mercurynews--2020-07-10--Incidents in Santa Cruz investigated as possible hate crimes

SANTA CRUZ — The latest in a recent series of local hate crime allegations , a 43-year-old man pleaded not guilty Wednesday morning to charges of assault with a deadly weapon and use of racial epithets .
Ole Hougen , a 42-year-old white homeless man , has been accused by the Santa Cruz Police Department of drawing a knife on , slashing at and screaming racial slurs at a Black man Sunday evening near San Lorenzo Boulevard and Broadway .
Lt. Warren Barry said that the victim received a minor head abrasion in the confrontation , but no serious injury @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of control ” when police arrived , requesting a “ white person to help ” take him into custody and continuing to make racial comments and slurs toward officers and jail staff during his booking process .
Hougen is being held in Santa Cruz County Jail in lieu of $ 25,000 bail and is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing July 20 in Santa Cruz County Superior Court for charges of felony assault with a deadly weapon and misdemeanor hate crime .
A hate crime is a criminal act committed against another person that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police .
In 2018 , the city had 10 hate-crime allegation reports , two in 2019 and four to date in 2020 , Barry said .
Two of this year ’ s four reports remain under investigation to determine if they meet the legal standard for a hate crime .
The crimes are often underreported , he said , and some of the reports filed ultimately do not end up meeting the definition of a hate crime .
Hate crimes can be addressed with federal or state charges .
While Hougen ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he had reached out to an FBI partner agent to discuss and seek advice on the Santa Cruz case , a step he said is not automatically taken by his department for every reported hate crime .
“ Ones like that , I ’ ll talk with the FBI to get their input on it and see if they ’ re interested in it , ” Barry said .
“ I ’ m not handing the case over to them , but we work with the Federal Bureau of Investigation on hate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Santa Cruz Police Department takes them.
” Police urge those who are witnesses to or victims of a hate crime to contact them by calling 911 or the department ’ s non-emergency line , 831-471-1131 .
This week ’ s case comes on the heels of a violent June 28 encounter in front of an Ocean Street motel .
Police investigators determined the attack was unprovoked and reported the assailant used racial epithets toward the victim , who police described as a native of Jamaica .
Police said the victim was seriously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a trauma center for treatment .
A friend of the victim has set up an online GoFundMe fundraiser to offset the victim ’ s recovery costs .
In that case , Cody Chavez , 32 , of San Jose , is facing charges of felony assault and battery , felony hate crime and misdemeanor resisting arrest , to which he pleaded not guilty July 1 in Santa Cruz County Superior Court .
A preliminary court hearing in the case is scheduled for Monday .
Separately , the UC Santa Cruz Police Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ circumstances surrounding a piece of rope that was strung July 2 from a street sign near the campus entrance .
The rope , which remained for several days , was not tied to the sign but had a loop tied on one end .
“ At this time , this is not classified as a crime , and we do not know the motives of the individual that left it there , ” UCSC Police Chief Nader Oweis wrote in a community alert .
“ Nonetheless , his incident is deeply troubling to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be considered a bias-related incident.
” Relying on surveillance footage , investigators say the rope was thrown onto the campus sign at Bay Street and Coolidge Drive around 9:45 p.m. by an individual accompanied by three others and that “ all four quickly left the area.
” The four individuals show up walking purposefully toward Bay Street about halfway through a 2-minute-30-second clip the university posted to Youtube , with what appears to be one individual raising an arm and snapping a photo using the camera ’ s flash .
Those with information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department with information at 831-459-2231 ext .
1 to speak with an officer .
• Black California man found hanging from a tree died of suicide , officials say • Berkeley cops may be stripped of traffic ticket duties University officials also posted online a joint statement from Teresa Maria Linda Scholz , UCSC ’ s associate vice chancellor and chief diversity officer , and Jennifer Baszile , the interim vice chancellor for student affairs and success , decrying the rope incident , along with “ recent acts of apparent intimidation ” that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make people feel unsafe ” locally and nationally .
They likened the rope imagery to that of lynching Black people .
“ Regardless of what may have been intended , these actions recall some of the ugliest legacies of white supremacy and remind us all of the daily threat of violence faced by ABC-identified ( African American , Black and Caribbean ) students , staff , faculty , and community members , ” Scholz ’ and Baszile ’ s statement reads , in part .
“ Anti-Blackness can not stand.
” NAACP Santa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday for comment , said she was aware of the Ocean Street attack and the rope hung at UCSC , but was not comfortable characterizing recent crimes as part of a greater trend toward increased racism in the area .
“ My hope is that they will investigate these incidents fully , ” Griffin said of Santa Cruz law enforcement agencies .
“ I ’ m glad that they ’ re trying to stay on top of them.
” The Santa Cruz Police Department also continues to investigate a June 18 report that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hate ” at the downtown restaurant Alderwood , Barry said .
According to several local news reports , an altercation broke out between two tables of customers — including a restaurant line cook dining in that evening .
The fight ended with white customers reportedly using racial epithets on the Filipino-American cook , who was later fired for his part in the argument .
A significant number of employees reportedly quit in protest and an online community GoFundMe page led by an Alderwood employee is raising funds to offset personal financial expenses , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been displaced from work ” after the restaurant closed June 30 .
The police department has reviewed restaurant video surveillance recordings , which have no audio , and bystander cell phone videos , in which it is difficult to say who is saying what , Barry said .
There were multiple victims of the altercation , with one treated for a head wound and one who does not want to press charges , he said .
• California School for the Deaf official under investigation for 2006 photo of Nazi-style salute • Ex-Warrior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the truth ’ in anti-Semitic comments “ We take these cases seriously and we are investigating it , ” Barry said of the fight .
“ At this time , it ’ s not leaning towards a hate crime , where it would be fulfilled by the penal codes , but we are still looking at it as such.
” Alderwood management has not responded to a Sentinel request for comment made last week .
The restaurant ’ s website has been deactivated and appeared to have remained closed in recent weeks .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s last post , made on June 29 , defends the restaurant ’ s actions : “ We started Alderwood to be part of Santa Cruz community fiber , and to be a staple of the culinary arts in Santa Cruz .
We do not support racism , bigotry or prejudice in anyway .
We do not support violence in anyway .
Our staff and guests are multicultural and always have been .
We are trying to heal as a business from an event that escalated last week in Alderwood involving customers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It is extremely unfortunate that a fight ensued , involving racial verbal abuse and physical violence .
After reviewing security footage both parties were found to be at fault and removed .
Alderwood ’ s ownership , management and staff do not condone violence or racism !
”

SANTA CRUZ — The latest in a recent series of local hate crime allegations, a 43-year-old man pleaded not guilty Wednesday morning to charges of assault with a deadly weapon and use of racial epithets.
Ole Hougen, a 42-year-old white homeless man, has been accused by the Santa Cruz Police Department of drawing a knife on, slashing at and screaming racial slurs at a Black man Sunday evening near San Lorenzo Boulevard and Broadway. Lt. Warren Barry said that the victim received a minor head abrasion in the confrontation, but no serious injury.
Hougen allegedly continued acting “out of control” when police arrived, requesting a “white person to help” take him into custody and continuing to make racial comments and slurs toward officers and jail staff during his booking process. Hougen is being held in Santa Cruz County Jail in lieu of $25,000 bail and is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing July 20 in Santa Cruz County Superior Court for charges of felony assault with a deadly weapon and misdemeanor hate crime.
A hate crime is a criminal act committed against another person that is motivated by prejudice, according to police. In 2018, the city had 10 hate-crime allegation reports, two in 2019 and four to date in 2020, Barry said. Two of this year’s four reports remain under investigation to determine if they meet the legal standard for a hate crime. The crimes are often underreported, he said, and some of the reports filed ultimately do not end up meeting the definition of a hate crime.
Hate crimes can be addressed with federal or state charges. While Hougen’s case remains a local one, Barry said he had reached out to an FBI partner agent to discuss and seek advice on the Santa Cruz case, a step he said is not automatically taken by his department for every reported hate crime.
“Ones like that, I’ll talk with the FBI to get their input on it and see if they’re interested in it,” Barry said. “I’m not handing the case over to them, but we work with the Federal Bureau of Investigation on hate incidents. That’s how serious the Santa Cruz Police Department takes them.”
Police urge those who are witnesses to or victims of a hate crime to contact them by calling 911 or the department’s non-emergency line, 831-471-1131.
This week’s case comes on the heels of a violent June 28 encounter in front of an Ocean Street motel. Police investigators determined the attack was unprovoked and reported the assailant used racial epithets toward the victim, who police described as a native of Jamaica. Police said the victim was seriously injured in the attack and was transported to a trauma center for treatment. A friend of the victim has set up an online GoFundMe fundraiser to offset the victim’s recovery costs.
In that case, Cody Chavez, 32, of San Jose, is facing charges of felony assault and battery, felony hate crime and misdemeanor resisting arrest, to which he pleaded not guilty July 1 in Santa Cruz County Superior Court. A preliminary court hearing in the case is scheduled for Monday.
Separately, the UC Santa Cruz Police Department announced Tuesday that it was investigating suspicious circumstances surrounding a piece of rope that was strung July 2 from a street sign near the campus entrance. The rope, which remained for several days, was not tied to the sign but had a loop tied on one end.
“At this time, this is not classified as a crime, and we do not know the motives of the individual that left it there,” UCSC Police Chief Nader Oweis wrote in a community alert. “Nonetheless, his incident is deeply troubling to those that observed it, and may be considered a bias-related incident.”
Relying on surveillance footage, investigators say the rope was thrown onto the campus sign at Bay Street and Coolidge Drive around 9:45 p.m. by an individual accompanied by three others and that “all four quickly left the area.” The four individuals show up walking purposefully toward Bay Street about halfway through a 2-minute-30-second clip the university posted to Youtube, with what appears to be one individual raising an arm and snapping a photo using the camera’s flash.
Those with information about the incident can contact UCSC Police Department with information at 831-459-2231 ext. 1 to speak with an officer. Related Articles Crime and Public Safety | Man shot, killed by Colorado cop was holding a marker, not a weapon
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University officials also posted online a joint statement from Teresa Maria Linda Scholz, UCSC’s associate vice chancellor and chief diversity officer, and Jennifer Baszile, the interim vice chancellor for student affairs and success, decrying the rope incident, along with “recent acts of apparent intimidation” that “seek to divide our community and make people feel unsafe” locally and nationally. They likened the rope imagery to that of lynching Black people.
“Regardless of what may have been intended, these actions recall some of the ugliest legacies of white supremacy and remind us all of the daily threat of violence faced by ABC-identified (African American, Black and Caribbean) students, staff, faculty, and community members,” Scholz’ and Baszile’s statement reads, in part. “Anti-Blackness cannot stand.”
NAACP Santa Cruz County President Brenda Griffin, reached Thursday for comment, said she was aware of the Ocean Street attack and the rope hung at UCSC, but was not comfortable characterizing recent crimes as part of a greater trend toward increased racism in the area.
“My hope is that they will investigate these incidents fully,” Griffin said of Santa Cruz law enforcement agencies. “I’m glad that they’re trying to stay on top of them.”
The Santa Cruz Police Department also continues to investigate a June 18 report that “people were claiming was motivated by hate” at the downtown restaurant Alderwood, Barry said. According to several local news reports, an altercation broke out between two tables of customers — including a restaurant line cook dining in that evening. The fight ended with white customers reportedly using racial epithets on the Filipino-American cook, who was later fired for his part in the argument. A significant number of employees reportedly quit in protest and an online community GoFundMe page led by an Alderwood employee is raising funds to offset personal financial expenses, as “nearly two dozen employees have been displaced from work” after the restaurant closed June 30.
The police department has reviewed restaurant video surveillance recordings, which have no audio, and bystander cell phone videos, in which it is difficult to say who is saying what, Barry said. There were multiple victims of the altercation, with one treated for a head wound and one who does not want to press charges, he said.
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Hair relaxers have been linked to cancer among Black women, litigation says. ‘Nobody cares except us.’ Crime and Public Safety | Contra Costa DA attempts to block publicization of new racist texts by Antioch cops “We take these cases seriously and we are investigating it,” Barry said of the fight. “At this time, it’s not leaning towards a hate crime, where it would be fulfilled by the penal codes, but we are still looking at it as such.”
Alderwood management has not responded to a Sentinel request for comment made last week. The restaurant’s website has been deactivated and appeared to have remained closed in recent weeks. The “alderwoodsantacruz” Instagram account’s last post, made on June 29, defends the restaurant’s actions:
“We started Alderwood to be part of Santa Cruz community fiber, and to be a staple of the culinary arts in Santa Cruz. We do not support racism, bigotry or prejudice in anyway. We do not support violence in anyway. Our staff and guests are multicultural and always have been. We are trying to heal as a business from an event that escalated last week in Alderwood involving customers and an employee that was dining with us. It is extremely unfortunate that a fight ensued, involving racial verbal abuse and physical violence. After reviewing security footage both parties were found to be at fault and removed. Alderwood’s ownership, management and staff do not condone violence or racism!”
Sentinel reporter Nicholas Ibarra contributed to this report.


mercurynews--2020-07-10--Black California man found hanging from a tree died of suicide, officials say

The death of a 24-year-old California man who was found hanging from a tree last month has been ruled a suicide , according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’ s Department .
Robert Fuller ’ s body was found in Palmdale on the morning of June 10 .
There were no signs of a struggle and no signs that he had attempted to remove the rope from his neck , Los Angeles County Sheriff ’ s Cmdr .
Chris Marks said .
The determination came after a “ thorough ” investigation with the California Department of Justice and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a press conference Thursday .
Nothing but the rope , the contents of his pockets and a backpack that he was wearing were found on the scene , Los Angeles County Homicide Capt .
Kent Wegener said last month .
Fuller died 10 days after another Black man , Malcolm Harsch , was found hanging in Victorville , about 50 miles from Palmdale .
The deaths aroused suspicion of foul play .
Harsch ’ s death was by suicide , his family said last month after police found new video evidence .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department also said no foul play was involved .
The rope used to hang Fuller was tied directly to branches , “ indicating that the victim was not hoisted into that position , ” Marks said .
Sheriff ’ s officials said Fuller bought the rope at a Dollar Tree store on May 14 .
• Former Trump lawyer Cohen taken into custody again • Argument over face mask led to fatal shooting of man in front of Calfironia market , authorities say Investigators identified a purchase of a red rope that was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hanging to one made using an EBT card registered to Fuller .
There was no surveillance video from that store because it was a month before Fuller ’ s death , although investigators were able to find other surveillance video of Fuller making purchases with that same EBT card .
Fuller , sheriff ’ s officials said , had a history of mental health struggles and had been hospitalized in recent years for suicidal thoughts and depression .

The death of a 24-year-old California man who was found hanging from a tree last month has been ruled a suicide, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Robert Fuller’s body was found in Palmdale on the morning of June 10. There were no signs of a struggle and no signs that he had attempted to remove the rope from his neck, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Cmdr. Chris Marks said.
The determination came after a “thorough” investigation with the California Department of Justice and the FBI, sheriff’s officials said at a press conference Thursday.
Nothing but the rope, the contents of his pockets and a backpack that he was wearing were found on the scene, Los Angeles County Homicide Capt. Kent Wegener said last month.
Fuller died 10 days after another Black man, Malcolm Harsch, was found hanging in Victorville, about 50 miles from Palmdale. The deaths aroused suspicion of foul play.
Harsch’s death was by suicide, his family said last month after police found new video evidence. The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department also said no foul play was involved.
The rope used to hang Fuller was tied directly to branches, “indicating that the victim was not hoisted into that position,” Marks said.
Sheriff’s officials said Fuller bought the rope at a Dollar Tree store on May 14.
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There was no surveillance video from that store because it was a month before Fuller’s death, although investigators were able to find other surveillance video of Fuller making purchases with that same EBT card.
Fuller, sheriff’s officials said, had a history of mental health struggles and had been hospitalized in recent years for suicidal thoughts and depression.
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mercurynews--2020-07-10--Santa Cruz County teen police cadet, recreation leader accused of sexual battery arrested

WATSONVILLE — Police arrested a teenage city recreation employee and police cadet Wednesday in the wake of a more than a monthlong investigation into sexual battery allegations against him .
This week ’ s arrest is the second city recreation employee accused of sexual assaults of a minor this year .
The Watsonville Police Department is not naming the 17-year-old suspected of the crimes , due to his status as a juvenile .
Their investigation , however , began with accusations posted online in early June via Twitter , according to department spokeswoman Michelle Pulido .
Detectives identified a first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help of a cross-report from the Santa Cruz County Sheriff ’ s Office , and a second victim in subsequent weeks , according to Pulido .
• Incidents in Santa Cruz investigated as possible hate crimes • Black California man found hanging from a tree died of suicide , officials say • Berkeley cops may be stripped of traffic ticket duties Police are leveling charges against the cadet related to sexual battery and false imprisonment of at least two teen girls in 2017 , prior to his employment with the city as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late 2019 , Pulido said .
He joined the department ’ s cadet program in 2018 , she said .
Investigators believe there may be additional victims in this case and ask anyone with information to contact detective Rudy Lopez at 831-768-3357 .
• Gilroy : Man arrested on suspicion of kidnapping , rape and attempted murder “ We recommend parents speak to their children if their kids participate in PAL and/or our cadet program , ” Pulido said .
“ Parks and Rec and our Cadet advisors have sent a letter to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good reminder for any parent — they should be having these difficult conversations with their children and assuring them that they can always come and talk to them.
” In February , Watsonville police arrested 23-year-old city parks and recreation worker Matthew Jimenez on allegations of felony sodomy and oral copulation , plus a misdemeanor child molestation charge .
He pleaded no contest to a charge of felony unlawful sexual intercourse May 28 and is scheduled to be sentenced for the crime July 27 .
A city teenager reported that the encounters with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier , according to police reports .
The two met through a mutual friend and not a city program .
The alleged assault reportedly did not occur at city facilities .

WATSONVILLE — Police arrested a teenage city recreation employee and police cadet Wednesday in the wake of a more than a monthlong investigation into sexual battery allegations against him.
This week’s arrest is the second city recreation employee accused of sexual assaults of a minor this year.
The Watsonville Police Department is not naming the 17-year-old suspected of the crimes, due to his status as a juvenile. Their investigation, however, began with accusations posted online in early June via Twitter, according to department spokeswoman Michelle Pulido. Detectives identified a first victim by June 19 , with the help of a cross-report from the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office, and a second victim in subsequent weeks, according to Pulido. Related Articles Crime and Public Safety | Man shot, killed by Colorado cop was holding a marker, not a weapon
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Police are leveling charges against the cadet related to sexual battery and false imprisonment of at least two teen girls in 2017, prior to his employment with the city as a Watsonville Police Activities League recreation leader in late 2019, Pulido said. He joined the department’s cadet program in 2018, she said.
Investigators believe there may be additional victims in this case and ask anyone with information to contact detective Rudy Lopez at 831-768-3357.
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In February, Watsonville police arrested 23-year-old city parks and recreation worker Matthew Jimenez on allegations of felony sodomy and oral copulation, plus a misdemeanor child molestation charge. He pleaded no contest to a charge of felony unlawful sexual intercourse May 28 and is scheduled to be sentenced for the crime July 27. A city teenager reported that the encounters with Jimenez dated back more than a year earlier, according to police reports. The two met through a mutual friend and not a city program. The alleged assault reportedly did not occur at city facilities.


mercurynews--2020-07-10--Shipping container classrooms and prefab bathrooms: The construction industry evolves amid COVID-19

Shrink-wrap coverings , prefab bathrooms and portable shipping containers — these are all part of the new normal as the construction industry adapts to safety protocols in a COVID-19 world .
Builders have faced a host of challenges , ranging from a slowdown in available supplies and labor to project cancellations .
The health crisis has also taken a big bite out of the industry ’ s employment base .
Figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show the nation ’ s construction sector added 158,000 jobs in June , but employment was still down by 472,000 jobs since February @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to look different .
Jim Madrid , executive vice president for the Southern California region of McCarthy Building Companies Inc. , said construction firms are exploring the use of materials that can be cleaned more easily and don ’ t absorb bacteria and viruses .
Such materials will likely be installed in heavily trafficked areas , such as lobbies , corridors and restrooms .
“ There are products which work like a shrink wrap that you can put on door handles that are anti-microbial and will last six months , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contact .
That ’ s a relatively inexpensive retrofit.
” Madrid also anticipates an increase in off-site production of building components , such as bathrooms and panelized wall systems .
That would help reduce the risk of workers being clumped closely together on a job site .
“ It ’ s less expensive and you can do it in a more controlled environment , ” he said .
“ Bathrooms could be prefabricated and then delivered and slid into place .
There is also some out-of-the-box thinking in regard to school projects in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retrofitted as classrooms .
It ’ s very quick , and they are mobile if they need to be moved.
” McCarthy is a division of McCarthy Holdings , which has nearly 5,000 employees with offices scattered throughout the U.S .
The company is currently working on a three-story medical building in Hesperia for Kaiser Permanente that incorporates prefabricated interior and exterior walls .
Newport Beach-based Corporate Business Interiors made the prefab , modular interior wall panels for the second and third floors in Arizona and Canada .
And Pleasanton-based ConXTech fabricated the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ method will bring the project to completion two to three months earlier , said David Alford , McCarthy ’ s project director for the Kaiser building .
“ Trades that are typically coordinated later in the process have had integrations with prefab components , which made it necessary to bring them to the design forefront earlier than expected , ” he said .
McCarthy said it provides personal protective equipment for its workers and it has reduced the number of employees who can occupy construction lifts and elevators at any given time .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ reduce the number of employees on jobs sites .
LaTerra Development , a Los Angeles-based builder with 3,000 apartment units under construction in Southern California , is already considering how projects will change as a result of COVID-19 .
“ A large portion of millennials are living in apartments with no private open space , ” said Chris Tourtellotte , the company ’ s managing director .
“ There are no balconies in some of their units , so they can ’ t go outside to read a book or have a glass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important than we think and we tend to take it for granted.
” Tourtellotte figures balconies will become a necessity in multi-family developments , as well as rooftop decks and outside fitness areas where residents can gather while still adhering to social distancing .
And floor plans , he said , will likely to be adjusted to better accommodate the multitudes of people who continue to work from home .
“ I think we ’ ll see more units with one bedroom and an office area , as opposed to a traditional two-bedroom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And they ’ ll be apartments with two bedrooms , plus an office area , instead of three bedrooms.
” Other apartments with multiple residents might have more bathrooms as well .
“ I think we ’ ll see three-bedroom , three-bath units , ” Tourtellotte said .
“ Right now it ’ s more appealing for people to have their own bathrooms .
These are the kinds of changes we ’ ll be making as a result of COVID-19 .
But I ’ m a vaccine optimist .
I don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ”

Shrink-wrap coverings, prefab bathrooms and portable shipping containers — these are all part of the new normal as the construction industry adapts to safety protocols in a COVID-19 world.
Builders have faced a host of challenges, ranging from a slowdown in available supplies and labor to project cancellations.
The health crisis has also taken a big bite out of the industry’s employment base. Figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show the nation’s construction sector added 158,000 jobs in June, but employment was still down by 472,000 jobs since February.
Moving forward, the industry is going to look different.
New materials, off-site production
Jim Madrid, executive vice president for the Southern California region of McCarthy Building Companies Inc., said construction firms are exploring the use of materials that can be cleaned more easily and don’t absorb bacteria and viruses.
Such materials will likely be installed in heavily trafficked areas, such as lobbies, corridors and restrooms.
“There are products which work like a shrink wrap that you can put on door handles that are anti-microbial and will last six months,” he said. “They kill germs on contact. That’s a relatively inexpensive retrofit.”
Madrid also anticipates an increase in off-site production of building components, such as bathrooms and panelized wall systems. That would help reduce the risk of workers being clumped closely together on a job site.
“It’s less expensive and you can do it in a more controlled environment,” he said. “Bathrooms could be prefabricated and then delivered and slid into place. There is also some out-of-the-box thinking in regard to school projects in Malibu. Shipping cargo containers are being retrofitted as classrooms. It’s very quick, and they are mobile if they need to be moved.”
Pre-fabricated walls
McCarthy is a division of McCarthy Holdings, which has nearly 5,000 employees with offices scattered throughout the U.S. The company is currently working on a three-story medical building in Hesperia for Kaiser Permanente that incorporates prefabricated interior and exterior walls.
Newport Beach-based Corporate Business Interiors made the prefab, modular interior wall panels for the second and third floors in Arizona and Canada. And Pleasanton-based ConXTech fabricated the structural steel in Hayward.
The prefab method will bring the project to completion two to three months earlier, said David Alford, McCarthy’s project director for the Kaiser building.
“Trades that are typically coordinated later in the process have had integrations with prefab components, which made it necessary to bring them to the design forefront earlier than expected,” he said.
McCarthy said it provides personal protective equipment for its workers and it has reduced the number of employees who can occupy construction lifts and elevators at any given time. Work schedules have likewise been staggered to reduce the number of employees on jobs sites.
Balconies, home offices
LaTerra Development, a Los Angeles-based builder with 3,000 apartment units under construction in Southern California, is already considering how projects will change as a result of COVID-19.
“A large portion of millennials are living in apartments with no private open space,” said Chris Tourtellotte, the company’s managing director. “There are no balconies in some of their units, so they can’t go outside to read a book or have a glass of wine. This is much more important than we think and we tend to take it for granted.”
Tourtellotte figures balconies will become a necessity in multi-family developments, as well as rooftop decks and outside fitness areas where residents can gather while still adhering to social distancing.
And floor plans, he said, will likely to be adjusted to better accommodate the multitudes of people who continue to work from home.
“I think we’ll see more units with one bedroom and an office area, as opposed to a traditional two-bedroom arrangement,” Tourtellotte said. “And they’ll be apartments with two bedrooms, plus an office area, instead of three bedrooms.”
Other apartments with multiple residents might have more bathrooms as well.


mercurynews--2020-07-10--Rapper Pop Smoke’s social media led killers to Hollywood Hills home, police say

LOS ANGELES — Authorities believe rising rapper Pop Smoke was shot and killed during a Los Angeles home-invasion robbery in February after his social media posts led five suspects to the house he was renting , police said after detectives arrested the group Thursday morning .
Los Angeles police had initially discounted a robbery theory in the days after the 20-year-old rapper ’ s death Feb. 19 at a home in the Hollywood Hills .
Pop Smoke ’ s legal name is Bashar Barakah Jackson .
Capt .
Jonathan Tippet , who oversees the Los Angeles Police Department ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and two teenage boys likely went to the home because they knew Pop Smoke was there from social media posts .
They stole items from the home , though Tippet said he could not divulge what was taken .
The teens were 15 and 17 years old .
“ We believe that it was a robbery .
Initially we didn ’ t really have the evidence but then we discovered some other evidence that showed this was likely a home invasion gone bad , ” Tippet told The Associated Press on Thursday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ as detectives served several search warrants in Los Angeles .
All are believed to be members of a South Los Angeles gang , which Tippet would not name , and at least some of them are believed to be linked to a 2019 homicide when a fight escalated into a shooting outside the Rose Bowl in Pasadena .
Pop Smoke and his entourage staying at the home are not believed to be associated with the gang , Tippet said .
No one else was shot during the incident .
The Los Angeles Times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ posted pictures of him posing by an infinity pool in the home ’ s backyard , as well as a picture of the Los Angeles skyline from what was likely the house ’ s backyard .
In another post , Pop Smoke or a member of his entourage put a picture of a gift bag tagged with the Hollywood Hills address and a different photo showed him posing by a Ranger Rover in a spot where the home ’ s address was partly visible in the background .
“ It ’ s our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was based on some of the social media ” posts , Tippet said .
“ It ’ s based on the fact that he was posting his information may have contributed to him knowing where to find him.
” The home where the shooting occurred is owned by Edwin Arroyave and his wife Teddi Mellencamp , daughter of Rock & Roll Hall-of-Famer John Mellencamp and a star of “ The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
” Teddi Mellencamp previously said on Instagram that the couple had been notified of the shooting at their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what they had seen in media reports .
• New ‘ Hamilton ’ special to accompany the film on Disney+ • Charlie Daniels funeral livestream : Here ’ s how to watch the funeral • Why Greg Papa ’ s Barret Robbins interview didn ’ t air — until now Pop Smoke arrived on the rap scene in 2018 and broke out with “ Welcome to the Party ” a gangsta anthem with boasts about shootings , killings and drugs that became a huge sensation , and prompted Nicki Minaj to drop a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , Pop Smoke released the mixtape “ Meet the Woo 2 , ” which debuted at No .
7 on the Billboard Top 200 albums chart .
It was the follow up to his first official release , “ Meet the Woo.
” The rapper also had the popular hit “ Gatti ” with Travis Scott and Jackboys and “ Dior.
” Last week , Pop Smoke released his posthumous debut album “ Shoot for the Stars , Aim for the Moon , ” which was met with mostly positive reviews .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ including 50 Cent , Roddy Rich , Future , Swae Lee , Quavo and others .

By STEFANIE DAZIO | Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — Authorities believe rising rapper Pop Smoke was shot and killed during a Los Angeles home-invasion robbery in February after his social media posts led five suspects to the house he was renting, police said after detectives arrested the group Thursday morning.
Los Angeles police had initially discounted a robbery theory in the days after the 20-year-old rapper’s death Feb. 19 at a home in the Hollywood Hills. Pop Smoke’s legal name is Bashar Barakah Jackson.
Capt. Jonathan Tippet, who oversees the Los Angeles Police Department’s elite Robbery-Homicide Division, said three men and two teenage boys likely went to the home because they knew Pop Smoke was there from social media posts. They stole items from the home, though Tippet said he could not divulge what was taken. The teens were 15 and 17 years old.
“We believe that it was a robbery. Initially we didn’t really have the evidence but then we discovered some other evidence that showed this was likely a home invasion gone bad,” Tippet told The Associated Press on Thursday.
The five suspects were arrested Thursday morning as detectives served several search warrants in Los Angeles. All are believed to be members of a South Los Angeles gang, which Tippet would not name, and at least some of them are believed to be linked to a 2019 homicide when a fight escalated into a shooting outside the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
Pop Smoke and his entourage staying at the home are not believed to be associated with the gang, Tippet said. No one else was shot during the incident.
The Los Angeles Times reported in February that the rapper had posted pictures of him posing by an infinity pool in the home’s backyard, as well as a picture of the Los Angeles skyline from what was likely the house’s backyard. In another post, Pop Smoke or a member of his entourage put a picture of a gift bag tagged with the Hollywood Hills address and a different photo showed him posing by a Ranger Rover in a spot where the home’s address was partly visible in the background.
“It’s our belief that (the home-invasion robbery) was based on some of the social media” posts, Tippet said. “It’s based on the fact that he was posting his information may have contributed to him knowing where to find him.”
The home where the shooting occurred is owned by Edwin Arroyave and his wife Teddi Mellencamp, daughter of Rock & Roll Hall-of-Famer John Mellencamp and a star of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.”
Teddi Mellencamp previously said on Instagram that the couple had been notified of the shooting at their rental property but knew no more than what they had seen in media reports.
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Sandra Bullock’s ‘The Blind Side’ long criticized for its ‘White savior’ view of a Black athlete Crime and Public Safety | Paris Hilton enjoys beach and resort in Maui, as Lahaina residents reel from disaster Pop Smoke arrived on the rap scene in 2018 and broke out with “Welcome to the Party” a gangsta anthem with boasts about shootings, killings and drugs that became a huge sensation, and prompted Nicki Minaj to drop a verse on a remix.
Earlier this year, Pop Smoke released the mixtape “Meet the Woo 2,” which debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard Top 200 albums chart. It was the follow up to his first official release, “Meet the Woo.” The rapper also had the popular hit “Gatti” with Travis Scott and Jackboys and “Dior.”
Last week, Pop Smoke released his posthumous debut album “Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon,” which was met with mostly positive reviews. The 19-track album featured several star-studded guests including 50 Cent, Roddy Rich, Future, Swae Lee, Quavo and others.
Associated Press Writer Jonathan Landrum contributed.


mercurynews--2020-07-11--Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott tests positive for coronavirus

The Pac-12 Conference announced that commissioner Larry Scott recently tested positive for COVID-19 .
According to a Twitter post from @ @ @ @ @ symptoms , was tested , and the test came back positive .
The commissioner just @ @ @ @ @ plans to play conference-only contests for fall sports .
“ As a result of the @ @ @ @ @ self-quaratining at the direction of his physician , ” the Twitter post read .
“ @ @ @ @ @ on his duties remotely as normal .
”

The Pac-12 Conference announced that commissioner Larry Scott recently tested positive for COVID-19.
According to a Twitter post from the conference Scott experienced flu-like symptoms, was tested, and the test came back positive. The commissioner just announced the conference’s plans to play conference-only contests for fall sports.
“As a result of the positive test, he is self-quaratining at the direction of his physician,” the Twitter post read. “He is continuing to carry on his duties remotely as normal.”


mercurynews--2020-07-11--Oakland: Man sets self on fire near Fruitvale BART station

OAKLAND – A man in his 50s lit himself on fire near the Fruitvale BART station in Oakland on Friday @ @ @ @ @ Firefighters were called to the 3400 block of East 12th Street about 3:45 p.m. for @ @ @ @ @ had doused himself with what appeared to be a soda bottle full of gasoline and @ @ @ @ @ said Oakland Fire Department spokesman Michael Hunt .
Hunt said the man was taken to @ @ @ @ @ His condition was not immediately known .
The incident is under investigation , Hunt said @

OAKLAND – A man in his 50s lit himself on fire near the Fruitvale BART station in Oakland on Friday afternoon, officials said.
Firefighters were called to the 3400 block of East 12th Street about 3:45 p.m. for a report that a man had doused himself with what appeared to be a soda bottle full of gasoline and set himself on fire, said Oakland Fire Department spokesman Michael Hunt.
Hunt said the man was taken to Highland Hospital in Oakland. His condition was not immediately known.
The incident is under investigation, Hunt said.
Check back for updates.


mercurynews--2020-07-11--Amazon bans – then unbans – TikTok from workers’ phones

Roughly five hours after an internal email went out Friday to Amazon employees telling them to delete the popular video app TikTok from their phones , the online retailing giant appeared to backtrack , calling the ban a mistake .
“ This morning ’ s email to some of our employees was sent in error , ” Amazon emailed reporters just before 5 p.m. Eastern time .
“ There is no change to our policies right now with regard to TikTok.
” Company spokeswoman Jaci Anderson declined to answer questions about what caused the confounding turnaround or error .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ widely online , told employees to delete TikTok , a video app increasingly popular with young people but also the focus of intensifying national-security and geopolitical concerns because of its Chinese ownership .
The email cited the app ’ s “ security risks.
” An Amazon employee who confirmed receipt of the initial email but was not authorized to speak publicly had not seen a retraction at the time of Amazon ’ s backtrack .
Amazon is the second-largest U.S. private employer after Walmart .
Moving against TikTok could have escalated pressure on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particularly if other companies did the same .
The U.S. military already bans TikTok on employee phones and the company is subject to a national-security review of its merger history .
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said this week that the government was “ certainly looking ” at banning the app , setting off confused and irritated posts as well as jokes by TikTok users .
Chinese internet company ByteDance owns TikTok , which is designed for users outside of China ; it also makes a Chinese version called Douyin .
Like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the videos that populate its app .
It has a reputation for fun , goofy videos and is popular with young people , including millions of Americans .
But critics have cited concerns , including the possibility of TikTok censoring videos , such as those critical of the Chinese government , sharing user data with Chinese officials , and violating kids ’ privacy .
TikTok has said it doesn ’ t censor videos based on topics sensitive to China and it would not give the Chinese government access to U.S. user data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the day that Amazon did not notify it before sending the initial email around midday Eastern time Friday .
That email read , “ The TikTok app is no longer permitted on mobile devices that access Amazon email.
” To retain mobile access to company email , employees had to delete the TikTok app by the end of the day .
“ We still do not understand their concerns , ” TikTok said at the time , adding that the company would welcome a dialogue to address Amazon ’ s issues .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday evening .
TikTok has been trying to appease critics in the U.S. and distance itself from its Chinese roots , but finds itself caught in an increasingly sticky geopolitical web .
It recently named a new CEO , former Disney executive Kevin Mayer , a move experts said could help it navigate U.S. regulators .
And it is stopping operations in Hong Kong because of a new Chinese national security law that led Facebook , Google and Twitter to also stop providing user data to Hong Kong authorities .
Pompeo said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ referred to the administration ’ s crackdown on Chinese telecom firms Huawei and ZTE .
Washington has tried to convince allies to root Huawei out of telecom networks with mixed success .
President Donald Trump has also said he is willing to use Huawei as a bargaining chip in trade talks .
Huawei has denied that it enables spying by the Chinese government .
A U.S. national-security agency has been reviewing ByteDance ’ s purchase of TikTok ’ s precursor , Musical.ly .
Meanwhile , privacy groups say TikTok has been violating children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Federal Trade Commission fined the company in 2019 for collecting personal information from children without their parents ’ consent .
Concerns aren ’ t limited to the U.S. India this month banned dozens of Chinese apps , including TikTok , citing privacy concerns , amid tensions between the countries .
• New ‘ Hamilton ’ special to accompany the film on Disney+ • Magid : Schools will be far from normal , we ’ ll still have remote learning Amazon may have been concerned about a Chinese-owned app ’ s access to employee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regularly steals U.S. intellectual property , said Susan Ariel Aaronson , a professor at George Washington University and a data governance and national-security expert .
Part of Amazon ’ s motivation with the ban , now apparently reversed , may also have been political , Aaronson said , since Amazon “ doesn ’ t want to alienate the Trump administration.
” Seattle-based Amazon and its founder , Jeff Bezos , are frequent targets of Trump .
Bezos personally owns The Washington Post , which Trump has called “ fake news.
” Last year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying that Trump ’ s “ personal vendetta ” against Amazon , Bezos and the Post led it to lose a $ 10 billion cloud computing contract with the Pentagon to rival Microsoft .
Meanwhile , federal regulators as well as Congress are pursuing antitrust investigations at Amazon as well as other tech giants .

By Tali Arbel | Associated Press
Roughly five hours after an internal email went out Friday to Amazon employees telling them to delete the popular video app TikTok from their phones, the online retailing giant appeared to backtrack, calling the ban a mistake.
“This morning’s email to some of our employees was sent in error,” Amazon emailed reporters just before 5 p.m. Eastern time. “There is no change to our policies right now with regard to TikTok.”
Company spokeswoman Jaci Anderson declined to answer questions about what caused the confounding turnaround or error.
The initial internal email, which was disseminated widely online, told employees to delete TikTok, a video app increasingly popular with young people but also the focus of intensifying national-security and geopolitical concerns because of its Chinese ownership. The email cited the app’s “security risks.”
An Amazon employee who confirmed receipt of the initial email but was not authorized to speak publicly had not seen a retraction at the time of Amazon’s backtrack.
Amazon is the second-largest U.S. private employer after Walmart. Moving against TikTok could have escalated pressure on the app in a big way, particularly if other companies did the same. The U.S. military already bans TikTok on employee phones and the company is subject to a national-security review of its merger history.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said this week that the government was “certainly looking” at banning the app, setting off confused and irritated posts as well as jokes by TikTok users.
Chinese internet company ByteDance owns TikTok, which is designed for users outside of China; it also makes a Chinese version called Douyin. Like YouTube, TikTok relies on its users for the videos that populate its app. It has a reputation for fun, goofy videos and is popular with young people, including millions of Americans.
But critics have cited concerns, including the possibility of TikTok censoring videos, such as those critical of the Chinese government, sharing user data with Chinese officials, and violating kids’ privacy. TikTok has said it doesn’t censor videos based on topics sensitive to China and it would not give the Chinese government access to U.S. user data even if asked.
TikTok said earlier in the day that Amazon did not notify it before sending the initial email around midday Eastern time Friday. That email read, “The TikTok app is no longer permitted on mobile devices that access Amazon email.” To retain mobile access to company email, employees had to delete the TikTok app by the end of the day.
“We still do not understand their concerns,” TikTok said at the time, adding that the company would welcome a dialogue to address Amazon’s issues. A TikTok spokeswoman declined to comment further Friday evening.
TikTok has been trying to appease critics in the U.S. and distance itself from its Chinese roots, but finds itself caught in an increasingly sticky geopolitical web.
It recently named a new CEO, former Disney executive Kevin Mayer, a move experts said could help it navigate U.S. regulators. And it is stopping operations in Hong Kong because of a new Chinese national security law that led Facebook, Google and Twitter to also stop providing user data to Hong Kong authorities.
Pompeo said the U.S. government remains concerned about TikTok and referred to the administration’s crackdown on Chinese telecom firms Huawei and ZTE. Washington has tried to convince allies to root Huawei out of telecom networks with mixed success. President Donald Trump has also said he is willing to use Huawei as a bargaining chip in trade talks. Huawei has denied that it enables spying by the Chinese government.
A U.S. national-security agency has been reviewing ByteDance’s purchase of TikTok’s precursor, Musical.ly. Meanwhile, privacy groups say TikTok has been violating children’s privacy, even after the Federal Trade Commission fined the company in 2019 for collecting personal information from children without their parents’ consent. Concerns aren’t limited to the U.S. India this month banned dozens of Chinese apps, including TikTok, citing privacy concerns, amid tensions between the countries.
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Two rival robotaxi services win approval to operate throughout San Francisco despite safety concerns National News | Google loses bid to toss lawsuit over ‘potentially embarrassing’ Incognito mode data grabbing Amazon may have been concerned about a Chinese-owned app’s access to employee data because the U.S. government says China regularly steals U.S. intellectual property, said Susan Ariel Aaronson, a professor at George Washington University and a data governance and national-security expert.
Part of Amazon’s motivation with the ban, now apparently reversed, may also have been political, Aaronson said, since Amazon “doesn’t want to alienate the Trump administration.”
Seattle-based Amazon and its founder, Jeff Bezos, are frequent targets of Trump. Bezos personally owns The Washington Post, which Trump has called “fake news.” Last year, Amazon sued the U.S. government, saying that Trump’s “personal vendetta” against Amazon, Bezos and the Post led it to lose a $10 billion cloud computing contract with the Pentagon to rival Microsoft. Meanwhile, federal regulators as well as Congress are pursuing antitrust investigations at Amazon as well as other tech giants.


mercurynews--2020-07-11--Trump commutes sentence of longtime friend Roger Stone

By Jill Colvin and Eric Tucker | Associated Press WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump called Roger Stone to inform his longtime political confidant that he would commute his sentence for crimes related to the Russia investigation , Stone told The Associated Press on Friday , just days before he was set to report to prison .
The White House later confirmed the commuting of the sentence in a statement , saying Stone was a victim of the Russia “ hoax.
” The move , though short of a full pardon , is sure to alarm critics who have long railed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the nation ’ s justice system .
“ The president told me he thought my trial has been unfair , ” Stone told the AP in a phone call from Fort Lauderdale , Florida .
Stone said he expressed his gratitude and was popping Champagne .
Stone had been sentenced in February to three years and four months in prison for lying to Congress , witness tampering and obstructing the House investigation into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to win the 2016 election .
He was set to report to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not erase Stone ’ s felony convictions in the same way a pardon would , but it would protect him from serving prison time as a result .
The action , which Trump had foreshadowed in recent days , reflects his lingering rage over the Russia investigation and is a testament to his conviction that he and his associates were mistreated by agents and prosecutors .
His administration has been eager to rewrite the narrative of special counsel Robert Mueller ’ s Russia investigation , with Trump ’ s own Justice Department moving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against former national security adviser Michael Flynn .
Stone , for his part , had been open about his desire for a pardon or commutation , appealing for the president ’ s help in a series of Instagram posts in which he maintained that his life could be in jeopardy if imprisoned during a pandemic .
He had recently sought to postpone his surrender date by months after getting a brief extension from the judge .
Trump had repeatedly publicly inserted himself into Stone ’ s case , including just before Stone ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tweet that Stone was being subjected to a different standard than several prominent Democrats .
He railed that the conviction “ should be thrown out ” and called the Justice Department ’ s initial sentencing recommendation “ horrible and very unfair.
” “ Can not allow this miscarriage of justice !
” he wrote .
Stone , a larger-than-life political character who embraced his reputation as a dirty trickster , was the sixth Trump aide or adviser to have been convicted of charges brought as part of Mueller ’ s investigation into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A longtime Trump friend and informal adviser , Stone had boasted during the campaign that he was in contact with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange through a trusted intermediary and hinted at inside knowledge of WikiLeaks ’ plans to release more than 19,000 emails hacked from the servers of the Democratic National Committee .
But Stone denied any wrongdoing and consistently criticized the case against him as politically motivated .
He did not take the stand during his trial , did not speak at his sentencing , and his lawyers did not call any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ targeted those involved in the case .
He retweeted a comment by Fox News commentator Andrew Napolitano that the jury appeared to have been biased against Trump , and called out Judge Amy Berman Jackson by name , saying “ almost any judge in the country ” would throw out the conviction .
The tweets continued even after Trump earned a public rebuke from his own attorney general , William Barr , who said the president ’ s comments were “ making it impossible ” for him to do his job .
Barr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was considering resigning over the matter .
Prosecutors had originally recommended Stone serve seven to nine years in federal prison .
But , in a highly unusual move , Barr reversed that decision after a Trump tweet and recommended a more lenient punishment , prompting a mini-revolt inside the Justice Department , with the entire prosecution team resigning from the case .
Department officials have vehemently denied Barr was responding to Trump ’ s criticism and have insisted there was no contact with the White House over the decision .
Barr has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in imposing a 40-month sentence , had agreed with him that the original sentencing recommendation was excessive .
Barr , who was attorney general during Stone ’ s trial last fall , has said the prosecution was justified , and the Justice Department did not support Stone ’ s more recent effort to put off his surrender date .
Though the Justice Department raised concerns about the handling of Flynn ’ s case , including what it said were irregularities about his FBI interview , prosecutors did not point to any similar issues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Even so , the pardon will almost certainly contribute to the portrait of a president determined — particularly in an election year — to undo the effects of a Russia investigation that has shadowed his administration from the outset , and to intervene on behalf of political allies .
Trump , meanwhile , had long kept the door open to a reprieve .
“ You ’ re going to see what happens .
Let ’ s see what happens , ” he said when asked in February whether Stone deserved prison time , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up for the people.
” He told Sean Hannity in an interview Thursday night that it was a “ disgrace they didn ’ t give him a retrial.
” Asked if he was considering a pardon , he added : “ I am always thinking.
” That language prompted preemptive rebuke from House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff , who tweeted after the sentencing that “ to pardon Stone when his crimes were committed to protect Trump would be a breathtaking act of corruption.
” The commutation was the latest example of Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ powerful men he believes have been mistreated by the justice system .
• Netherlands will take Russia to court over MH17 shootdown • Pentagon chief says he has been briefed on Russian bounties Trump went on a clemency spree in February commuting the 14-year prison sentence of former Illinois Gov .
Rod Blagojevich , a Democrat , and pardoning former New York City police commissioner Bernie Kerik , financier Michael Milken and several others .
Trump has also offered clemency to other political allies , including Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conservative commentator Dinesh D ’ Souza , who had been convicted on campaign finance violations , and Conrad Black , a newspaper publisher convicted of fraud who had written a flattering book about the president .
Trump , however , has spent much more time trumpeting his decision to commute the sentence of Alice Marie Johnson , who was serving life in prison for nonviolent drug offenses and who came to Trump ’ s attention after reality star Kim Kardashian West took up her cause .
Her story was featured in a Trump @ @ @ @ @

By Jill Colvin and Eric Tucker | Associated Press
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump called Roger Stone to inform his longtime political confidant that he would commute his sentence for crimes related to the Russia investigation, Stone told The Associated Press on Friday, just days before he was set to report to prison.
The White House later confirmed the commuting of the sentence in a statement, saying Stone was a victim of the Russia “hoax.”
The move, though short of a full pardon, is sure to alarm critics who have long railed against the president’s repeated interventions in the nation’s justice system.
“The president told me he thought my trial has been unfair,” Stone told the AP in a phone call from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Stone said he expressed his gratitude and was popping Champagne.
Stone had been sentenced in February to three years and four months in prison for lying to Congress, witness tampering and obstructing the House investigation into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to win the 2016 election. He was set to report to prison by Tuesday.
A commutation would not erase Stone’s felony convictions in the same way a pardon would, but it would protect him from serving prison time as a result.
The action, which Trump had foreshadowed in recent days, reflects his lingering rage over the Russia investigation and is a testament to his conviction that he and his associates were mistreated by agents and prosecutors. His administration has been eager to rewrite the narrative of special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation, with Trump’s own Justice Department moving in May to dismiss the criminal case against former national security adviser Michael Flynn.
Stone, for his part, had been open about his desire for a pardon or commutation, appealing for the president’s help in a series of Instagram posts in which he maintained that his life could be in jeopardy if imprisoned during a pandemic. He had recently sought to postpone his surrender date by months after getting a brief extension from the judge.
Trump had repeatedly publicly inserted himself into Stone’s case, including just before Stone’s sentencing, when he suggested in a tweet that Stone was being subjected to a different standard than several prominent Democrats. He railed that the conviction “should be thrown out” and called the Justice Department’s initial sentencing recommendation “horrible and very unfair.”
“Cannot allow this miscarriage of justice!” he wrote.
Stone, a larger-than-life political character who embraced his reputation as a dirty trickster, was the sixth Trump aide or adviser to have been convicted of charges brought as part of Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
A longtime Trump friend and informal adviser, Stone had boasted during the campaign that he was in contact with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange through a trusted intermediary and hinted at inside knowledge of WikiLeaks’ plans to release more than 19,000 emails hacked from the servers of the Democratic National Committee.
But Stone denied any wrongdoing and consistently criticized the case against him as politically motivated. He did not take the stand during his trial, did not speak at his sentencing, and his lawyers did not call any witnesses in his defense.
Trump also targeted those involved in the case. He retweeted a comment by Fox News commentator Andrew Napolitano that the jury appeared to have been biased against Trump, and called out Judge Amy Berman Jackson by name, saying “almost any judge in the country” would throw out the conviction.
The tweets continued even after Trump earned a public rebuke from his own attorney general, William Barr, who said the president’s comments were “making it impossible” for him to do his job. Barr was so incensed that he told people he was considering resigning over the matter.
Prosecutors had originally recommended Stone serve seven to nine years in federal prison. But, in a highly unusual move, Barr reversed that decision after a Trump tweet and recommended a more lenient punishment, prompting a mini-revolt inside the Justice Department, with the entire prosecution team resigning from the case.
Department officials have vehemently denied Barr was responding to Trump’s criticism and have insisted there was no contact with the White House over the decision. Barr has also pointed out that the judge, in imposing a 40-month sentence, had agreed with him that the original sentencing recommendation was excessive.
Barr, who was attorney general during Stone’s trial last fall, has said the prosecution was justified, and the Justice Department did not support Stone’s more recent effort to put off his surrender date. Though the Justice Department raised concerns about the handling of Flynn’s case, including what it said were irregularities about his FBI interview, prosecutors did not point to any similar issues or problems with the Stone prosecution.
Even so, the pardon will almost certainly contribute to the portrait of a president determined — particularly in an election year — to undo the effects of a Russia investigation that has shadowed his administration from the outset, and to intervene on behalf of political allies.
Trump, meanwhile, had long kept the door open to a reprieve.
“You’re going to see what happens. Let’s see what happens,” he said when asked in February whether Stone deserved prison time, adding, “Somebody has to stick up for the people.”
He told Sean Hannity in an interview Thursday night that it was a “disgrace they didn’t give him a retrial.” Asked if he was considering a pardon, he added: “I am always thinking.”
That language prompted preemptive rebuke from House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff, who tweeted after the sentencing that “to pardon Stone when his crimes were committed to protect Trump would be a breathtaking act of corruption.”
The commutation was the latest example of Trump using his unlimited clemency power to pardon powerful men he believes have been mistreated by the justice system.
Trump went on a clemency spree in February commuting the 14-year prison sentence of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, a Democrat, and pardoning former New York City police commissioner Bernie Kerik, financier Michael Milken and several others.
Trump has also offered clemency to other political allies, including Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who was awaiting sentencing at the time, conservative commentator Dinesh D’Souza, who had been convicted on campaign finance violations, and Conrad Black, a newspaper publisher convicted of fraud who had written a flattering book about the president.
Trump, however, has spent much more time trumpeting his decision to commute the sentence of Alice Marie Johnson, who was serving life in prison for nonviolent drug offenses and who came to Trump’s attention after reality star Kim Kardashian West took up her cause. Her story was featured in a Trump campaign Super Bowl ad.


mercurynews--2020-07-10--Officers fired over photo of Elijah McClain chokehold

By Patty Nieberg and Thomas Peipert | Associated Press AURORA , Colo. — Three officers were fired Friday over photos showing police reenact a chokehold used on Elijah McClain , a 23-year-old Black man who died last year after police stopped him on the street in a Denver suburb .
One of those fired is Jason Rosenblatt , a white Aurora officer who helped stop McClain in August for wearing a ski mask and “ being suspicious.
” Police put McClain in a chokehold , paramedics injected him with a sedative and McClain suffered cardiac arrest before later being taken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chief Vanessa Wilson told reporters that officers sent the photos to Rosenblatt and others two months after McClain died to “ cheer up a friend , ” without explaining who that was .
Rosenblatt responded with a text saying , “ Haha.
” Officer Nathan Woodyard , who put McClain in a chokehold , also got the photos but he was not disciplined because he didn ’ t respond .
“ We are ashamed , we are sickened , and we are angry , ” Wilson said .
The officers may not have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are “ a crime against humanity and decency , ” she added .
McClain ’ s death has become a rallying cry amid a national reckoning over police brutality and racial injustice , with the state reopening the case for possible criminal charges and federal officials looking into a civil rights investigation .
In several places , the chokehold has been banned and other police reforms passed after nationwide protests .
McClain ’ s family , friends and community activists noted during a rally that justice was swifter for the mocking photograph than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McClain ’ s death .
The two other officers who stopped the young man are still on the force as authorities look again into possible criminal charges after clearing them last year .
“ Rosenblatt got fired not for killing Elijah , not for murdering Elijah , but for making fun of Elijah , ” said Terrence Roberts , a community organizer and family friend .
“ That is the culture that we ’ re fighting , where a police officer can murder a black man , a black child , and keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so he can go make fun of this child.
” Officers Kyle Dittrich , Erica Marrero and Jaron Jones — none of whom confronted McClain in August — smiled and mockingly placed each other in a chokehold in the photos taken in October near a memorial for McClain .
An officer reported the photos to a sergeant late last month , and an internal investigation began .
Rosenblatt , Dittrich and Marrero were fired for conduct unbecoming of an officer .
Jones resigned earlier this week .
The Aurora Police Association called the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The union for officers said on Facebook that the investigation took nine days , while a standard internal affairs case takes months .
Several police agencies have taken swift action to punish officers , including those involved in George Floyd ’ s death May 25 in Minneapolis that ushered in global demonstrations .
For Elijah McClain ’ s mother , Sheneen McClain , “ it was just devastating to see that people were mocking the murder of her son , ” family attorney Mari Newman said .
“ The fact that three on-duty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was appropriate to reenact the murder , jokingly , shows that the department is rotten to the core , ” she said .
Facing increasing pressure as celebrities and others on social media called for justice , Colorado Gov .
Jared Polis last week ordered the state attorney general to reopen McClain ’ s case .
The officers stopped McClain , a massage therapist , after a 911 call on Aug. 24 reported him as suspicious because he was wearing a ski mask and flailing his arms .
He begged them repeatedly to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ body-camera video .
After the chokehold that cut off blood to his brain , paramedics administered 500 milligrams of a sedative to calm him down .
A forensic pathologist could not determine what exactly led to McClain ’ s death but said physical exertion during the confrontation likely contributed .
A prosecutor said he didn ’ t pursue criminal charges against the officers because the pathologist wasn ’ t able to determine if their actions caused McClain ’ s death .
District Attorney Dave Young recently called the young man ’ s death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his decision .
Police body-camera video shows an officer getting out of his car , approaching McClain and saying , “ Stop right there .
Stop .
Stop .
… I have a right to stop you because you ’ re being suspicious.
” In the video , the officer turns McClain around and repeats , “ Stop tensing up.
” As McClain tries to escape the officer ’ s grip , the officer says , “ Relax , or I ’ m going to have to change this situation.
” As other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ begs them to let go and says , “ You guys started to arrest me , and I was stopping my music to listen.
” Aurora police have said McClain refused to stop walking and fought back when officers tried to take him into custody .
In the video , McClain tells officers : “ Let go of me .
I am an introvert .
Please respect the boundaries that I am speaking.
” The U.S. attorney ’ s office , the U.S. Justice Department ’ s Civil Rights Division and the FBI @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether to launch a civil rights investigation .
Federal authorities said they also were considering an investigation into the photos .

By Patty Nieberg and Thomas Peipert | Associated Press
AURORA, Colo. — Three officers were fired Friday over photos showing police reenact a chokehold used on Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old Black man who died last year after police stopped him on the street in a Denver suburb.
One of those fired is Jason Rosenblatt, a white Aurora officer who helped stop McClain in August for wearing a ski mask and “being suspicious.” Police put McClain in a chokehold, paramedics injected him with a sedative and McClain suffered cardiac arrest before later being taken off life support.
Aurora Interim Police Chief Vanessa Wilson told reporters that officers sent the photos to Rosenblatt and others two months after McClain died to “cheer up a friend,” without explaining who that was. Rosenblatt responded with a text saying, “Haha.” Officer Nathan Woodyard, who put McClain in a chokehold, also got the photos but he was not disciplined because he didn’t respond.
“We are ashamed, we are sickened, and we are angry,” Wilson said. The officers may not have committed a crime, but the photographs are “a crime against humanity and decency,” she added.
McClain’s death has become a rallying cry amid a national reckoning over police brutality and racial injustice, with the state reopening the case for possible criminal charges and federal officials looking into a civil rights investigation. In several places, the chokehold has been banned and other police reforms passed after nationwide protests.
McClain’s family, friends and community activists noted during a rally that justice was swifter for the mocking photograph than the use of force that led to McClain’s death. The two other officers who stopped the young man are still on the force as authorities look again into possible criminal charges after clearing them last year.
“Rosenblatt got fired not for killing Elijah, not for murdering Elijah, but for making fun of Elijah,” said Terrence Roberts, a community organizer and family friend. “That is the culture that we’re fighting, where a police officer can murder a black man, a black child, and keep his job and stay on the force so he can go make fun of this child.”
Officers Kyle Dittrich, Erica Marrero and Jaron Jones — none of whom confronted McClain in August — smiled and mockingly placed each other in a chokehold in the photos taken in October near a memorial for McClain.
An officer reported the photos to a sergeant late last month, and an internal investigation began.
Rosenblatt, Dittrich and Marrero were fired for conduct unbecoming of an officer. Jones resigned earlier this week.
The Aurora Police Association called the investigation “a rush to judgment.” The union for officers said on Facebook that the investigation took nine days, while a standard internal affairs case takes months.
Several police agencies have taken swift action to punish officers, including those involved in George Floyd’s death May 25 in Minneapolis that ushered in global demonstrations.
For Elijah McClain’s mother, Sheneen McClain, “it was just devastating to see that people were mocking the murder of her son,” family attorney Mari Newman said.
“The fact that three on-duty, in-uniform police officers thought that it was appropriate to reenact the murder, jokingly, shows that the department is rotten to the core,” she said.
Facing increasing pressure as celebrities and others on social media called for justice, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis last week ordered the state attorney general to reopen McClain’s case.
The officers stopped McClain, a massage therapist, after a 911 call on Aug. 24 reported him as suspicious because he was wearing a ski mask and flailing his arms. He begged them repeatedly to let go of him, according to body-camera video.
After the chokehold that cut off blood to his brain, paramedics administered 500 milligrams of a sedative to calm him down. A forensic pathologist could not determine what exactly led to McClain’s death but said physical exertion during the confrontation likely contributed.
A prosecutor said he didn’t pursue criminal charges against the officers because the pathologist wasn’t able to determine if their actions caused McClain’s death. District Attorney Dave Young recently called the young man’s death “tragic and unnecessary” but defended his decision.
Police body-camera video shows an officer getting out of his car, approaching McClain and saying, “Stop right there. Stop. Stop. … I have a right to stop you because you’re being suspicious.”
In the video, the officer turns McClain around and repeats, “Stop tensing up.” As McClain tries to escape the officer’s grip, the officer says, “Relax, or I’m going to have to change this situation.”
As other officers join to restrain McClain, he begs them to let go and says, “You guys started to arrest me, and I was stopping my music to listen.”
Aurora police have said McClain refused to stop walking and fought back when officers tried to take him into custody.
In the video, McClain tells officers: “Let go of me. I am an introvert. Please respect the boundaries that I am speaking.”
The U.S. attorney’s office, the U.S. Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the FBI announced this week they are looking into whether to launch a civil rights investigation. Federal authorities said they also were considering an investigation into the photos.


mercurynews--2020-07-10--Report finds ongoing ‘whitewashing’ in jury selection

BERKELEY — Black people are often purposefully excluded from juries , sometimes dismissed for things as trivial as the way they looked or sat or their clothes , a new report finds .
During jury selection in criminal cases , attorneys are allowed to remove a certain number of prospective jurors without having to give a reason .
But if the other side objects because they think the removal could be race-related , attorneys can offer a “ neutral ” explanation that would be legally acceptable .
Those include the person looked confused , or was wearing hoop earrings — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report , titled “ Whitewashing the Jury Box , ” found .
The report analyzed nearly 700 cases in the California Court of Appeals from 2006 to 2018 and found in 72 % of those , prosecutors used their strikes to exclude black jurors from a jury panel .
White jurors were removed 0.5 % of the time , Latino jurors 28 % and Asian-Americans less than 3.5 % .
“ I think there ’ s an understanding in law enforcement and potentially the district attorney ’ s office that black people may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jurors , ” said Alameda County Public Defender Brendon Woods in an interview .
“ If there ’ s an avenue to exclude black people or people of color , the way the law is written now , it gives them that avenue with excuses that are justified.
” When choosing a jury , both prosecutors and defense attorneys have what is called “ peremptory strike , ” or the power to remove a prospective juror from a panel , without a reason or the court ’ s approval .
The other side @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appear to be racially motivated , but the report found that prosecutors are encouraged to use what it calls “ race-neutral ” reasons .
Those include that the person expressed a distrust of law enforcement , a juror ’ s prior arrest or a juror having a loved one who had been incarcerated .
In fact , the report found that district attorney training manuals on peremptory challenges encourage discriminatory strikes — telling prosecutors to strike those who had negative experience with law enforcement or are distrustful of the criminal legal system .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Berkeley Law ’ s Death Penalty Clinic and headed by Professor Elisabeth Semel , found that prosecutors successfully used their strikes against African-American prospective jurors based on their demeanor : because they had dreadlocks , were slouching , wore a short skirt or “ blinged out ” sandals or had visited family members who were imprisoned or jailed .
They also used their strikes if the prospective jurors had bad experiences with law enforcement , or in Bay Area cases , lived in East Oakland or San Francisco ’ s Tenderloin neighborhood .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were frowning , seemed confused , were wearing large earrings or expressed a belief that the criminal legal system treats people differently because of race , the report found .
Woods said as a black man , he has been stopped numerous times while driving by police .
If he were on a jury panel , that could be considered a valid excuse to exclude him .
Woods also gave the example of an African-American public defender in his office who has tried more than 20 cases , yet can count the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on one hand .
The chances are much higher that a person of color may know someone or have a family member who had some prior experience with law enforcement , which under the current law , could be found as a legitimate excuse to exclude a juror , he said .
Courts rarely find error in this strike usage .
According to the report , it ’ s been 30 years since the California Supreme Court found such a violation on a challenge of an African-American prospective juror .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supreme Court found a trial court made an error in denying a defendant ’ s objection to a strike challenge .
The report found that historically , the purpose of these challenges was so that prosecutors could eliminate African Americans from the jury , part of a systemic racism in society .
But even now , with new rules and regulations meant to curb that discrimination , the report found that prosecutors continue to use these challenges to purposefully exclude minorities from serving on panels .
“ We found that prosecutors continue to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Latinx people from California juries for reasons that are explicitly or implicitly related to racial stereotypes , ” the report said .
In its recommendations , the report suggests altering this juror strike process by having the attorneys who made the strike , explain why they removing that prospective juror .
The report also brings up the potential passage of Assembly Bill 3070 as a remedy , which offers this same suggestion .
The bill , introduced in February , outlines stricter regulations that would prohibit attorneys from using their peremptory challenge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ basis of discrimination , including race , ethnicity , gender , sexual orientation or religion .
It was last amended in the Senate this week .
Woods testified in favor of AB 3070 several months ago before the Assembly Public Safety Committee .
He said the bill “ gets to the root cause of the issue ” and would be a big step in remedying some of the problems .

BERKELEY — Black people are often purposefully excluded from juries, sometimes dismissed for things as trivial as the way they looked or sat or their clothes, a new report finds.
During jury selection in criminal cases, attorneys are allowed to remove a certain number of prospective jurors without having to give a reason. But if the other side objects because they think the removal could be race-related, attorneys can offer a “neutral” explanation that would be legally acceptable. Those include the person looked confused, or was wearing hoop earrings — real examples that the UC Berkeley Law report, titled “Whitewashing the Jury Box,” found.
The report analyzed nearly 700 cases in the California Court of Appeals from 2006 to 2018 and found in 72% of those, prosecutors used their strikes to exclude black jurors from a jury panel. White jurors were removed 0.5% of the time, Latino jurors 28% and Asian-Americans less than 3.5%.
“I think there’s an understanding in law enforcement and potentially the district attorney’s office that black people may be less favorable to law enforcement as jurors,” said Alameda County Public Defender Brendon Woods in an interview. “If there’s an avenue to exclude black people or people of color, the way the law is written now, it gives them that avenue with excuses that are justified.”
When choosing a jury, both prosecutors and defense attorneys have what is called “peremptory strike,” or the power to remove a prospective juror from a panel, without a reason or the court’s approval. The other side can object to a strike that may appear to be racially motivated, but the report found that prosecutors are encouraged to use what it calls “race-neutral” reasons. Those include that the person expressed a distrust of law enforcement, a juror’s prior arrest or a juror having a loved one who had been incarcerated.
In fact, the report found that district attorney training manuals on peremptory challenges encourage discriminatory strikes — telling prosecutors to strike those who had negative experience with law enforcement or are distrustful of the criminal legal system.
The report, which was conducted by Berkeley Law’s Death Penalty Clinic and headed by Professor Elisabeth Semel, found that prosecutors successfully used their strikes against African-American prospective jurors based on their demeanor: because they had dreadlocks, were slouching, wore a short skirt or “blinged out” sandals or had visited family members who were imprisoned or jailed.
They also used their strikes if the prospective jurors had bad experiences with law enforcement, or in Bay Area cases, lived in East Oakland or San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood.
Prosecutors also removed prospective Latino jurors because they were frowning, seemed confused, were wearing large earrings or expressed a belief that the criminal legal system treats people differently because of race, the report found.
Woods said as a black man, he has been stopped numerous times while driving by police. If he were on a jury panel, that could be considered a valid excuse to exclude him.
Woods also gave the example of an African-American public defender in his office who has tried more than 20 cases, yet can count the number of black jurors she has had on one hand.
The chances are much higher that a person of color may know someone or have a family member who had some prior experience with law enforcement, which under the current law, could be found as a legitimate excuse to exclude a juror, he said.
Courts rarely find error in this strike usage. According to the report, it’s been 30 years since the California Supreme Court found such a violation on a challenge of an African-American prospective juror. It’s also been 30 years since the state Supreme Court found a trial court made an error in denying a defendant’s objection to a strike challenge.
The report found that historically, the purpose of these challenges was so that prosecutors could eliminate African Americans from the jury, part of a systemic racism in society. But even now, with new rules and regulations meant to curb that discrimination, the report found that prosecutors continue to use these challenges to purposefully exclude minorities from serving on panels.
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Hair relaxers have been linked to cancer among Black women, litigation says. ‘Nobody cares except us.’ Crime and Public Safety | Contra Costa DA attempts to block publicization of new racist texts by Antioch cops “We found that prosecutors continue to exercise peremptory challenges to remove African Americans and Latinx people from California juries for reasons that are explicitly or implicitly related to racial stereotypes,” the report said.
In its recommendations, the report suggests altering this juror strike process by having the attorneys who made the strike, explain why they removing that prospective juror.
The report also brings up the potential passage of Assembly Bill 3070 as a remedy, which offers this same suggestion. The bill, introduced in February, outlines stricter regulations that would prohibit attorneys from using their peremptory challenge to remove a prospective juror on the basis of discrimination, including race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or religion. It was last amended in the Senate this week.
Woods testified in favor of AB 3070 several months ago before the Assembly Public Safety Committee. He said the bill “gets to the root cause of the issue” and would be a big step in remedying some of the problems.