latimes--2020-08-30--Could the coronavirus make for a lighter flu season?

Among the many questions confronting public health experts is one that could determine the next turn of the coronavirus pandemic : What happens when COVID-19 meets influenza ?
The coronavirus has already killed more than 170,000 Americans in six months .
The flu season , which typically runs from October through April , usually leads to tens of thousands of deaths .
If both viruses begin sickening Americans simultaneously , that could create what CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield recently called “ the worst fall from a public health perspective that we ’ ve ever had.
” But in truth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to happen as fall approaches .
It ’ s likely that the flu season will become yet another part of life affected by the pandemic in strange and unexpected ways .
Experts say it ’ s possible that the social distancing measures and widespread closures of businesses in place because of COVID-19 will reduce the spread of the flu so that it ’ s even less prevalent than in a typical season , as appears to have happened in other countries .
But they worry that if restrictions ease , this silver lining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are moving in the correct direction , then we could have reopening , and that might actually coincide with the middle of the flu season — you could actually have increased transmission from that , ” said Dr. Geoffrey Leung , ambulatory medical director at Riverside University Hospital System .
“ It really behooves us to do as much as possible to prevent any flu cases we can with the traditional tools.
” The reopening of schools in particular could be risky .
Though children ’ s susceptibility to serious illness from COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particularly vulnerable to the flu .
The virus runs rampant at schools and then children take it home to their families .
Leung and other experts recommend that people get the flu shot to reduce their chances of falling ill with influenza and to lessen the severity of illness for those who do contract it .
They also advise that people stick to the masking and social distancing measures mandated to control COVID-19 , because those should also help keep influenza at bay .
“ The part that scares me the most is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interaction is if one is co-infected by the flu as well as COVID-19 , ” said Dr. Alexander Li , deputy chief medical officer for L.A. Care Health Plan , the nation ’ s largest public health plan .
“ Having COVID plus flu together is probably bad news.
” A handful of studies from China and the U.S. identified patients with influenza and COVID-19 , but with mixed results .
Some found that the patients seemed sicker than COVID patients without the flu ; some found no difference .
If a patient @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infections , doctors may not quickly diagnose both illnesses , since they have virtually identical symptoms .
If the condition is spotted , there is little known about how to treat such patients .
There are medicines that reduce the severity of a flu infection , and medicines that do the same for COVID-19 , but the drugs are different and may not mix well .
When the coronavirus pandemic began earlier this year in the United States , the flu season was tapering off .
Flu typically peaks in the U.S. in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ occurs during the Southern Hemisphere ’ s winter , which coincides with summer in the Northern Hemisphere .
The experience there typically provides an indication of what kind of flu season might be seen in the north starting in the fall .
But in 2020 , there have been virtually no cases of the flu in countries such as Australia and Brazil .
Experts say that limited air travel and social distancing measures may have reduced the importation of the disease into those countries as well as its spread within .
There ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ itself might have kept the flu from gaining a foothold — that only one respiratory virus can dominate at a time .
Experts say that phenomenon could theoretically work in both directions , but they wouldn ’ t count on it .
“ Usually when one is there , the other isn ’ t — at least that ’ s sort of the dogma , ” said Dr. James Cherry , an infectious disease specialist at UCLA .
“ Conceivably , flu could in some way could dampen the coronavirus , but I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s several months away , so anything about that will be speculation.
” Experts are quick to discourage assumptions that the U.S. will see very little flu just because that was Australia ’ s experience .
Australia has also managed to keep its coronavirus death count very low , while the U.S. has not , they point out .
Cherry also warned that some strains of flu could also be more dangerous than others .
Researchers recently reported a strain of flu circulating in pigs that could infect humans and cause a pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complicated — and deadly .
“ I think the important thing is to keep our fingers crossed , ” he said .
Even in a normal flu season , many people die from it .
In the 2018-19 season , approximately 34,200 people died of influenza in the U.S. , three-quarters of whom were older than 65 — an age group also particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 , according to the CDC .
To prevent these deaths , experts widely recommended the flu shot , with the best time get it in September and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dangerous for children , pregnant women and older adults , the vaccine is recommended to everyone over 6 months of age .
As with COVID-19 , stopping young people from falling ill protects others .
A young , healthy person who gets the flu shot reduces his own chances of becoming infected , as well as the possibility of spreading the virus to someone who may not recover as quickly .
“ Everyone is waiting for a vaccine for COVID , and the thing with influenza is , we do have a vaccine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine , ” said Dr. David Bronstein , a pediatric infectious disease specialist with Kaiser Permanente .
In the 2018-19 flu season , the vaccine was considered 29 % effective and just under half of the American population received it , according to the CDC .
Those numbers may seem low , but they belie the immunization ’ s true value , Bronstein said .
The shot not only reduces people ’ s chances of falling sick at all , but also the severity of the illness , so they ’ re less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The CDC estimates that in the 2018 season , the flu vaccine prevented not only 3,500 deaths , but also 58,000 people from being hospitalized .
If the coronavirus surges this winter , clearing patients out of hospitals could be the difference between life and death , experts say .
The flu shot then can be seen as a tool to preserve resources for COVID-19 , for which there are fewer treatments and a higher mortality rate , Bronstein said .
“ It doesn ’ t look like COVID is going away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Many doctors said they were concerned that people may not get their flu shot because they ’ re worried about visiting clinics or pharmacies due to COVID-19 .
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a drop in people seeking routine medical care , including a reduction in scheduled childhood immunizations as parents avoid the doctor ’ s office .
Ultimately , the flu season may shake out much like the pandemic itself — unevenly .
Deaths have been concentrated among people of color as well as those who are lower-income , in part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more exposed to the virus , said UC Riverside epidemiologist Brandon Brown .
When flu season begins , essential workers already exposed to the coronavirus in their workplace will be at risk of contracting two viruses .
And people who are able to stay home , who otherwise may have caught the flu , will be less likely like catch the flu and COVID-19 .
“ It more just irons down the disparities that are here , ” Brown said .

Among the many questions confronting public health experts is one that could determine the next turn of the coronavirus pandemic: What happens when COVID-19 meets influenza?
The coronavirus has already killed more than 170,000 Americans in six months. The flu season, which typically runs from October through April, usually leads to tens of thousands of deaths. If both viruses begin sickening Americans simultaneously, that could create what CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield recently called “the worst fall from a public health perspective that we’ve ever had.”
But in truth, no one knows what is going to happen as fall approaches. It’s likely that the flu season will become yet another part of life affected by the pandemic in strange and unexpected ways.
Advertisement
Experts say it’s possible that the social distancing measures and widespread closures of businesses in place because of COVID-19 will reduce the spread of the flu so that it’s even less prevalent than in a typical season, as appears to have happened in other countries. But they worry that if restrictions ease, this silver lining may not last.
“If things are moving in the correct direction, then we could have reopening, and that might actually coincide with the middle of the flu season — you could actually have increased transmission from that,” said Dr. Geoffrey Leung, ambulatory medical director at Riverside University Hospital System. “It really behooves us to do as much as possible to prevent any flu cases we can with the traditional tools.”
The reopening of schools in particular could be risky. Though children’s susceptibility to serious illness from COVID-19 has seemed relatively low, kids are particularly vulnerable to the flu. The virus runs rampant at schools and then children take it home to their families.
Leung and other experts recommend that people get the flu shot to reduce their chances of falling ill with influenza and to lessen the severity of illness for those who do contract it. They also advise that people stick to the masking and social distancing measures mandated to control COVID-19, because those should also help keep influenza at bay.
“The part that scares me the most is we don’t know what the interaction is if one is co-infected by the flu as well as COVID-19,” said Dr. Alexander Li, deputy chief medical officer for L.A. Care Health Plan, the nation’s largest public health plan. “Having COVID plus flu together is probably bad news.”
Advertisement
A handful of studies from China and the U.S. identified patients with influenza and COVID-19, but with mixed results. Some found that the patients seemed sicker than COVID patients without the flu; some found no difference.
If a patient shows up at a hospital with both infections, doctors may not quickly diagnose both illnesses, since they have virtually identical symptoms. If the condition is spotted, there is little known about how to treat such patients. There are medicines that reduce the severity of a flu infection, and medicines that do the same for COVID-19, but the drugs are different and may not mix well.
When the coronavirus pandemic began earlier this year in the United States, the flu season was tapering off. Flu typically peaks in the U.S. in December and January.
But flu season occurs during the Southern Hemisphere’s winter, which coincides with summer in the Northern Hemisphere. The experience there typically provides an indication of what kind of flu season might be seen in the north starting in the fall.
But in 2020, there have been virtually no cases of the flu in countries such as Australia and Brazil. Experts say that limited air travel and social distancing measures may have reduced the importation of the disease into those countries as well as its spread within.
There’s also some thinking that the coronavirus itself might have kept the flu from gaining a foothold — that only one respiratory virus can dominate at a time. Experts say that phenomenon could theoretically work in both directions, but they wouldn’t count on it.
“Usually when one is there, the other isn’t — at least that’s sort of the dogma,” said Dr. James Cherry, an infectious disease specialist at UCLA. “Conceivably, flu could in some way could dampen the coronavirus, but I think this is August and that’s several months away, so anything about that will be speculation.”
Experts are quick to discourage assumptions that the U.S. will see very little flu just because that was Australia’s experience. Australia has also managed to keep its coronavirus death count very low, while the U.S. has not, they point out.
Cherry also warned that some strains of flu could also be more dangerous than others. Researchers recently reported a strain of flu circulating in pigs that could infect humans and cause a pandemic. That would make matters much more complicated — and deadly.
“I think the important thing is to keep our fingers crossed,” he said.
Even in a normal flu season, many people die from it. In the 2018-19 season, approximately 34,200 people died of influenza in the U.S., three-quarters of whom were older than 65 — an age group also particularly vulnerable to COVID-19, according to the CDC.
To prevent these deaths, experts widely recommended the flu shot, with the best time get it in September and October. Though the flu is most dangerous for children, pregnant women and older adults, the vaccine is recommended to everyone over 6 months of age.
As with COVID-19, stopping young people from falling ill protects others. A young, healthy person who gets the flu shot reduces his own chances of becoming infected, as well as the possibility of spreading the virus to someone who may not recover as quickly.
“Everyone is waiting for a vaccine for COVID, and the thing with influenza is, we do have a vaccine. We have a reliable, effective vaccine,” said Dr. David Bronstein, a pediatric infectious disease specialist with Kaiser Permanente.
In the 2018-19 flu season, the vaccine was considered 29% effective and just under half of the American population received it, according to the CDC.
Those numbers may seem low, but they belie the immunization’s true value, Bronstein said. The shot not only reduces people’s chances of falling sick at all, but also the severity of the illness, so they’re less likely to end up in the hospital.
California The surprising story of the salesman who became L.A.’s first known COVID-19 patient The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Los Angeles was a man from Wuhan, China, who was hospitalized in a secret ward in January and remained the sole patient diagnosed with the virus here for five weeks.
The CDC estimates that in the 2018 season, the flu vaccine prevented not only 3,500 deaths, but also 58,000 people from being hospitalized.
If the coronavirus surges this winter, clearing patients out of hospitals could be the difference between life and death, experts say. The flu shot then can be seen as a tool to preserve resources for COVID-19, for which there are fewer treatments and a higher mortality rate, Bronstein said.
“It doesn’t look like COVID is going away anytime soon,” he said.
Many doctors said they were concerned that people may not get their flu shot because they’re worried about visiting clinics or pharmacies due to COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a drop in people seeking routine medical care, including a reduction in scheduled childhood immunizations as parents avoid the doctor’s office.
Ultimately, the flu season may shake out much like the pandemic itself — unevenly. Deaths have been concentrated among people of color as well as those who are lower-income, in part because their jobs tend to make them more exposed to the virus, said UC Riverside epidemiologist Brandon Brown.
When flu season begins, essential workers already exposed to the coronavirus in their workplace will be at risk of contracting two viruses. And people who are able to stay home, who otherwise may have caught the flu, will be less likely like catch the flu and COVID-19.
“It more just irons down the disparities that are here,” Brown said.


latimes--2020-08-30--The pandemic is speeding DMV's road to modernization. For visitors, it's still no day at the beach

For generations , the California Department of Motor Vehicles has been a crucible of nerves for teens anxious to complete the rite of passage that is a first driver ’ s license , older residents hoping to keep theirs and most everyone in between .
Never a day at the beach , with sometimes cartoonishly long lines , a visit to one of its offices has nevertheless been essential .
Now , amid the COVID-19 pandemic , the agency is rethinking the way it operates .
In an effort to keep people from getting infected with or spreading the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its DMV Express program statewide to speed up the Real ID process and allowed for vehicle title transfers , registrations , duplicate driver ’ s licenses and driver ’ s license renewals and other services to be completed online .
Online transactions went from about 1.8 million in July 2019 to nearly 2.2 million last month .
“ COVID was the impetus for us to speed up that process , ” DMV spokeswoman Anita Gore said .
“ We ’ re doing everything we can to push people out of the field offices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it all works out remains to be seen .
The effectiveness of some changes may be hard to clearly gauge until after the agency works through the backlog caused by a six-week shutdown of DMV offices to the public .
In fact , the pandemic may have to subside before many of the changes fully take .
On a recent Thursday , a long line formed outside one DMV office in Westminster .
The first person had arrived at 3 a.m. An hour and a half before the office opened at 8 a.m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out in lawn chairs ; others spread blankets on the concrete and worked on crossword puzzles as ’ 80s band UB40 ’ s cover of “ Red Red Wine ” played over the loudspeakers .
But making the line longer were people who either didn ’ t need to be there or could have started their paperwork online .
They included a woman who arrived two hours before the office opened to get a Real ID , but who hadn ’ t uploaded her documents ahead of time for an express checkout , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at 5 a.m. to replace a lost driver ’ s license — something he could have done from home .
Erin Volz watched as a DMV employee directed a man — who smiled and thanked him — to the back of the line .
“ Well , he ’ s cheerful , ” Volz said as she waited at the front of the appointment line to get her Real ID .
Volz had been able to go online and upload all her documents ahead of time .
As she looked at the growing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ With everything going on , ” she said , “ I don ’ t want to be too close and around too many people.
” The DMV closed its more than 160 field offices to the public March 27 after workers expressed concern about the spread of COVID-19 .
At least 41 DMV employees reportedly contracted the coronavirus .
The shutdown forced the department to reschedule over a million appointments .
When offices reopened in June , it was with new health and safety protocols .
“ Six feet , everyone on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a worker reminded customers in front of the DMV .
There were so many lines marked with tape that it felt like admission to an amusement park — red for appointments , pink for the kiosk machines , blue for driver ’ s licenses and yellow for registration .
Varissa Lopez directed customers into lines and into the building when seats opened up in the waiting area .
The office limited the number of people allowed in and spaced blue chairs six feet apart .
Lopez , who has worked at the DMV @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ organized chaos.
” “ We ’ re really trying to invent new ways to serve the public , ” she said .
“ The whole stereotype is that DMV employees don ’ t care about the public , but we care a lot.
” A room previously used for storage had been converted into an applications room to help speed up the process before a customer reached a window .
Workers outside checked customers in , reviewed their documents and offered to take down their number so the department could tell them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Before , you walked in the door and got a number , ” Lopez said .
“ You might be waiting two hours , and when you get to the window you don ’ t have everything — you wasted your day.
” Some DMV employees wore face shields and wiped down counters after each customer .
On this Thursday , they served over 700 people .
When Lopez stands at a window , she directs each person to wait on a sticker six feet from her counter .
After she calls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And when they step back to the sticker , she moves forward .
“ We call it the DMV dance , ” Lopez said with a laugh .
The DMV ’ s Virtual Field Office has allowed employees to still serve customers — but online .
As of earlier this month , representatives had helped over 500,000 customers that way .
Despite the shift , some services still needed to be done at a DMV office .
Bryce Hadfield , 16 , was there to get his learner ’ s permit .
After @ @ @ @ @ @ @ department rescheduled it for July at the Costa Mesa DMV .
He and his father , Lee , arrived to find the office chain-linked off .
“ I don ’ t understand why they would make an appointment somewhere that ’ s closed .
They know it ’ s closed ; it ’ s the DMV , ” he said before he paused for a second to think .
“ Well , it ’ s the DMV , so maybe they don ’ t know.
” After waiting over three hours for his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ questioned why it couldn ’ t be administered online .
“ Any experience I ’ ve ever had with the DMV , rarely is it a pleasant one , ” he said .
Perhaps the most visible change at field offices is the behind-the-wheel drive test .
Victoria Pluma waited in her car as an employee placed a floor mat inside her family ’ s blue Toyota Highlander and cocooned the passenger seat in a shell of plastic .
Her test had been postponed because of the coronavirus crisis , along with those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Since they rescheduled everything it was really scary for me , ” Pluma said .
“ I really need to pass this time.
” Less than 10 minutes after pulling away from the curb , Pluma ’ s examiner had tallied up her score and delivered the bad news .
She would not be getting her driver ’ s license today .
She tried to console the crestfallen young woman .
“ You ’ ve got a lot of time left on your permit , ” the examiner said .
That same morning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turn .
DMV employee Maria “ Delia ” Broughton did the honors , making sure the car was as safe as possible for the close-contact ride she and the 19-year-old Martinez were about to take .
Broughton wore a white mask and a smock that reached down to her knees .
Martinez said she had gotten plenty of practice after her April driving test was canceled .
But that didn ’ t stop her dad — outfitted in a face shield — from praying for a passing result .
Considering the up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Broughton said she tries to reduce the amount of time she spends in a car with people .
“ You ’ re hopping from car to car , ” the 12-year DMV veteran said .
“ You try to keep the applicant safe as well.
” Minutes after driving away from the DMV office , Martinez steered her car back to the lot .
Broughton stepped out to tally the young woman ’ s errors .
She had made a few : Not looking over her shoulder for a lane change or stopping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ light were just two .
Broughton told Martinez how many errors she committed before declaring : “ That ’ s a passing score… .
Congratulations .
”

For generations, the California Department of Motor Vehicles has been a crucible of nerves for teens anxious to complete the rite of passage that is a first driver’s license, older residents hoping to keep theirs and most everyone in between.
Never a day at the beach, with sometimes cartoonishly long lines, a visit to one of its offices has nevertheless been essential.
Now, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the agency is rethinking the way it operates.
In an effort to keep people from getting infected with or spreading the coronavirus, the department since March has expanded its DMV Express program statewide to speed up the Real ID process and allowed for vehicle title transfers, registrations, duplicate driver’s licenses and driver’s license renewals and other services to be completed online.
Online transactions went from about 1.8 million in July 2019 to nearly 2.2 million last month.
Advertisement
“COVID was the impetus for us to speed up that process,” DMV spokeswoman Anita Gore said. “We’re doing everything we can to push people out of the field offices, to keep everybody safe.”
How it all works out remains to be seen. The effectiveness of some changes may be hard to clearly gauge until after the agency works through the backlog caused by a six-week shutdown of DMV offices to the public. In fact, the pandemic may have to subside before many of the changes fully take.
Yaly Tran, center, studies a driving test handbook as she waits for the Westminster DMV facility to open. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
On a recent Thursday, a long line formed outside one DMV office in Westminster. The first person had arrived at 3 a.m.
An hour and a half before the office opened at 8 a.m, 77 people waited. Some camped out in lawn chairs; others spread blankets on the concrete and worked on crossword puzzles as ’80s band UB40’s cover of “Red Red Wine” played over the loudspeakers.
But making the line longer were people who either didn’t need to be there or could have started their paperwork online. They included a woman who arrived two hours before the office opened to get a Real ID, but who hadn’t uploaded her documents ahead of time for an express checkout, and a 79-year-old man who had arrived at 5 a.m. to replace a lost driver’s license — something he could have done from home.
Angela Vasquez, left, her friend Cynthia Rios wait for the Westminster DMV office to open. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Erin Volz watched as a DMV employee directed a man — who smiled and thanked him — to the back of the line.
“Well, he’s cheerful,” Volz said as she waited at the front of the appointment line to get her Real ID. Volz had been able to go online and upload all her documents ahead of time. As she looked at the growing line, she felt relieved.
“With everything going on,” she said, “I don’t want to be too close and around too many people.”
The DMV closed its more than 160 field offices to the public March 27 after workers expressed concern about the spread of COVID-19. At least 41 DMV employees reportedly contracted the coronavirus.
The shutdown forced the department to reschedule over a million appointments.
When offices reopened in June, it was with new health and safety protocols.
Advertisement
Clients stay six feet apart while waiting for their turn at DMV office in Westminster. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
“Six feet, everyone on the tape mark for me please,” a worker reminded customers in front of the DMV.
There were so many lines marked with tape that it felt like admission to an amusement park — red for appointments, pink for the kiosk machines, blue for driver’s licenses and yellow for registration.
Varissa Lopez directed customers into lines and into the building when seats opened up in the waiting area. The office limited the number of people allowed in and spaced blue chairs six feet apart.
Lopez, who has worked at the DMV for around 11 months, called it “organized chaos.”
Gricelda Alba sanitizes her station after serving a client at the DMV office in Westminster. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Advertisement
“We’re really trying to invent new ways to serve the public,” she said. “The whole stereotype is that DMV employees don’t care about the public, but we care a lot.”
A room previously used for storage had been converted into an applications room to help speed up the process before a customer reached a window. Workers outside checked customers in, reviewed their documents and offered to take down their number so the department could tell them their place in the virtual queue.
“Before, you walked in the door and got a number,” Lopez said. “You might be waiting two hours, and when you get to the window you don’t have everything — you wasted your day.”
Some DMV employees wore face shields and wiped down counters after each customer. On this Thursday, they served over 700 people.
When Lopez stands at a window, she directs each person to wait on a sticker six feet from her counter. After she calls them forward, she steps back. And when they step back to the sticker, she moves forward.
“We call it the DMV dance,” Lopez said with a laugh.
Bryce Hadfield takes an eye test while applying for his permit at the DMV office in Westminster. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
The DMV’s Virtual Field Office has allowed employees to still serve customers — but online. As of earlier this month, representatives had helped over 500,000 customers that way.
Despite the shift, some services still needed to be done at a DMV office.
Bryce Hadfield, 16, was there to get his learner’s permit. After his original appointment was canceled, the department rescheduled it for July at the Costa Mesa DMV. He and his father, Lee, arrived to find the office chain-linked off.
“I don’t understand why they would make an appointment somewhere that’s closed. They know it’s closed; it’s the DMV,” he said before he paused for a second to think. “Well, it’s the DMV, so maybe they don’t know.”
After waiting over three hours for his son to take the test, Lee questioned why it couldn’t be administered online.
“Any experience I’ve ever had with the DMV, rarely is it a pleasant one,” he said.
Driving test examiner Maria “Delia” Broughton, left, gives instructions to Alexandra Martinez at the DMV office in Westminster. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Perhaps the most visible change at field offices is the behind-the-wheel drive test.
Victoria Pluma waited in her car as an employee placed a floor mat inside her family’s blue Toyota Highlander and cocooned the passenger seat in a shell of plastic.
Advertisement
Her test had been postponed because of the coronavirus crisis, along with those of almost 300,000 other Californians.
“Since they rescheduled everything it was really scary for me,” Pluma said. “I really need to pass this time.”
Less than 10 minutes after pulling away from the curb, Pluma’s examiner had tallied up her score and delivered the bad news. She would not be getting her driver’s license today. She tried to console the crestfallen young woman.
“You’ve got a lot of time left on your permit,” the examiner said.
That same morning, it was Alexandra Martinez’s turn. DMV employee Maria “Delia” Broughton did the honors, making sure the car was as safe as possible for the close-contact ride she and the 19-year-old Martinez were about to take. Broughton wore a white mask and a smock that reached down to her knees.
Martinez said she had gotten plenty of practice after her April driving test was canceled. But that didn’t stop her dad — outfitted in a face shield — from praying for a passing result.
Considering the up to 20 tests she administers a day, Broughton said she tries to reduce the amount of time she spends in a car with people.
“You’re hopping from car to car,” the 12-year DMV veteran said. “You try to keep the applicant safe as well.”
Advertisement
Minutes after driving away from the DMV office, Martinez steered her car back to the lot. Broughton stepped out to tally the young woman’s errors. She had made a few: Not looking over her shoulder for a lane change or stopping neatly behind the line at a stop light were just two.
Broughton told Martinez how many errors she committed before declaring: “That’s a passing score…. Congratulations.”


latimes--2020-08-29--Candlelight vigil planned for actor Chadwick Boseman on Saturday at Leimert Park

A candlelight vigil in memory of late actor Chadwick Boseman , who catapulted to fame for his starring role in the 2018 trailblazing superhero film “ Black Panther , ” is planned for Saturday afternoon at Leimert Park .
Boseman , who died at 43 of colon cancer Friday in his Los Angeles area home , also portrayed real-life icons Jackie Robinson in “ 42 , ” James Brown in “ Get on Up ” and Thurgood Marshall in “ Marshall.
” The candlelight vigil is scheduled for 5 p.m. at the park at 4343 Leimert Blvd .
The event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Los Angeles civil rights organization .
“ His tragic death has devastated us all especially young African American youth who looked at him as hero and role model .
Our thoughts , prayers and sincerest condolences go out to his family , friends and thousands of fans across the world , ” said Najee Ali , director of Project Islamic Hope .
Boseman had privately fought colon cancer for four years .
He was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer in 2016 , the same year he made his debut as comics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ known as Black Panther , in “ Captain America : Civil War.
” Raised in South Carolina , Boseman graduated from Howard University and started his career in theater and television before breaking out in the 2013 sports biopic “ 42 '' as baseball legend Robinson .
Here are some reactions from around the country : “ Chadwick came to the White House to work with kids when he was playing Jackie Robinson .
You could tell right away that he was blessed .
To be young , gifted , and Black ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heroes to look up to ; to do it all while in pain — what a use of his years.
” —Barack Obama “ He was a gentle soul and a brilliant artist , who will stay with us for eternity through his iconic performances over his short yet illustrious career .
God bless Chadwick Boseman.
” —Denzel Washington “ I will tell my sons about you forever .
You were one of the classiest men I have ever met in my life .
It was an honor to have shared minutes with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paths with you during press .
Though our acquaintance was light you always left a lasting impression because of your energy , poise and gentle manner .
May the Universe deliver you to your promise land brother.
” —Zoë Saldaña “ Chadwick was someone who radiated power and peace .
Who stood for much more than himself .
Who took the time to really see how you were doing and gave words of encouragement when you felt unsure .
I ’ m honored to have the memories I have .
The conversations , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you and your family .
You will be missed and never forgotten .
Rest in power and peace my friend.
” —Brie Larson “ I am absolutely floored .
Such an amazing , beautiful person .
RIP Brother.
” —Josh Brolin “ Please Jesus please ...
I know you know what ’ s best ... but at this moment our hearts are writhing with so much pain ... so to lose this beautiful black king renders me weak ... please watch over his family and loved ones ... .
@ chadwickboseman you have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ... u will forever be remembered in the highest regard ... REST IN POWER !
our black king !
Our black panther !
” —Jamie Foxx “ Peace King ...
Thank you for your extraordinary work , your exemplary character and leadership .
Love you Brother ” —Mahershala Ali “ Breaking my twitter silence to share some beauty .
This was one of my final texts from the brilliant & once-in-lifetime talent , @ chadwickboseman .
take this in & celebrate life .
He knew how precious every moment was .
Tonight the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ angels.
” —Josh Gad

A candlelight vigil in memory of late actor Chadwick Boseman, who catapulted to fame for his starring role in the 2018 trailblazing superhero film “Black Panther,” is planned for Saturday afternoon at Leimert Park.
Boseman, who died at 43 of colon cancer Friday in his Los Angeles area home, also portrayed real-life icons Jackie Robinson in “42,” James Brown in “Get on Up” and Thurgood Marshall in “Marshall.”
The candlelight vigil is scheduled for 5 p.m. at the park at 4343 Leimert Blvd. The event is organized by Project Islamic Hope, a Los Angeles civil rights organization.
“His tragic death has devastated us all especially young African American youth who looked at him as hero and role model. Our thoughts, prayers and sincerest condolences go out to his family, friends and thousands of fans across the world,” said Najee Ali, director of Project Islamic Hope.
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Boseman had privately fought colon cancer for four years. He was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer in 2016, the same year he made his debut as comics superhero King T’Challa, better known as Black Panther, in “Captain America: Civil War.”
Raised in South Carolina, Boseman graduated from Howard University and started his career in theater and television before breaking out in the 2013 sports biopic “42” as baseball legend Robinson.
Here are some reactions from around the country:
“Chadwick came to the White House to work with kids when he was playing Jackie Robinson. You could tell right away that he was blessed. To be young, gifted, and Black; to use that power to give them heroes to look up to; to do it all while in pain — what a use of his years.”
—Barack Obama
“He was a gentle soul and a brilliant artist, who will stay with us for eternity through his iconic performances over his short yet illustrious career. God bless Chadwick Boseman.”
—Denzel Washington
“I will tell my sons about you forever. You were one of the classiest men I have ever met in my life. It was an honor to have shared minutes with you on screen and to have crossed paths with you during press. Though our acquaintance was light you always left a lasting impression because of your energy, poise and gentle manner. May the Universe deliver you to your promise land brother.”
—Zoë Saldaña
“Chadwick was someone who radiated power and peace. Who stood for much more than himself. Who took the time to really see how you were doing and gave words of encouragement when you felt unsure. I’m honored to have the memories I have. The conversations, the laughter. My heart is with you and your family. You will be missed and never forgotten. Rest in power and peace my friend.”
—Brie Larson
“I am absolutely floored. Such an amazing, beautiful person. RIP Brother.”
—Josh Brolin
“Please Jesus please... I know you know what’s best... but at this moment our hearts are writhing with so much pain... so to lose this beautiful black king renders me weak...please watch over his family and loved ones.... @chadwickboseman you have touched the lives of all of us... u will forever be remembered in the highest regard... REST IN POWER! our black king! Our black panther!”
—Jamie Foxx
“Peace King... Thank you for your extraordinary work, your exemplary character and leadership. Love you Brother”
—Mahershala Ali
“Breaking my twitter silence to share some beauty. This was one of my final texts from the brilliant & once-in-lifetime talent, @chadwickboseman. take this in & celebrate life. He knew how precious every moment was. Tonight the Heavens received one of its most powerful angels.”
—Josh Gad
City News Service contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-08-28--California lawmakers vote to expand ban on death penalty for intellectually disabled people

More people convicted of murder may receive death penalty exemptions under a measure California lawmakers approved Friday that would expand whom the courts can classify as intellectually disabled .
Under the legislation , the death penalty could not be sought against defendants if health experts determined there was evidence of an intellectual disability that began during their “ developmental period ” — the time in a person ’ s life when their brain is developing — as defined by mental health diagnosis standards .
Current California law prohibits intellectually disabled defendants from being sentenced to death if mental health experts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were 18 years old .
This legislation removes that age threshold .
“ All we ’ re really doing is updating the state of the science used to determine intellectual disabilities and developmental disabilities to what is currently being used , ” said Assemblyman Mark Stone ( D-Scotts Valley ) , who introduced the bill .
“ There are people who are sitting on death row who shouldn ’ t be there and don ’ t need to be there .
That ’ s what we ’ re trying to rectify.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capital cases from adjusting the results of tests measuring a defendant ’ s intellectual ability based on their race , ethnicity , national origin or socioeconomic status .
The bill received strong support from death penalty opponents and was contested by the California District Attorneys Assn.
, which criticized the measure for creating “ a vague and prejudicial loophole that would result in a miscarriage of justice for all murder victims and their loved ones.
” Assembly Bill 2512 will head to Gov .
Gavin Newsom for his consideration .
A staunch opponent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just months after taking office placed a moratorium on the death penalty in California and ordered the dismantling of the execution chamber at San Quentin State Prison .
The moratorium will expire as soon as Newsom leaves office , pushing decisions on capital punishment to his successor .
“ The death penalty still technically exists , ” Stone said .
“ So this policy is still very relevant and necessary.
” If the bill is signed into law , inmates on death row would have the right to petition the courts to assess @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the new definition .
Retired Alameda County prosecutor Angela Backers , who handled death penalty cases for decades , said reputable mental health experts overwhelmingly agree that intellectual disabilities become evident before people turn 18 years old .
Replacing the age threshold with a defendant ’ s age-indeterminate “ developmental period ” would allow defense attorneys to argue that their clients are intellectually disabled even if no signs of impairment surfaced until they were in their 30s , she said .
“ They don ’ t want there to be a definition of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be all wishy-washy , ” said Backers , co-chair of the California District Attorneys Assn .
capital litigation committee .
“ All qualified experts agree that if you have an intellectual disability , it manifests itself before 18.
” In 2002 , the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that it was cruel and unusual punishment to impose a death sentence on a person convicted of murder who had a mental disability .
In that ruling , Atkins vs. Virginia , the court relied on a definition of intellectual disability set by the American Psychiatric @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of such disabilities occurred before the age of 18 .
California later adopted the Supreme Court ’ s definition for capital cases in state law , which stated that intellectual disability means “ condition of significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested before 18 years of age , ” when the brain is still developing .
The American Psychiatric Assn .
has since changed its definition of intellectual disability , removing the age threshold and determining that the “ developmental period ” of a person should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ physicians .
Stone said existing California law should be changed to reflect that new definition .
The assemblyman ’ s bill also prohibits prosecutors from arguing that Black and Latino people have less access than white people to adequate education , healthcare , nutrition and other essentials while growing up , and therefore may score lower on tests measuring potential intellectual disabilities , leading to a determination that results should be adjusted upward .
Backers , however , said that addresses a problem that does not exist .
“ Where ’ s the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Where is the proof where prosecutors inflate the IQs of people of color ? ''

A death row inmate is escorted back to his cell after spending time in the yard at San Quentin State Prison.
More people convicted of murder may receive death penalty exemptions under a measure California lawmakers approved Friday that would expand whom the courts can classify as intellectually disabled.
Under the legislation, the death penalty could not be sought against defendants if health experts determined there was evidence of an intellectual disability that began during their “developmental period” — the time in a person’s life when their brain is developing — as defined by mental health diagnosis standards.
Current California law prohibits intellectually disabled defendants from being sentenced to death if mental health experts determine that their impairment was evident before they were 18 years old. This legislation removes that age threshold.
“All we’re really doing is updating the state of the science used to determine intellectual disabilities and developmental disabilities to what is currently being used,” said Assemblyman Mark Stone (D-Scotts Valley), who introduced the bill. “There are people who are sitting on death row who shouldn’t be there and don’t need to be there. That’s what we’re trying to rectify.”
The bill would also prohibit prosecutors in capital cases from adjusting the results of tests measuring a defendant’s intellectual ability based on their race, ethnicity, national origin or socioeconomic status.
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The bill received strong support from death penalty opponents and was contested by the California District Attorneys Assn., which criticized the measure for creating “a vague and prejudicial loophole that would result in a miscarriage of justice for all murder victims and their loved ones.”
Assembly Bill 2512 will head to Gov. Gavin Newsom for his consideration. A staunch opponent to capital punishment, the Democratic governor just months after taking office placed a moratorium on the death penalty in California and ordered the dismantling of the execution chamber at San Quentin State Prison. The moratorium will expire as soon as Newsom leaves office, pushing decisions on capital punishment to his successor.
“The death penalty still technically exists,” Stone said. “So this policy is still very relevant and necessary.”
If the bill is signed into law, inmates on death row would have the right to petition the courts to assess whether they qualify as intellectually disabled under the new definition.
Retired Alameda County prosecutor Angela Backers, who handled death penalty cases for decades, said reputable mental health experts overwhelmingly agree that intellectual disabilities become evident before people turn 18 years old. Replacing the age threshold with a defendant’s age-indeterminate “developmental period” would allow defense attorneys to argue that their clients are intellectually disabled even if no signs of impairment surfaced until they were in their 30s, she said.
“They don’t want there to be a definition of intellectual disability. They want it to be all wishy-washy,” said Backers, co-chair of the California District Attorneys Assn. capital litigation committee. “All qualified experts agree that if you have an intellectual disability, it manifests itself before 18.”
In 2002, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that it was cruel and unusual punishment to impose a death sentence on a person convicted of murder who had a mental disability.
In that ruling, Atkins vs. Virginia, the court relied on a definition of intellectual disability set by the American Psychiatric Assn., which said that the onset of such disabilities occurred before the age of 18.
California later adopted the Supreme Court’s definition for capital cases in state law, which stated that intellectual disability means “condition of significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested before 18 years of age,” when the brain is still developing.
The American Psychiatric Assn. has since changed its definition of intellectual disability, removing the age threshold and determining that the “developmental period” of a person should be left up to the discretion of physicians.
Stone said existing California law should be changed to reflect that new definition.
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The assemblyman’s bill also prohibits prosecutors from arguing that Black and Latino people have less access than white people to adequate education, healthcare, nutrition and other essentials while growing up, and therefore may score lower on tests measuring potential intellectual disabilities, leading to a determination that results should be adjusted upward.
Backers, however, said that addresses a problem that does not exist.
“Where’s the proof of that?” she said. “Where is the proof where prosecutors inflate the IQs of people of color?”


latimes--2020-08-31--As grievances over racial injustice mount, so does mistrust of police reports

Six Los Angeles County sheriff ’ s deputies reported hearing a single gunshot during a foot chase outside Golden Bird Chicken in Willowbrook .
One said he saw a revolver on the man they were after , then a bright muzzle flash .
Lyle Spruill was arrested that December night last year and charged with one of the most incendiary of felonies — attempted murder of a police officer — even though no gun was found .
He spent the next six months in jail .
Then , just before Spruill ’ s scheduled preliminary hearing in June , prosecutors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including surveillance footage of him running away and the absence of gunshot residue , didn ’ t support the charges , the district attorney ’ s office said .
Spruill claims in a lawsuit filed last week that the deputies from the Century Station fabricated the story and withheld evidence that contradicts their version of events .
A gunshot residue report was completed 15 days after Spruill ’ s December arrest but wasn ’ t turned over to prosecutors for six months , according to records and interviews .
( The L.A. County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of personnel changes related to COVID-19 , “ the handling detective was unaware of the GSR results until just before the pretrial ” hearing . )
The allegations come at a time when the reliability of police accounts increasingly is being questioned amid a push for criminal justice reform spurred by videotaped killings such as that of George Floyd in Minneapolis .
Spruill ’ s case is among others in Los Angeles that have been tossed out or rejected by prosecutors , or are under review , because the evidence and stories presented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Every day I walk around , and I think about why , ” Spruill , 45 , said in an interview with The Times .
“ Why me ?
What have I done wrong to make not one cop , not two cops , but several cops to make a statement that I tried to hurt them ?
” A Gallup poll after Floyd ’ s May 25 death found that confidence in police was at a record low , falling to less than half the U.S. population , 48 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years .
Experts said it appears people are more likely now to question what ’ s in police reports .
John S. Hollywood , a researcher who leads Rand Corp. ’ s Center for Quality Policing , said that in cities where a high-profile shooting or force incident triggers civil unrest , relations between police and the community suffer .
“ If a department comes under heavy investigation , that tends to lead to decreases of community trust and increases in crime , ” he said .
Three Los Angeles Police Department officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people they had stopped as gang members or associates on field interview cards .
Prosecutors are reviewing hundreds of criminal cases in which the three were listed as potential witnesses , a move supported by LAPD Chief Michel Moore .
The Los Angeles County Sheriff ’ s Department is also facing questions after a whistleblower said that a gang of tattooed deputies called the “ Executioners ” essentially runs the Compton sheriff ’ s station .
The deputy testified recently that alleged members of the group regularly make false radio calls saying they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ A lot of times they either have a hunch or they have information that that person has a gun , but in reality they ’ ve never seen the gun , ” Deputy Austreberto Gonzalez said in a deposition obtained by The Times in an excessive-force lawsuit filed by Sheldon Lockett .
Sheriff Alex Villanueva said in a statement that if those allegations are true , “ it brings me great concern.
” “ Peace officers are trained to accurately report the facts at all times , to include tactical situations and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , if true , will not be tolerated , ” he said .
Lockett alleges he was targeted by deputies “ chasing ink ” when he was beaten and falsely arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in 2016 .
The deputies radioed that Lockett had a gun , which he says was a lie .
No gun was found .
Lockett spent about eight months in jail before prosecutors dropped the charges because of insufficient evidence .
Gonzalez ’ s allegations were alarming to Compton leaders who said they have long fielded complaints @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speaking out — from residents .
The city recently called on state and federal officials to investigate possible civil rights violations .
“ They terrorize the community , and then they cover their tracks , ” Compton Mayor Aja Brown said recently , recalling her own experience in which she said she was wrongfully stopped by deputies .
The Sheriff ’ s Department said it determined that the stop was a lawful detention .
City Councilwoman Michelle Chambers told The Times the validity of arrests made by any deputy with an Executioner tattoo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not rest until rogue officers are removed out of this city , ” she said .
Lex Steppling , director of campaigns and policy at Dignity and Power Now , an organization that fights for the rights of incarcerated people and their families , said law enforcement accounts are being challenged more often now that cameras are ubiquitous .
“ Over and over again they say , ‘ He was reaching for a gun.
’ ‘ He had a gun.
’ ‘ A gun was later recovered at the scene.
’ ‘ He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ’ ” Steppling said .
“ These are things that they say that are not true.
” In the December case , Spruill said he was getting into his car in a parking lot where deputies had detained a separate group of men as part of a shooting investigation .
He had been waiting for his girlfriend to get off work nearby after he ’ d finished a welding job in downtown L.A. Two deputies pulled into the lot , stopped in front of Spruill ’ s car and searched him for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Shortly after I saw the muzzle flash , I heard a loud gunshot , then I saw Spruill drop the firearm on the grassy area of the sidewalk , near a vehicle that was parked , ” one of the deputies said in a report obtained by The Times .
The deputy and his partner kept running after Spruill until he stopped and put his hands in the air , the report said .
The deputy wrote that when he went back to look for the gun , it was gone , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another report , a detective said the gun could have been whisked away by others in the area .
The charges leveled against Spruill two days later were among the most serious possible : two counts of attempted murder of a police officer and possession of a firearm by a felon , according to court records .
Spruill said he lost his job , car and home , where he had lived with his mother .
“ It ’ s not like they ’ re accusing me of stealing candy from a store @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were trying so hard to make sure I never come home again.
” If not for the physical evidence , Spruill and his attorney said , it would ’ ve been a “ he said , she said ” case — but it would be Spruill ’ s word against that of several law enforcement officers .
“ We ’ re not talking about one bad apple making a bad split-second decision , ” said his attorney , Greg Kirakosian .
“ This case involves a series of cooperative efforts to fabricate evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s the ultimate violation of the public ’ s trust.
” Villanueva said he is troubled by allegations of misconduct in the case , which are the subject of an ongoing administrative investigation that “ must be allowed to uncover the facts.
” “ If those findings uncover misconduct by a department member , appropriate administrative action will be taken , ” he said .
Los Angeles County Dist .
Atty .
Jackie Lacey said in a statement that she is “ deeply troubled whenever the loss of someone ’ s liberty is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ We as prosecutors have a legal and ethical duty to file only those charges supported by the evidence .
That requires us to dismiss charges when we lose faith that the totality of the evidence will not support a conviction.
” Another attorney , Thomas Beck , alleged that a Lakewood deputy last year fabricated a story about seeing his client , Shaun Marshall , conduct a narcotics transaction at his tire shop , which he said is refuted by surveillance footage .
A possession charge against Marshall was dropped two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ At the time of trial , the deputy sheriff was unable to identify ” Marshall , the district attorney ’ s office said .
Beck said the deputy changed his story after Marshall complained to the station about his false arrest , saying he had security footage of the incident .
“ Of course he knew who Shaun was , ” Beck said of the deputy .
The Sheriff ’ s Department said a criminal investigation is ongoing .
Beck said Marshall has been interviewed by the Internal Criminal Investigations Bureau , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ department members .
In the case of Dalvin Price , whose May arrest and beating in Compton were captured in a 31-second video that sparked outrage in the community , sheriff ’ s investigators made no mention in their initial paperwork to prosecutors that deputies used force during the incident .
Prosecutors cited the omission in a memo in which they declined to file charges of evading and looting .
The memo said deputies responded to a report of thefts at a CVS pharmacy in Compton when they saw Price driving “ from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , officers said Price ran several red lights and stop signs before his SUV crashed into the center median and a tree .
The video of his arrest , taken by a bystander , begins with Price , 24 , lying face down on the pavement , two deputies on top of him .
Moments later , a third deputy runs up and begins striking Price with his knee .
After the incident , Price said at a news conference that he had complied with deputies .
“ They didn ’ t force @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I got on the ground on my own , ” Price said .
“ They told me to stop resisting , although I wasn ’ t resisting .
I was trying my best to comply with everything they were saying .
However , I was still treated like I didn ’ t have any rights.
” The Sheriff ’ s Department said an administrative investigation is ongoing and would not comment further .
The district attorney ’ s declination memo said there was no video of Price attempting to evade officers before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the reported thefts at the CVS .
It said no property in the SUV was linked to CVS .
“ Based on the totality of the evidence , it does not appear that a jury would find the suspect guilty beyond a reasonable doubt , ” the memo said .

Lyle Spruill is suing the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, saying deputies fabricated a story that he shot at them, then falsely arrested him for attempted murder.
Six Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies reported hearing a single gunshot during a foot chase outside Golden Bird Chicken in Willowbrook. One said he saw a revolver on the man they were after, then a bright muzzle flash.
Lyle Spruill was arrested that December night last year and charged with one of the most incendiary of felonies — attempted murder of a police officer — even though no gun was found. He spent the next six months in jail.
Then, just before Spruill’s scheduled preliminary hearing in June, prosecutors dropped the case. The evidence, including surveillance footage of him running away and the absence of gunshot residue, didn’t support the charges, the district attorney’s office said.
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Spruill claims in a lawsuit filed last week that the deputies from the Century Station fabricated the story and withheld evidence that contradicted their version of events.
A gunshot residue report was completed 15 days after Spruill’s December arrest but wasn’t turned over to prosecutors for six months, according to records and interviews. (The L.A. County Sheriff’s Department said that because of personnel changes related to COVID-19, “the handling detective was unaware of the GSR results until just before the pretrial” hearing.)
The allegations come at a time when the reliability of police accounts increasingly is being questioned amid a push for criminal justice reform spurred by videotaped killings such as that of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Spruill’s case is among others in Los Angeles that have been tossed out or rejected by prosecutors, or are under review, because the evidence and stories presented by police don’t hold up.
VIDEO | 01:40 L.A. man’s lawsuit alleges sheriff’s deputies fabricated story against him Security camera footage from December shows Lyle Spruill running away from L.A. County sheriff’s deputies in Willowbrook.
“Every day I walk around, and I think about why,” Spruill, 45, said in an interview with The Times. “Why me? What have I done wrong to make not one cop, not two cops, but several cops to make a statement that I tried to hurt them?”
A Gallup poll after Floyd’s May 25 death found that confidence in police was at a record low, falling to less than half the U.S. population, 48%, for the first time in 27 years. Experts say it appears people are more likely now to question what’s in police reports.
John S. Hollywood, a researcher who leads Rand Corp.’s Center for Quality Policing, says that in cities where a high-profile shooting or force incident triggers civil unrest, relations between police and the community suffer.
“If a department comes under heavy investigation,” he said, “that tends to lead to decreases of community trust and increases in crime.”
Advertisement
Three Los Angeles Police Department officers were charged in July with falsely labeling people they had stopped as gang members or associates on field interview cards. Prosecutors are reviewing hundreds of criminal cases in which the three have been listed as potential witnesses, a move supported by LAPD Chief Michel Moore.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is also facing questions after a whistleblower said that a gang of tattooed deputies called the “Executioners” essentially runs the Compton sheriff’s station. The deputy testified recently that alleged members of the group regularly made false radio calls saying they saw a gun on a suspect.
“A lot of times they either have a hunch or they have information that that person has a gun, but in reality they’ve never seen the gun,” Deputy Austreberto Gonzalez said in a deposition obtained by The Times in an excessive-force lawsuit filed by Sheldon Lockett.
Sheriff Alex Villanueva said in a statement that, if those allegations are true, “it brings me great concern.”
“Peace officers are trained to accurately report the facts at all times, to include tactical situations and radio transmissions. This type of behavior, if true, will not be tolerated,” he said.
Lockett alleges he was targeted by deputies “chasing ink” when he was beaten and falsely arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in 2016. The deputies radioed that Lockett had a gun, which he said was a lie. No gun was found. Lockett spent about eight months in jail before prosecutors dropped the charges because of insufficient evidence.
Gonzalez’s allegations were alarming to Compton leaders who said they had long fielded complaints of racial profiling — and retaliation for speaking out — from residents. The city recently called on state and federal officials to investigate possible civil rights violations.
Compton Mayor Aja Brown discussed police harassment during a news briefing this month. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
“They terrorize the community, and then they cover their tracks,” Compton Mayor Aja Brown said recently, recalling her own experience in which she said she was wrongfully stopped by deputies. The Sheriff’s Department said it determined that the stop was a lawful detention.
City Councilwoman Michelle Chambers told The Times the validity of arrests made by any deputy with an Executioner tattoo should be examined. “I will not rest until rogue officers are removed out of this city,” she said.
Lex Steppling, director of campaigns and policy at Dignity and Power Now, an organization that fights for the rights of incarcerated people and their families, says law enforcement accounts are being challenged more often now that cameras are ubiquitous.
“Over and over again they say, ‘He was reaching for a gun.’ ‘He had a gun.’ ‘A gun was later recovered at the scene.’ ‘He reached for the officer’s gun,’” Steppling said. “These are things that they say that are not true.”
In the December case, Spruill said he was getting into his car in a parking lot where deputies had detained a separate group of men as part of a shooting investigation. He had been waiting for his girlfriend to get off work nearby after he’d finished a welding job in downtown L.A. Two deputies pulled into the lot, stopped in front of Spruill’s car and searched him for no reason, his lawsuit said.
Grainy surveillance video shows Spruill running away and deputies giving chase.
“Shortly after I saw the muzzle flash, I heard a loud gunshot, then I saw Spruill drop the firearm on the grassy area of the sidewalk, near a vehicle that was parked,” one of the deputies said in a report obtained by The Times.
The deputy and his partner kept running after Spruill until he stopped and put his hands in the air, the report said. The deputy wrote that when he went back to look for the gun, it was gone, as was the parked car. In another report, a detective said the gun could have been whisked away by others in the area.
The charges leveled against Spruill two days later were among the most serious possible: two counts of attempted murder of a police officer and possession of a firearm by a felon, according to court records. Spruill said he lost his job, car and home, where he had lived with his mother.
“It’s not like they’re accusing me of stealing candy from a store,” he said. “They were trying so hard to make sure I never come home again.”
If not for the physical evidence, Spruill and his attorney said, it would’ve been a “he said, she said” case — but it would be Spruill’s word against that of several law enforcement officers.
“We’re not talking about one bad apple making a bad split-second decision,” said his attorney, Greg Kirakosian. “This case involves a series of cooperative efforts to fabricate evidence and withhold exculpatory evidence. It’s the ultimate violation of the public’s trust.”
Villanueva said he was troubled by allegations of misconduct in the case, which is the subject of an ongoing administrative investigation that “must be allowed to uncover the facts.”
“If those findings uncover misconduct by a department member,” he said, “appropriate administrative action will be taken.”
Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey said in a statement that she was “deeply troubled whenever the loss of someone’s liberty is found to be unjustified.” She added: “We as prosecutors have a legal and ethical duty to file only those charges supported by the evidence. That requires us to dismiss charges when we lose faith that the totality of the evidence will not support a conviction.”
Another attorney, Thomas Beck, alleged that a Lakewood deputy last year fabricated a story about seeing his client, Shaun Marshall, conduct a narcotics transaction at his tire shop, which he said was refuted by surveillance footage. A possession charge against Marshall was dropped two months after the January 2019 incident.
“At the time of trial, the deputy sheriff was unable to identify” Marshall, the district attorney’s office said.
Beck said the deputy changed his story after Marshall complained to the station about his false arrest, saying he had security footage of the incident. “Of course he knew who Shaun was,” Beck said of the deputy.
The Sheriff’s Department said a criminal investigation was ongoing. Beck said Marshall had been interviewed by the Internal Criminal Investigations Bureau, which reviews allegations of criminal misconduct by department members.
Compton resident Dalvin Price, 24, right, with his attorneys Emanuel Thomas, left, and Jamon R. Hicks at a news conference. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
In the case of Dalvin Price, whose May arrest and beating in Compton were captured in a 31-second video that sparked outrage in the community, sheriff’s investigators made no mention in their initial paperwork to prosecutors that deputies used force during the incident. Prosecutors cited the omission in a memo in which they declined to file charges of evading and looting.
The memo said deputies responded to a report of thefts at a CVS pharmacy in Compton when they saw Price driving “from the location.” According to the memo, officers said Price ran several red lights and stop signs before his SUV crashed into the center median and a tree.
The video of his arrest, taken by a bystander, begins with Price, 24, lying face down on the pavement, two deputies on top of him.
“On the ground!” a deputy yells.
“I’m on the ground!” Price responds.
Moments later, a third deputy runs up and begins striking Price with his knee.
After the incident, Price said at a news conference that he had complied with deputies.
“They didn’t force me to get on the ground — I got on the ground on my own,” Price said. “They told me to stop resisting, although I wasn’t resisting. I was trying my best to comply with everything they were saying. However, I was still treated like I didn’t have any rights.”
The Sheriff’s Department said an administrative investigation was ongoing and would not comment further.
The district attorney’s declination memo said there was no video of Price attempting to evade officers before the SUV crashed and no clear video of the reported thefts at the CVS. It said no property in the SUV was linked to CVS.
“Based on the totality of the evidence,” the memo said, “it does not appear that a jury would find the suspect guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”


latimes--2020-08-31--California corporations would be required to diversify their boards under bill sent to Newsom

California lawmakers on Sunday sent the governor a bill that would require greater diversity on corporate boards in the state , saying the shortage of people of color on the panels is a hurdle to racial justice .
The Assembly approved a measure that would require publicly held corporations headquartered in California to have at least one director from an underrepresented community by the close of 2021 .
Assemblyman Chris Holden ( D- Pasadena ) modeled his bill on a 2018 law that requires a minimum number of women on corporate boards .
He said the lack of Black professionals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a discouraging message .
“ Women and minorities are underrepresented across white-collar industries , especially at the managerial and executive levels , ” Holden told his colleagues Sunday before the floor vote .
Lawmakers cited a 2018 study by Harvard Law School that found that out of 1,222 new board members of Fortune 100 companies , 77 % were white .
In addition , the Latino Corporate Directors Assn .
released a survey last month that said 87 % of boards for California corporations lack Latino representation .
“ Corporations have money , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ If we are going to address racial injustice and inequity in our society , it ’ s imperative that corporate boards reflect the diversity of our state.
” The legislation would require corporate boards to include at least one board member by the end of next year who self-identifies as Black , African American , Hispanic , Latino , Asian , Pacific Islander , Native American , Native Hawaiian , or Alaska Native , or as gay , lesbian , bisexual or transgender .
The measure also requires corporate boards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to include a minimum of three directors from underrepresented communities if the board has nine members or more .
If a board has five to nine members , it must have at least two directors from underrepresented communities .
The state has encouraged corporate boards to become more diverse , but insufficient progress has been made , said Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia ( D-Bell Gardens ) , a co-author of the bill along with Assemblyman David Chiu ( D-San Francisco ) .
“ By ensuring diversity on their boards , we know the corporations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for people of color and give them the support to thrive within that corporation , ” Garcia said .
Opponents of the bill include Keith Bishop , a corporate law attorney who previously served as state commissioner of corporations .
Bishop told lawmakers during Sunday ’ s hearing that the bill violates the equal protection clauses of the U.S. and California constitutions .
He said it will adversely impact the participation of male and non-binary persons on corporate boards of directors when combined with the 2018 law requiring more women board members .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ divisive , arbitrary and unconstitutional , ” Bishop told lawmakers .
The legality issue has also been raised by state officials who note that two lawsuits have been filed to challenge SB 826 , the 2018 law written by state Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson ( D-Santa Barbara ) .
An analysis by legislative staff found that the state may have to prove to courts that there is specific discrimination that requires the mandate for underrepresented groups to be included on corporate boards .
“ There is enough evidence to show there is discrimination , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ simply don ’ t lie.
” The legislative staff report also warned it is likely the Holden bill will face legal challenges similar to those filed against the Jackson bill , which argued that California can not regulate board membership for firms incorporated in other states , even if they are headquartered in California .
“ There ’ s no question this bill pushes the envelope , ” Holden said .
“ Legislation that shakes up the status quo , especially when it comes to dismantling systemic racism , will always face challenges.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ against Jackson ‘ s bill , many companies have complied anyway .
“ I believe if AB 979 were to become law , we will see similar action by companies , not just because it ’ s the law , but because it ’ s the right thing to do , ” she said .
Separately , lawmakers also approved SB 973 , which requires private employers with 100 or more employees to submit a report annually to the state Department of Fair Employment and Housing with pay data for specified job categories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sex .
Garcia said the bill “ fights pay discrimination with data , with information , because when it comes to pay equity for women and people of color , we can ’ t fix what we don ’ t know .
”

The California Legislature sent Gov. Gavin Newsom a bill that would require corporate boards in the state to include more people of color.
California lawmakers on Sunday sent the governor a bill that would require greater diversity on corporate boards in the state, saying the shortage of people of color on the panels is a hurdle to racial justice.
The Assembly approved a measure that would require publicly held corporations headquartered in California to have at least one director from an underrepresented community by the close of 2021.
Assemblyman Chris Holden (D- Pasadena) modeled his bill on a 2018 law that requires a minimum number of women on corporate boards. He said the lack of Black professionals in the governance of the companies sends a discouraging message.
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“Women and minorities are underrepresented across white-collar industries, especially at the managerial and executive levels,” Holden told his colleagues Sunday before the floor vote.
Lawmakers cited a 2018 study by Deloitte and Alliance for Board Diversity that found that out of 1,222 new board members of Fortune 100 companies, 77% were white. In addition, the Latino Corporate Directors Assn. released a survey last month that said 87% of boards for California corporations lack Latino representation.
“Corporations have money, power, and influence,” Holden said. “If we are going to address racial injustice and inequity in our society, it’s imperative that corporate boards reflect the diversity of our state.”
The legislation would require corporate boards to include at least one board member by the end of next year who self-identifies as Black, African American, Hispanic, Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander, Native American, Native Hawaiian, or Alaska Native, or as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.
The measure also requires corporate boards, by the end of 2022, to include a minimum of three directors from underrepresented communities if the board has nine members or more. If a board has five to nine members, it must have at least two directors from underrepresented communities.
The state has encouraged corporate boards to become more diverse, but insufficient progress has been made, said Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens), a co-author of the bill along with Assemblyman David Chiu (D-San Francisco).
“By ensuring diversity on their boards, we know the corporations are more likely to both create opportunities for people of color and give them the support to thrive within that corporation,” Garcia said.
Opponents of the bill include Keith Bishop, a corporate law attorney who previously served as state commissioner of corporations.
Bishop told lawmakers during Sunday’s hearing that the bill violates the equal protection clauses of the U.S. and California constitutions. He said it will adversely impact the participation of male and non-binary persons on corporate boards of directors when combined with the 2018 law requiring more women board members.
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“I believe that AB 979 is divisive, arbitrary and unconstitutional,” Bishop told lawmakers.
The legality issue has also been raised by state officials who note that two lawsuits have been filed to challenge SB 826, the 2018 law written by state Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara).
An analysis by legislative staff found that the state may have to prove to courts that there is specific discrimination that requires the mandate for underrepresented groups to be included on corporate boards.
“There is enough evidence to show there is discrimination,” Holden responded. “The numbers simply don’t lie.”
The legislative staff report also warned it is likely the Holden bill will face legal challenges similar to those filed against the Jackson bill, which argued that California cannot regulate board membership for firms incorporated in other states, even if they are headquartered in California.
“There’s no question this bill pushes the envelope,” Holden said. “Legislation that shakes up the status quo, especially when it comes to dismantling systemic racism, will always face challenges.”
Garcia said that despite the litigation against Jackson‘s bill, many companies have complied anyway.
“I believe if AB 979 were to become law, we will see similar action by companies, not just because it’s the law, but because it’s the right thing to do,” she said.
Separately, lawmakers also approved SB 973, which requires private employers with 100 or more employees to submit a report annually to the state Department of Fair Employment and Housing with pay data for specified job categories broken down by race, ethnicity and sex.
Garcia said the bill “fights pay discrimination with data, with information, because when it comes to pay equity for women and people of color, we can’t fix what we don’t know.”


latimes--2020-08-30--Confusion after LAPD responds to reports of gunfire at pro-Trump car caravan

A car caravan of President Trump supporters parading down Ventura Boulevard turned chaotic Sunday as Los Angeles police searched for three people who might have been involved in an incident connected to the event .
No one was hurt at the rally , and police were still trying to determine exactly what happened .
Authorities were searching for three people in Woodland Hills after police received reports that one of them may have fired some type of weapon at the caravan .
It was unclear whether there was physical evidence of gunfire or if the reports were based solely on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that a man was firing at the caravan as it traveled along Ventura Boulevard near Chalk Hill Court shortly before 11:30 a.m , said Officer Will Cooper of the Los Angeles Police Department .
The incident was initially described as someone brandishing a firearm and throwing bottles at the vehicles but was later updated to include a report of shots fired , he said .
The caravan , composed of cars displaying pro-Trump flags , was heading from Woodland Hills to Studio City .
A woman who was driving east on Ventura past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and noticed her tire went flat , Los Angeles police said in a news release .
When she inspected it , she found it had been damaged by a projectile , possibly a bullet or a bullet fragment , police said .
Another witness told police there was a potential suspect in a nearby apartment building , prompting officers to lock down the Ventura Boulevard complex and evacuate the units .
Jorge Rodriguez , deputy chief of the LAPD Valley Bureau , said the department obtained a photo of a man with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unit .
It ’ s unclear what kind of rifle he was holding .
Cooper said the alleged assailant and two others barricaded themselves inside the building in the 20500 block of Ventura Boulevard .
About 4 p.m. , a SWAT unit entered the apartment unit but found no one inside , said Josh Rubenstein , an LAPD spokesman .
Before making entry , officers launched a chemical irritant into the unit to try to flush out any occupants , he said .
Detectives were at the scene collecting evidence to help find @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three is being sought as a potential shooter , Rubenstein said .
The others were believed to have been inside the unit when the incident was reported .
Deputy Chief Jorge Rodriguez said the LAPD is conducting a search warrant at the apartment and that men were seen fleeing the scene .
“ It was not a BB , ” he said .
“ It was possibly a .22 caliber , .25 caliber weapon based on the evidence at the car.
” Residents in the area said the police standoff was unnerving , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a shooting .
A helicopter hovered above Tina Johnson ’ s apartment complex as she went to the pool for a quick swim .
She had heard that police were investigating a shooting nearby but didn ’ t realize how close .
Then the leasing manager warned her there was a shooter barricaded in the building next door .
Johnson and her boyfriend returned to their apartment and locked the doors and windows .
“ It ’ s kind of surreal , ” Johnson , 23 , said .
In liberal California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump supporter.
” But now , here they were , a caravan with Trump flags waving on the back of their pickup trucks cruising down Ventura Boulevard .
The sight and the subsequent confrontation seemed like something that might happen in the South , but not here .
“ We wouldn ’ t have ever imagined it would happen in California , ” Johnson said .
Times staff writer Kevin Rector and photographer Francine Orr contributed to this report .

Alex Wigglesworth, Richard Winton, Angel Jennings, Matthew Ormseth

An LAPD officer and a Trump supporter cross the street between two groups of protesters in Studio City on Sunday.
A car caravan of President Trump supporters parading down Ventura Boulevard turned chaotic Sunday as Los Angeles police searched for three people who might have been involved in an incident connected to the event.
No one was hurt at the rally, and police were still trying to determine exactly what happened.
Authorities were searching for three people in Woodland Hills after police received reports that one of them may have fired some type of weapon at the caravan. It was unclear whether there was physical evidence of gunfire or if the reports were based solely on witness accounts.
Police received a report that a man was firing at the caravan as it traveled along Ventura Boulevard near Chalk Hill Court shortly before 11:30 a.m, said Officer Will Cooper of the Los Angeles Police Department. The incident was initially described as someone brandishing a firearm and throwing bottles at the vehicles but was later updated to include a report of shots fired, he said.
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The caravan, composed of cars displaying pro-Trump flags, was heading from Woodland Hills to Studio City.
A woman who was driving east on Ventura past the procession heard what sounded like gunshots and noticed her tire went flat, Los Angeles police said in a news release. When she inspected it, she found it had been damaged by a projectile, possibly a bullet or a bullet fragment, police said.
Another witness told police there was a potential suspect in a nearby apartment building, prompting officers to lock down the Ventura Boulevard complex and evacuate the units.
Jorge Rodriguez, deputy chief of the LAPD Valley Bureau, said the department obtained a photo of a man with a rifle on the balcony of an apartment unit. It’s unclear what kind of rifle he was holding.
Cooper said the alleged assailant and two others barricaded themselves inside the building in the 20500 block of Ventura Boulevard.
About 4 p.m., a SWAT unit entered the apartment unit but found no one inside, said Josh Rubenstein, an LAPD spokesman. Before making entry, officers launched a chemical irritant into the unit to try to flush out any occupants, he said.
Detectives were at the scene collecting evidence to help find the suspects. Only one of the three is being sought as a potential shooter, Rubenstein said. The others were believed to have been inside the unit when the incident was reported.
Deputy Chief Jorge Rodriguez said the LAPD is conducting a search warrant at the apartment and that men were seen fleeing the scene.
“It was not a BB,” he said. “It was possibly a .22 caliber, .25 caliber weapon based on the evidence at the car.”
Residents in the area said the police standoff was unnerving, but they were not sure whether there was a shooting.
A helicopter hovered above Tina Johnson’s apartment complex as she went to the pool for a quick swim.
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She had heard that police were investigating a shooting nearby but didn’t realize how close. Then the leasing manager warned her there was a shooter barricaded in the building next door.
Johnson and her boyfriend returned to their apartment and locked the doors and windows.
“It’s kind of surreal,” Johnson, 23, said. In liberal California, she had “never met a Trump supporter.”
But now, here they were, a caravan with Trump flags waving on the back of their pickup trucks cruising down Ventura Boulevard.
The sight and the subsequent confrontation seemed like something that might happen in the South, but not here.
“We wouldn’t have ever imagined it would happen in California,” Johnson said.
Times staff writer Kevin Rector and photographer Francine Orr contributed to this report.