The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. LA Sheriff Villanueva concedes race for reelection | Fox News April 26, 2022 As Los Angeles lurches toward election day, crime is becoming an ever bigger issue. After about 30 minutes, the protestors requested to leave the area and go back to their cars. He promised to clean house in the ranks of division chief and above. "You know, the sheriff department they have had no shortage of scandals that have been under the microscope since Villanueva took office. "And so the big question is, you know, what did the sheriff even know and when and what did he do about it? The False Promise of a Progressive Sheriff, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/03/opinion/progressive-sheriff-los-angeles.html. Villanueva later backtracked and issued a statement saying that Tchekmedyian is not a suspect in a criminal investigation and that he has no interest in pursuing criminal charges against any reporters. And before, you know, they're facing a civil rights investigation by the attorney general's office that are looking at them. Supervisor Sheila Kuehl exits her house during a search by the L.A. County Sheriffs Department. "The matter is under investigation. LA County's Chief Lawyer Accuses Sheriff Villanueva Of 'Politically Times staff writer Ben Poston contributed to this report. You want to pick your own people, he said. Mississippi deputies tortured Black men, shot one in mouth, lawsuit Tap to enable a layout that focuses on the article. When aides to Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva wanted to build a helicopter landing pad near the sheriff's home, they sought help from a familiar face. Newly elected Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva will dismiss more than a dozen top-ranking administrators at the department when he takes over the job Monday, according to an email obtained by the Long Beach Post. Alene Tchekmedyian is an investigative reporter at the Los Angeles Times. Crime, drugs, psychotic behaviors, and homelessness just to mention a few. For seven weeks, his department has flaunted it at the top of its website, posting links to 191 pages of documents describing the case. The deputies formed a skirmish line and slowly walked the protestors down a residential street leading away from the sheriffs property. Commissioners have clashed with the department, and Sheriff Alex Villanueva in particular, in the past two years. In a statement to The Times, a spokesperson for the attorney generals office wrote: We can confirm that, as requested by the county, well review the sheriff departments investigation into the matters you referenced. We were trying to leave like they told us we were allowed to do, said David McDonald, 37, who was detained along with the driver of the car. The primary election will take place on June 7, 2022. 2023 FOX Television Stations, denied any effort to cover up the incident, Boy watching fireworks with family struck by stray bullet in South LA, Rose Bowl's LAFC vs. Galaxy game sets MLS attendance record, Young boy hit by stray bullet while celebrating Independence Day, Busy travel day at LAX after 4th of July holiday, 11-year-old singing sensation inspires others, FOX 11 Los Angeles now streaming on FOX LOCAL, Father of three killed in Wilmington hit-and-run, police searching for suspect, 1 dead, 3 injured in Riverside County plane crash. Group protests outside home of L.A. County Sheriff Villanueva - Los He ordered the Sheriffs Department to cease investigative activity and stop making public statements or court filings about the case. And in that sense, the county commissioners are as much to blame for the jail conditions as the sheriff. LA County sheriff investigating oversight commissioner's nonprofit COLLETON COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) - The Colleton County Sheriff's Office is set to provide an update on an investigation after six . Los Angeles, again, sees drop in air quality after Fourth of July fireworks, L.A. hotel workers back on the job, but say more strikes to come, Are you two the token Black kids of the department? The snubs and insults that accompanied affirmative action, A Black LAPD officer wanted to make a difference. It was not clear what call Gonzalez was referring to, and the Sheriffs Department did not answer questions about it. She previously covered the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, focusing on accountability stories and writing about failures by officials to comply with transparency laws. This is getting stupid.. A former top-ranking Los Angeles County sheriff's official filed a legal claim Thursday that offered the first eyewitness account of Sheriff Alex Villanueva allegedly lying about his. L.A. County sheriff's unit accused of targeting political enemies, vocal critics. GLADWIN COUNTY, Mich. (WNEM/Gray News) - A 70-year-old Michigan man is dead after becoming trapped underneath his lawn mower, officials said. . Welcome to the brand-new Long Beach Post. We will vigorously defend Tchekmedyians and the Los Angeles Times rights in any proceeding or investigation brought by authorities.". He later backtracked and issued a statement saying Tchekmedyian is not a suspect in a criminal investigation and that he has no interest in pursuing criminal charges against any reporters. THE 10 BEST Restaurants Near B&B Bronzino House - Tripadvisor On paper, the deputies are scattered around the Los Angeles County . Authorities in South Carolina launched a murder investigation over the weekend after six people died and . The altercation began when Escalante allegedly punched Johnson in the face. Gov. Newsom rejects claims by L.A. County Sheriff Villanueva - KTLA Asked again for evidence of a crime, he responded: Im going to stop this interview, because this is going to be a hit piece on Alex.. Id like to meet with each and every one of you personally, Villanueva told the supervisors. It has failed to adequately invest in the programs that it promised to help lessen overcrowding in the jail system. Recent court filings allege that in just the last few months at the jail systems Inmate Reception Center, a short-term intake facility, one man waited days for a transfer, handcuffed by both wrists to a bench while deputies neglected to give him the medication he takes to manage his schizophrenia. According to Limon's claim -- a precursor to a lawsuit -- the sheriff on March 29 "demanded and forced Assistant Sheriff Limon to choose between two poisonous options: retire or be demoted four ranks, to lieutenant.". She previously covered the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, focusing on accountability stories and writing about failures by officials to comply with transparency laws. Published April 21, 2022 2:12pm EDT Los Angeles Sheriff Villanueva ordered to testify under oath on alleged deputy gangs Los Angeles Sheriff Alex Villanueva has fought the Inspector. Then she turned on us.. Metro loved the idea and didnt invite any other groups to bid, Giggans said. Deputies wait outside the Mar Vista home of Patti Giggans during the search of her home. Some of the seized devices contain private communications about investigations into alleged misconduct by the sheriff himself and those who work for him, court records show. And, you know, she is alleging, along with others, that he covered it up by blocking a criminal investigation into the deputy and blocking charges from being filed against an inmate who very clearly on the video punched the deputy because they didn't want the video to get out. The sheriffs detectives seized 67 smartphones, iPads, laptops and other digital devices, including some that Metro and Kuehl say the warrants did not authorize them to take. Kuehl and other adversaries say its a case of the sheriff abusing his power. Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Twitter (@NYTopinion) and Instagram. Unsanitary conditions and overcrowding have been problems for decades throughout the system. Huntsman on Monday praised the attorney generals move. Sheriff Villanueva acknowledged, through a spokesman, that the facility is overcrowded, but he blamed county officials for underfunding his department. The sheriff in question is Alex Villanueva, who oversees a staff of roughly 18,000 and the largest jail system in the country. He acknowledged that there were internal failures in the department, saying a criminal investigation should have begun immediately after the altercation. Los Angeles Sheriff Alex Villanueva Denies Targeting L.A. Times WATCH LIVE: Colleton Co. sheriff to update investigation after 6 found These brazen actions, which reflect a mindset more typical of a dictator operating in a Banana Republic than that of an L.A. sheriff, may be even more sinister than they appear at first blush, Dugdale wrote in a court filing. Rob Bonta, Villanueva demanded a criminal investigation of the leak. The investigation had begun. Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images, a memo from the MCB Captain Eddie Hernandez read. Gen. For example, it doesnt employ enough people to conduct mental health evaluations, help courts determine treatment plans, find alternatives to jails or connect people with mental health services they need services that many judges and prosecutors enthusiastically support. Max Huntsman, the inspector general who monitors his operations, was banned from department databases and premises, including the jails. Last month, the Los Angeles Times obtained the video and published a story detailing allegations that the sheriff's department tried to cover up the incident due to its similarities to the Minneapolis police tactics that led to the death of George Floyd. No judge authorized that search. Ristorante Alba D'Oro. Instead, Loew said in the interview, while she was driving downtown on the 101 Freeway before dawn on Sept. 14, Fernandez called to ask her not to come, saying word of the raids had leaked. On Sept. 1, she said she would appoint a neutral special master to screen seized communications for confidential attorney-client material. Max Huntsman, the L.A. County inspector general. A full list of people to be dismissed, according to the email: Undersheriff Jacques LaBerge (No. City Manager Rafferty Wooldridge sent to the utility the next morning. The Wacky, Raucous World of Sheriff Alex Villanueva A county spokeswoman said no payment has been made for the work. 44 places to watch dazzling Fourth of July fireworks in L.A. Mone Davis is not just your average summer intern for the Dodgers, Thousands of hotel workers across Southern California walk off the job, No sign of progress in L.A. hotel strike ahead of Fourth of July holiday, Plaschke: Rob Pelinka and the Lakers win free agency and the summer, Its a disaster: California farmer faces ordeal as pistachio farm sits underwater. Make sure you tell the sergeant who got the call to keep it on the downlow, he wrote. Four years ago, Villanueva ousted Sheriff Jim McDonnell, a Republican-turned-independent, with promises to clean house and reform the sheriff's department around principles of "community. LA Sheriff Villanueva: the people's lawman. The sudden dismissals contrast with how McDonnell came into office. But I was just also so focused on just trying to ask my questions, I had a long list of them, and I didn't want to get distracted. Then, he says, he was racially profiled by his own department, Opinion: Weve got it all wrong about sequoias and wildfire. Los Angeles sheriff appears to back down after signaling he was - CNN But he soon shifted course, going after his political opponents. (WDAM) - First responders worked to contain a massive house fire blaze in Jones County from likely causing more damage to vehicles and . Lets go to the main argument from Southern California Gas Company that we had no permission to do what we did, Villanueva said. Among the other candidates listed on the primary ballot are retired Long Beach Police Chief Robert Luna, Los Angeles Airport Police Chief Cecil Rhambo, retired LASD Captain Matthew Rodriguez, LASD Captain Britta Steinbrenner, LASD Lieutenant Eric Strong and LASD Commander Eli Vera. Multiple subordinates complained that she engaged in abusive, humiliating or demeaning conduct, according to court papers filed by Metros inspector general. She has declined to seek a third term as county supervisor for the Westside, Malibu and the San Fernando Valley. Harrington joined the department in March 2016, after serving as acting-Director of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, with oversight of the states adult inmate population. The Lombards: The "Barbaric" Germanic Warriors Who Changed Italy Even the district attorney for Los Angeles County has called out the sheriffs public corruption unit for targeting his political opponents. "In August of 2020, Major Crimes Bureau (MCB) personnel were tasked with conducting a security assessment of Sheriff Villanueva's residence in response to several credible threats, doxing incidents, and protestors targeting law enforcement officials at their personal residences," a memo from the MCB Captain Eddie Hernandez read. A jail facility is not the appropriate place to treat someones mental illness.. Villanueva, who described the department's work in Venice as a "humanitarian mission," told reporters on Monday that deputies will talk to people residing in an encampment at the beach to. I greatly appreciate the Dept. She also said that she personally brought a DVD of the incident to the sheriff and watched it with him and at least two others. "Tchekmedyian said that she stands by her reporting and that she feels supported by her colleagues, her editors and the Times, which issued the following statement after Villanueva's press conference on Tuesday, "Sheriff Alex Villanuevas attack on Alene Tchekmedyians First Amendment rights for doing newsworthy reporting on a video that showed a deputy kneeling on a handcuffed inmates head is outrageous. Alex Villanueva, the sheriff of Los Angeles County, is an avowed reformist. It stated that the sheriff had blocked oversight of deputy-involved shootings and failed to comply with subpoenas authorized by the commission one compelling documents related to an inquiry on whether Villanueva covered up the sharing of graphic photos at Kobe Bryants helicopter crash scene and another demanding he testify before the commission on coronavirus in county jails. The couple has promoted the sheriffs reelection campaign on the Instagram account they run for their 8-year-old daughter, a skateboarder who has built a following on social media. Paul Gonzales, then a Metro spokesman, said he found Peace Over Violence a nonprofit led by Kuehls friend, Patti Giggans in an internet search. He, in turn, lashed out at them, accusing them of trying to sabotage him. Eight inmates who tested positive have died. Metros communications staff decided to do something about it. This is stolen property that was removed illegally by people who had some criminal intent. In a response letter last week, Bontas office said it would review the investigation into Huntsman and others, as well as allegations by Villanueva that the countys former chief executive, Sachi Hamai, had a conflict of interest because of her position on the board of a nonprofit that helped push a proposal to the Board of Supervisors in 2020. Commentary: Why did Center Theatre Group really halt programming at the Mark Taper Forum? Villanueva Defends Hiring Private Law Firm County Says Had Invalid In a sworn court statement, Villanueva falsely alleged that an agent in Bontas office had directed Fernandez in an Oct. 24 email to delete and destroy all files and records related to the investigation.. Before joining The Times in 2016, she reported on crime and policing for the Glendale News-Press and Burbank Leader. Inside, people suffer. County lawyers have asked a judge to order Villanueva to testify, saying the watchdog panel is entitled to hear directly from the boss of the department to address the publics concerns regarding the effects of COVID-19 on the jails.. The lieutenant quickly relayed the news and the Sheriffs Department hired a contractor, Century Paving. A more probable version is that the name was given to them by their enemies and neighbors, chiefly due to their distinctive long beards. Commentary: Why did Center Theatre Group really halt programming at the Mark Taper Forum? The commissions resolution also said that violent deputy gangs continue to operate in the department despite the sheriffs claims that members of the cliques have been disciplined or reassigned. Villanueva apparently made good on that promise shortly after McDonnell conceded the race Monday in a stunning upset. Also dismissed were patrol division chiefs Joseph Gooden and Kelly Fraser, responsible for stations and local policing in the central and southern areas of Los Angeles County, including stations in Carson, Compton, Lomita, Lakewood, Cerritos and Catalina Island. If you could please let us know what the area is going to be used for, we can help [identify] what type of plans and permits would be needed.. In a claim filed Tuesday, former Assistant Sheriff Robin Limon alleged that she was retaliated against and demoted by Villanueva because of her knowledge of the incident. Castro-Silva pointed to several cases opened by the Sheriffs Department, including a long-running criminal investigation into allegations made by department officials that Inspector General Max Huntsman and others improperly downloaded confidential personnel records on Villanueva and others. " Excellent food and service " 05/26/2022. Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times via. Two days after the warrants were served, Fernandez read 250 text messages and listened to two voicemails on Kuehls phones to determine who told her about the warrant, he said in a court statement. The Word with Jackie Rae Criminal justice reform advocates and politicians have been attempting to fix the Los Angeles County jail system for half a century. Account of Sheriff Villanueva lying in a cover-up revealed - Los But he also announced it was in the public interest for the state attorney generals office to take over the entire investigation of the Peace Over Violence contracts. Democrats Ushered In the Los Angeles Sheriff. Now Many Want Him Gone. Sheriffs do not answer to the same checks and balances as, say, a police department does to the city or municipality with an appointed police chief and transparent budget, leaving them free to flout oversight. An attorney for Kuehl called the switch to a new judge highly suspicious in court papers, but another judge found no impropriety. J. Isaac Gonzalez, a former sheriffs deputy, now works for the parent company of the Southern California Gas Co. You want a medical professional running a hospital, not a campaigning, glad-handing politician. The American Civil Liberties Union sued the county in the mid 1970s and was summarily empowered to inspect conditions inside its jails, a change that created some measure of transparency. Sheriff Alex Villanueva is fighting battles on multiple fronts and, with a couple of weeks before election day, is fighting for his political survival. The department had spent three years looking into an allegation that Kuehl, a county supervisor and one of Sheriff Alex Villanuevas harshest critics, had taken bribes from a friend in return for Metropolitan Transportation Authority contracts. A little-known team of investigators in the L.A. County Sheriffs Department has pursued criminal investigations into some of Villanuevas most vocal critics. Then, he says, he was racially profiled by his own department, Opinion: Weve got it all wrong about sequoias and wildfire. Atty. by Les Hubbard August 24, 2021 1 minute read Few people understand the intertwined issues propelling California's recall better than Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, L.A. County sheriffs unit accused of targeting political enemies, vocal critics, A Black LAPD officer wanted to make a difference. Huntsman said in a court statement that hed been sharing information with them for years about oversight investigations of groups of deputies who behave like gangs and potential police misconduct by Sheriff Alex Villanueva.. The audit wrote that LASD said it would move forward in the future with acquiring required permits and "legally sufficient written authorization from owners of private property prior to engaging in construction on such property. And Sheriff Villanuevas promises to clean house won over Democrats and helped sweep him to victory. One instance of "verbal permission" came from J. Isaac Gonzalez, a former sheriff's deputy who works at the parent company of SoCalGas, in the form of a text message response to an LASD lieutenant asking if the helipad was possible, MCB claimed. 4, 2023 at 5:15 AM PDT. If jails should hold anyone, it should be a small number of people, for short stays, under fully transparent administration. During the broadcast, Villanueva also claimed that The Times did not ask for comment before publishing a story about the helicopter pad even though The Times had done so. Well it turns out, we did.. LASD did not obtain proper approval for helipad near Sheriff Villanueva The action comes as activists and elected officials have urged Villanueva to resign, holding that the sheriff who took office in December 2018 after being elected by voters has failed to hold deputies accountable and resisted oversight of his department. The application also did not mention that Hunter, the judge overseeing the first batch of warrants, planned to name a special master to protect confidential records from disclosure to the Sheriffs Department. Robin Kaiser-Schatzlein (@robinsreport) is a journalist who writes about poverty and inequality in America. 'This is getting stupid.' How the quest to build a helipad next to The community and the families need to know who took the lives of Dijon and Fred.. The department claimed they got "verbal permission" from the company via a former sheriff's deputy. Sheila Kuehl speaks with reporters outside her house in Santa Monica as the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department executes a search warrant inside. Gonzalez replied that he would speak with his supervisor about the plan. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, voted to explore ways to remove Villanueva. Members of the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department execute a search warrant at the Santa Monica home of county Supervisor Sheila Kuehl on Sept. 14. (The sheriff used poor language in dealing with that press conference, a spokesman for the Villanueva re-election campaign said, noting that the reporter is not under investigation.). Metro staff, Loew said, were in on the quid pro quo and pushed the deals forward to stay in Kuehls good graces. #248 of 7,213 Restaurants in Milan. Oct. 16, 2021 5 AM PT You're L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, and you're in trouble. Times staff writers Brittny Mejia and Alene Tchekmedyian contributed to this report. The Bureau also wrote of other verbal instances of a green light in the memo. And while Alex Villanueva might be voted out of office, its unlikely his successor will be able to make much change under the current system. Today, some, like the former Maricopa County, Ariz., sheriff Joe Arpaio, go so far as to assert they are not answerable to city, state or federal laws, only the Constitution. In a letter to state Atty. Metro attorney Robert Dugdale called the warrants a harassment tool and questioned the investigations legitimacy. Its unclear if sheriffs officials sought out Gonzalez or connected with him by chance. But the Sheriffs Department dispatched two detectives to take her report in September 2019, Loew said in court papers. Peace Over Violence proposed a 24-hour hotline for $160,000 a year. The agencys inspector general, Karen Gorman, hired an outside attorney to investigate Loews accusations. Gen. It is reportedly a name that these men gave to themselves, which was "longbeards.". That afternoon, the city of La Habra Heights fielded some complaints about the work, according to an email Asst. 619 reviews. So I was just kind of keeping the focus on that.". She previously covered the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, focusing on accountability stories and writing about failures by officials to comply with transparency laws. we should just send a social worker out to his house. LA Times reporter responds to Sheriff Villanueva's investigation into