latimes--2020-12-22--Lancaster father charged with decapitating two of his children will have mental competency hearing

A Lancaster father accused of decapitating two of his children and showing their two siblings the dead bodies must have a mental competency hearing before the case can move forward , a Los Angeles Superior Court judge has decided .
Maurice Jewel Taylor Sr. , 34 , made a brief court appearance Monday before Judge Richard Naranjo suspended the proceedings until the Jan.6 hearing .
Taylor , a personal trainer , was removed from his Lancaster home on Dec. 4 while strapped and handcuffed to a stretcher .
Inside the home , Los Angeles County Sheriff ’ s homicide detectives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 12-year-old Maurice Jr. and 13-year-old Maliaka , in separate bedrooms .
Taylor allegedly killed the children the Sunday after Thanksgiving , then kept the bodies inside the house for the next five days .
During this period , prosecutors allege that Taylor showed the dead bodies to his two younger sons , ages 8 and 9 , who were kept in their rooms without food .
The gruesome scene was not uncovered until calls from Taylor ’ s clients brought firefighters to the house on Century Circle .
The clients , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus pandemic , became concerned after he did not send out a link for a scheduled session and could not be reached .
They were worried about a gas leak at the home and asked authorities to check on the family .
On Dec. 8 , prosecutors charged Taylor with two counts each of murder and child abuse .
The children ’ s mother , who was in the house , is not a suspect but has been questioned by investigators and is still in contact with them , said Lt. Brandon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Department ’ s Homicide Bureau .
Taylor is the first high-profile murder defendant charged under newly elected Dist .
Atty .
George Gascón , who has pledged not to seek the death penalty in any new cases .
Gascón has not filed special circumstances charges against Taylor that would include life without parole .
But he noted this week that the sentence in the case would effectively be a life sentence .

A Lancaster father accused of decapitating two of his children and showing their two siblings the dead bodies must have a mental competency hearing before the case can move forward, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge has decided.
Maurice Jewel Taylor Sr., 34, made a brief court appearance Monday before Judge Richard Naranjo suspended the proceedings until the Jan.6 hearing.
Taylor, a personal trainer, was removed from his Lancaster home on Dec. 4 while strapped and handcuffed to a stretcher.
Advertisement
Inside the home, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s homicide detectives had found his decapitated son and daughter, 12-year-old Maurice Jr. and 13-year-old Maliaka, in separate bedrooms.
Taylor allegedly killed the children the Sunday after Thanksgiving, then kept the bodies inside the house for the next five days.
During this period, prosecutors allege that Taylor showed the dead bodies to his two younger sons, ages 8 and 9, who were kept in their rooms without food.
California Two young people found decapitated in Lancaster home; father arrested, officials say A personal trainer described as “mellow” and “reliable” was arrested Friday in connection with the deaths of his two adolescent children, who were found decapitated in the family home in Lancaster, authorities said.
The gruesome scene was not uncovered until calls from Taylor’s clients brought firefighters to the house on Century Circle.
The clients, who were taking Zoom classes from Taylor during the coronavirus pandemic, became concerned after he did not send out a link for a scheduled session and could not be reached. They were worried about a gas leak at the home and asked authorities to check on the family.
Advertisement
Personal-training clients of Maurice Jewel Taylor Sr. called authorities to check on the family home in the 45000 block of Century Circle on Friday morning after they hadn’t heard from him. (Los Angeles Times)
On Dec. 8, prosecutors charged Taylor with two counts each of murder and child abuse.
The children’s mother, who was in the house, is not a suspect but has been questioned by investigators and is still in contact with them, said Lt. Brandon Dean of the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Bureau.
Taylor is the first high-profile murder defendant charged under newly elected Dist. Atty. George Gascón, who has pledged not to seek the death penalty in any new cases.
Gascón has not filed special circumstances charges against Taylor that would include life without parole. But he noted this week that the sentence in the case would effectively be a life sentence.


latimes--2020-12-22--Newsom names Assemblywoman Shirley Weber to succeed Padilla as California secretary of state

Gov .
Gavin Newsom took swift action Tuesday to fill the newly vacant post of California secretary of state by selecting Democratic Assemblywoman Shirley Weber to serve as the state ’ s chief elections officer , the result of his decision to appoint incumbent Secretary of State Alex Padilla to the U.S. Senate .
Weber , a 72-year-old retired professor and San Diego legislator , has earned a reputation for taking on tough issues at the state Capitol .
She would be only the fourth woman to ever hold the position and the first Black woman to do so in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a tireless advocate and change agent with unimpeachable integrity , ” Newsom said in a written statement , noting her family ’ s trek to Los Angeles from the rural South where they were not allowed to vote .
“ Now , she ’ ll be at the helm of California ’ s elections as the next Secretary of State — defending and expanding the right to vote and serving as the first African American to be California ’ s Chief Elections Officer.
” The speedy decision by Newsom to announce the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Padilla to fill the Senate seat of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris may reflect the intense pressure the governor faced by passing over several Black women for the job of representing California in the upper house of Congress .
It also will heighten the likelihood of intra-party clashes in 2022 , as two other Democratic legislators have already opened campaign committees to run for the position that Padilla would have left due to term limits .
Weber ’ s appointment must be confirmed by both houses of the Legislature .
Weber called the job @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement Tuesday and said she is up for the challenge .
“ Expanding voting rights has been one of the causes of my career and will continue to motivate me as I assume my new constitutional duties , ” she said .
Weber was elected to the Assembly in 2012 representing southeastern San Diego and its eastern suburbs .
Known for her passionate speeches during legislative floor debates , she is often hailed as a moral authority for Democratic lawmakers and has taken the lead on contentious legislative fights over police use of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Her two-year battle to create more strict requirements for when and how police officers can use deadly force ended last year with Newsom ’ s signature on Assembly Bill 392 , a law touted as creating some of the toughest standards in the nation .
The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board named Weber the San Diegan of the Year in 2019 , calling her ability to pass the bill “ a giant accomplishment.
” Weber serves as chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus and championed a first-in-the-nation law this year that requires @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for potential reparations to descendants of enslaved people and those affected by slavery .
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria , a former state assemblyman , praised Newsom ’ s decision , calling Weber a “ San Diego institution.
” He described her as a force for good in Sacramento , an authentic politician and an eloquent speaker who few legislators wanted to follow during floor debates .
“ Her points are so clear , so profound and so meaningful , that no one dare speak after her , ” Gloria said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Commandment.
’ You don ’ t speak after Dr. Weber.
” The daughter of an Arkansas sharecropper who fled the state when his life was threatened over a dispute with a white farmer , Weber ’ s family settled in South Los Angeles ’ Pueblo Del Rio housing projects , where her parents would often volunteer the family living room for a local polling place .
She was educated in L.A. public schools and earned undergraduate and graduate degrees at UCLA with a doctorate awarded when she was 26 .
She taught in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Diego State University for more than 40 years .
Weber began her political career at the local level and served as president of the San Diego Board of Education , chair of the San Diego Citizens ’ Equal Opportunity Commission and on the boards of the NAACP and YWCA .
The mother of two adult children and wife to the late California state Judge Daniel Weber , she has created a leadership network for young women of color and served as a mentor to many in her local community .
Weber briefly served @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Redistricting Committee in 2016 .
A law she wrote that same year allows some felons serving a sentence in county jail to vote while behind bars , an effort she said at the time could reduce recidivism by fostering more civic engagement for those who will reenter society .
A trio of laws she authored beginning in 2013 required more voter registration information to be provided to probationers and parolees .
While the large government agency currently led by Padilla oversees myriad duties — including business licensing operations and maintaining the state ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work is to lead California ’ s vast array of elections operations , setting statewide voting mandates used by elections officials in 58 counties .
Padilla , who was elected secretary of state in 2014 and reelected in 2018 , has championed several efforts to expand voter registration services and voting by mail .
In 2016 , he lobbied the California Legislature and then-Gov .
Jerry Brown to enact a far-reaching law that allows counties to close neighborhood polling places in favor of opening community vote centers and mailing every registered voter a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a member of the Assembly and it has been adopted by 15 counties .
Earlier this month , Weber served as the chair of California ’ s electoral college , announcing the selection of President-elect Biden and Harris to the applause of electors gathered in the Assembly chamber .
Newsom could have allowed a career government employee to serve in the job until the next election .
Twice in the last 50 years , an acting secretary of state stepped in but both instances were for shorter periods of time than the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ current term .
The last time a governor appointed someone to the post was in 2005 , when then-Gov .
Arnold Schwarzenegger chose Republican Bruce McPherson following Democrat Kevin Shelley ’ s resignation after investigations into his campaign finances and conduct while in office .
One early challenge for Weber will be to resolve a simmering clash between Padilla ’ s office and state finance officials over a $ 35-million contract to provide voter education services for the November election .
Republicans cried foul when the contract was given to a political consulting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Last month , state Controller Betty Yee rejected a request to pay the contract , a dispute centered on whether it was a permissible use of election funds authorized by the Legislature .
Newsom ’ s budget advisors have been reviewing the issue and a lawsuit filed in October seeks to permanently block payment .
Even so , Weber is poised to take office at a high point for voter participation .
A higher percentage of eligible voters cast ballots in November than in any election since 1952 .
Researchers hope to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an electorate that came closer to reflecting the state ’ s diversity than in prior elections .
As chief elections officer , Weber could choose to further Padilla ’ s efforts or emphasize a variety of other ways to increase election turnout — including whether the state should make permanent this year ’ s decision to mail every voter a ballot .
“ We ’ re going to need to dive into the data and see whether turnout was up for minority voters or infrequent voters , ” said Raul Macias , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at New York University Law School ’ s Brennan Center for Justice .
“ It will need to happen soon .
Planning for the 2022 election begins by the end of next year.
” Weber could also play a sizable role in the national discussion over election security and efforts to modernize voting machines used across California .
Those discussions will be very different than the ones in which Padilla participated , given the numerous battles President Trump waged over unfounded allegations of systemic voter fraud .

Assemblywoman Shirley Weber (D-San Diego) is Gov. Gavin Newsom’s choice to fill the post of California secretary of state. She would be the first Black woman in state history to serve in the office.
Gov. Gavin Newsom took swift action Tuesday to fill the newly vacant post of California secretary of state by selecting Democratic Assemblywoman Shirley Weber to serve as the state’s chief elections officer, the result of his decision to appoint incumbent Secretary of State Alex Padilla to the U.S. Senate.
Weber, a 72-year-old retired professor and San Diego legislator, has earned a reputation for taking on tough issues at the state Capitol. She would be only the fourth woman to ever hold the position and the first Black woman to do so in state history.
“Dr. Weber is a tireless advocate and change agent with unimpeachable integrity,” Newsom said in a written statement, noting her family’s trek to Los Angeles from the rural South where they were not allowed to vote. “Now, she’ll be at the helm of California’s elections as the next Secretary of State — defending and expanding the right to vote and serving as the first African American to be California’s Chief Elections Officer.”
Advertisement
The speedy decision by Newsom to announce the appointment on the same day he chose Padilla to fill the Senate seat of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris may reflect the intense pressure the governor faced by passing over several Black women for the job of representing California in the upper house of Congress.
It also will heighten the likelihood of intra-party clashes in 2022, as two other Democratic legislators have already opened campaign committees to run for the position that Padilla would have left due to term limits. Weber’s appointment must be confirmed by both houses of the Legislature.
Weber called the job a “monumental responsibility” in a statement Tuesday and said she is up for the challenge.
“Expanding voting rights has been one of the causes of my career and will continue to motivate me as I assume my new constitutional duties,” she said.
Weber was elected to the Assembly in 2012 representing southeastern San Diego and its eastern suburbs. Known for her passionate speeches during legislative floor debates, she is often hailed as a moral authority for Democratic lawmakers and has taken the lead on contentious legislative fights over police use of force, education and racial injustice.
Her two-year battle to create more strict requirements for when and how police officers can use deadly force ended last year with Newsom’s signature on Assembly Bill 392, a law touted as creating some of the toughest standards in the nation. The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board named Weber the San Diegan of the Year in 2019, calling her ability to pass the bill “a giant accomplishment.”
Advertisement
California Newsom signs ‘Stephon Clark’s Law,’ setting new rules on police use of force California’s new use-of-force law will become effective in January and create one of the nation’s toughest standards on when police can kill.
Weber serves as chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus and championed a first-in-the-nation law this year that requires the state to study and develop proposals for potential reparations to descendants of enslaved people and those affected by slavery.
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, a former state assemblyman, praised Newsom’s decision, calling Weber a “San Diego institution.” He described her as a force for good in Sacramento, an authentic politician and an eloquent speaker who few legislators wanted to follow during floor debates.
“Her points are so clear, so profound and so meaningful, that no one dare speak after her,” Gloria said. “It was almost like an ‘11th Commandment.’ You don’t speak after Dr. Weber.”
The daughter of an Arkansas sharecropper who fled the state when his life was threatened over a dispute with a white farmer, Weber’s family settled in South Los Angeles’ Pueblo Del Rio housing projects, where her parents would often volunteer the family living room for a local polling place. She was educated in L.A. public schools and earned undergraduate and graduate degrees at UCLA with a doctorate awarded when she was 26. She taught in the Department of Africana Studies at San Diego State University for more than 40 years.
Weber began her political career at the local level and served as president of the San Diego Board of Education, chair of the San Diego Citizens’ Equal Opportunity Commission and on the boards of the NAACP and YWCA. The mother of two adult children and wife to the late California state Judge Daniel Weber, she has created a leadership network for young women of color and served as a mentor to many in her local community.
Weber briefly served as chair of the Assembly Elections and Redistricting Committee in 2016. A law she wrote that same year allows some felons serving a sentence in county jail to vote while behind bars, an effort she said at the time could reduce recidivism by fostering more civic engagement for those who will reenter society. A trio of laws she authored beginning in 2013 required more voter registration information to be provided to probationers and parolees.
While the large government agency currently led by Padilla oversees myriad duties — including business licensing operations and maintaining the state’s historical archives — its most pressing work is to lead California’s vast array of elections operations, setting statewide voting mandates used by elections officials in 58 counties.
Padilla, who was elected secretary of state in 2014 and reelected in 2018, has championed several efforts to expand voter registration services and voting by mail. In 2016, he lobbied the California Legislature and then-Gov. Jerry Brown to enact a far-reaching law that allows counties to close neighborhood polling places in favor of opening community vote centers and mailing every registered voter a ballot. Weber voted for the bill as a member of the Assembly and it has been adopted by 15 counties.
Earlier this month, Weber served as the chair of California’s electoral college, announcing the selection of President-elect Biden and Harris to the applause of electors gathered in the Assembly chamber.
Newsom could have allowed a career government employee to serve in the job until the next election. Twice in the last 50 years, an acting secretary of state stepped in but both instances were for shorter periods of time than the two years left in Padilla’s current term. The last time a governor appointed someone to the post was in 2005, when then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger chose Republican Bruce McPherson following Democrat Kevin Shelley’s resignation after investigations into his campaign finances and conduct while in office.
One early challenge for Weber will be to resolve a simmering clash between Padilla’s office and state finance officials over a $35-million contract to provide voter education services for the November election. Republicans cried foul when the contract was given to a political consulting firm with close ties to President-elect Biden. Last month, state Controller Betty Yee rejected a request to pay the contract, a dispute centered on whether it was a permissible use of election funds authorized by the Legislature. Newsom’s budget advisors have been reviewing the issue and a lawsuit filed in October seeks to permanently block payment.
Even so, Weber is poised to take office at a high point for voter participation. A higher percentage of eligible voters cast ballots in November than in any election since 1952. Researchers hope to determine whether voter outreach efforts resulted in an electorate that came closer to reflecting the state’s diversity than in prior elections.
As chief elections officer, Weber could choose to further Padilla’s efforts or emphasize a variety of other ways to increase election turnout — including whether the state should make permanent this year’s decision to mail every voter a ballot.
“We’re going to need to dive into the data and see whether turnout was up for minority voters or infrequent voters,” said Raul Macias, a voting rights advocate who is now counsel at New York University Law School’s Brennan Center for Justice. “It will need to happen soon. Planning for the 2022 election begins by the end of next year.”
Weber could also play a sizable role in the national discussion over election security and efforts to modernize voting machines used across California. Those discussions will be very different than the ones in which Padilla participated, given the numerous battles President Trump waged over unfounded allegations of systemic voter fraud.


latimes--2020-12-22--Villanueva's top aide allegedly used racial slur to describe Black, Latino employees

Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva ’ s second in command used a Japanese racial slur to refer to employees of color and drew a rebuke from a county oversight panel for his behavior , according to law enforcement sources and court filings .
After reviewing a sheriff ’ s investigation into the claims against Undersheriff Tim Murakami , the County Equity Oversight Panel concluded Murakami violated the department ’ s policy against discrimination and urged the Sheriff ’ s Department to take “ appropriate administrative action ” against him , an internal record of the case reviewed by The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ letter from a sheriff ’ s official formally notifying a lieutenant who made the accusations of the panel ’ s decision — does not address whether the panel found that Murakami referred to Black and Latino employees using the slur , considered to be the Japanese version of the N-word .
In an interview with The Times , Murakami denied using the slur toward subordinates .
He said he had heard the term and used it as a child , but now , “ it ’ s just not part of my vocabulary.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ if he considers the word derogatory .
The case against Murakami comes after incidents in which other sheriff ’ s officials and Villanueva himself have drawn criticism for racist or insensitive remarks .
Such episodes have taken on heightened significance at a time when policing in the U.S. is under intense scrutiny amid widespread allegations of bias against minorities .
Under Villanueva , Murakami rocketed to the top of the department after four decades as a deputy and midlevel commander .
Soon after taking office in 2018 , Villanueva promoted Murakami three ranks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the department ’ s assistant sheriffs .
A few months later , Villanueva abruptly removed then-Undersheriff Ray Leyva and promoted Murakami again .
Before being elevated by the sheriff , Murakami served as a captain running the department ’ s station in Industry .
His tenure there was not without controversy .
Last year , a jury awarded $ 8.1 million to an Industry deputy who alleged he suffered retaliation and harassment by Murakami and others after he complained about misconduct at the station .
The investigation into Murakami ’ s comments stemmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year by Lt. Carlos Parga , a department veteran of Mexican descent who alleged Murakami regularly used the epithet toward him and in his presence when discussing Black job candidates at the Industry station .
A Black lieutenant who applied for a position under Murakami , Tracy Stewart , also filed a legal claim , which is a precursor to a lawsuit .
In it , she alleges Murakami denied her the job because of her race and that the Sheriff ’ s Department routinely passes over Black candidates for senior-level positions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ animus ” through his use of the slur , Alan Romero , an attorney representing both Parga and Stewart , said of Murakami .
Parga declined through his attorney to comment for this report .
Stewart did not hear Murakami use the word , according to the legal claim she filed with the county , but told The Times she was disappointed to learn that Murakami allegedly used it to refer to her .
“ After hearing that , a lot of things started to make sense , ” she said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the job , because sometimes that ’ s just how it goes .
But to think that I would have never even been considered because of my race made me physically ill , ” Stewart said .
“ This was information that was brought to my attention and not something I sought out .
At some point , you have to take a stand.
” Parga , who filed a retaliation and discrimination lawsuit in June , worked as a lieutenant for Murakami from August 2016 until March 2018 , Romero said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ knew that Parga spoke some Japanese , the attorney said .
During that time , Parga alleges in his lawsuit , Murakami directed multiple comments at him , telling him , “ You ’ re as dumb as a ... , ” adding the slur , and again saying , “ I ’ m not going to give those ... a job , ” in reference to Black employees .
The lawsuit also alleges that Murakami once commented aloud about his wife ’ s Mexican heritage , saying , “ If it wasn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be dumb.
” In his lawsuit , Parga alleges Murakami has blocked several of his attempts to transfer to new positions within the department and claims supervisors refuse to promote him out of fear Murakami will retaliate against them if they do .
The lawsuit also alleges Murakami told various sheriff ’ s employees that as long as he remained at the department , Parga would not advance .
After Parga filed his legal claim against the county , which included a summary of his accusations , sheriff ’ s officials opened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alleging he had failed to report the derogatory remarks when he first heard them , Romero said .
That investigation found the charges against Parga to be unresolved , Romero said .
Parga ’ s allegations against Murakami were investigated by the department ’ s equity investigations unit , which forwarded the case to the County Equity Oversight Panel .
Following a meeting in September , the panel concluded Murakami had violated the department ’ s policy against racial discrimination and harassment , according to the letter reviewed by The Times , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the sheriff ’ s internal affairs bureau .
Law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation and Romero said the panel reviewed interviews that sheriff ’ s investigators conducted with Parga and a second law enforcement officer who said he heard Murakami use the slur .
The panel recommended that the Sheriff ’ s Department adopt its findings and take steps to address the misconduct , according to the letter .
A spokesman for the Sheriff ’ s Department did not answer questions about the agency ’ s response to the panel ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not notified of the panel ’ s findings nor disciplined .
Murakami denied he or other senior officials in the department have treated Black and Latino employees unfairly and said there are “ plenty of African American executives I support and promote.
” He named several Black executives , and said the allegations in the lawsuit were fabricated against him to disparage his reputation by people upset over their failure to advance .
A retired sheriff ’ s lieutenant , who is Black and asked to remain anonymous , told The Times that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Industry station , Murakami once referred to him as “ you people , ” which he took to be a reference to his race .
The lieutenant said he filed a complaint alleging nepotism and unfair treatment to people of color at the station , which was determined to be unfounded .
The Sheriff ’ s Department has struggled with controversies over racist comments sent by department personnel via email or posted on social media .
Villanueva has faced criticism within the agency for his own racially insensitive remarks .
Over the summer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Solis to La Malinche , a term used to demean a woman as a traitor or sellout .
The name refers to a historical figure in Mexican culture who was the interpreter and slave of the Spanish conqueror Hernán Cortés and became a symbol of betrayal for facilitating the conquest of the Aztec empire .
And in 2012 , Villanueva and the department were sued by a Black custody assistant who said Villanueva referred to him as a “ knuckle dragger , ” which the jailer interpreted as a racial slur .
Villanueva @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there was no finding of wrongdoing .
The county settled with the custody assistant for $ 10,000 .
In July , Villanueva ’ s former chief of staff was reassigned after posting on social media that Andres Guardado , the 18-year-old who was fatally shot in the back by a deputy in Gardena in June , “ chose his fate.
” A sheriff ’ s spokeswoman , Deputy Juanita Navarro-Suarez , was also removed from her post after she posted racist stereotypes in reference to a reward for information leading to the arrest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of two deputies sitting in a patrol car in Compton .
She later deleted the posts .
When asked to respond at the time , she said : “ Everyone has an opinion , and that ’ s it .
”

Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva’s second in command used a Japanese racial slur to refer to employees of color and drew a rebuke from a county oversight panel for his behavior, according to law enforcement sources and court filings.
After reviewing a sheriff’s investigation into the claims against Undersheriff Tim Murakami, the County Equity Oversight Panel concluded Murakami violated the department’s policy against discrimination and urged the Sheriff’s Department to take “appropriate administrative action” against him, an internal record of the case reviewed by The Times shows.
The record — a letter from a sheriff’s official formally notifying a lieutenant who made the accusations of the panel’s decision — does not address whether the panel found that Murakami referred to Black and Latino employees using the slur, considered to be the Japanese version of the N-word.
In an interview with The Times, Murakami denied using the slur toward subordinates. He said he had heard the term and used it as a child, but now, “it’s just not part of my vocabulary.” He said he did not know if he considers the word derogatory.
The Sheriff’s Department declined to comment, citing pending litigation.
Advertisement
The case against Murakami comes after incidents in which other sheriff’s officials and Villanueva himself have drawn criticism for racist or insensitive remarks. Such episodes have taken on heightened significance at a time when policing in the U.S. is under intense scrutiny amid widespread allegations of bias against minorities.
Under Villanueva, Murakami rocketed to the top of the department after four decades as a deputy and midlevel commander. Soon after taking office in 2018, Villanueva promoted Murakami three ranks at once to make him one of the department’s assistant sheriffs. A few months later, Villanueva abruptly removed then-Undersheriff Ray Leyva and promoted Murakami again.
Before being elevated by the sheriff, Murakami served as a captain running the department’s station in Industry. His tenure there was not without controversy. Last year, a jury awarded $8.1 million to an Industry deputy who alleged he suffered retaliation and harassment by Murakami and others after he complained about misconduct at the station.
The investigation into Murakami’s comments stemmed from a legal claim filed earlier this year by Lt. Carlos Parga, a department veteran of Mexican descent who alleged Murakami regularly used the epithet toward him and in his presence when discussing Black job candidates at the Industry station.
A Black lieutenant who applied for a position under Murakami, Tracy Stewart, also filed a legal claim, which is a precursor to a lawsuit. In it, she alleges Murakami denied her the job because of her race and that the Sheriff’s Department routinely passes over Black candidates for senior-level positions.
“He’s demonstrated a racial animus” through his use of the slur, Alan Romero, an attorney representing both Parga and Stewart, said of Murakami.
Parga declined through his attorney to comment for this report. Stewart did not hear Murakami use the word, according to the legal claim she filed with the county, but told The Times she was disappointed to learn that Murakami allegedly used it to refer to her. “After hearing that, a lot of things started to make sense,” she said.
“I would have been OK not getting the job, because sometimes that’s just how it goes. But to think that I would have never even been considered because of my race made me physically ill,” Stewart said. “This was information that was brought to my attention and not something I sought out. At some point, you have to take a stand.”
Parga, who filed a retaliation and discrimination lawsuit in June, worked as a lieutenant for Murakami from August 2016 until March 2018, Romero said. Murakami, who is Japanese American, knew that Parga spoke some Japanese, the attorney said.
During that time, Parga alleges in his lawsuit, Murakami directed multiple comments at him, telling him, “You’re as dumb as a ... ,” adding the slur, and again saying, “I’m not going to give those ... a job,” in reference to Black employees.
Advertisement
The lawsuit also alleges that Murakami once commented aloud about his wife’s Mexican heritage, saying, “If it wasn’t for me, my kids would be dumb.”
In his lawsuit, Parga alleges Murakami has blocked several of his attempts to transfer to new positions within the department and claims supervisors refuse to promote him out of fear Murakami will retaliate against them if they do. The lawsuit also alleges Murakami told various sheriff’s employees that as long as he remained at the department, Parga would not advance.
After Parga filed his legal claim against the county, which included a summary of his accusations, sheriff’s officials opened an internal affairs investigation into him, alleging he had failed to report the derogatory remarks when he first heard them, Romero said. That investigation found the charges against Parga to be unresolved, Romero said.
Parga’s allegations against Murakami were investigated by the department’s equity investigations unit, which forwarded the case to the County Equity Oversight Panel. Following a meeting in September, the panel concluded Murakami had violated the department’s policy against racial discrimination and harassment, according to the letter reviewed by The Times, which was sent to Parga late last month by the sheriff’s internal affairs bureau.
Law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation and Romero said the panel reviewed interviews that sheriff’s investigators conducted with Parga and a second law enforcement officer who said he heard Murakami use the slur.
The panel recommended that the Sheriff’s Department adopt its findings and take steps to address the misconduct, according to the letter. A spokesman for the Sheriff’s Department did not answer questions about the agency’s response to the panel’s recommendation. Murakami said he was not notified of the panel’s findings nor disciplined.
Murakami denied he or other senior officials in the department have treated Black and Latino employees unfairly and said there are “plenty of African American executives I support and promote.” He named several Black executives, and said the allegations in the lawsuit were fabricated against him to disparage his reputation by people upset over their failure to advance.
A retired sheriff’s lieutenant, who is Black and asked to remain anonymous, told The Times that when he worked under Murakami at the Industry station, Murakami once referred to him as “you people,” which he took to be a reference to his race. The lieutenant said he filed a complaint alleging nepotism and unfair treatment to people of color at the station, which was determined to be unfounded.
The Sheriff’s Department has struggled with controversies over racist comments sent by department personnel via email or posted on social media.
Villanueva has faced criticism within the agency for his own racially insensitive remarks. Over the summer, he likened L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis to La Malinche, a term used to demean a woman as a traitor or sellout. The name refers to a historical figure in Mexican culture who was the interpreter and slave of the Spanish conqueror Hernán Cortés and became a symbol of betrayal for facilitating the conquest of the Aztec empire.
And in 2012, Villanueva and the department were sued by a Black custody assistant who said Villanueva referred to him as a “knuckle dragger,” which the jailer interpreted as a racial slur. Villanueva has denied making the comment and said there was no finding of wrongdoing. The county settled with the custody assistant for $10,000.
In July, Villanueva’s former chief of staff was reassigned after posting on social media that Andres Guardado, the 18-year-old who was fatally shot in the back by a deputy in Gardena in June, “chose his fate.”
A sheriff’s spokeswoman, Deputy Juanita Navarro-Suarez, was also removed from her post after she posted racist stereotypes in reference to a reward for information leading to the arrest of the suspect in the ambush shooting of two deputies sitting in a patrol car in Compton.
She later deleted the posts. When asked to respond at the time, she said: “Everyone has an opinion, and that’s it.”


latimes--2020-12-22--Former O.C. deputy sheriff indicted, charged with breaking into dead man's home

A former Orange County sheriff ’ s deputy has been indicted for allegedly stealing 15 firearms and other items from a Yorba Linda home where he had found a dead man during a welfare check .
Steve Hortz , a 12-year-department veteran , discovered the man ’ s body during his official duties this summer .
Over the next few weeks , he was captured on surveillance video returning to the home and breaking into it three times , including once while on duty and wearing his sheriff ’ s uniform , to steal the firearms , according to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so angry and beyond disappointed .
This act in and of itself has done so much damage to the public perception of law enforcement and the timing could not be more detrimental , ” said Orange County Dist .
Atty .
Todd Spitzer , a former Los Angeles police reserve officer .
“ The community must be able to trust those who wear the badge and have complete confidence that they are there to protect and serve the community rather than exploit that trust to rob the very people they are sworn to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ San Dimas , was indicted Monday on three felony counts of second-degree burglary and two felony counts of grand theft of a firearm .
The former deputy did not reply to calls seeking comment .
On July 20 , Hortz accompanied two other Sheriff ’ s Department employees to a home on Via Angelina Drive in Yorba Linda and discovered the body of a man who was later determined to have died of natural causes .
The indictment accuses Hortz of returning to the home in uniform on July 27 and breaking into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He then allegedly returned to the home two more times on Aug. 10 and Aug. 16 , minutes before he was scheduled to start his shift , and stole more items from the home .
A probate attorney handling the deceased man ’ s estate discovered evidence of the alleged thefts and contacted the Orange County Sheriff ’ s Department , which initiated an investigation .
Deputies arrested Hortz on Sept. 10 , and later that month , he resigned rather than be terminated .
The former deputy is scheduled to be arraigned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all charges , he could face up to four years and four months in state prison .
“ The suspected criminal actions of this deputy are a violation of public trust , are inexcusable and intolerable , ” said Sheriff Don Barnes following the arrest .
“ This deputy will be held accountable through a swift and thorough process including a full criminal and internal administrative investigation .
”

A former Orange County sheriff’s deputy has been indicted for allegedly stealing 15 firearms and other items from a Yorba Linda home where he had found a dead man during a welfare check.
Steve Hortz, a 12-year-department veteran, discovered the man’s body during his official duties this summer. Over the next few weeks, he was captured on surveillance video returning to the home and breaking into it three times, including once while on duty and wearing his sheriff’s uniform, to steal the firearms, according to the grand jury indictment.
“I am so angry and beyond disappointed. This act in and of itself has done so much damage to the public perception of law enforcement and the timing could not be more detrimental,” said Orange County Dist. Atty. Todd Spitzer, a former Los Angeles police reserve officer. “The community must be able to trust those who wear the badge and have complete confidence that they are there to protect and serve the community rather than exploit that trust to rob the very people they are sworn to safeguard.”
Advertisement
Hortz, 42, of San Dimas, was indicted Monday on three felony counts of second-degree burglary and two felony counts of grand theft of a firearm. The former deputy did not reply to calls seeking comment.
On July 20, Hortz accompanied two other Sheriff’s Department employees to a home on Via Angelina Drive in Yorba Linda and discovered the body of a man who was later determined to have died of natural causes.
The indictment accuses Hortz of returning to the home in uniform on July 27 and breaking into it while he was on duty.
He then allegedly returned to the home two more times on Aug. 10 and Aug. 16, minutes before he was scheduled to start his shift, and stole more items from the home.
A probate attorney handling the deceased man’s estate discovered evidence of the alleged thefts and contacted the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, which initiated an investigation.
Deputies arrested Hortz on Sept. 10, and later that month, he resigned rather than be terminated.
The former deputy is scheduled to be arraigned on Jan. 26. If convicted on all charges, he could face up to four years and four months in state prison.
Advertisement
“The suspected criminal actions of this deputy are a violation of public trust, are inexcusable and intolerable,” said Sheriff Don Barnes following the arrest. “This deputy will be held accountable through a swift and thorough process including a full criminal and internal administrative investigation.”


latimes--2020-12-22--Erika Jayne under fire after alleging judge's involvement with Tom Girardi

It was a rough day in courts , plural , for “ Real Housewives of Beverly Hills ” star Erika Jayne on Tuesday .
In Chicago , a federal judge warned her not to sell or spend assets she shares with her estranged husband , troubled legal giant Tom Girardi .
In Los Angeles , an appellate justice Jayne blasted online for allegedly having an affair with her husband accused her of criminal conduct for posting the jurist ’ s intimate text messages , photos and phone number .
A lawyer for Justice Tricia A. Bigelow , the presiding judge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Court of Appeal , told The Times that Jayne ’ s “ actions in maliciously doxxing the Justice were nothing short of criminal.
” “ We are considering our options to protect Justice Bigelow from further harassment , ” said lawyer Alan Jackson , who noted that the judge was deluged with nasty text messages and calls after her phone number was published on Instagram .
Representatives for the “ Housewives ” star did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
The events Tuesday were the latest developments in the implosion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the life he built around it for himself and Jayne , his third wife .
Best known for the case that inspired “ Erin Brockovich , ” Girardi , 81 , made a fortune suing big corporations , and he spent freely on a lavish lifestyle that included private planes , blowout parties and , for 49-year-old Jayne , a middle-aged attempt at a singing career .
Now , however , he appears to be broke , and the couple are divorcing .
Creditors and former clients say Girardi owes them tens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawsuits filed against him and his firm , Girardi Keese .
Among those clamoring for payment are widows and orphans of five passengers killed in a 2018 plane crash in Indonesia .
Girardi did not pass on more than $ 2 million that plane manufacturer Boeing had transferred to his law firm as part of the settlement of their lawsuits .
After learning recently of the missing funds , U.S. District Judge Thomas Durkin last week called Girardi ’ s conduct “ unconscionable , ” alerted federal prosecutors , and froze the lawyer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wilshire Boulevard firm .
Informed subsequently that Jayne was hawking second-hand designer clothes through a French online consignment site , the judge summoned her lawyer to appear at Tuesday ’ s hearing .
“ There is currently pending an asset freeze as to Tom Girardi and his assets , and if she is selling assets that are the property of Tom Girardi , either in whole or in part , you need to inform her of the danger that puts her in , ” Durkin told Jayne ’ s lawyer , Matt Wasserman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who had no role in the plane crash litigation , was subject to the Illinois proceedings , but said , “ I understand the court ’ s comments and will take them to my client.
” When Girardi and his wife married in 2000 , they did not obtain a prenuptial agreement , and the division of their community property is likely to be a central part of the divorce case .
What assets remain is unclear .
He testified this fall that his cash holdings of up to $ 80 million as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at $ 50 million were “ all gone.
” Last week , a contingent of creditors went to court in an attempt to force Girardi and his law firm into bankruptcy .
Among the debtors listed in the bankruptcy petition was Robert Keese , the attorney whose surname was part of Girardi ’ s law firm branding , and Kimberly Archie , who worked as a legal consultant at the firm .
Separately , the court reporting company Veritext filed a suit last week demanding nearly $ 550,000 in unpaid bills .
Girardi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claims against him , nor was he present for Tuesday ’ s hearing .
His lawyers have suggested to the judge that he has “ mental competency ” problems that prevent him from explaining what happened to his money or offering them guidance on how to defend him .
“ I ’ m also unable to effectively communicate with my client regarding these issues , ” his defense attorney Evan Jenness told the judge Tuesday .
The downfall of Girardi and its fallout for Jayne has united the typically staid legal world and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fascination .
Both circles were set atwitter Friday night when Jayne alleged on Instagram that Girardi had an affair with Justice Bigelow and that he had paid for the judge ’ s plastic surgery and shopping sprees .
Jayne published a collage of screenshots of years-old text messages that also included Bigelow ’ s phone number as well as a photo of the justice posing on a bed .
She later deleted the post .
Jackson , the attorney for Bigelow , said the justice had been “ in a committed relationship with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ She was personal friends with Tom Girardi for many years before her marriage , and at one brief point that friendship grew into a dating relationship .
That relationship ended long before she met her husband , ” Jackson said in a statement .
He said the justice recused herself from cases involving Girardi or lawyers from his firm , adding , “ At no time has Justice Bigelow violated any canon of judicial ethics .
Indeed , she takes great pride in her decades-long record of integrity , impartiality and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Chicago indicated he plans to scrutinize whether other lawyers in Girardi ’ s firm should have done more to ensure the Indonesian widows and orphans received their settlements .
Girardi was the sole owner of the firm and controlled its finances , according to affidavits submitted by former employees .
Two former Girardi Keese lawyers claimed in court papers this week that they had warned their boss for months about his handling of client money .
David Lira , who is married to Girardi ’ s daughter , repeatedly urged his father-in-law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Indonesian clients , according to a filing by his lawyer .
“ Similar exchanges with increasing intensity followed with the final confrontation on the day Mr. Lira resigned and left the firm , ” attorney Edith Matthai wrote , adding that the Girardi and Lira have not spoken since June 13 , when Lira walked out of the firm .
The downtown law practice he joined as a named partner , Johnston Hutchinson & Lira , announced Tuesday that Lira had resigned “ after careful consideration.
” Another attorney , Keith @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leave Girardi Keese before it effectively shut down operations this month , also said in court documents that he had told Girardi again and again to pay the Indonesians .
In a November memo submitted to the court , he pleaded with Girardi to transfer the money and noted that the clients were prepared to go to the state bar and the district attorney ’ s office .
“ This could not be more serious , ” he wrote .
Girardi did not send the money .

It was a rough day in courts, plural, for “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Erika Jayne on Tuesday.
In Chicago, a federal judge warned her not to sell or spend assets she shares with her estranged husband, troubled legal giant Tom Girardi. In Los Angeles, an appellate justice Jayne blasted online for allegedly having an affair with her husband accused her of criminal conduct for posting the jurist’s intimate text messages, photos and phone number.
A lawyer for Justice Tricia A. Bigelow, the presiding justice in Division 8 of the 2nd District Court of Appeal, told The Times that Jayne’s “actions in maliciously doxxing the Justice were nothing short of criminal.”
Advertisement
“We are considering our options to protect Justice Bigelow from further harassment,” said lawyer Alan Jackson, who noted that the judge was deluged with nasty text messages and calls after her phone number was published on Instagram.
Representatives for the “Housewives” star did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The events Tuesday were the latest developments in the implosion of Girardi’s storied legal career and the life he built around it for himself and Jayne, his third wife. Best known for the case that inspired “Erin Brockovich,” Girardi, 81, made a fortune suing big corporations, and he spent freely on a lavish lifestyle that included private planes, blowout parties and, for 49-year-old Jayne, a middle-aged attempt at a singing career.
Now, however, he appears to be broke, and the couple are divorcing. Creditors and former clients say Girardi owes them tens of millions of dollars, according to lawsuits filed against him and his firm, Girardi Keese.
Among those clamoring for payment are widows and orphans of five passengers killed in a 2018 plane crash in Indonesia. Girardi did not pass on more than $2 million that plane manufacturer Boeing had transferred to his law firm as part of the settlement of their lawsuits.
After learning recently of the missing funds, U.S. District Judge Thomas Durkin last week called Girardi’s conduct “unconscionable,” alerted federal prosecutors, and froze the lawyer’s assets and those of his Wilshire Boulevard firm.
Advertisement
Informed subsequently that Jayne was hawking second-hand designer clothes through a French online consignment site, the judge summoned her lawyer to appear at Tuesday’s hearing.
“There is currently pending an asset freeze as to Tom Girardi and his assets, and if she is selling assets that are the property of Tom Girardi, either in whole or in part, you need to inform her of the danger that puts her in,” Durkin told Jayne’s lawyer, Matt Wasserman.
The attorney questioned whether Jayne, who had no role in the plane crash litigation, was subject to the Illinois proceedings, but said, “I understand the court’s comments and will take them to my client.”
When Girardi and his wife married in 2000, they did not obtain a prenuptial agreement, and the division of their community property is likely to be a central part of the divorce case.
What assets remain is unclear. He testified this fall that his cash holdings of up to $80 million as well as a stock portfolio once valued at $50 million were “all gone.”
Last week, a contingent of creditors went to court in an attempt to force Girardi and his law firm into bankruptcy. Among the debtors listed in the bankruptcy petition was Robert Keese, the attorney whose surname was part of Girardi’s law firm branding, and Kimberly Archie, who worked as a legal consultant at the firm. Separately, the court reporting company Veritext filed a suit last week demanding nearly $550,000 in unpaid bills.
Girardi has not spoken publicly about the mounting claims against him, nor was he present for Tuesday’s hearing. His lawyers have suggested to the judge that he has “mental competency” problems that prevent him from explaining what happened to his money or offering them guidance on how to defend him.
“I’m also unable to effectively communicate with my client regarding these issues,” his defense attorney Evan Jenness told the judge Tuesday.
The downfall of Girardi and its fallout for Jayne has united the typically staid legal world and legions of reality TV fans in rapt fascination. Both circles were set atwitter Friday night when Jayne alleged on Instagram that Girardi had an affair with Justice Bigelow and that he had paid for the judge’s plastic surgery and shopping sprees.
Jayne published a collage of screenshots of years-old text messages that also included Bigelow’s phone number as well as a photo of the justice posing on a bed. She later deleted the post.
Jackson, the attorney for Bigelow, said the justice had been “in a committed relationship with her husband for more than four years.”
“She was personal friends with Tom Girardi for many years before her marriage, and at one brief point that friendship grew into a dating relationship. That relationship ended long before she met her husband,” Jackson said in a statement.
He said the justice recused herself from cases involving Girardi or lawyers from his firm, adding, “At no time has Justice Bigelow violated any canon of judicial ethics. Indeed, she takes great pride in her decades-long record of integrity, impartiality and independence on the bench.”
The judge in Chicago indicated he plans to scrutinize whether other lawyers in Girardi’s firm should have done more to ensure the Indonesian widows and orphans received their settlements. Girardi was the sole owner of the firm and controlled its finances, according to affidavits submitted by former employees.
Two former Girardi Keese lawyers claimed in court papers this week that they had warned their boss for months about his handling of client money. David Lira, who is married to Girardi’s daughter, repeatedly urged his father-in-law to pass on settlement money from Boeing to the Indonesian clients, according to a filing by his lawyer.
“Similar exchanges with increasing intensity followed with the final confrontation on the day Mr. Lira resigned and left the firm,” attorney Edith Matthai wrote, adding that the Girardi and Lira have not spoken since June 13, when Lira walked out of the firm.
The downtown law practice he joined as a named partner, Johnston Hutchinson & Lira, announced Tuesday that Lira had resigned “after careful consideration.”
Another attorney, Keith Griffin, one of the last to leave Girardi Keese before it effectively shut down operations this month, also said in court documents that he had told Girardi again and again to pay the Indonesians. In a November memo submitted to the court, he pleaded with Girardi to transfer the money and noted that the clients were prepared to go to the state bar and the district attorney’s office.
“This could not be more serious,” he wrote. Girardi did not send the money.


latimes--2020-12-22--Becerra reaches settlement with Kern County sheriff, resolving four-year civil rights probe

The Kern County Sheriff ’ s Office and the California Department of Justice have resolved a four-year investigation of potential civil rights abuses with a settlement that implements modest reforms and places the sheriff ’ s office under oversight from an outside monitor , Atty .
Gen. Xavier Becerra said Tuesday .
Becerra had overseen an investigation opened in 2016 by his predecessor , Vice President-elect Kamala Harris , that probed civilian complaints of excessive force and other misconduct by the Kern County Sheriff ’ s Office and the Bakersfield Police Department .
The investigation was civil — not criminal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complaint filed Tuesday in Kern County Superior Court , Becerra ’ s deputies alleged that the sheriff ’ s office used excessive force on residents of Kern County , particularly with the use of its canines ; carried out unreasonable stops , searches , arrests and seizures ; and committed “ legal violations ” in using deadly force against people with mental disabilities .
“ After a comprehensive investigation , ” the complaint says , “ the Attorney General ’ s Office concluded that because of defective or inadequate policies , practices , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sheriff ’ s Office ] has failed to uniformly and adequately enforce the law.
” Yet during a press conference with Sheriff Donny Youngblood and Kern County Supervisor Leticia Perez , Becerra , who has been tapped by President-elect Joe Biden to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services , struck a far more conciliatory tone .
He stressed the investigation ’ s “ good outcome ” : A 59-page settlement in which the sheriff ’ s office agreed to review its use-of-force policies , change how it trains and deploys @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recruit deputies from diverse backgrounds , and improve how it accepts and investigates civilian complaints , among other reforms .
Youngblood pushed back on the state ’ s written allegations , emphasizing that the settlement makes no legal finding that his office had committed civil rights abuses .
“ We do not believe — I do not believe — that the men and women of this department have ever violated constitutional rights , ” he said .
In the end , he added , “ We could go to court and let a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ d done anything right , wrong or indifferent — or we could go to the table with the Department of Justice.
” Youngblood said his office has already implemented 70 % of the settlement ’ s proposed reforms .
The Kern County Board of Supervisors has allotted funding to equip every sheriff ’ s deputy with a body-worn camera , he said , as well as to hire 42 more sworn and professional personnel , some of whom will be tasked with monitoring body-worn camera video and releasing it through public records requests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from square one , ” Youngblood said .
Asked whether the state ’ s investigation uncovered evidence of civil rights violations , Becerra said that rather than taking the department ’ s allegations to a “ fact-finder ” in the courts , he was “ trying to move the ball forward ” with the agreed-on reforms .
Becerra defended the length of the probe , which spanned four years .
He said its second prong , which is examining the Bakersfield Police Department , remains ongoing ; he declined to discuss it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
“ You need to make sure you ’ re doing this right.
” Harris had opened the investigation weeks after a Bakersfield police officer killed a 73-year-old man , Francisco Serna .
At the time , the Bakersfield Police Department said the officer opened fire only after telling Serna to take his hand out of his pocket and stop walking toward the officer .
Serna in fact did not have a weapon in his pocket , but a dark-colored crucifix .
California attorneys general have previously launched civil rights investigations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In Maywood , a two-year probe overseen by then-Atty .
Gen. Jerry Brown found that the small city in southeastern Los Angeles was patrolled by “ rogue cops ” who arrested people without probable cause , failed to investigate citizen complaints and routinely used excessive force , all without oversight from Maywood ’ s elected leaders .
Maywood reached an agreement with the state that required the city to raise its hiring standards , publish annual audits of the police department ’ s operations , and equip police officers with audio recorders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among other reforms .
A year after entering the agreement , Maywood chose to disband its police force and contract with the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’ s Department .

California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra’s office has overseen a probe opened by his predecessor, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, into law enforcement agencies in Kern County.
The Kern County Sheriff’s Office and the California Department of Justice have resolved a four-year investigation of potential civil rights abuses with a settlement that implements modest reforms and places the sheriff’s office under oversight from an outside monitor, Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra said Tuesday.
Becerra had overseen an investigation opened in 2016 by his predecessor, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, that probed civilian complaints of excessive force and other misconduct by the Kern County Sheriff’s Office and the Bakersfield Police Department. The investigation was civil — not criminal — in nature.
In a seven-page complaint filed Tuesday in Kern County Superior Court, Becerra’s deputies alleged that the sheriff’s office used excessive force on residents of Kern County, particularly with the use of its canines; carried out unreasonable stops, searches, arrests and seizures; and committed “legal violations” in using deadly force against people with mental disabilities.
Advertisement
“After a comprehensive investigation,” the complaint says, “the Attorney General’s Office concluded that because of defective or inadequate policies, practices, and procedures, [the Kern County Sheriff’s Office] has failed to uniformly and adequately enforce the law.”
Yet during a press conference with Sheriff Donny Youngblood and Kern County Supervisor Leticia Perez, Becerra, who has been tapped by President-elect Joe Biden to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, struck a far more conciliatory tone.
He stressed the investigation’s “good outcome”: A 59-page settlement in which the sheriff’s office agreed to review its use-of-force policies, change how it trains and deploys canines, lay out a plan to recruit deputies from diverse backgrounds, and improve how it accepts and investigates civilian complaints, among other reforms.
Youngblood pushed back on the state’s written allegations, emphasizing that the settlement makes no legal finding that his office had committed civil rights abuses.
“We do not believe — I do not believe — that the men and women of this department have ever violated constitutional rights,” he said. In the end, he added, “We could go to court and let a judge and jury decide whether we’d done anything right, wrong or indifferent — or we could go to the table with the Department of Justice.”
Youngblood said his office has already implemented 70% of the settlement’s proposed reforms. The Kern County Board of Supervisors has allotted funding to equip every sheriff’s deputy with a body-worn camera, he said, as well as to hire 42 more sworn and professional personnel, some of whom will be tasked with monitoring body-worn camera video and releasing it through public records requests.
“We’re not starting from square one,” Youngblood said.
Asked whether the state’s investigation uncovered evidence of civil rights violations, Becerra said that rather than taking the department’s allegations to a “fact-finder” in the courts, he was “trying to move the ball forward” with the agreed-on reforms.
Advertisement
Becerra defended the length of the probe, which spanned four years. He said its second prong, which is examining the Bakersfield Police Department, remains ongoing; he declined to discuss it.
“These things take time,” he said. “You need to make sure you’re doing this right.”
Harris had opened the investigation weeks after a Bakersfield police officer killed a 73-year-old man, Francisco Serna.
At the time, the Bakersfield Police Department said the officer opened fire only after telling Serna to take his hand out of his pocket and stop walking toward the officer. Serna in fact did not have a weapon in his pocket, but a dark-colored crucifix.
California attorneys general have previously launched civil rights investigations into police departments in Maywood and Riverside.
In Maywood, a two-year probe overseen by then-Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown found that the small city in southeastern Los Angeles was patrolled by “rogue cops” who arrested people without probable cause, failed to investigate citizen complaints and routinely used excessive force, all without oversight from Maywood’s elected leaders.
Maywood reached an agreement with the state that required the city to raise its hiring standards, publish annual audits of the police department’s operations, and equip police officers with audio recorders and their cruisers with video cameras, among other reforms. A year after entering the agreement, Maywood chose to disband its police force and contract with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.


latimes--2020-12-22--Meet Alex Padilla, California's first Latino U.S. senator and a rising political star since his 20s

People have been saying Alex Padilla is a politician to watch since he was in his early 20s .
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology-trained engineer gave up a career in aerospace to enter politics at an early age .
At 26 , he became Los Angeles ’ youngest council member .
Then , he went on to be the face of city government in the days after the 9/11 terrorist attacks .
That brought him national prominence .
“ This can only be helpful , if you want to be crude in the political sense , to whatever future plans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said of Padilla at the time .
Now , he is set to become California ’ s first Latino U.S. senator , appointed by Gov .
Gavin Newsom to fill the term of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris .
Padilla grew up in Pacoima , the middle child of a Mexican-born housekeeper and a short-order cook who were determined to see their children succeed .
He often said his upbringing there had a major influence on his life .
Padilla was trained as an engineer at MIT and then returned home to write software @ @ @ @ @ @ @ politics beckoned at an early age .
At 22 , he ran the successful Assembly campaign of Tony Cardenas , then a little-known owner of a real estate agency .
Cardenas is now a congressman representing the San Fernando Valley .
Padilla later managed the bare-knuckled 1998 campaign that propelled Richard Alarcon into a state Senate seat by a mere 29 votes .
In 1999 , Padilla jumped into the race for Alarcon ’ s former council seat .
He was barely known outside political circles , but he put together a potent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and then-L.A. Mayor Richard Riordan .
Padilla won by a landslide .
He made history when he took office .
As The Times reported : “ 26-year-old Alex Padilla became the youngest member of the Los Angeles City Council , taking the oath of office administered by 87-year-old former Councilman Ernani Bernardi.
” He offered a special tribute to his parents .
“ A teary-eyed Padilla dedicated his first term to his parents , Santos and Lupe , immigrants from Mexico .
He said that his mother became a U.S. citizen two days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after his father took the citizenship oath , ” said The Times article on his swearing-in ceremony .
Two years after his election , Padilla shocked the old guard at City Hall by beating a veteran council member , Ruth Galanter , to win enough votes on the City Council to become president of that body .
At 28 , he became the youngest person and first Latino to serve as council president in more than 100 years .
But his tenure was not without controversy , with some saying his lack of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s rise in politics — along with that of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa — was seen at the time as a watershed moment for Latino representation in the city .
A 2005 Times article made clear Padilla was seen as going places : When Latino leaders gathered recently to celebrate the election of Antonio Villaraigosa as mayor of Los Angeles , White House aide Ruben Barrales told them it was great to welcome “ a dynamic Latino leader ” with “ unlimited political potential.
” “ But enough about Alex Padilla , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Padilla played a role in the selection of William Bratton as chief of police and was involved in negotiations for approval of the downtown development known as L.A. Live , as well as modernization of Los Angeles International Airport .
Padilla also strongly opposed an effort to have the Valley secede from Los Angeles to form a new city .
A pivotal moment in Padilla ’ s career came during the 9/11 terrorist attacks when he served as acting mayor for four days while Mayor Jim Hahn was stuck in Washington , D.C. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who served with Padilla on the City Council , recalled being with Padilla when there was a report that one of the planes hijacked by terrorists might be heading into Los Angeles , though that later proved to be false .
“ Padilla has been omnipresent on Los Angeles radio and television .
He has assuaged and assured over and over , in English and Spanish , displaying far more polish than his 28 years and his rocky start as council president might have suggested , ” The Times wrote in a profile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won election to the state Senate , to which he was reelected in 2010 .
His state Senate tenure , which was ended by term limits , included an emphasis on health and safety issues .
He won approval of a bill that requires California restaurants to post calorie information on their menus to help reduce obesity .
He also authored a smoke-free housing law .
Padilla has been secretary of state since 2015 and was one of the first statewide officials to tangle with President Trump over his unfounded allegations in 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cast illegally .
In 2017 , Padilla rejected requests by Trump ’ s voter fraud commission for access to detailed voter information from the state , citing privacy concerns .
His most notable achievement as chief elections officer was his push for enactment of the state ’ s Voter ’ s Choice Act , allowing counties to swap out neighborhood polling places for community vote centers as long as they also mailed a ballot to every registered voter .
But another high-profile program — the state ’ s automatic voter registration program at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of errors when it debuted in 2019 .
When interviewed by High School Insider , Padilla was asked to give advice for teenagers getting involved in political life .
“ It ’ s a lot easier and more important than you think , ” he said .
“ A lot of people assume that you need to know somebody .
You don ’ t need to know somebody .
”

California Secretary of State Alex Padilla became California’s first Latino U.S. senator Tuesday. Padilla has enjoyed a steady rise in politics at several levels of government.
People have been saying Alex Padilla is a politician to watch since he was in his early 20s.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology-trained engineer gave up a career in aerospace to enter politics at an early age. At 26, he became Los Angeles’ youngest council member. Then, he went on to be the face of city government in the days after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
That brought him national prominence. “This can only be helpful, if you want to be crude in the political sense, to whatever future plans he has,” one political consultant said of Padilla at the time.
Now, he is set to become California’s first Latino U.S. senator, appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom to fill the term of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.
Advertisement
Early life
Padilla grew up in Pacoima, the middle child of a Mexican-born housekeeper and a short-order cook who were determined to see their children succeed.
He often said his upbringing there had a major influence on his life.
Engineer
Padilla was trained as an engineer at MIT and then returned home to write software for satellites at Hughes Aircraft. But politics beckoned at an early age.
City Council
At 22, he ran the successful Assembly campaign of Tony Cardenas, then a little-known owner of a real estate agency. Cardenas is now a congressman representing the San Fernando Valley. Padilla later managed the bare-knuckled 1998 campaign that propelled Richard Alarcon into a state Senate seat by a mere 29 votes.
In 1999, Padilla jumped into the race for Alarcon’s former council seat. He was barely known outside political circles, but he put together a potent cadre of backers, including labor unions and then-L.A. Mayor Richard Riordan. Padilla won by a landslide.
He made history when he took office. As The Times reported: “26-year-old Alex Padilla became the youngest member of the Los Angeles City Council, taking the oath of office administered by 87-year-old former Councilman Ernani Bernardi.”
He offered a special tribute to his parents.
“A teary-eyed Padilla dedicated his first term to his parents, Santos and Lupe, immigrants from Mexico. He said that his mother became a U.S. citizen two days after his election, and three years after his father took the citizenship oath,” said The Times article on his swearing-in ceremony.
Two years after his election, Padilla shocked the old guard at City Hall by beating a veteran council member, Ruth Galanter, to win enough votes on the City Council to become president of that body. At 28, he became the youngest person and first Latino to serve as council president in more than 100 years. But his tenure was not without controversy, with some saying his lack of experience was an issue.
Padilla’s rise in politics — along with that of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa — was seen at the time as a watershed moment for Latino representation in the city. A 2005 Times article made clear Padilla was seen as going places:
When Latino leaders gathered recently to celebrate the election of Antonio Villaraigosa as mayor of Los Angeles, White House aide Ruben Barrales told them it was great to welcome “a dynamic Latino leader” with “unlimited political potential.”
Advertisement
“But enough about Alex Padilla,” he concluded.
As City Council president, Padilla played a role in the selection of William Bratton as chief of police and was involved in negotiations for approval of the downtown development known as L.A. Live, as well as modernization of Los Angeles International Airport. Padilla also strongly opposed an effort to have the Valley secede from Los Angeles to form a new city.
9/11
A pivotal moment in Padilla’s career came during the 9/11 terrorist attacks when he served as acting mayor for four days while Mayor Jim Hahn was stuck in Washington, D.C. Jack Weiss, a former federal prosecutor who served with Padilla on the City Council, recalled being with Padilla when there was a report that one of the planes hijacked by terrorists might be heading into Los Angeles, though that later proved to be false.
“Padilla has been omnipresent on Los Angeles radio and television. He has assuaged and assured over and over, in English and Spanish, displaying far more polish than his 28 years and his rocky start as council president might have suggested,” The Times wrote in a profile that year.
State senator
In 2006, Padilla won election to the state Senate, to which he was reelected in 2010.
His state Senate tenure, which was ended by term limits, included an emphasis on health and safety issues. He won approval of a bill that requires California restaurants to post calorie information on their menus to help reduce obesity. He also authored a smoke-free housing law.
Secretary of state
Padilla has been secretary of state since 2015 and was one of the first statewide officials to tangle with President Trump over his unfounded allegations in 2016 that millions of California ballots had been cast illegally. In 2017, Padilla rejected requests by Trump’s voter fraud commission for access to detailed voter information from the state, citing privacy concerns.
His most notable achievement as chief elections officer was his push for enactment of the state’s Voter’s Choice Act, allowing counties to swap out neighborhood polling places for community vote centers as long as they also mailed a ballot to every registered voter. But another high-profile program — the state’s automatic voter registration program at DMV offices — was beset by a number of errors when it debuted in 2019.
When interviewed by High School Insider, Padilla was asked to give advice for teenagers getting involved in political life.
“It’s a lot easier and more important than you think,” he said. “A lot of people assume that you need to know somebody. You don’t need to know somebody.”


latimes--2020-12-22--Coronavirus wave pushes California to brink of 2 million cases

It took almost 10 months for California to record its millionth confirmed coronavirus case .
Now , just six weeks after crossing that milestone , the state is on the cusp of surpassing 2 million .
The staggering rate of growth demonstrates how widely the coronavirus is circulating statewide and underscores the reality that activities and behaviors thought to be relatively safe just weeks ago now carry a higher risk of infection than ever before .
“ Without sustained efforts to stop the surge , we can expect that this tragic trajectory will continue , ” Los Angeles County Public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There are now 1.96 million confirmed coronavirus cases in California , according to data compiled by the Los Angeles Times .
That includes 62,661 new cases reported Monday — by far the most confirmed in a single day since the pandemic began .
Nearly 35,000 more were reported Tuesday .
California averaged more than 45,000 new coronavirus cases a day over the past week — more than seven times the comparable figure from six weeks ago .
At that rate , the state will cross the 2-million mark as soon as Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important than ever to take steps to prevent infection by wearing masks in public , regularly washing your hands and staying home as much as possible .
Experts and officials also warn against traveling and gathering with those you don ’ t live with over the holidays .
The failure of many to follow those restrictions for Thanksgiving , they say , fueled the record infection numbers .
“ We are really making a clarion and desperate call to Californians to not repeat what happened at Thanksgiving , ” said Dr. Stephen Parodi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Medical Group .
“ And our hospital systems can not afford to see another increase like we saw with Thanksgiving.
” The ramifications of the exponential climb in confirmed cases reach far beyond a spreadsheet or newspaper headline .
Every newly announced batch foreshadows the inevitability of more people falling seriously ill , and some dying , from COVID-19 .
“ We are anticipating a substantial increase in the hospital surge , ” Gov .
Gavin Newsom said Monday .
Already , the number of COVID-19 fatalities , like cases and hospitalizations , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 258 deaths per day over the last week , a record and roughly double the number seen two weeks ago .
More than 23,000 Californians have died from COVID-19 since the pandemic began , a milestone crossed Tuesday .
On Tuesday , 375 deaths were reported statewide , according to a county-by-county tally conducted by The Times , marking the second worst death toll in a single day , just shy of the record recorded Dec. 16 , when 394 deaths were recorded .
Los Angeles County on Tuesday tallied 96 new deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pushing its cumulative death total past 9,000 for the first time .
L.A. County is now averaging 85 deaths a day over the past week , a record .
Fresno County reported 89 deaths Tuesday ; previously , the largest number of fatalities it reported in a single day was 28 , which happened on Dec. 11 .
Fresno County is now reporting nearly 2,000 new coronavirus cases a day over the past week , nearly seven times worse than the comparable number from Thanksgiving .
Fresno County is now averaging 13 deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seven days ; the comparable number from Thanksgiving was two deaths a day .
On Monday , the most recent day for which complete data are available , there were record-high numbers statewide of COVID-19 hospitalizations — 17,843 — and patients in intensive care — 3,755 .
Those numbers have ballooned by 69 % and 55 % , respectively , over the last two weeks .
Officials say they expect those statistics to climb further as some of those who were recently infected fall ill and start showing up in emergency rooms .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ today ’ s cases will be hospitalized 12 days from now , and then 12 % of those hospitalized patients will be admitted to the ICU for critical-care needs , ” Dr. Mark Ghaly , California ’ s Health and Human Services secretary , said Monday .
“ Looking at the cases day-over-day and the trajectory we are on , we are worried that certain regions do exceed their existing capacity — and even may go beyond the existing surge capacity that they currently have planned.
” Of particular concern are the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care to those who are critically ill or injured .
The torrent of COVID-19 patients has stretched some of those units to their limits .
As of Tuesday , ICU availability remained at 0 % in Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley , according to state figures .
That doesn ’ t mean there are no unoccupied beds , as the state uses a weighted formula to ensure that some remain open for non-COVID patients .
But officials and experts warn that an overcrowded ICU can overburden doctors and nurses , imperiling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needs it .
“ It is true that some counties , or some regions , may begin to exceed their existing stated hospital capacity — not just ICU capacity — by the end of the month and early in January , ” Ghaly said .
“ We don ’ t see that across the entire state quite at that time , but we ’ re watching it very closely.
” Statewide , 1.4 % of ICU beds were available Tuesday .
In the face of the ongoing surge , state officials and representatives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Permanente , Sutter Health and Dignity Health — issued a joint call Tuesday for Californians to do their part to stave off coronavirus transmission by not “ sharing their air.
” While healthcare workers are a vital last line of defense for those in need of medical attention , officials said it ’ s incumbent upon all Californians to be the first line and protect themselves from becoming infected .
“ We are tired .
We are going home and fearful for what we might bring home to our family , ” Dr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sutter Health Valley Area electronic ICU , said during a press conference .
“ We are struggling every day to deal with the same fatigue that you have — not being able to go out and enjoy the things that we used to .
... We ’ re asking you to please do your part and continue to avoid gathering indoors , avoid sharing your air.
” In L.A. County , home to 10 million people , a point-in-time survey found that there were 30 available ICU beds as of 9 a.m. Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 69 .
“ Today , we ’ re over 100 % of our usual patient volume , and of that volume , 52 % of our inpatients are patients diagnosed with COVID , ” Greg Adams , chairman and chief executive of Kaiser Permanente , said Tuesday .
“ Sixteen of our 36 hospitals are already above 100 % occupancy in our ICUs .
We ’ re struggling to add capacity for COVID patients as we speak.
” Already , hospitals are having to step up measures to ensure that the sickest patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That includes moving some patients who would typically be in the ICU to other areas of the hospital , such as a recovery area , or keeping them in the emergency room for longer than normal .
The overriding concern , though , is not physical space but having enough trained healthcare professionals .
Unlike in localized disasters , such as an earthquake or hurricane , the latest surge of COVID-19 is hammering the entire country — meaning resources are stretched thin nationwide , and healthcare staff are overworked and exhausted .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ there are simply too many critically ill patients for the limited numbers of ICU doctors and nurses available .
In other areas where hospitals have become overwhelmed , such as New York City and northern Italy , the death tolls have been severe .
Dr. Thomas McGinn , executive vice president of physician enterprise with Dignity Health , said he worked in New York earlier in the pandemic and “ saw patients , firsthand , suffering .
I saw the families suffering .
I saw the healthcare teams exhausted , working around the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s been a long road for everybody .
It ’ s been nine months ; we ’ ve all been wearing masks ; we ’ re tired of doing this , ” he said Tuesday .
“ But this is the time , right now , that we need to be most conscious of this .
If you want to celebrate next year with your family and your friends and your loved ones , now is the time to be disciplined .
Now is the time to stick with it.
” San Francisco @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus cases have begun to level off , as residents have been moving around less in the past two weeks .
She urged residents to continue staying home as much as possible , warning that failing to heed that call could have dire consequences .
“ Nothing scares me more than if we get to a point where we have to turn someone away from the hospital , ” she said .
“ I don ’ t even want to look someone in the eye and and say that their mom or dad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ space in our hospital for them.
” While healthcare systems are doing all they can to manage the influx of patients , officials say they ’ re worried they won ’ t be able to keep pace if the numbers continue rising as they have .
That ’ s why recent images of “ people out and about , lots of people in parks ... busy shopping centers and retail centers ” are tremendously troubling , according to L.A. County Health Services Director Dr. Christina Ghaly .
“ If you ’ re still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for this holiday season , or you ’ re planning a holiday get-together , then you are missing the gravity of the situation that is affecting hospitals across Los Angeles County and California and this nation , ” she said .
“ People are very sick in the hospital .
They are dying there .
And our hospitals may not have the equipment or the capacity or the resources to take care of you in the way that you need or expect.
” Times staff writers Susanne Rust , Sean Greene , Sandhya @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report .

It took almost 10 months for California to record its millionth confirmed coronavirus case.
Now, just six weeks after crossing that milestone, the state is on the cusp of surpassing 2 million.
The staggering rate of growth demonstrates how widely the coronavirus is circulating statewide and underscores the reality that activities and behaviors thought to be relatively safe just weeks ago now carry a higher risk of infection than ever before.
Advertisement
“Without sustained efforts to stop the surge, we can expect that this tragic trajectory will continue,” Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said this week.
There are now 1.96 million confirmed coronavirus cases in California, according to data compiled by the Los Angeles Times.
That includes 62,661 new cases reported Monday — by far the most confirmed in a single day since the pandemic began. Nearly 35,000 more were reported Tuesday.
California averaged more than 45,000 new coronavirus cases a day over the past week — more than seven times the comparable figure from six weeks ago.
At that rate, the state will cross the 2-million mark as soon as Wednesday.
Experts say it’s more important than ever to take steps to prevent infection by wearing masks in public, regularly washing your hands and staying home as much as possible.
Experts and officials also warn against traveling and gathering with those you don’t live with over the holidays. The failure of many to follow those restrictions for Thanksgiving, they say, fueled the record infection numbers.
Advertisement
“We are really making a clarion and desperate call to Californians to not repeat what happened at Thanksgiving,” said Dr. Stephen Parodi, associate executive director of the Permanente Medical Group. “And our hospital systems cannot afford to see another increase like we saw with Thanksgiving.”
The ramifications of the exponential climb in confirmed cases reach far beyond a spreadsheet or newspaper headline. Every newly announced batch foreshadows the inevitability of more people falling seriously ill, and some dying, from COVID-19.
“We are anticipating a substantial increase in the hospital surge,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday.
Already, the number of COVID-19 fatalities, like cases and hospitalizations, has reached unprecedented levels. California averaged 258 deaths per day over the last week, a record and roughly double the number seen two weeks ago.
More than 23,000 Californians have died from COVID-19 since the pandemic began, a milestone crossed Tuesday.
On Tuesday, 375 deaths were reported statewide, according to a county-by-county tally conducted by The Times, marking the second worst death toll in a single day, just shy of the record recorded Dec. 16, when 394 deaths were recorded.
Los Angeles County on Tuesday tallied 96 new deaths, the third highest single-day count, pushing its cumulative death total past 9,000 for the first time. L.A. County is now averaging 85 deaths a day over the past week, a record.
Fresno County reported 89 deaths Tuesday; previously, the largest number of fatalities it reported in a single day was 28, which happened on Dec. 11. Fresno County is now reporting nearly 2,000 new coronavirus cases a day over the past week, nearly seven times worse than the comparable number from Thanksgiving.
Fresno County is now averaging 13 deaths a day from COVID-19 over the past seven days; the comparable number from Thanksgiving was two deaths a day.
On Monday, the most recent day for which complete data are available, there were record-high numbers statewide of COVID-19 hospitalizations — 17,843 — and patients in intensive care — 3,755.
Those numbers have ballooned by 69% and 55%, respectively, over the last two weeks.
Officials say they expect those statistics to climb further as some of those who were recently infected fall ill and start showing up in emergency rooms.
“We believe that 12% of today’s cases will be hospitalized 12 days from now, and then 12% of those hospitalized patients will be admitted to the ICU for critical-care needs,” Dr. Mark Ghaly, California’s Health and Human Services secretary, said Monday. “Looking at the cases day-over-day and the trajectory we are on, we are worried that certain regions do exceed their existing capacity — and even may go beyond the existing surge capacity that they currently have planned.”
Of particular concern are the state’s ICUs, which provide specialized care to those who are critically ill or injured.
California Coronavirus stay-home orders likely to be extended in Southern California Gov. Gavin Newsom has acknowledged that the coronavirus stay-at-home orders issued for Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley will likely need to be extended.
The torrent of COVID-19 patients has stretched some of those units to their limits. As of Tuesday, ICU availability remained at 0% in Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley, according to state figures.
That doesn’t mean there are no unoccupied beds, as the state uses a weighted formula to ensure that some remain open for non-COVID patients. But officials and experts warn that an overcrowded ICU can overburden doctors and nurses, imperiling the quality of care for everyone who needs it.
“It is true that some counties, or some regions, may begin to exceed their existing stated hospital capacity — not just ICU capacity — by the end of the month and early in January,” Ghaly said. “We don’t see that across the entire state quite at that time, but we’re watching it very closely.”
Statewide, 1.4% of ICU beds were available Tuesday.
In the face of the ongoing surge, state officials and representatives from three large healthcare systems — Kaiser Permanente, Sutter Health and Dignity Health — issued a joint call Tuesday for Californians to do their part to stave off coronavirus transmission by not “sharing their air.”
While healthcare workers are a vital last line of defense for those in need of medical attention, officials said it’s incumbent upon all Californians to be the first line and protect themselves from becoming infected.
“We are tired. We are going home and fearful for what we might bring home to our family,” Dr. Vanessa Walker, medical director of the Sutter Health Valley Area electronic ICU, said during a press conference. “We are struggling every day to deal with the same fatigue that you have — not being able to go out and enjoy the things that we used to. ... We’re asking you to please do your part and continue to avoid gathering indoors, avoid sharing your air.”
In L.A. County, home to 10 million people, a point-in-time survey found that there were 30 available ICU beds as of 9 a.m. Sunday. A similar tally last week found 69.
“Today, we’re over 100% of our usual patient volume, and of that volume, 52% of our inpatients are patients diagnosed with COVID,” Greg Adams, chairman and chief executive of Kaiser Permanente, said Tuesday. “Sixteen of our 36 hospitals are already above 100% occupancy in our ICUs. We’re struggling to add capacity for COVID patients as we speak.”
Already, hospitals are having to step up measures to ensure that the sickest patients get the highest level of care possible. That includes moving some patients who would typically be in the ICU to other areas of the hospital, such as a recovery area, or keeping them in the emergency room for longer than normal.
The overriding concern, though, is not physical space but having enough trained healthcare professionals. Unlike in localized disasters, such as an earthquake or hurricane, the latest surge of COVID-19 is hammering the entire country — meaning resources are stretched thin nationwide, and healthcare staff are overworked and exhausted.
Officials fear a time may come when there are simply too many critically ill patients for the limited numbers of ICU doctors and nurses available. In other areas where hospitals have become overwhelmed, such as New York City and northern Italy, the death tolls have been severe.
Dr. Thomas McGinn, executive vice president of physician enterprise with Dignity Health, said he worked in New York earlier in the pandemic and “saw patients, firsthand, suffering. I saw the families suffering. I saw the healthcare teams exhausted, working around the clock.
“I know it’s been a long road for everybody. It’s been nine months; we’ve all been wearing masks; we’re tired of doing this,” he said Tuesday. “But this is the time, right now, that we need to be most conscious of this. If you want to celebrate next year with your family and your friends and your loved ones, now is the time to be disciplined. Now is the time to stick with it.”
California New, more infectious strain of coronavirus worries California Gov. Newsom says he’s been discussing new protocols with airlines and others to keep a new, more contagious strain of coronavirus out of California.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed said Tuesday that local coronavirus cases have begun to level off, as residents have been moving around less in the past two weeks. She urged residents to continue staying home as much as possible, warning that failing to heed that call could have dire consequences.
“Nothing scares me more than if we get to a point where we have to turn someone away from the hospital,” she said. “I don’t even want to look someone in the eye and and say that their mom or dad died because we didn’t have space in our hospital for them.”
While healthcare systems are doing all they can to manage the influx of patients, officials say they’re worried they won’t be able to keep pace if the numbers continue rising as they have.
That’s why recent images of “people out and about, lots of people in parks ... busy shopping centers and retail centers” are tremendously troubling, according to L.A. County Health Services Director Dr. Christina Ghaly.
“If you’re still out there shopping for your loved ones for this holiday season, or you’re planning a holiday get-together, then you are missing the gravity of the situation that is affecting hospitals across Los Angeles County and California and this nation,” she said. “People are very sick in the hospital. They are dying there. And our hospitals may not have the equipment or the capacity or the resources to take care of you in the way that you need or expect.”
Times staff writers Susanne Rust, Sean Greene, Sandhya Kambhampati and Jennifer Lu contributed to this report.