latimes--2020-02-07--Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo and top aide reprimanded for workplace behavior

The speaker of the California Assembly has reprimanded Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo ( D-Los Angeles ) and her chief of staff , George Esparza , for inappropriate workplace conduct , citing allegations that the Democratic lawmaker hugged and kissed an employee and that her top aide made “ inappropriate sexual comments.
” Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon ( D-Lakewood ) admonished Carrillo and Esparza in letters released on Friday by legislative officials .
Following a series of well-publicized investigations into lawmakers and staff members in 2016 , the Legislature now makes public information related to sexual misconduct investigations of legislators and employees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incidents were released .
The letter sent to Carrillo states that “ a complaint that you hugged and kissed , on the cheek ” was filed and that an investigation concluded the incident occurred and “ that this conduct was unwelcome.
” A heavily redacted investigation report alleges that Carrillo was “ insisting on a two-arm hug ” at two different events and kissed the employee on the cheek .
Rendon ’ s letter to Esparza cites two instances of sexual comments .
The investigation document states that in one encounter , Esparza @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are you done masturbating ?
” Neither Carrillo nor Esparza responded to a request for comment from The Times .
The allegations involve two different employees — one who filed a complaint against the lawmaker , the other against her chief of staff .
Both Carrillo and Esparza were determined to have violated the Legislature ’ s policy on workplace conduct .
Rendon said that Assembly officials will provide “ training and/or coaching on appropriate workplace conduct.
” Carrillo , 39 , was elected to the Assembly in 2017 .
A former radio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ traveled with Gov .
Gavin Newsom in 2019 to El Salvador , the country she left with her parents as a child .
Bills she wrote to combat discrimination against those with mental health problems and immigrant rights were signed into law by Newsom last year .

Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo, seen here in 2017, was reprimanded on Thursday for “unwelcome” conduct by Assembly officials, a complaint alleging the Democrat hugged and kissed an employee. Carrillo’s chief of staff was admonished for “inappropriate sexual comments.”
The speaker of the California Assembly has reprimanded Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo (D-Los Angeles) and her chief of staff, George Esparza, for inappropriate workplace conduct, citing allegations that the Democratic lawmaker hugged and kissed an employee and that her top aide made “inappropriate sexual comments.”
Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) admonished Carrillo and Esparza in letters released on Friday by legislative officials. Following a series of well-publicized investigations into lawmakers and staff members in 2016, the Legislature now makes public information related to sexual misconduct investigations of legislators and employees.
But few details about the alleged incidents were released. The letter sent to Carrillo states that “a complaint that you hugged and kissed, on the cheek” was filed and that an investigation concluded the incident occurred and “that this conduct was unwelcome.” A heavily redacted investigation report alleges that Carrillo was “insisting on a two-arm hug” at two different events and kissed the employee on the cheek.
Rendon’s letter to Esparza cites two instances of sexual comments. The investigation document states that in one encounter, Esparza was alleged to have asked someone “are you done masturbating?”
Neither Carrillo nor Esparza responded to a request for comment from The Times.
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The allegations involve two different employees — one who filed a complaint against the lawmaker, the other against her chief of staff. Both Carrillo and Esparza were determined to have violated the Legislature’s policy on workplace conduct. Rendon said that Assembly officials will provide “training and/or coaching on appropriate workplace conduct.”
Carrillo, 39, was elected to the Assembly in 2017. A former radio host and organized labor activist, she traveled with Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2019 to El Salvador, the country she left with her parents as a child. Bills she wrote to combat discrimination against those with mental health problems and immigrant rights were signed into law by Newsom last year.


latimes--2020-02-07--She fought a South L.A. oil site as a child. Now, this teen activist has a new battle

Nalleli Cobo was launched into activism as a 9-year-old girl who was suffering nosebleeds .
She had become worried about foul smells emanating from the oil site across the street in her University Park neighborhood in South Los Angeles .
Her mother and her neighbors complained of headaches and other ailments .
Cobo said she endured spasms , heart palpitations , headaches and nosebleeds so severe that she had to sleep sitting up , to avoid choking on her own blood .
Cobo and her mother knocked on doors and mobilized their neighbors to complain to regulators about the chemical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Nancy Halpern Ibrahim , executive director of Esperanza Community Housing , remembers seeing her speak up at a news conference in the neighborhood and being struck by this “ driven voice from the podium that didn ’ t falter in any way.
” “ She found her voice , ” said Ibrahim , whose nonprofit advocated against the Allenco site .
“ It was kind of an astonishing thing.
” The company halted its operations at the University Park site more than six years ago , in the face of a neighborhood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Neighbors said their ailments eased .
But Cobo didn ’ t stop fighting .
At the age of 13 , she appeared on a video calling on Pope Francis to help ensure that the Allenco site , which is owned by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles , is permanently shuttered .
She has testified at government hearings , met Al Gore and Bernie Sanders , and co-founded a group that sued Los Angeles over drilling in urban neighborhoods , accusing it of “ rubber stamping ” plans for petroleum extraction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a poster child — literally — for the Global Youth Climate Strike , her face emblazoned on one of its posters .
Martha Dina Argüello , executive director of Physicians for Social Responsibility Los Angeles , praises her as a “ powerful storyteller ” who has inspired people with her story .
When asked about the inevitable comparisons between Cobo and the Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg , Argüello pointed out that Cobo was doing it first .
“ I would say that Greta is the international Nalleli , ” Argüello said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 19-year-old has continued to push for change as an environmental activist , calling on Los Angeles to phase out oil drilling near homes , schools and other sensitive sites to protect public health .
The idea has been opposed by the petroleum industry and its workers , who argue the industry is well-regulated and that a shutdown would cost jobs .
At a rally Friday headlined by Jane Fonda on the steps of Los Angeles City Hall , Cobo fired up the crowd by recounting her story and how “ we turned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crowd soon sobered when Cobo said that in January , “ I found out that I would have to start a new battle for my health.
” It was a shock to environmental activists when Cobo recently revealed that she had been diagnosed with a rare and aggressive cancer .
Cobo told the crowd that it affected her reproductive system and that she wouldn ’ t be able to have children .
The teen has taken a medical leave from school and is giving up the dance classes she loves , unable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ My doctors say they have no idea why I have this , ” Cobo said in an interview .
“ We may never know.
” Cobo has held off on disclosing other details about her illness , but said it will require radiation , chemotherapy and surgery .
She has been touched by the outpouring of support : A GoFundMe for her medical bills had raised more than $ 29,000 by Friday .
Jesús Villalba Gastélum , 17 , who has helped coordinate youth climate strikes across California , said he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cobo said the cause of her illness is unknown , Gastélum said “ this diagnosis has been a call to action ” for activists , crystallizing what is at stake for young people .
“ We ’ re more likely to contract diseases and to develop cancers and these type of life-threatening conditions , ” especially in communities of color which are disproportionately affected by environmental threats , he said .
“ It ’ s still hitting me , ” Gastélum said .
“ I tell everyone she ’ s done the work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll have a lot more to go .
She will come out of this and be talking about this like it was nothing.
” Ibrahim said “ we never wanted her to be a canary , ” referring to the historic use of the birds by miners to detect dangerous gases .
“ We ’ re going to fight very hard ... We want to make sure that nothing extinguishes this fierceness that she has.
” Cobo no longer lives in University Park , but she remains concerned about the Allenco site @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could reopen .
Under a court order , the facility must either remain closed or follow new rules meant to protect neighbors , but community activists remain uneasy about it reopening at all .
An Allenco representative declined to comment Thursday on its plans .
Beyond the Allenco site , “ I hope for a day where urban oil drilling is read about in history books and people say , ‘ It is crazy it was such a common thing for so long , ’ ” Cobo said .
Despite the weight of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a teenage girl who loves ballet folklorico and makeup , who texts daily with her older brother and sisters , who says she lost her ability to stay cool when she met the pop star Billie Eilish at an environmental event .
Cobo said she is like any other girl — “ I just found my passion much earlier than most.
” When Joaquin Phoenix introduced Cobo to the crowd gathered Friday outside City Hall , he called her “ our future president.
” The teen hugged him and stepped up to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ run in 2036 .
“ Remember my name : Nalleli Cobo , ” she said to an eruption of cheers .
“ It ’ ll be on the ballot .
”

Joaquin Phoenix introduces Nalleli Cobo during a protest at Los Angeles City Hall on Friday. She was recently diagnosed with a rare cancer, spurring an outpouring of community support.
Nalleli Cobo was launched into activism as a 9-year-old girl who was suffering nosebleeds.
She had become worried about foul smells emanating from the oil site across the street in her University Park neighborhood in South Los Angeles. Her mother and her neighbors complained of headaches and other ailments. Cobo said she endured spasms, heart palpitations, headaches and nosebleeds so severe that she had to sleep sitting up to avoid choking on her own blood.
“Something wasn’t right,” Cobo said.
Cobo and her mother knocked on doors and mobilized their neighbors to complain to regulators about the chemical odors from the AllenCo Energy oil site. Nancy Halpern Ibrahim, executive director of Esperanza Community Housing, remembers seeing her speak up at a news conference in the neighborhood and being struck by this “driven voice from the podium that didn’t falter in any way.”
“She found her voice,” said Ibrahim, whose nonprofit advocated against the AllenCo site. “It was kind of an astonishing thing.”
The company halted its operations at the University Park site more than six years ago, in the face of a neighborhood outcry and a gaggle of government investigations. Neighbors said their ailments eased.
But Cobo didn’t stop fighting. At the age of 13, she appeared on a video calling on Pope Francis to help ensure that the AllenCo site, which is owned by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, is permanently shuttered.
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She has testified at government hearings, met Al Gore and Bernie Sanders, and co-founded a group that sued Los Angeles over drilling in urban neighborhoods, accusing it of “rubber stamping” plans for petroleum extraction near homes and schools. She was a poster child — literally — for the global youth climate strike last year, her face emblazoned on one of its posters.
Martha Dina Argüello, executive director of Physicians for Social Responsibility-Los Angeles, praises her as a “powerful storyteller” who has inspired people with her story. When asked about the inevitable comparisons between Cobo and the Swedish teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg, Argüello pointed out that Cobo was doing it first.
“I would say that Greta is the international Nalleli,” Argüello said.
Now a freshman at Whittier College, the 19-year-old Cobo has continued to push for change as an environmental activist, calling on Los Angeles to phase out oil drilling near homes, schools and other sensitive sites to protect public health. The idea has been opposed by the petroleum industry and its workers, who argue that the industry is well regulated and that a shutdown would cost jobs.
At a rally Friday headlined by actress Jane Fonda on the steps of Los Angeles City Hall, Cobo fired up the crowd by recounting her story and how “we turned ourselves from victims to fighters.”
But the crowd soon sobered when Cobo said that in January, “I found out that I would have to start a new battle for my health.”
It was a shock to environmental activists when Cobo recently revealed that she had been diagnosed with a rare and aggressive cancer. Cobo told the crowd that it affected her reproductive system and that she wouldn’t be able to have children. The teen has taken a medical leave from school and is giving up the dance classes she loves, unable to keep up because of exhaustion.
“My doctors say they have no idea why I have this,” Cobo said in an interview. “We may never know.”
Advertisement
Cobo has held off on disclosing other details about her illness, but she said it will require radiation, chemotherapy and surgery. She has been touched by the outpouring of support: A GoFundMe for her medical bills had raised more than $29,000 by Friday.
Jesús Villalba Gastélum, 17, who has helped coordinate youth climate strikes across California, said he was still reeling from the news. Although Cobo said the cause of her illness is unknown, Gastélum said “this diagnosis has been a call to action” for activists, crystallizing what is at stake for young people.
“We’re more likely to contract diseases and to develop cancers and these type of life-threatening conditions,” especially in communities of color that are disproportionately affected by environmental threats, he said.
“It’s still hitting me,” Gastélum said. “I tell everyone she’s done the work of seven lifetimes — and hopefully she’ll have a lot more to go. She will come out of this and be talking about this like it was nothing.”
Ibrahim said “we never wanted her to be a canary,” referring to the historic use of the birds by miners to detect dangerous gases. “We’re going to fight very hard…. We want to make sure that nothing extinguishes this fierceness that she has.”
Cobo no longer lives in University Park, but she remains concerned about the AllenCo site, which the company has suggested it could reopen. Under a court order, the facility must either remain closed or follow new rules meant to protect neighbors, but community activists remain uneasy about its reopening at all. An AllenCo representative declined to comment Thursday on the company’s plans.
Beyond the AllenCo site, “I hope for a day where urban oil drilling is read about in history books and people say, ‘It is crazy it was such a common thing for so long,’ ” Cobo said.
Despite the weight of that mission, she’s also a teenage girl who loves baile folklórico and makeup, who texts daily with her older brother and sisters, who says she lost her ability to stay cool when she met the pop star Billie Eilish at an environmental event. Cobo said she is like any other girl — “I just found my passion much earlier than most.”
When actor Joaquin Phoenix introduced Cobo to the crowd gathered Friday outside City Hall, he called her “our future president.” The teen hugged him and stepped up to the microphone, quickly adding that she would run in 2036.
“Remember my name: Nalleli Cobo,” she said to an eruption of cheers. “It’ll be on the ballot.”


latimes--2020-02-07--Roxane Gay, Myriam Gurba and others discuss the publishing 'crisis' after 'American Dirt'

Long before Jeanine Cummins ’ highly contentious “ American Dirt ” was published by Flatiron Books , the novel was raising red flags internally , according to Myriam Gurba .
“ I ’ ve spoken to people who work in Flatiron who have told me that the book was identified as problematic from the get-go , ” Gurba alleged , speaking before a packed room on Thursday at a panel organized by her new group , # DignidadLiteraria .
“ And people ’ s critiques were either dismissed or they felt coerced into being silent .
...
They knew that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with it anyway.
” Flatiron Books , which is a division of Macmillan Publishing , did not immediately respond to a Times request for comment .
Gurba , an author and high school teacher in Long Beach , wrote a negative review of the novel that was first published on the online site Tropics of Meta .
Her critique became the catalyst for one of the biggest controversies in U.S. publishing in recent years .
The panel , held at Antioch University in Culver City , hosted a crowd of around 100 people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ OwnVoices movement , dozens of books by people of color were on display near the back .
A diverse audience of activists , book sellers , professors , writers and other community members filled seats or stood along the perimeter , occasionally nodding , clapping and murmuring in agreement over remarks made by the panelists on the dais .
They were there to hear Gurba , Roxane Gay , Romeo Guzman , Wendy C. Ortiz and Christopher Soto talk about the publishing industry .
The event was part of # DignidadLiteraria ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of town halls to discuss Latinx visibility in the U.S .
It was the first panel to be held since authors and # DignidadLiteraria founders Gurba , David Bowles and Roberto Lovato met with Macmillan publishers and others on Monday to discuss steps the imprint can take to amplify Latinx voices in the industry .
The hashtag and movement emerged in the wake of the “ American Dirt ” controversy and comprises writers advocating for Latinx people in the publishing world .
During Monday ’ s meeting in New York , Macmillan committed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , authors and titles and to changing the “ overall ecosystem.
” It also vowed to develop an action plan to address those goals within 90 days and to regroup with the cohort in 30 days to evaluate progress .
Responding to Gurba ’ s claim that Flatiron ignored red flags , Gay said she believes the publisher will continue to dismiss them because “ American Dirt ” is selling so well , having debuted at No .
1 on the New York Times Bestsellers list .
“ This woman is going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is going to earn royalties in perpetuity , and so it just reinforces what publishing already knows , which is as long as white people are translating the experiences of people of color , it will sell very well , ” said Gay , the bestselling author of “ Hunger ” and “ Bad Feminist.
” Gay took time out of a busy speaking and writing schedule to appear in her capacity as the editor of Ortiz ’ s article on the topic , “ Adventures in Publishing Outside the Gates , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The wide-ranging discussion coalesced around a couple of flashpoints .
One of them was panelists ’ differences with white feminists .
Ortiz recounted the negative reactions she ’ s received after publishing her essay , which called out the similarities between her 2014 memoir , “ Excavation , ” and Kate Elizabeth Russell ’ s forthcoming , highly anticipated and heavily promoted novel “ My Dark Vanessa.
” “ Excavation ” is about the five-year sexual relationship between the teenage Ortiz and her eighth-grade English teacher .
“ My Dark Vanessa , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advance , tells a similar story : A 17-year-old girl confronts the sexual relationship she had with her English teacher when she was 15 after another student accuses him of sexual abuse .
Ortiz said some critical responses have taken the form of “ racism ... cloaked in white feminism.
” Gay said that it has been white women who ’ ve rallied to defend Russell against Ortiz , who has called the book “ a fictional take on a reality I lived.
” ( On the panel , Ortiz denied that she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that accusations of professional envy and demands for apologies of the kind that dogged Ortiz are common .
“ We see this a lot in online discourse where people see something that triggers or upsets them , and they worry that it could happen to them someday .
So they get behind whoever they perceive is the biggest victim , and it ’ s always going to be the white woman.
” Another topic addressed by the panel was the question of whether it was better to use small presses when the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gurba said # DignidadLiteraria had suggested during the Macmillan meeting that the publisher start a Latinx imprint .
“ We gave them basically a business model for it ... [ but ] they didn ’ t even want to touch the paper .
... Mexican Americans are scary people !
” she said , laughing .
Before the conversation was opened up to the audience , moderator Xochitl-Julisa Bermejo asked the panelists how people of color can hold big publishers accountable while also supporting small presses .
Gay advised people to keep raising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Macmillan responded is because the backlash was so significant and so concentrated and it has not gone away , ” she said .
“ That just shows that when we speak up as people of color , it actually does something when we do it in numbers.
” She emphasized that supporting small publishing isn ’ t always the sole answer because it “ lets big publishing off the hook , ” and it doesn ’ t change the fact that the so-called Big Five control the vast majority of the books we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to educate themselves on what ’ s happening in small presses and “ make one of every three book purchases a small-press book , if not more.
” In any event , she was skeptical of the common complaint that the publishing industry is declining and in need of support .
“ Big publishing is going to be OK .
”

Long before Jeanine Cummins’ highly contentious “American Dirt” was published by Flatiron Books, the novel was raising red flags internally, according to Myriam Gurba.
“I’ve spoken to people who work in Flatiron who have told me that the book was identified as problematic from the get-go,” Gurba alleged, speaking before a packed room on Thursday at a panel organized by her new group, #DignidadLiteraria. “And people’s critiques were either dismissed or they felt coerced into being silent. ... They knew that this could happen and they went through with it anyway.”
For the record: An earlier version of this article misstated the age of the title character in the book “My Dark Vanessa.” She was 32 when she confronted a relationship she had had with a teacher 17 years before, when she was 15.
Flatiron Books, which is a division of Macmillan Publishing, did not immediately respond to a Times request for comment.
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Books ‘American Dirt’ publisher cancels entire book tour, acknowledges ‘deep inadequacies’ ‘American Dirt’ publisher Flatiron Books announced on Wednesday that it was canceling its book tour with Jeanine Cummins.
Gurba, an author and high school teacher in Long Beach, wrote a negative review of the novel that was first published on the online site Tropics of Meta. Her critique became the catalyst for one of the biggest controversies in U.S. publishing in recent years. The panel, held at Antioch University in Culver City, hosted a crowd of around 100 people. In a nod to the #OwnVoices movement, dozens of books by people of color were on display near the back. A diverse audience of activists, book sellers, professors, writers and other community members filled seats or stood along the perimeter, occasionally nodding, clapping and murmuring in agreement over remarks made by the panelists on the dais.
They were there to hear Gurba, Roxane Gay, Romeo Guzman, Wendy C. Ortiz and Christopher Soto talk about the publishing industry.
The event was part of #DignidadLiteraria’s national week of action, a series of town halls to discuss Latinx visibility in the U.S. It was the first panel to be held since authors and #DignidadLiteraria founders Gurba, David Bowles and Roberto Lovato met with Macmillan publishers and others on Monday to discuss steps the imprint can take to amplify Latinx voices in the industry.
The hashtag and movement emerged in the wake of the “American Dirt” controversy and comprises writers advocating for Latinx people in the publishing world.
During Monday’s meeting in New York, Macmillan committed to increasing its number of Latinx staff, authors and titles and to changing the “overall ecosystem.” It also vowed to develop an action plan to address those goals within 90 days and to regroup with the cohort in 30 days to evaluate progress.
Responding to Gurba’s claim that Flatiron ignored red flags, Gay said she believes the publisher will continue to dismiss them because “American Dirt” is selling so well, having debuted at No. 1 on the New York Times Bestsellers list. “This woman is going to be set for life, this book is going to earn royalties in perpetuity, and so it just reinforces what publishing already knows, which is as long as white people are translating the experiences of people of color, it will sell very well,” said Gay, the bestselling author of “Hunger” and “Bad Feminist.”
The first panel held by #DignidadLiteraria was standing-room-only. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
Gay took time out of a busy speaking and writing schedule to appear in her capacity as the editor of Ortiz’s article on the topic, “Adventures in Publishing Outside the Gates,” in her online journal, Gay Mag.
The wide-ranging discussion coalesced around a couple of flashpoints. One of them was panelists’ differences with white feminists.
Ortiz recounted the negative reactions she’s received after publishing her essay, which called out the similarities between her 2014 memoir, “Excavation,” and Kate Elizabeth Russell’s forthcoming, highly anticipated and heavily promoted novel “My Dark Vanessa.”
“Excavation” is about the five-year sexual relationship between the teenage Ortiz and her eighth-grade English teacher. “My Dark Vanessa,” for which Russell received a seven-figure advance, tells a similar story: A woman confronts the sexual relationship she had with her English teacher when she was 15 after another student accuses him of sexual abuse.
Advertisement
Ortiz said some critical responses have taken the form of “racism ... cloaked in white feminism.”
Gay said that it has been white women who’ve rallied to defend Russell against Ortiz, who has called the book “a fictional take on a reality I lived.” (On the panel, Ortiz denied that she had ever alleged plagiarism.)
Gay said that accusations of professional envy and demands for apologies of the kind that dogged Ortiz are common. “We see this a lot in online discourse where people see something that triggers or upsets them, and they worry that it could happen to them someday. So they get behind whoever they perceive is the biggest victim, and it’s always going to be the white woman.”
Another topic addressed by the panel was the question of whether it was better to use small presses when the corporate gatekeepers failed to embrace them.
Gurba said #DignidadLiteraria had suggested during the Macmillan meeting that the publisher start a Latinx imprint. “We gave them basically a business model for it ... [but] they didn’t even want to touch the paper. ... Mexican Americans are scary people!” she said, laughing.
Before the conversation was opened up to the audience, moderator Xochitl-Julisa Bermejo asked the panelists how people of color can hold big publishers accountable while also supporting small presses.
Gay advised people to keep raising their voices. “The only reason Macmillan responded is because the backlash was so significant and so concentrated and it has not gone away,” she said. “That just shows that when we speak up as people of color, it actually does something when we do it in numbers.”
She emphasized that supporting small publishing isn’t always the sole answer because it “lets big publishing off the hook,” and it doesn’t change the fact that the so-called Big Five control the vast majority of the books we get to read. Gay encouraged consumers to educate themselves on what’s happening in small presses and “make one of every three book purchases a small-press book, if not more.”
In any event, she was skeptical of the common complaint that the publishing industry is declining and in need of support. “Big publishing is going to be OK.”


latimes--2020-02-07--Kobe Bryant helicopter didn't suffer engine failure, but cause still unclear

The helicopter that crashed last month in Calabasas , killing Kobe Bryant and eight others , showed no signs of engine failure , the National Transportation Safety Board said Friday .
The news comes as federal investigators continue to investigate the cause of the crash .
The finding that the chopper didn ’ t lose power before slamming into the hillside is one key conclusion , but many questions remain unanswered .
“ Our investigators have already developed a substantial amount of evidence about the circumstances of this tragic crash , ” NTSB Chairman Robert L. Sumwalt said in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that we will be able to determine its cause as well as any factors that contributed to it so we can make safety recommendations to prevent accidents like this from occurring again.
” The report provided more details about the crash but not a definitive cause , which is likely to take several more months .
According to the report , the main impact crater was on a 34-degree slope and measured 24 feet by 15 feet in diameter and 2 feet deep .
“ Examination of the main and tail rotor assemblies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time of impact .
The initial point of impact consisted of highly fragmented cabin and cockpit debris , ” the report noted .
The main wreckage was about 127 feet from the impact crater .
The engines were found lying inverted in the burned area .
“ Viewable sections of the engines showed no evidence of an uncontained or catastrophic internal failure , ” the report said .
The 1991 Sikorsky S-76B was flying parents , coaches and players to a youth basketball game at Bryant ’ s Mamba Academy in Thousand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fiery crash were Gianna Bryant ; Christina Mauser ; Payton and Sarah Chester ; John , Keri and Alyssa Altobelli ; along with pilot Ara Zobayan .
While making no findings about the weather , the NTSB noted that videos and photos from the public “ depict fog and low clouds obscuring the hilltops.
” The preliminary report repeatedly noted that the pilot had struggled with a low cloud ceiling .
A witness on a mountain bike trail told investigators that the area was “ surrounded by mist ” and that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saw a blue and white chopper emerge from the clouds , passing from left to right .
“ He judged it to be moving fast , traveling on a forward and descending trajectory .
It started to roll to the left such that he caught a glimpse of its belly .
He observed it for 1 to 2 seconds , before it impacted terrain about 50 feet below his position , ” according to the report .
Officials said the chopper , which was flying using only visual readings , slammed into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Times data analysis tracked the final moments of the flight , finding the helicopter flew dangerously close to another hillside just before crashing .
The NTSB report said the chopper was destroyed by “ impact forces and fire.
” The helicopter — a Sikorsky S-76 chopper built in 1991 — departed John Wayne Airport in Orange County at 9:06 a.m. Jan. 26 , according to publicly available flight records .
The aircraft passed over Boyle Heights , near Dodger Stadium and circled over Glendale before flying toward its destination in Thousand Oaks .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ or VFR , which allow pilots to fly in controlled airspace when ceilings are less than 1,000 feet or when visibility is less than three miles .
As weather deteriorated on the trip to Ventura County , the pilot requested “ flight following , ” a process in which controllers are in regular contact with an aircraft and can help navigate .
In recorded radio communications , the air traffic control tower is heard telling the pilot the chopper is too low for flight following .
At 9:45 am , the pilot contacted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was “ climbing above the cloud layer.
” The controller asked what he planned to do and Zobayan replied he “ was climbing to 4,000 feet.
” Radar data indicate Zobayan , who had been a licensed commercial helicopter pilot with Island Express for 10 years , guided the copter to 2,300 feet elevation between Las Virgenes and Lost Hills roads .
NTSB member Jennifer Homendy said last week the helicopter , which lacked a terrain warning system , was at 2,300 feet when it lost communication with air traffic controllers .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feet per minute at the time of impact .
According to the new NTSB report , eight seconds after that , the helicopter was going down with the rate of descent “ increasing to over 4,000 feet per minute ” and the ground speed reached about 184 mph on impact .
The chopper hit the hillside at an elevation of 1,085 feet , about 20 to 30 feet below an outcropping .
Even if the pilot had been able to fly above the hilltop , he would have faced new hazards , officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have suggested the crash shows telltale signs of a pilot who became spatially disoriented in the clouds in the moments before the deadly impact on the foggy hillside , .
The NTSB after a deadly helicopter crash in Texas 16 years ago recommended that Terrain Awareness Warning Systems be required on all helicopters carrying six or more passengers .
The Federation Aviation Administration rejected the recommendation , only implementing it for medical flight choppers .
The report noted that the helicopter did not have a cockpit voice recorder or flight data recorder , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a number of electronic devices recovered from the wreckage .
The NTSB has also previously recommended those for such choppers , following crashes .
Zobayan , the NTSB noted , was a veteran pilot with 8,200 hours , qualified to fly solely using navigation instruments in challenging weather conditions and had recently undergone refresher training on Instrument Flight Rules .
The helicopter ’ s maintenance was up to date with no issues , the report found .
The operator Island Express , however , was certified by the Federal Aviation Administration to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ condition , according to the preliminary report .
Veteran helicopter pilots , however , say that in emergency circumstances , a pilot facing no visibility with Zobayan ’ s training would for the safety of the passengers usually transition to solely using instruments to navigate and would seek air traffic control assistance with a path to a safe course .

The helicopter that crashed last month in Calabasas, killing Kobe Bryant and eight others, showed no signs of engine failure, the National Transportation Safety Board said Friday.
The news comes as federal investigators continue to investigate the cause of the crash. The finding that the chopper didn’t lose power before slamming into the hillside is one key conclusion, but many questions remain unanswered.
“Our investigators have already developed a substantial amount of evidence about the circumstances of this tragic crash,” NTSB Chairman Robert L. Sumwalt said in a statement. “And we are confident that we will be able to determine its cause as well as any factors that contributed to it so we can make safety recommendations to prevent accidents like this from occurring again.”
The report provided more details about the crash but not a definitive cause, which is likely to take several more months.
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According to the report, the main impact crater was on a 34-degree slope and measured 24 feet by 15 feet in diameter and 2 feet deep.
“Examination of the main and tail rotor assemblies found damage consistent with powered rotation at the time of impact. The initial point of impact consisted of highly fragmented cabin and cockpit debris,” the report noted. The main wreckage was about 127 feet from the impact crater.
The engines were found lying inverted in the burned area. “Viewable sections of the engines showed no evidence of an uncontained or catastrophic internal failure,” the report said.
The 1991 Sikorsky S-76B was flying parents, coaches and players to a youth basketball game at Bryant’s Mamba Academy in Thousand Oaks. The others who died in the fiery crash were Gianna Bryant; Christina Mauser; Payton and Sarah Chester; John, Keri and Alyssa Altobelli; along with pilot Ara Zobayan.
While making no findings about the weather, the NTSB noted that videos and photos from the public “depict fog and low clouds obscuring the hilltops.” The preliminary report repeatedly noted that the pilot had struggled with a low cloud ceiling.
A witness on a mountain bike trail told investigators that the area was “surrounded by mist” and that he heard the sound of a helicopter and saw a blue and white chopper emerge from the clouds, passing from left to right.
“He judged it to be moving fast, traveling on a forward and descending trajectory. It started to roll to the left such that he caught a glimpse of its belly. He observed it for 1 to 2 seconds, before it impacted terrain about 50 feet below his position,” according to the report.
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Officials said the chopper, which was flying using only visual readings, slammed into the hillside amid extremely foggy conditions. A Times data analysis tracked the final moments of the flight, finding the helicopter flew dangerously close to another hillside just before crashing. The NTSB report said the chopper was destroyed by “impact forces and fire.”
The helicopter — a Sikorsky S-76 chopper built in 1991 — departed John Wayne Airport in Orange County at 9:06 a.m. Jan. 26, according to publicly available flight records. The aircraft passed over Boyle Heights, near Dodger Stadium and circled over Glendale before flying toward its destination in Thousand Oaks.
Zobayan requested special visual flight rules, or VFR, which allow pilots to fly in controlled airspace when ceilings are less than 1,000 feet or when visibility is less than three miles. As weather deteriorated on the trip to Ventura County, the pilot requested “flight following,” a process in which controllers are in regular contact with an aircraft and can help navigate.
In recorded radio communications, the air traffic control tower is heard telling the pilot the chopper is too low for flight following. At 9:45 a.m., the pilot contacted an air traffic controller to say he was “climbing above the cloud layer.” The controller asked what he planned to do and Zobayan replied he “was climbing to 4,000 feet.” Radar data indicate Zobayan, who had been a licensed commercial helicopter pilot with Island Express for 10 years, guided the copter to 2,300 feet elevation between Las Virgenes and Lost Hills roads.
NTSB member Jennifer Homendy said last week the helicopter, which lacked a terrain warning system, was at 2,300 feet when it lost communication with air traffic controllers. The helicopter was descending at more than 2,000 feet per minute at the time of impact.
According to the new NTSB report, eight seconds after that, the helicopter was going down with the rate of descent “increasing to over 4,000 feet per minute” and the ground speed reached about 184 mph on impact.
The chopper hit the hillside at an elevation of 1,085 feet, about 20 to 30 feet below an outcropping. Even if the pilot had been able to fly above the hilltop, he would have faced new hazards, officials said.
Helicopter pilots and crash experts have suggested the crash shows telltale signs of a pilot who became spatially disoriented in the clouds in the moments before the deadly impact on the foggy hillside,.
The NTSB after a deadly helicopter crash in Texas 16 years ago recommended that Terrain Awareness Warning Systems be required on all helicopters carrying six or more passengers. The Federal Aviation Administration rejected the recommendation, only implementing it for medical flight choppers. The report noted that the helicopter did not have a cockpit voice recorder or flight data recorder, but they were examining a flight computer and a number of electronic devices recovered from the wreckage. The NTSB has also previously recommended those for such choppers, following crashes.
Zobayan, the NTSB noted, was a veteran pilot with 8,200 hours, qualified to fly solely using navigation instruments in challenging weather conditions and had recently undergone refresher training on Instrument Flight Rules. The helicopter’s maintenance was up to date with no issues, the report found.
The operator Island Express, however, was certified by the Federal Aviation Administration to fly its passengers in Visual Flight Rules condition, according to the preliminary report. Veteran helicopter pilots, however, say that in emergency circumstances, a pilot facing no visibility with Zobayan’s training would for the safety of the passengers usually transition to solely using instruments to navigate and would seek air traffic control assistance with a path to a safe course.


latimes--2020-02-07--Federal judge deals major blow to ICE practice of asking local police to detain people

A federal judge in Los Angeles this week issued his final judgment in a long-running immigration case , upending the way Immigration and Customs Enforcement uses local police to detain people it suspects of being in the country illegally .
The judgment filed Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Andre Birotte formalized a ruling he made in September that included a permanent injunction barring ICE from using error-prone databases when issuing so-called detainers , which are requests made to police agencies to keep people who have been arrested in custody for up two days beyond the time they would otherwise be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ICE from issuing such requests to state and local law enforcement in states where there isn ’ t an explicit statute authorizing police to arrest someone or keep them in custody on an immigration detainer .
The ruling , which applied to ICE activity in all but a few states , appeared to have enormous implications for how the government targets people for deportation .
However , attorneys from the U.S. Department of Justice and civil rights groups that brought the case disagreed over whether the injunction went into effect immediately , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its practices .
Last fall , an ICE spokesman said the agency was “ reviewing the ruling and considering our legal options.
” Under the judgment , ICE has three months to “ adopt and implement any policies , practices , trainings , and systems changes necessary to ensure consistent and effective compliance ” with the judgment , Birotte wrote .
The judge ordered government lawyers to provide him with evidence it had implemented new policies .
“ This judgment ensures that ICE has to comply with the court ’ s findings that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decades is grounded in unconstitutional practices that have to end , ” said Jennie Pasquarella , an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union , who helped argue the case .
The class-action lawsuit alleged that the databases that agents consult to issue detainers are so badly flawed by incomplete and inaccurate information that ICE officers should not be allowed to rely on them as the sole basis for keeping someone in custody .
In September , the judge agreed with that assessment , finding that the databases often contained “ incomplete data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ designed to provide information that would be used to determine a person ’ s removability.
” These errors , according to that decision , have led to arrests of U.S. citizens as well as noncitizens in the country lawfully .
From May 2015 to February 2016 , of the 12,797 detainers issued in that period , 771 were lifted , according to ICE data .
Of those 771 , 42 were lifted because the person was a U.S. citizen .
In the years since the lawsuit was filed , ICE has amended its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process for issuing detainers more rigorous .
Previously , for example , agents would check individual databases in search of evidence of someone being in the country illegally .
But three years ago , the agency launched a new system , in which 10 databases are automatically queried .
A supervisor is required to sign off on decisions to issue detainers .
Birotte said in his judgement this week that conducting interviews with people suspected of being in the country illegally and checking the hard copy files the government keeps on immigrants is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issuing detainers .
The judge ’ s decision affects any detainer requests issued by an ICE officer in the federal court system ’ s Central District of California .
That designation is significant because it includes the Pacific Enforcement Response Center , a facility in Orange County from which ICE agents send out detainer requests to authorities in 43 states , Guam and Washington , D.C .
Dozens of deportation officers and contract analysts work in shifts around the clock every day at the center .
In 2018 , the center issued 45,253 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to more than 28,000 additional people released from law enforcement custody before ICE could detain them .
If ICE tries to move its detainer operation to another facility , Birotte said , it must alert him in advance and the injunction would follow it to the new location .
All existing detainers issued by the enforcement center were also nullified by the judge ’ s ruling .
Pasquarella said it was unknown how many people that affects , but said it is in “ the thousands.
” Finally , Birotte gave ICE a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and state police departments to which it sent detainer requests of his judgment and “ its impact on detainers issued by ICE.
” He ordered ICE to post its notice prominently on its website and said the agency “ shall specifically inform these agencies that a detainer does not provide the legal authority for a state or local law enforcement officer to make a civil immigration arrest.
” The detainer process begins when police arrest and fingerprint a person .
The prints are sent electronically to the FBI and checked against the prints @ @ @ @ @ @ @ databases .
If there is a match — such as someone who applied for a visa or was apprehended by Border Patrol — it triggers a review process , which often culminates with an agent at the center deciding whether to issue a detainer .
Approximately 70 % of the arrests ICE makes occur after the agency is notified about someone being released from local jails or state prisons .
In fiscal year 2019 , ICE had lodged more than 160,000 detainers with local law enforcement agencies , according to the agency .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the judgment and would not say whether ICE had yet changed its practice of issuing detainer requests .
Instead , she referred reporters to a statement released Thursday by the White House .
“ A single , unelected , district judge in the Central District of California issued a legally groundless and sweeping injunction that — if not immediately lifted — will guarantee the release of innumerable criminal illegal aliens into our communities putting citizens at dire risk , ” the statement said .
“ This ruling undermines the pillars of immigration enforcement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cooperation that has occurred for decades .
”

A federal judge in Los Angeles this week issued his final judgment in a long-running immigration case, upending the way Immigration and Customs Enforcement uses local police to detain people it suspects of being in the country illegally.
The judgment filed Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Andre Birotte formalized a ruling he made in September that included a permanent injunction barring ICE from using error-prone databases when issuing so-called detainers, which are requests made to police agencies to keep people who have been arrested in custody for up two days beyond the time they would otherwise be held.
The earlier ruling also blocked ICE from issuing such requests to state and local law enforcement in states where there isn’t an explicit statute authorizing police to arrest someone or keep them in custody on an immigration detainer.
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The ruling, which applied to ICE activity in all but a few states, appeared to have enormous implications for how the government targets people for deportation. However, attorneys from the U.S. Department of Justice and civil rights groups that brought the case disagreed over whether the injunction went into effect immediately, and ICE gave no indication it had changed its practices.
Last fall, an ICE spokesman said the agency was “reviewing the ruling and considering our legal options.”
This week’s judgment erased any ambiguity.
Under the judgment, ICE has three months to “adopt and implement any policies, practices, trainings, and systems changes necessary to ensure consistent and effective compliance” with the judgment, Birotte wrote. The judge ordered government lawyers to provide him with evidence it had implemented new policies.
“This judgment ensures that ICE has to comply with the court’s findings that the program it’s had for decades is grounded in unconstitutional practices that have to end,” said Jennie Pasquarella, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, who helped argue the case.
The class-action lawsuit alleged that the databases that agents consult to issue detainers are so badly flawed by incomplete and inaccurate information that ICE officers should not be allowed to rely on them as the sole basis for keeping someone in custody.
In September, the judge agreed with that assessment, finding that the databases often contained “incomplete data, significant errors, or were not designed to provide information that would be used to determine a person’s removability.”
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These errors, according to that decision, have led to arrests of U.S. citizens as well as noncitizens in the country lawfully. From May 2015 to February 2016, of the 12,797 detainers issued in that period, 771 were lifted, according to ICE data. Of those 771, 42 were lifted because the person was a U.S. citizen.
In the years since the lawsuit was filed, ICE has amended its policies, saying the changes made the process for issuing detainers more rigorous.
Previously, for example, agents would check individual databases in search of evidence of someone being in the country illegally. But three years ago, the agency launched a new system, in which 10 databases are automatically queried. A supervisor is required to sign off on decisions to issue detainers.
Birotte said in his judgement this week that conducting interviews with people suspected of being in the country illegally and checking the hard copy files the government keeps on immigrants is the most reliable source of information for issuing detainers.
The judge’s decision affects any detainer requests issued by an ICE officer in the federal court system’s Central District of California. That designation is significant because it includes the Pacific Enforcement Response Center, a facility in Orange County from which ICE agents send out detainer requests to authorities in 43 states, Guam and Washington, D.C.
Dozens of deportation officers and contract analysts work in shifts around the clock every day at the center. In 2018, the center issued 45,253 detainers and alerted agents at field offices to more than 28,000 additional people released from law enforcement custody before ICE could detain them.
If ICE tries to move its detainer operation to another facility, Birotte said, it must alert him in advance and the injunction would follow it to the new location.
All existing detainers issued by the enforcement center were also nullified by the judge’s ruling. Pasquarella said it was unknown how many people that affects, but said it is in “the thousands.”
Finally, Birotte gave ICE a month to alert the thousands of local and state police departments to which it sent detainer requests of his judgment and “its impact on detainers issued by ICE.” He ordered ICE to post its notice prominently on its website and said the agency “shall specifically inform these agencies that a detainer does not provide the legal authority for a state or local law enforcement officer to make a civil immigration arrest.”
The detainer process begins when police arrest and fingerprint a person. The prints are sent electronically to the FBI and checked against the prints of millions of immigrants in Homeland Security databases. If there is a match — such as someone who applied for a visa or was apprehended by Border Patrol — it triggers a review process, which often culminates with an agent at the center deciding whether to issue a detainer.
Approximately 70% of the arrests ICE makes occur after the agency is notified about someone being released from local jails or state prisons. In fiscal year 2019, ICE had lodged more than 160,000 detainers with local law enforcement agencies, according to the agency.
An ICE spokeswoman declined to comment on the judgment and would not say whether ICE had yet changed its practice of issuing detainer requests. Instead, she referred reporters to a statement released Thursday by the White House.
“A single, unelected, district judge in the Central District of California issued a legally groundless and sweeping injunction that — if not immediately lifted — will guarantee the release of innumerable criminal illegal aliens into our communities putting citizens at dire risk,” the statement said. “This ruling undermines the pillars of immigration enforcement and blocks traditional and vital law enforcement cooperation that has occurred for decades.”


latimes--2020-02-07--Another flight carrying Americans fleeing coronavirus lands in Southern California

Another flight carrying Americans fleeing the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan , China , arrived Friday at a Southern California military base .
The plane is one of two chartered to the United States by the Defense Department .
The two flights departed China with about 300 passengers on board , the Pentagon said Thursday night in a statement .
One of the aircraft landed at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego shortly before 9 a.m. , Lance Cpl .
Andrew Hiatt said .
The flight first stopped in Vancouver , Canada , where about 30 Canadian nationals deplaned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seats to the Canadians because there was extra room after all U.S. citizens were accommodated .
The second flight was headed to Omaha but would first refuel at Travis Air Force Base near Sacramento and then proceed through Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio , Texas , officials said .
Some of the passengers were expected to deplane in Lackland ; the rest were heading to Eppley Airfield , a commercial airport near downtown Omaha .
The flight was scheduled to land there at 4 p.m .
The passengers will then be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Guard training facility that was expecting to receive between 70 and 80 of the evacuees , Maj. Scott Ingalsbe said .
On arrival , passengers on both flights will be placed under a 14-day federal quarantine order overseen by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
The new strain of coronavirus has infected more than 30,000 people , killing more than 630 , since it emerged in China in late December .
Many of the cases have been reported in and around China ’ s Hubei province , where Wuhan is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people have become infected in six states — six in California , two in Illinois and one each in Arizona , Massachusetts , Washington and Wisconsin .
All of the patients had either recently traveled to China or , in two cases , had close contact with someone who did .
The State Department has advised against all travel to China because of the virus and has said that any Americans there should try to return to the U.S .
Most commercial airlines have suspended or reduced flights between the two countries .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a public health emergency and announced restrictions on people traveling to the U.S. from China .
Now , foreign nationals who recently visited China aren ’ t allowed to enter the U.S. , and returning American citizens are subject to 14-day quarantines .
On Saturday , the Defense Department announced it had agreed to house up to 1,000 people who may need to be quarantined upon arrival from overseas travel at four facilities , including Travis and Miramar .
On Wednesday , the Pentagon said it had also been asked to identify 11 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ house about 220 additional people under quarantine , if needed .
Those “ tertiary locations , ” each of which could accommodate about 20 travelers if backup housing options become full , included both Travis , which is not far from San Francisco International Airport , and March Air Reserve Base in Riverside County , due to its proximity to Los Angeles International Airport , the Pentagon said in a statement .
In total , the Defense Department has conducted five flights evacuating more than 800 people from Wuhan , China .
Most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a limited number of immediate family members and some lawful permanent residents were evacuated as well .
The Defense Department does not anticipate staging additional flights , officials said Friday .
In addition to the passengers arriving in the U.S. on Friday , nearly 550 people are already under federal quarantine at military bases in California .
Two jets carrying about 350 passengers fleeing China landed in the state on Wednesday morning — one at Travis Air Force Base and one at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar .
All of the passengers were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Five of the people quarantined at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar have been taken to local hospitals after showing symptoms of the virus , the CDC has said .
In addition , 195 Americans who were evacuated from the U.S. Embassy in Wuhan have been under quarantine at March Air Reserve Base since late last month .
Of the group , two children were taken to local hospitals after developing fevers .
On Monday , one of the children was returned to the base after testing negative for coronavirus .
Test results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In a separate incident , another person traveling from mainland China was transferred from Los Angeles International Airport to March Air Reserve Base on Monday .
That person was screened for the virus and released after a short quarantine , officials said .

A second flight carrying U.S. citizens fleeing the coronavirus outbreak in China arrives at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar on Friday.
Another flight carrying Americans fleeing the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China, arrived Friday at a Southern California military base.
The plane was one of two chartered by the Defense Department to carry about 300 passengers to the U.S., the Pentagon said Thursday night in a statement.
One of the aircraft landed at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego shortly before 9 a.m., Lance Cpl. Andrew Hiatt said. The flight first stopped in Vancouver, where about 30 Canadian nationals deplaned. Defense Department officials said they offered seats to the Canadians because there was extra room after all U.S. citizens were accommodated.
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Of the 232 people quarantined at Miramar, seven have been transported to local hospitals for evaluation after reporting possible coronavirus symptoms, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Sunday. Two of them have tested negative, while results for five others were still pending as of Sunday afternoon.
The second flight landed at Travis Air Force Base near Sacramento, where 53 evacuees departed and joined those already under quarantine at the base, a group that now totals 234 people, a CDC spokesman said. The plane flew on to Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, where more passengers were expected to deplane, and then to Camp Ashland in Omaha.
Once at Travis, four of the passengers were found to have a fever, a possible symptom of coronavirus, and were taken to a local hospital, the CDC said. They were placed in isolation and were continuing to be evaluated Saturday. Another person who arrived at Travis on an evacuation flight that landed Wednesday was also hospitalized after reporting possible symptoms, the CDC said.
Upon arrival, passengers on both flights were placed under 14-day quarantine ordered by the CDC.
The new strain of coronavirus has infected more than 37,000 people and killed more than 800 since it emerged in China in late December.
In the U.S., 12 people have become infected in six states — six in California, two in Illinois and one each in Arizona, Massachusetts, Washington and Wisconsin. All of the patients had either recently traveled to China or, in two cases, had close contact with someone who had.
The State Department has advised against all travel to China because of the virus and has said that any Americans there should try to return to the U.S. Most commercial airlines have suspended or reduced flights between the two countries.
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Last week, the Trump administration declared a public health emergency and announced restrictions on people traveling to the U.S. from China. Now, foreign nationals who recently visited China aren’t allowed to enter the U.S., and returning American citizens are subject to 14-day quarantines.
On Saturday, the Defense Department announced it had agreed to house up to 1,000 people who may need to be quarantined upon arrival from overseas travel at four facilities, including Travis and Miramar.
On Wednesday, the Pentagon said it had also been asked to identify 11 military installations near major airports that could house about 220 additional people under quarantine, if needed. Those “tertiary locations,” each of which could accommodate about 20 travelers if backup housing options become full, included Travis, which is not far from San Francisco International Airport, and March Air Reserve Base in Riverside County, because of its proximity to Los Angeles International Airport, the Pentagon said in a statement.
In total, the Defense Department has conducted five flights evacuating more than 800 people from Wuhan. The Defense Department does not anticipate staging additional flights, officials said Friday.
In addition to the passengers who arrived Friday, nearly 550 people are already under federal quarantine at military bases in California.
Two jets carrying about 350 passengers landed in the state on Wednesday — one at Travis Air Force Base and one at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.
Five of the people quarantined at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar have been taken to local hospitals after showing symptoms of the virus, the CDC has said.
In addition, 195 Americans who were evacuated from the U.S. Consulate in Wuhan have been under quarantine at March Air Reserve Base since late last month. Of the group, two children were taken to local hospitals after developing a fever. On Monday, one of the children was returned to the base after testing negative for coronavirus. The second child was returning to the base on Saturday after also testing negative, a spokesman for the Riverside County Department of Public Health said.
In a separate incident, another person traveling from mainland China was transferred from Los Angeles International Airport to March Air Reserve Base on Monday. That person was screened for the virus and released after a short quarantine, officials said.


latimes--2020-02-07--Ex-CEO of investment giant Pimco given longest sentence to date in college admissions scandal

Douglas Hodge , once the leader of an international bond manager and now an admitted felon , was ordered Friday to spend nine months in federal prison for paying bribes totaling $ 850,000 to get four of his children into USC and Georgetown as fake athletic recruits .
Hodge , 62 , received the longest prison term of any of the 14 parents who have so far been sentenced for fraud and money laundering crimes they admittedly committed with William “ Rick ” Singer , a Newport Beach college admissions consultant who has acknowledged defrauding some of the country ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rigged exams , fake athletic credentials and bribes .
In addition to his prison term , U.S. District Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton ordered Hodge to pay a $ 750,000 fine , serve 500 hours of community service and remain on supervised release for two years .
“ I know that I unfairly , and ultimately illegally , tipped the scales in favor of my children over others , over the hopes and dreams of other parents , who had the same aspirations for their children as I did for mine , ” Hodge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those children , and their parents , I can only express my deepest and sincerest regret.
” From the day he surrendered to authorities last March , Hodge , a resident of Laguna Beach , was among the highest-profile names in a scandal headlined with them .
He rose to the head of Pimco , the bond management company based in Newport Beach , before retiring from the post of chief executive in 2016 .
Prosecutors from the U.S. attorney ’ s office in Boston had asked Gorton to send Hodge to prison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filed before his sentencing , they criticized Hodge as a hypocrite , appearing to the world the image of success and integrity while leading “ a secret double life , using bribery and fraud to fuel a mirage of success and accomplishment.
” Hodge ’ s lawyers said the request for a two-year prison term reflected the Boston prosecutors ’ “ single-minded obsession ” with obtaining undeservedly lengthy sentences in the high-profile case .
Gorton handed down in November what was previously the longest sentence in the case , a six-month term , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ title insurance executive is incarcerated in Tucson scheduled to be released in June , according to Bureau of Prison records .
Hodge pleaded guilty in October to conspiring to commit fraud and money laundering .
Along with three other parents , he reversed his not-guilty plea after prosecutors warned of a new indictment carrying a bribery charge .
Eleven parents — a group that includes the actress Lori Loughlin and her husband , J. Mossimo Giannulli — balked at the threat , maintained their not-guilty pleas and were indicted on a bribery charge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; 21 have admitted their guilt or said they plan to do so .
In court papers and a letter to the judge , Hodge described how he met Singer and , over the next decade , became one of his most frequent and lucrative clients .
As Hodge looked for a college counselor , his old friend — the same friend who had suggested he apply for a job at Pimco in 1978 – recommended Singer “ as the best possible mentor and guide , ” his lawyers wrote in a memo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daughter apply to Georgetown .
Her admission was guaranteed , prosecutors said , with an application that falsely described her as a competitive tennis player and two checks for $ 75,000 each that her father mailed to the home of Gordon Ernst , Georgetown ’ s tennis coach .
Hodge ’ s lawyers said only after Singer submitted the girl ’ s application did he disclose he ’ d revised her essay to include falsehoods about her tennis prowess .
Hodge understood mailing personal checks to a coach “ was not the standard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” his lawyers said , but Singer explained it as a way to ensure only the tennis team got the money .
“ Although Doug looked away from the aspects of Singer ’ s work that made him feel uncomfortable at the time , he now sees his actions in a stark light , ” they wrote .
“ He committed fraud , plain and simple.
” Justin D. O ’ Connell , an assistant U.S. attorney in Boston , said Hodge did more than look away from Singer ’ s scheme .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ engaged in the scheme more often , and over a longer period of time , than any of the defendants charged to date.
” After his daughter was admitted to Georgetown , Hodge repeated the scam at the school for his oldest son and at USC for two more children , spending $ 850,000 in all .
In arguing for a two-year sentence , O ’ Connell pointed to what he said was Hodge ’ s willingness to bring his children into his crimes .
He told his daughter to “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not tell a Georgetown interviewer that she had already been admitted through tennis , O ’ Connell wrote .
Hodge vehemently disputed this .
“ The government simply has the facts wrong on this , ” he said .
His lawyers said he took “ great steps ” to hide from his children the scheme to transform them into elite athletes on paper , and that prosecutors have no evidence they were aware of , let alone complicit in , the fraud .

Former Pimco CEO Douglas Hodge, center, leaves the federal courthouse in Boston after pleading guilty for paying to have his children admitted to universities as fake athletic recruits in the college admissions scandal.
Douglas Hodge, once the leader of an international bond manager and now an admitted felon, was ordered Friday to spend nine months in federal prison for paying bribes totaling $850,000 to get four of his children into USC and Georgetown as fake athletic recruits.
Hodge, 62, received the longest prison term of any of the 14 parents who have so far been sentenced for fraud and money laundering crimes they admittedly committed with William “Rick” Singer, a Newport Beach college admissions consultant who has acknowledged defrauding some of the country’s most selective universities for years with rigged exams, fake athletic credentials and bribes.
In addition to his prison term, U.S. District Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton ordered Hodge to pay a $750,000 fine, serve 500 hours of community service and remain on supervised release for two years.
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“I know that I unfairly, and ultimately illegally, tipped the scales in favor of my children over others, over the hopes and dreams of other parents, who had the same aspirations for their children as I did for mine,” Hodge said in a statement. “To those children, and their parents, I can only express my deepest and sincerest regret.”
From the day he surrendered to authorities last March, Hodge, a resident of Laguna Beach, was among the highest-profile names in a scandal headlined with them. He rose to the head of Pimco, the bond management company based in Newport Beach, before retiring from the post of chief executive in 2016.
California Full Coverage: The college admissions scheme Federal prosecutors accused top CEOs, two Hollywood actresses and others of taking part in an audacious scheme to get their children into elite universities through fraud, bribes and lies.
Prosecutors from the U.S. attorney’s office in Boston had asked Gorton to send Hodge to prison for two years. In a memo filed before his sentencing, they criticized Hodge as a hypocrite, appearing to the world the image of success and integrity while leading “a secret double life, using bribery and fraud to fuel a mirage of success and accomplishment.”
Hodge’s lawyers said the request for a two-year prison term reflected the Boston prosecutors’ “single-minded obsession” with obtaining undeservedly lengthy sentences in the high-profile case. Gorton handed down in November what was previously the longest sentence in the case, a six-month term, to Toby Macfarlane. The Del Mar title insurance executive is incarcerated in Tucson scheduled to be released in June, according to Bureau of Prison records.
Hodge pleaded guilty in October to conspiring to commit fraud and money laundering. Along with three other parents, he reversed his not-guilty plea after prosecutors warned of a new indictment carrying a bribery charge.
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Eleven parents — a group that includes the actress Lori Loughlin and her husband, J. Mossimo Giannulli — balked at the threat, maintained their not-guilty pleas and were indicted on a bribery charge. Fifteen parents have pleaded not guilty; 21 have admitted their guilt or said they plan to do so.
In court papers and a letter to the judge, Hodge described how he met Singer and, over the next decade, became one of his most frequent and lucrative clients. As Hodge looked for a college counselor, his old friend — the same friend who had suggested he apply for a job at Pimco in 1978 – recommended Singer “as the best possible mentor and guide,” his lawyers wrote in a memo.
Singer helped Hodge’s oldest daughter apply to Georgetown. Her admission was guaranteed, prosecutors said, with an application that falsely described her as a competitive tennis player and two checks for $75,000 each that her father mailed to the home of Gordon Ernst, Georgetown’s tennis coach.
Hodge’s lawyers said only after Singer submitted the girl’s application did he disclose he’d revised her essay to include falsehoods about her tennis prowess. Hodge understood mailing personal checks to a coach “was not the standard process for making a college donation,” his lawyers said, but Singer explained it as a way to ensure only the tennis team got the money.
“Although Doug looked away from the aspects of Singer’s work that made him feel uncomfortable at the time, he now sees his actions in a stark light,” they wrote. “He committed fraud, plain and simple.”
Justin D. O’Connell, an assistant U.S. attorney in Boston, said Hodge did more than look away from Singer’s scheme. Hodge, he wrote in a memo, “engaged in the scheme more often, and over a longer period of time, than any of the defendants charged to date.”
After his daughter was admitted to Georgetown, Hodge repeated the scam at the school for his oldest son and at USC for two more children, spending $850,000 in all. In arguing for a two-year sentence, O’Connell pointed to what he said was Hodge’s willingness to bring his children into his crimes.
He told his daughter to “stay under the radar,” and not tell a Georgetown interviewer that she had already been admitted through tennis, O’Connell wrote.
Hodge vehemently disputed this. “The government simply has the facts wrong on this,” he said. His lawyers said he took “great steps” to hide from his children the scheme to transform them into elite athletes on paper, and that prosecutors have no evidence they were aware of, let alone complicit in, the fraud.


latimes--2020-02-07--What your life is like under a coronavirus quarantine in California

Board games for children ?
Definitely .
Tai chi in the parking lot ?
Maybe .
Red wine dropped off by relatives ?
Nope .
For the hundreds of Americans who have been evacuated from China amid the coronavirus outbreak , the stress and worries of possible infection and getting back to the United States have been joined by another pressing concern : How do you fill two unexpected weeks quarantined on a military base ?
To be sure , there are frequent medical checks for symptoms of the illness .
But for the rest of the time , officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at home on the bases , three of which are in California , while also protecting them and others from potential infection .
The quarantine orders are the first in 50 years issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
Officials say they are necessary to prevent the global spread of a virus that has already infected 28,000 people worldwide .
John McGory touched down at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego along with 166 other passengers on Wednesday .
The journey from Wuhan , the epicenter of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the past six years , was filled with detours and stops and took 37 hours , he said .
McGory , 65 , was put up in an apartment on the base ’ s bachelors quarters , which had been emptied for the arriving passengers .
Staff regularly drop off meals at his door and also take his temperature to check for a fever .
McGory said that officials laid out ground rules in a welcome meeting on Wednesday .
Face masks are not required , and people who work and live @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to interact with the passengers .
Officials told McGory ’ s group that they would set up a message board for people to throw out ideas for group activities .
Someone suggested a tai chi class , McGory said .
Officials said they would bring board and card games .
McGory said he wants to ride out the quarantine by writing about his experiences and by teaching a story-telling class where perhaps people can share tales of Hubei province , of which Wuhan is the capital .
“ It can ’ t be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” McGory said .
McGory ’ s flight was one of several recently arranged by U.S. officials for U.S. citizens and their families to escape China during the outbreak .
Three other bases outside of California have also been designated as quarantine sites .
The coronavirus outbreak that began late last year in Wuhan has spread to four continents and killed 565 people as of Wednesday .
The U.S. has advised Americans not to fly to China and is temporarily barring foreign nationals who have recently visited China from entering the country .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the U.S. if they showed symptoms of illness , according to CDC officials .
They were checked for fevers while on the planes and as soon as their landed .
After touchdown in Miramar on Wednesday , four passengers from McGory ’ s flight were transported to local hospitals after showing symptoms of coronavirus infection .
In a news conference Wednesday , Dr. Christopher Braden , a deputy director with the CDC , acknowledged that others on the base and in the greater San Diego area may be concerned about the evacuees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said people on the base had expressed concern that their children who live there may get sick or not be allowed to attend school .
But the new virus spreads through close contact , similar to the flu , Braden said .
This coronavirus also seems to require more prolonged contact to be transmitted to another person , he said .
He said that those quarantined would be continually checked for symptoms .
“ They ’ ve had a very difficult experience , and we ’ re doing everything possible to care for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We are in a critical time period in the international spread of the virus , and this action is necessary try to prevent the spread here in the U.S. ” McGory moved to Wuhan six years ago to teach English at a university there .
He had planned to move back to the U.S. this month , but those plans were upended due to the coronavirus outbreak .
Since late January , he had been mostly confined to his apartment on the university campus .
He tried to talk on the phone and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stave off boredom , he said .
As the quarantine continued into February , people began to panic , he said .
Over a beer , a friend told him she didn ’ t think she would survive the illness if she got it because of her weak lungs .
Grocery stores were running low on food .
The city , which has a population of 11 million , was mostly deserted , he said .
McGory had planned to pack up his belongings and ship some of them to Ohio , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But in a rush to catch one of the flights back to the U.S. this week , he decided to leave behind most of his clothes , he said .
He was only allowed to take 70 pounds of luggage on the flight .
It hurt to leave behind his friends and co-workers , especially in the midst of an outbreak , he said .
A goodbye hug with a friend made him breakdown in tears , he said .
“ It makes me sad that after six years in Wuhan I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
McGory said his flight to the U.S. had at least 50 children onboard .
The plane made a seven-hour stop at Travis Airforce Base in Vacaville before arriving in San Diego .
The detour was to drop off people reuniting with their families , officials said .
When the plane arrived in San Diego , the 14-day countdown clock started ticking .
Once two weeks are up , those quarantined should be released , officials said .
If someone falls ill while on the base , their close contacts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarantine until they are cleared , officials said .
Braden said that while living at Miramar , the evacuees will receive three meals a day as well as snacks .
They are able to spend time with each other as well as explore the two buildings and the surrounding area that is included in the quarantine , he said .
One of the quarantine areas has a playground , and the other will soon get one .
Officials are also assessing what other needs families might have , such as playing cards or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services ’ Administration for Children and Families .
“ We are helping facilities with all the needs ... all of the recreational activities that these families might need so they can have a pleasant and welcome stay at the base , ” Thorman said at the news conference Wednesday .
McGory has two sisters who live a 10-minute drive from the base .
He inquired to see if one of them could bring him a bottle of red wine .
Staff said no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay optimistic .
When he reconnected to the internet on Wednesday , he saw that while he was in transit , his grandson was born — Arthur , his fourth grandchild .
During the initial meeting at Miramar after the group deplaned , as they reviewed coronavirus symptoms and quarantine instructions , McGory decided to share some positive news with the group .
“ I told them about my grandson , ” he said , “ and everyone applauded .
”

Board games for children? Definitely. Tai chi in the parking lot? Maybe. Red wine dropped off by relatives? Nope.
For the hundreds of Americans who have been evacuated from China amid the coronavirus outbreak, the stress and worries of possible infection and getting back to the United States have been joined by another pressing concern: How do you fill two unexpected weeks quarantined on a military base?
To be sure, there are frequent medical checks for symptoms of the illness. But for the rest of the time, officials are navigating how to make evacuees feel at home on the bases, three of which are in California, while also protecting them and others from potential infection.
Advertisement
The quarantine orders are the first in 50 years issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Officials say they are necessary to prevent the global spread of a virus that has already infected 28,000 people worldwide.
John McGory touched down at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego along with 166 other passengers Wednesday. The journey from Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak and where McGory had lived for the last six years, was filled with detours and stops and took 37 hours, he said.
McGory, 65, was put up in an apartment in the base’s bachelors quarters, which had been emptied for the arriving passengers. Staff regularly drop off meals at his door and also take his temperature to check for a fever.
McGory said officials laid out ground rules in a welcome meeting Wednesday. Face masks are not required, and people who work and live on the base have been told not to interact with the passengers.
Officials told McGory’s group that they would set up a message board for people to throw out ideas for group activities. Someone suggested a tai chi class, McGory said. Officials said they would bring board and card games.
McGory said he wants to ride out the quarantine by writing about his experiences and by teaching a storytelling class where perhaps people can share tales of Hubei province, of which Wuhan is the capital.
Advertisement
“It can’t be worse than the last two weeks,” McGory said.
McGory’s flight was one of several recently arranged by U.S. officials for U.S. citizens and their families to escape China during the outbreak. Three other bases outside California have also been designated as quarantine sites.
The coronavirus outbreak that began late last year in Wuhan has spread to four continents and killed 565 people as of Wednesday. The U.S. has advised Americans not to fly to China and is temporarily barring foreign nationals who have recently visited China from entering the country.
Passengers were not allowed to board flights to the U.S. if they showed symptoms of illness, according to CDC officials. They were checked for fevers while on the planes and as soon as their landed.
After touchdown in Miramar on Wednesday, four passengers from McGory’s flight were taken to local hospitals after showing symptoms of coronavirus infection.
In a news conference Wednesday, Dr. Christopher Braden, a deputy director with the CDC, acknowledged that others on the base and in the greater San Diego area may be concerned about the evacuees living there for two weeks. He said people on the base had expressed concern that their children who live there may get sick or not be allowed to attend school.
But the new virus spreads through close contact, similar to the flu, Braden said. This coronavirus also seems to require more prolonged contact to be transmitted to another person, he said. He said that those quarantined would be continually checked for symptoms.
“They’ve had a very difficult experience, and we’re doing everything possible to care for them,” he said. “We are in a critical time period in the international spread of the virus, and this action is necessary try to prevent the spread here in the U.S.”
McGory moved to Wuhan six years ago to teach English at a university there. He had planned to move back to the U.S. this month, but those plans were upended by the coronavirus outbreak.
Since late January, he had been mostly confined to his apartment on the university campus. He tried to talk on the phone and message with people throughout the day to stave off boredom, he said.
As the quarantine continued into February, people began to panic, he said. Over a beer, a friend told him she didn’t think she would survive the illness if she got it because of her weak lungs. Grocery stores were running low on food. The city, which has a population of 11 million, was mostly deserted, he said.
McGory had planned to pack up his belongings and ship some of them to Ohio, where he is from and plans to resettle. But in a rush to catch one of the flights back to the U.S. this week, he decided to leave behind most of his clothes, he said. He was allowed to take only 70 pounds of luggage on the flight.
It hurt to leave behind his friends and co-workers, especially in the midst of an outbreak, he said. A goodbye hug with a friend made him breakdown in tears, he said.
“It makes me sad that after six years in Wuhan I have to leave it this way,” he said.
McGory said his flight to the U.S. had at least 50 children onboard. The plane made a seven-hour stop at Travis Air Force Base outside Vacaville, Calif., before arriving in San Diego. The detour was to drop off people reuniting with their families, officials said.
When the plane arrived in San Diego, the 14-day countdown clock started ticking. Once two weeks are up, those quarantined should be released, officials said. If someone falls ill while on the base, their close contacts may need to spend additional days in quarantine until they are cleared, officials said.
“I hope I stay healthy. That’s everyone’s concern here first,” McGory said.
Braden said that while living at Miramar, the evacuees will receive three meals a day as well as snacks. They are able to spend time with each other as well as explore the two buildings and the surrounding area that is included in the quarantine, he said.
One of the quarantine areas has a playground, and the other will soon get one. Officials are also assessing what other needs families might have, such as playing cards or a basketball court, said Caroline Thorman, spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families.
“We are helping facilities with all the needs … all of the recreational activities that these families might need so they can have a pleasant and welcome stay at the base,” Thorman said at the news conference Wednesday.
McGory has two sisters who live a 10-minute drive from the base. He inquired to see if one of them could bring him a bottle of red wine. Staff said no.
McGory said he is trying to stay optimistic. When he reconnected to the internet Wednesday, he saw that while he was in transit, his grandson was born — Arthur, his fourth grandchild.
During the initial meeting at Miramar after the group deplaned, as they reviewed coronavirus symptoms and quarantine instructions, McGory decided to share some positive news with the group.
“I told them about my grandson,” he said, “and everyone applauded.”


latimes--2020-02-07--Harvey Weinstein trial: Memory expert and UC Irvine professor Elizabeth Loftus testifies for defense

Psychologist Elizabeth Loftus testified for the defense in Harvey Weinstein ’ s rape trial Friday , laying out how memory can become distorted over time .
Loftus , a distinguished professor at UC Irvine , has appeared as an expert witness in more than 300 trials and has testified in a number of high-profile sexual misconduct and murder cases , including those of O.J .
Simpson , Ted Bundy and the officers accused in the Rodney King beating .
She also consulted in the trials of Michael Jackson and Bill Cosby .
She has routinely testified that memories can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some cases , altogether false .
Loftus stuck to a similar narrative during her testimony Friday , though she was not permitted to speak on issues of memory tied to sexual interactions .
She explained that many factors can lead to weakened or entirely fabricated memories , including some therapy techniques , media coverage and questioning by law enforcement .
“ False memories , once created — either through misinformation or though these suggestive processes — can be experienced with a great deal of emotion , a great deal of confidence and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re false , ” Loftus told the jury .
Loftus ’ testimony could be consequential in a case that relies heavily on the memory of accusers , some of whom alleged Weinstein assaulted them many years ago .
While on the stand , Weinstein ’ s accusers have sometimes confused dates or details of their alleged assaults , which is not unusual for victims of sexual violence , according to trauma experts .
Six women have testified against Weinstein , who faces five counts of sexual assault and life in prison if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Thursday .
Defense attorneys on Thursday pointed out that accuser Lauren Young had previously told investigators she pulled and pounded on the door of the hotel bathroom Weinstein allegedly had trapped her in , though she testified to the contrary .
“ I blocked out some memories because I had such a traumatic experience , ” Young , 30 , told the jury .
Young said that when she first talked to investigators she hadn ’ t yet begun therapy , which helped her resolve her trauma around the assault and remember @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Loftus said that while there are many forms of effective therapy , mental health professionals may sometimes pressure their clients to produce more detailed accounts , which could lead to unintended fabrication or distortion of memories .
Loftus cited her most well-known study , “ Lost in the Shopping Mall , ” which showed that , through a series of interviews , people could be induced to remember that they had once gotten lost in a shopping mall as children and were rescued by a stranger , even though the event never happened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to discredit abuse survivors ’ testimony in court , and it also has led to stricter requirements for the use of recovered memories in trials .
Therapists and academics who believe memory repression is a natural survival technique continue to contest her stance on the phenomenon .
With the exception of one case , she has exclusively testified for the defense since the 1970s .
During cross-examination , Loftus said that she typically charges $ 600 an hour for her work in cases .
Some psychologists who study memory and trauma disagree with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court , contending that her testimony in cases of alleged sexual misconduct tends to be one-sided and incomplete and has the potential to mislead jurors .
A review of research finds that 2 % to 10 % of sexual assault accusations are false , according to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center .
Many such studies are unreliable , though , because of inconsistencies in methods used to evaluate data .
All memories are fragmentary and incomplete and tend to fade over time .
A trauma victim may incorrectly recall certain details of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of an attacker ’ s eyes , or how he or she got home that night .
But people almost always remember the general outline , or the “ gist ” of what happened , according to psychologists .
On Friday , Manhattan Assistant Dist .
Atty .
Joan Illuzi-Osborn pressed Loftus on this issue .
“ Is it also correct to say , after time passes ... some peripheral details may be lost , but the core memory will remain strong ?
” Illuzi-Osborn asked .
“ Generally , it will remain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It should fade to some extent ... and potentially be susceptible to some contamination.
” “ But much less right ?
” Illuzi-Osborn said .

Psychologist Elizabeth Loftus testified for the defense in Harvey Weinstein’s rape trial Friday, laying out how memory can become distorted over time.
Loftus, a distinguished professor at UC Irvine, has appeared as an expert witness in more than 300 trials and has testified in a number of high-profile sexual misconduct and murder cases, including those of O.J. Simpson, Ted Bundy and the officers accused in the Rodney King beating. She also consulted in the trials of Michael Jackson and Bill Cosby.
She has routinely testified that memories can be transformed and contaminated — and, in some cases, altogether false.
Advertisement
Loftus stuck to a similar narrative during her testimony Friday, though she was not permitted to speak on issues of memory tied to sexual interactions. She explained that many factors can lead to weakened or entirely fabricated memories, including some therapy techniques, media coverage and questioning by law enforcement.
“False memories, once created — either through misinformation or though these suggestive processes — can be experienced with a great deal of emotion, a great deal of confidence and a lot of detail, even though they’re false,” Loftus told the jury.
Loftus’ testimony could be consequential in a case that relies heavily on the memory of accusers, some of whom alleged Weinstein assaulted them many years ago.
While on the stand, Weinstein’s accusers have sometimes confused dates or details of their alleged assaults, which is not unusual for victims of sexual violence, according to trauma experts.
Six women have testified against Weinstein, who faces five counts of sexual assault and life in prison if convicted. The prosecution rested its case on Thursday.
Defense attorneys on Thursday pointed out that accuser Lauren Young had previously told investigators she pulled and pounded on the door of the hotel bathroom Weinstein allegedly had trapped her in, though she testified to the contrary.
Advertisement
“I blocked out some memories because I had such a traumatic experience,” Young, 30, told the jury. Young said that when she first talked to investigators she hadn’t yet begun therapy, which helped her resolve her trauma around the assault and remember it more clearly.
On Friday, Loftus said that while there are many forms of effective therapy, mental health professionals may sometimes pressure their clients to produce more detailed accounts, which could lead to unintended fabrication or distortion of memories.
Loftus cited her most well-known study, “Lost in the Shopping Mall,” which showed that, through a series of interviews, people could be induced to remember that they had once gotten lost in a shopping mall as children and were rescued by a stranger, even though the event never happened.
Loftus’ research has been used to discredit abuse survivors’ testimony in court, and it also has led to stricter requirements for the use of recovered memories in trials. Therapists and academics who believe memory repression is a natural survival technique continue to contest her stance on the phenomenon.
With the exception of one case, she has exclusively testified for the defense since the 1970s. During cross-examination, Loftus said that she typically charges $600 an hour for her work in cases.
Some psychologists who study memory and trauma disagree with how Loftus frames her award-winning research in court, contending that her testimony in cases of alleged sexual misconduct tends to be one-sided and incomplete and has the potential to mislead jurors.
A review of research finds that 2% to 10% of sexual assault accusations are false, according to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center. Many such studies are unreliable, though, because of inconsistencies in methods used to evaluate data.
All memories are fragmentary and incomplete and tend to fade over time. A trauma victim may incorrectly recall certain details of the event, such as the color of an attacker’s eyes, or how he or she got home that night.
But people almost always remember the general outline, or the “gist” of what happened, according to psychologists.
On Friday, Manhattan Assistant Dist. Atty. Joan Illuzi-Osborn pressed Loftus on this issue.
“Is it also correct to say, after time passes ... some peripheral details may be lost, but the core memory will remain strong?” Illuzi-Osborn asked.
“Generally, it will remain stronger,” Loftus replied. “It should fade to some extent ... and potentially be susceptible to some contamination.”
“But much less right?” Illuzi-Osborn said.
“I agree, much less,” Loftus answered.