenever the LAPD or the CITY COUNCIL passed a new gang-suppression initiative, you could bet your last dollar that FREMON's piece on it with would carry a BOYLE quote. Generally, his quotes were to the effect that the LAPD was being short-sighted, heavy handed and ineffective. Plus the LAPD history of horrible civil rights abuse would nullify any gains made in the crime stats blah, blah, blah. You could set your watch by it.
So Wally was reading FREMON's piece on the latest gang injunction against the Rollin 60s Crips. (The piece calls them the "ROLLING 60s" by the way. In MONSTER CODY'S book, he calls them the ROLLIN 60s. We'll go with the spelling from the guy who killed a good number of them. He should know, right?) And in this piece, FREMON does her usual lap around the "experts" and prosecutors, eliciting quotes. The experts said the injunction won't work and it's violation of basic civil rights. Which, by the way, we agree with. It is a violation of civil rights and discriminatory. But then so is giving seniors a break on movie tickets.
But here's what floored WALLY. In the inevitable BOYLE quote, the good father says that GANG INJUNCTIONS are not only an indication that the community has had enough of the violence, but that injunctions can benefit the gang members themselves. FREMON quotes BOYLE. "I mean, eight minutes after one was filed here on the EASTSIDE, I had kids in my office saying 'Get me a job.'" You could have knocked WALLY over with a communion wafer. What's going on here? Has FATHER BOYLE had his brain electronically scanned and "re-educated?"
Actually, we see something nearly as effective. We think we see the fine, charismatic hand of POLICE CHIEF BRATTON at work. We know for a fact, that one of the first people BRATTON spoke with when he took the job of CHIEF was FATHER BOYLE. And BRATTON has been cultivating BOYLE like a hothouse rose ever since. They appeared together on WARREN OLNEY's WHICH WAY LA. They appeared together on the same panel with FREMON and TOM HAYDEN at the ANNENBERG SCHOOL for a discussion on the gang problem. They speak regularly. They're, shall I say it? Almost pals.
FREMON quotes BOYLE in her piece again. "For an injunction to work well, it really needs a police department that we don't currently have. But we're getting there under BRATTON. While under PARKS, you never wanted an injunction because it could only lead to abuse."
WHOA! FATHER BOYLE is actually absolving the LAPD of something. He's on their side on this. Let's break it down shall we.
BOYLE is saying that the LAPD under the leadership of a black chief who was supposedly more sensitive to racial issues and police abuse would probably trample all over minority rights compared to a department run by a white guy? BOYLE may be drummed out of the PC brigade for this break with dogma. Everybody at the WEEKLY and on the Democrat Party mailing list knows that white chief equals insensitivity and abuse while black or latino chief equals "building bridges to minority communities." If we've heard that once, we've heard it enough times to induce nausea.
But we never expected it from BOYLE. And we bet FREMON didn't either. We knew BRATTON was smart, slick, an effective operator and a tremendous "convincer." But we had no idea he could get even GREG BOYLE to come around to some common sense conclusions. Has BRATTON the power to cloud men's minds like the SHADOW? If so, we urge him to go cultivate the CITY COUNCIL. Maybe he can get them to stop wasting time on resolutions on the IRAQ war and corporate descendants of slave profiteers and urge them to get on with the real business of running this city.
Tuesday, July 15, 2003
SALDANA TRIAL POSTPONED AGAIN
We mentioned in the recent past that GILBERT SALDANA, the AVENUES gangster who allegedly shot and killed KENNY WILSON, would be in court on JULY 7 for jury selection and the start of proceedings. As we know, the wheels of justice grind at the pace of glaciers. There's been another delay. Right now it looks like there's going to be a pre-trial conference on August 4 and a tentative start date of September 22 for trial. Of course, it's subject to change. Apparently, there's been trouble finding a witness and some other stuff we can't talk about.
This is pure speculation, but if the Federal case begins to gather up some momentum, SALDANA may never make to Superior Court in this case. He may end up going directly to Federal Court where we hope he lands in front of the no-nonsense Judge Ronald Lew.
We mentioned in the recent past that GILBERT SALDANA, the AVENUES gangster who allegedly shot and killed KENNY WILSON, would be in court on JULY 7 for jury selection and the start of proceedings. As we know, the wheels of justice grind at the pace of glaciers. There's been another delay. Right now it looks like there's going to be a pre-trial conference on August 4 and a tentative start date of September 22 for trial. Of course, it's subject to change. Apparently, there's been trouble finding a witness and some other stuff we can't talk about.
This is pure speculation, but if the Federal case begins to gather up some momentum, SALDANA may never make to Superior Court in this case. He may end up going directly to Federal Court where we hope he lands in front of the no-nonsense Judge Ronald Lew.
Thursday, June 26, 2003
ANDY TEAGUE SEVERELY INJURED
Detective Teague was severely injured and his partner Detective Barone was killed yesterday in a head-on collision on Pearblossom Highway. THey were on their way to Victorville on LAPD business when another motorist tried to make a dangerous pass and collided with their vehicle. Those of us at InTheHat who know Teague and Barone are devastated by this news. We prayed last night and will continue to pray for the Almighty to spare Andy and return him to full health and to bless the soul of Barone. We're without words right now.
Detective Teague was severely injured and his partner Detective Barone was killed yesterday in a head-on collision on Pearblossom Highway. THey were on their way to Victorville on LAPD business when another motorist tried to make a dangerous pass and collided with their vehicle. Those of us at InTheHat who know Teague and Barone are devastated by this news. We prayed last night and will continue to pray for the Almighty to spare Andy and return him to full health and to bless the soul of Barone. We're without words right now.
Wednesday, June 11, 2003
MORE LA TIMES SCREW UPS.
We don't want to sound like a broken record, but why is it every story the LAT does on gangs and criminals is tragically flawed. On June 9, 2003, the Times did a piece on legendary Eme member Donald Big D Garcia. Donald, whose real first name is Conrad (bet the Times didn't know that) has been in our files for many years. Big D was a full-blown carnal and a shot caller. In the story, they state that he has dedicated his life to gang intervention through Victory Outreach and he currently works for the legendary Blinky Rodriguez. The Times does not mention that Big D has dedicated his life to Christ or that he was a made Eme brother. The piece, written by Michael Krikorian, was not much more than puffery for BiG D and left out alll the gruesome details. Krikorian almost made Big D sound like one of those gruff but lovable Damon Runyon characters -- a tough guy as ready with his fists as he is with a hand extended to help the less fortunate. Krikorian also left out all the questionable characters involved with Blinky's program like Robot Salas and Ernie Roybal. Wally wrote a letter to John Carroll at the Times pointing out a number of problems with the piece but, big surprise, no response from the Times. We'll see how this goes. But Wally is not holding his breath.
We don't want to sound like a broken record, but why is it every story the LAT does on gangs and criminals is tragically flawed. On June 9, 2003, the Times did a piece on legendary Eme member Donald Big D Garcia. Donald, whose real first name is Conrad (bet the Times didn't know that) has been in our files for many years. Big D was a full-blown carnal and a shot caller. In the story, they state that he has dedicated his life to gang intervention through Victory Outreach and he currently works for the legendary Blinky Rodriguez. The Times does not mention that Big D has dedicated his life to Christ or that he was a made Eme brother. The piece, written by Michael Krikorian, was not much more than puffery for BiG D and left out alll the gruesome details. Krikorian almost made Big D sound like one of those gruff but lovable Damon Runyon characters -- a tough guy as ready with his fists as he is with a hand extended to help the less fortunate. Krikorian also left out all the questionable characters involved with Blinky's program like Robot Salas and Ernie Roybal. Wally wrote a letter to John Carroll at the Times pointing out a number of problems with the piece but, big surprise, no response from the Times. We'll see how this goes. But Wally is not holding his breath.
YEAH, THEY'RE MAKING A FEDERAL CASE OUT OF IT!
In The Hat has just been informed that the US Attorney's office in Los Angeles is now officially involved in the Kenny Wilson murder investigation. USA Tom O'Brien, known to many at the LADA's office as a good guy and solid prosecutor, is on the case. No indictment yet, but that should be coming soon. Kenny and his family may at long last get some vindication. The credit for Federal involvement goes to Northeast Detective Andy Teague who has been relentless in his quest to see justice done for Wilson.
In The Hat has just been informed that the US Attorney's office in Los Angeles is now officially involved in the Kenny Wilson murder investigation. USA Tom O'Brien, known to many at the LADA's office as a good guy and solid prosecutor, is on the case. No indictment yet, but that should be coming soon. Kenny and his family may at long last get some vindication. The credit for Federal involvement goes to Northeast Detective Andy Teague who has been relentless in his quest to see justice done for Wilson.
Tuesday, May 13, 2003
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME
Wally hasn't logged on in months because he's been busy. Wally has landed a book agent for his monster in the making -- Southern Soldiers. This is the long-awaited book on the Mexican Mafia and Hispanic street gangs in Los Angeles. Wally still can't seem to get anything published in the LAT opinion section. Even when the item is innocuous and doesn't disturb the delicate sensibilities of the LAT editors. But he's persevering. More to come. Wally needs to make about a zillion phone calls.
Wally hasn't logged on in months because he's been busy. Wally has landed a book agent for his monster in the making -- Southern Soldiers. This is the long-awaited book on the Mexican Mafia and Hispanic street gangs in Los Angeles. Wally still can't seem to get anything published in the LAT opinion section. Even when the item is innocuous and doesn't disturb the delicate sensibilities of the LAT editors. But he's persevering. More to come. Wally needs to make about a zillion phone calls.
Monday, March 10, 2003
INTHEHAT RECOGNIZES VALOROUS OFFICER MARK DIMITT
On January 15, 2003 Hollenbeck officers Mark Dimitt and James Lopez, confronted an armed suspect at the intersection of Newtonia Drive and Guardia Avenue. They were in the process of investigating an ADW, shots fired situation and they were directed to the suspect by a witness. They confronted the suspect at a bus stop and ordered him to raise his hands. The suspect reached into his waist area, produced a pistol and began firing at the officers. They returned fired and killed him. The subsequent investigation indicated that the suspect had shot and killed a barber just a few blocks away.
When we read this account, we were reminded that this is not Officer Mark Dimitt's first encounter with armed suspects. We came across Officer Dimitt's prior encounter with none other that Anthony "Tonito" Medina some time ago. If we recall correctly , this incident occurred in 1999. Dimitt and his partner at the time, Hollis Berdin, the wife of Northeast Detective John Berdin, made a vehicle stop on a pickup truck with three occupants at the intersection of York and Aldama. Unknown to the officers, the deviousTonito was lying in the pickup bed with a Glock model 17 pistol equipped with a laser sight. The gun was also equipped with a Plus 2 basepad in the magazine that brought the total round count in Tonito's gun to 19.
As the officers came to a stop behind the truck, Medina popped up and aimed the gun at them. Berdin and Dimitt later testified in court that they saw the red dot move from one to the other. They both bailed out, took cover and Dimitt fired one round at Medina. Untouched, Medina made like Road Runner and took off on foot with the gun. He still had the laser sight on and additional responding coppers literally followed the bouncing red dot right to where Medina hid out in the bushes of a vacant lot.
Tonito Medina, a hardened Avenues gangster and associate of Lil Pee Wee Aguirre, (younger brother of Alex Aguirre currently doing the whole book in Marion Federal Pen), was prosecuted and convicted of murder, a killing that put him on the LAPD wanted list. A few months before his encounter with Dimitt and Berdin, Medina murdered Luis Figueroa, a 19-year-old illegal alien from Mexico who Medina thought was making time with his girlfriend. It turns out, Figueroa barely knew the girl and he was really interested in another girl, a friend of Medina's girlfriend. Medina was also convicted of ADW on the two coppers.
Just to bring everything up to date, Medina is currently on trial again for two more murders -- Manuel Dellosa and Ferdie Olmedo -- two small fry allegedly in Pinoy Real, a Filippino gang in Northeast.
So, as we started off saying, here's our tip of the hat to Officer Dimitt for maintaining his cool and returning effective fire. Well done. And thanks for your service to this city.
On January 15, 2003 Hollenbeck officers Mark Dimitt and James Lopez, confronted an armed suspect at the intersection of Newtonia Drive and Guardia Avenue. They were in the process of investigating an ADW, shots fired situation and they were directed to the suspect by a witness. They confronted the suspect at a bus stop and ordered him to raise his hands. The suspect reached into his waist area, produced a pistol and began firing at the officers. They returned fired and killed him. The subsequent investigation indicated that the suspect had shot and killed a barber just a few blocks away.
When we read this account, we were reminded that this is not Officer Mark Dimitt's first encounter with armed suspects. We came across Officer Dimitt's prior encounter with none other that Anthony "Tonito" Medina some time ago. If we recall correctly , this incident occurred in 1999. Dimitt and his partner at the time, Hollis Berdin, the wife of Northeast Detective John Berdin, made a vehicle stop on a pickup truck with three occupants at the intersection of York and Aldama. Unknown to the officers, the deviousTonito was lying in the pickup bed with a Glock model 17 pistol equipped with a laser sight. The gun was also equipped with a Plus 2 basepad in the magazine that brought the total round count in Tonito's gun to 19.
As the officers came to a stop behind the truck, Medina popped up and aimed the gun at them. Berdin and Dimitt later testified in court that they saw the red dot move from one to the other. They both bailed out, took cover and Dimitt fired one round at Medina. Untouched, Medina made like Road Runner and took off on foot with the gun. He still had the laser sight on and additional responding coppers literally followed the bouncing red dot right to where Medina hid out in the bushes of a vacant lot.
Tonito Medina, a hardened Avenues gangster and associate of Lil Pee Wee Aguirre, (younger brother of Alex Aguirre currently doing the whole book in Marion Federal Pen), was prosecuted and convicted of murder, a killing that put him on the LAPD wanted list. A few months before his encounter with Dimitt and Berdin, Medina murdered Luis Figueroa, a 19-year-old illegal alien from Mexico who Medina thought was making time with his girlfriend. It turns out, Figueroa barely knew the girl and he was really interested in another girl, a friend of Medina's girlfriend. Medina was also convicted of ADW on the two coppers.
Just to bring everything up to date, Medina is currently on trial again for two more murders -- Manuel Dellosa and Ferdie Olmedo -- two small fry allegedly in Pinoy Real, a Filippino gang in Northeast.
So, as we started off saying, here's our tip of the hat to Officer Dimitt for maintaining his cool and returning effective fire. Well done. And thanks for your service to this city.
Friday, March 07, 2003
STOP THE ELECTRONS. MAJOR UPDATE ON THE KENNY WILSON CASE.
As you all know by now, Wally Fay has been trying to peddle his Kenny Wilson and Robert Hightower racial homicide stories to every news outlet in LA with no luck. We won't get into the reasons here and now as to why the LA media has ignored this racially motivated murder. We'll leave that for the book. But we just learned that a major break just happened that may finally pull the other three shooters into the case. As you regular inthehat readers know, only Jose Delacruz is actually serving time for killing Wilson. Of the other three alleged shooters, Merced Cambero is still at large, (deleted) is doing 27 years in Corcoran on 4 counts of ADW, and Gilbert Saldana is facing murder charges on an unrelated case.
But something big has just happened that may finally give Wilson's family and friends the sense that justice has been done. Check back often. You'll hear it here first.
As you all know by now, Wally Fay has been trying to peddle his Kenny Wilson and Robert Hightower racial homicide stories to every news outlet in LA with no luck. We won't get into the reasons here and now as to why the LA media has ignored this racially motivated murder. We'll leave that for the book. But we just learned that a major break just happened that may finally pull the other three shooters into the case. As you regular inthehat readers know, only Jose Delacruz is actually serving time for killing Wilson. Of the other three alleged shooters, Merced Cambero is still at large, (deleted) is doing 27 years in Corcoran on 4 counts of ADW, and Gilbert Saldana is facing murder charges on an unrelated case.
But something big has just happened that may finally give Wilson's family and friends the sense that justice has been done. Check back often. You'll hear it here first.
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