latimes--2020-06-17--Column One: In Orange County, seniors risk COVID-19 to protest death of George Floyd

The protesters stood in front of City Hall , next to an Olive Garden .
They held signs that declared “ Hate Has No Home Here ” and “ White Silence Equals White Consent.
” Drivers honked in support .
It seemed like any other Black Lives Matter rally in small-town America .
But this was Laguna Woods .
Where the average age of residents is about 78 .
Where the Black population is 0.4 % .
Where standing together among dozens of people , even at a distance , could mean contracting a virus that ’ s particularly deadly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s hard to be out here for a lot of us , ” 71-year-old Linda Nearing said on a recent afternoon .
“ A lot of us are hesitant to go out right now .
We ’ ve all been so good in staying home .
But we all felt to show our support for this cause was essential.
” In one of the few confrontations at the protest , someone yelled , “ All lives matter , ” which drew a scoff from 76-year-old Rosemary De Monte .
“ These @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ but when it comes to wearing masks , [ they think ] we can all drop dead.
” The city of about 16,000 has one of the lowest novel coronavirus infection rates among Orange County ’ s 34 cities — its total of 13 cases averages out to just 7.9 per 10,000 residents .
Still , Laguna Woods residents remain particularly vulnerable to its ravages .
In Orange County , people older than 55 represent a third of all COVID-19 cases but 88 % of its deaths .
So when Nearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic Club , quietly announced plans for a protest on Friday , she didn ’ t know what to expect .
Protests around the country following George Floyd ’ s death at the hands of Minneapolis police have drawn diverse crowds but have often skewed young .
So what would happen in a city where most of the land is occupied by a retirement community once known as Leisure World ?
In Laguna Woods , the call of social justice proved strong .
The younger ones were baby boomers who marched for civil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 1960s and who joined the throngs at the annual Women ’ s March of recent years .
The more august attendees proudly called themselves “ red diaper babies , ” in honor of their Communist parents who agitated against the status quo during the Great Depression .
And they all now lived in Orange County , the only metro area in the United States with a population of over 3 million people and a Black population of less than 5 % ( the county ’ s total : 2.1 % ) .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ few walked to the rally site from their nearby apartments and homes — a chance to sneak in another type of exercise along with the 1st Amendment .
To the protesters , the thought of staying safely in lockdown while demonstrations shook the country grated against their core beliefs .
Laguna Woods Mayor Pro Tem Shari L. Horne admitted she had been too scared of the coronavirus to join the dozens of Black Lives Matter protests that had sprouted across Orange County after Floyd ’ s death on May 25 .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said the 68-year-old Horne , her voice muffled by a blue mask that featured the slogan “ OC Vector ” and an illustration of a mosquito .
“ My generation has been marching our whole lives for change .
“ And look , ” she said .
“ I ’ m just tickled pink at the turnout.
” There were retirees with wheelchairs and walkers spread along the sidewalk .
Sun hats and loose clothing was the most common fashion choice , not bandannas and revolution-leaning T-shirts .
Joe Rego , 71 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and remembered being inspired as a child by footage of the Rev .
Martin Luther King Jr. during the March on Washington .
“ This is similar to the movement I saw 15,000 kilometers away so long ago , ” he said while holding on to a poster with a picture of former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick kneeling .
“ And I want to be part of that.
” Neil Perlman went with his wife .
The 74-year-old remembered attending a civil rights march as an 11-year-old , and mentioned that his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had left his home during the last three months only to go grocery shopping .
“ Our grandchildren are marching in Seattle , ” Perlman said .
“ It makes me proud to see people pick up the gauntlet from people our age .
But we had to make a stand here as well.
” Laguna Woods residents have lived under virtual lockdown since mid-March , with public gates shut to limit access to outsiders .
The many social clubs around town suspended gatherings indefinitely .
Fear that the coronavirus would spread around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early April , Orange County officials announced they wanted to house homeless individuals stricken with COVID-19 at an Ayres Hotel within city limits .
Dozens of protesters rallied in front of the hotel , a move that drew nationwide coverage and led to Orange County rescinding its plans .
The controversy split the Democratic Club board , which didn ’ t go through on a motion to oppose the protest .
The impasse “ just killed my soul , ” Nearing said .
Democrats relegated their monthly meetings to Zoom sessions .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the activist wing of the group — a lively bunch that maintains a constant presence at South Orange County liberal gatherings — could only “ plan for whenever things might get calmer , ” Nearing said .
Then the killing of Floyd happened .
The club placed an ad in the local weekly that blasted “ white privilege ” and listed the names of 30 Black men and women who have died due to police brutality .
It urged members to call the Minneapolis district attorney ’ s office , and also sent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funds .
But board members yearned to do more .
“ Every time I saw [ marches ] on TV , it was really tugging at me to go , ” said activism vice chair Bethany Gilboard , 66 .
“ But I wanted to protect my health .
And a lot of people said the same thing.
” She suggested a “ virtual protest ” — a one-and-a-half-minute video composed of photos of Democrats who were sheltering in place while flashing signs supporting marchers .
The director , 60-year-old Vivian Frerichs of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ similar compilation to thank healthcare workers .
That received only 10 submissions ; for the Black Lives Matter project , Frerichs stopped at 60 .
“ What really touches me is how engaged people are to this issue , ” she said .
“ Even if they ’ re not going to be here to enjoy the changes that may come , they really care about the next generation.
” But the video wasn ’ t enough for some .
This demanded a public protest .
But how to do it safely ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said first vice chair Sue Dearing , 69 .
“ So people wanted to go out .
But we needed to be safe too .
This was a big deal for us.
” They didn ’ t invite other Laguna Woods clubs or outsiders to keep the numbers down .
There would be no chanting to lessen the chance that a contagious droplet might spread .
Masks and social distancing would be mandatory .
The public effort was especially important for Dottie Hopkins and Sandra Ward , both among a handful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We have been screaming for years [ about anti-Black police brutality ] with no difference , ” said Ward , 73 .
“ Now , [ Laguna Woods residents ] are beginning to understand.
” “ They ’ ve had discussions like this before and nothing happened , ” added Hopkins , 76 .
“ This one feels different.
” Nearing said she and her friends “ are used to middle fingers ” whenever they protest in the city , but little of that venom was on display this time around .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ day , a white man in a golf cart gunned past the crowd at about 15 mph with his thumb down and nearly clipped someone ; protesters hissed him away .
Rosemary De Monte ’ s husband stayed home because of his preexisting health conditions , but she showed up to the Black Lives Matter rally as a way of giving back .
“ Our generation promised all these things to the world , ” she said , “ and what did we give them ?
” A Hyundai Elantra inched past her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the roof in support , drawing cheers from the crowd .
When he wouldn ’ t stop , De Monte smiled .
“ Hey , ” she yelled .
“ Can you give us some of that energy ?
”

Cyndee Whitney, 73, joins a protest in support of Black Lives Matter along El Toro Road in Laguna Woods. Organizers required senior protesters to wear masks and social distance themselves to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The protesters stood in front of City Hall, next to an Olive Garden. They held signs that declared “Hate Has No Home Here” and “White Silence Equals White Consent.” Drivers honked in support.
It seemed like any other Black Lives Matter rally in small-town America.
But this was Laguna Woods.
Where the average age of residents is about 78.
Where the Black population is 0.4%.
Where standing together among dozens of people, even at a distance, could mean contracting a virus that’s particularly deadly to the elderly and infirm.
California Despite coronavirus, these experts support the protests for health reasons Large gatherings bring a risk of coronavirus. But health experts are supporting protests being held in response to the death of George Floyd.
“It’s hard to be out here for a lot of us,” 71-year-old Linda Nearing said on a recent afternoon. “A lot of us are hesitant to go out right now. We’ve all been so good in staying home. But we all felt to show our support for this cause was essential.”
In one of the few confrontations at the protest, someone yelled, “All lives matter,” which drew a scoff from 76-year-old Rosemary De Monte.
“These people say that,” she said, “but when it comes to wearing masks, [they think] we can all drop dead.”
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The city of about 16,000 has one of the lowest novel coronavirus infection rates among Orange County’s 34 cities — its total of 13 cases averages out to just 7.9 per 10,000 residents. Still, Laguna Woods residents remain particularly vulnerable to its ravages. In Orange County, people older than 55 represent a third of all COVID-19 cases but 88% of its deaths.
So when Nearing, the president of the Laguna Woods Democratic Club, quietly announced plans for a protest on Friday, she didn’t know what to expect.
Protests around the country following George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police have drawn diverse crowds but have often skewed young. So what would happen in a city where most of the land is occupied by a retirement community once known as Leisure World?
In Laguna Woods, the call of social justice proved strong.
Janet Stangvick, 74, joins a protest in support of Black Lives Matter along El Toro Road in Laguna Woods. To some protesters, the thought of staying safely in coronavirus lockdown while demonstrations shook the country grated against their core beliefs. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
The younger ones were baby boomers who marched for civil rights and against the Vietnam War in the 1960s and who joined the throngs at the annual Women’s March of recent years. The more august attendees proudly called themselves “red diaper babies,” in honor of their Communist parents who agitated against the status quo during the Great Depression.
And they all now lived in Orange County, the only metro area in the United States with a population of over 3 million people and a Black population of less than 5% (the county’s total: 2.1%).
Most arrived in cars, but a few walked to the rally site from their nearby apartments and homes — a chance to sneak in another type of exercise along with the 1st Amendment.
To the protesters, the thought of staying safely in lockdown while demonstrations shook the country grated against their core beliefs.
Laguna Woods Mayor Pro Tem Shari L. Horne admitted she had been too scared of the coronavirus to join the dozens of Black Lives Matter protests that had sprouted across Orange County after Floyd’s death on May 25.
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“I couldn’t remain silent, though” said the 68-year-old Horne, her voice muffled by a blue mask that featured the slogan “OC Vector” and an illustration of a mosquito. “My generation has been marching our whole lives for change.
“And look,” she said. “I’m just tickled pink at the turnout.”
‘Our grandchildren are marching in Seattle. It makes me proud to see people pick up the gauntlet from people our age. But we had to make a stand here as well.’ — Neil Perlman, 74
There were retirees with wheelchairs and walkers spread along the sidewalk. Sun hats and loose clothing was the most common fashion choice, not bandannas and revolution-leaning T-shirts.
Joe Rego, 71, grew up in Goa, India, and remembered being inspired as a child by footage of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. during the March on Washington.
“This is similar to the movement I saw 15,000 kilometers away so long ago,” he said while holding on to a poster with a picture of former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick kneeling. “And I want to be part of that.”
Neil Perlman went with his wife. The 74-year-old remembered attending a civil rights march as an 11-year-old, and mentioned that his sister was a Freedom Rider. He had left his home during the last three months only to go grocery shopping.
“Our grandchildren are marching in Seattle,” Perlman said. “It makes me proud to see people pick up the gauntlet from people our age. But we had to make a stand here as well.”
Laguna Woods residents have lived under virtual lockdown since mid-March, with public gates shut to limit access to outsiders. The many social clubs around town suspended gatherings indefinitely. Fear that the coronavirus would spread around the city was real.
Then in early April, Orange County officials announced they wanted to house homeless individuals stricken with COVID-19 at an Ayres Hotel within city limits.
Dozens of protesters rallied in front of the hotel, a move that drew nationwide coverage and led to Orange County rescinding its plans. The controversy split the Democratic Club board, which didn’t go through on a motion to oppose the protest. The impasse “just killed my soul,” Nearing said.
Protest organizer Elizabeth Coe waves a flag from her sunroof during an April rally with mostly seniors who opposed the use of Ayers Hotel in Laguna Woods to treat homeless COVID-19 patients. Orange County officials decided to rescind its plans. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Democrats relegated their monthly meetings to Zoom sessions. As weeks of quarantine turned to months, the activist wing of the group — a lively bunch that maintains a constant presence at South Orange County liberal gatherings — could only “plan for whenever things might get calmer,” Nearing said.
Then the killing of Floyd happened.
The club placed an ad in the local weekly that blasted “white privilege” and listed the names of 30 Black men and women who have died due to police brutality. It urged members to call the Minneapolis district attorney’s office, and also sent them links to Black-run organizations that needed funds.
But board members yearned to do more.
“Every time I saw [marches] on TV, it was really tugging at me to go,” said activism vice chair Bethany Gilboard, 66. “But I wanted to protect my health. And a lot of people said the same thing.”
She suggested a “virtual protest” — a one-and-a-half-minute video composed of photos of Democrats who were sheltering in place while flashing signs supporting marchers.
The director, 60-year-old Vivian Frerichs of Mission Viejo, had previously produced a similar compilation to thank healthcare workers. That received only 10 submissions; for the Black Lives Matter project, Frerichs stopped at 60.
“What really touches me is how engaged people are to this issue,” she said. “Even if they’re not going to be here to enjoy the changes that may come, they really care about the next generation.”
But the video wasn’t enough for some. This demanded a public protest. But how to do it safely?
“We’ve been going nowhere,” said first vice chair Sue Dearing, 69. “So people wanted to go out. But we needed to be safe too. This was a big deal for us.”
They didn’t invite other Laguna Woods clubs or outsiders to keep the numbers down. There would be no chanting to lessen the chance that a contagious droplet might spread. Masks and social distancing would be mandatory.
The public effort was especially important for Dottie Hopkins and Sandra Ward, both among a handful of Black Americans at the protest.
“We have been screaming for years [about anti-Black police brutality] with no difference,” said Ward, 73. “Now, [Laguna Woods residents] are beginning to understand.”
Column One A showcase for compelling storytelling
from the Los Angeles Times. More stories
“They’ve had discussions like this before and nothing happened,” added Hopkins, 76. “This one feels different.”
Nearing said she and her friends “are used to middle fingers” whenever they protest in the city, but little of that venom was on display this time around. In the most negative incident of the day, a white man in a golf cart gunned past the crowd at about 15 mph with his thumb down and nearly clipped someone; protesters hissed him away.
Rosemary De Monte’s husband stayed home because of his preexisting health conditions, but she showed up to the Black Lives Matter rally as a way of giving back. “Our generation promised all these things to the world,” she said, “and what did we give them?”
A Hyundai Elantra inched past her. A teenage boy screamed and banged the roof in support, drawing cheers from the crowd. When he wouldn’t stop, De Monte smiled.
“Hey,” she yelled. “Can you give us some of that energy?”


latimes--2020-06-16--Woman driving near protests says LAPD foam round injured her, files $10-million claim

A woman who was at a Los Angeles intersection near a protest over the killing of George Floyd filed a legal claim Monday , alleging she was struck in the head by a foam bullet fired by Los Angeles police , leaving her with stitches , a fractured cheekbone and a brain injury .
Jasmine Morales , 26 , spent nine days hospitalized at Cedars Sinai Medical Center and is seeking $ 10 million from the city of Los Angeles for injuries she suffered during the May 30 incident , according to the claim .
The projectile , likely a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through her open driver ’ s side window near the Grove about 8 p.m. , as she drove to a Target , according to the legal filing and her lawyers .
The impact nearly knocked her unconscious according to her claim .
Neama Rahmani , one of her lawyers , said based on eyewitnesses , the police officer fired the projectile from inside a police car .
Her attorney said that Morales was traveling through the area and was not a part of the protests .
“ For an officer in a black-and-white @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face is not tactical police work so much as a drive-by shooting , ” Rahmani , a former federal prosecutor , said .
The claim , the required legal precursor to a lawsuit , alleges the LAPD officer clearly violated department guidelines for using such force .
“ It was willful officer misconduct , ” Rahmani said .
“ The officer took deliberate aim and fired while she was driving her car .
There ’ s no defense for that brutality.
” Josh Rubenstein , communication director for the LAPD , said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this incident ” and is now looking into the claim ’ s statements .
Photographs her attorneys said were taken in the aftermath show the left side of Morales ’ face bloody and bruised with a wound on her temple and a black eye .
Morales remembers little of the incident herself apart from waking up in Cedars , according to her attorneys .
Her passenger drove her the few blocks to the hospital , where her attorneys said she needed critical care .
Morales , according to the claim , never heard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and protesters were not around her Toyota but were nearby .
The incident unfolded as a protest in the Fairfax district escalated into violence , with officers using batons and firing hard foam rounds into the crowd , some of whom set fire to parked police cars .
Morales required 20 stitches , and the Los Angeles resident suffered a fractured cheekbone , traumatic brain injury , bruising and impaired vision , the legal claim said .
Morales was released on June 8 , according to Rahmani .
“ In brain injury @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a matter of weeks or suffer lifelong impacts , ” Rahmani said .
Houman Sayaghi , another of Morales ’ attorneys , said the foam projectile did not fall into the car after it struck his client , but he hopes video footage from surrounding security cameras , including a nearby bank , will help reconstruct events .
During the protests on May 30 , Los Angeles police deployed a “ 40-millimeter Less-Lethal Launcher ” using single-shot hard foam projectiles .
It is a device they and other police agencies claim allows for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thereby reduces serious injuries caused by other “ less-lethal ” alternatives .
But Rahmani said that when an officer hits a motorist , that is clearly an indiscriminate use of force against a person who posed absolutely no threat and was nothing but an innocent bystander simply passing through the area .
The civilian Los Angeles Police Commission and its inspector general ’ s office have said they will review all complaints of excessive force against the department .
An LAPD spokeswoman previously said the department is reviewing use of the 40mm launcher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a later time.
” In wake of multiple accusations of indiscriminate fire by officers , Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said that he had directed the LAPD to “ minimize ” use of the less-lethal weapons when dealing with peaceful protesters .
A Times review of dozens of instances of police force during protests over the killing in Minneapolis police custody of Floyd found that demonstrators suffered a range of injuries at the hands of the LAPD , from minor bruising from baton strikes and falls as police skirmish lines advanced , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heads from foam and sponge bullets and beanbags being launched into crowds , sometimes from close range .
A 2017 analysis of 1,984 people struck by rubber or plastic bullets found that 3 % were killed and 15 % permanently injured .
The peer-reviewed study , published in the journal BMJ Open , reviewed 30 years of scientific papers worldwide on injuries from kinetic impact projectiles , or KIPs , which include rubber-coated bullets , beanbag rounds , sponge rounds and others .
Dr. Rohini Haar , the study ’ s lead author @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Times that the so-called sponge rounds fired by the 40-millimeter launcher had not reduced problems .

An LAPD foam bullet left Jasmine Morales, 26, with a broken cheekbone and brain injury, according to a suit she filed against the department.
A woman who was at a Los Angeles intersection near a protest over the killing of George Floyd filed a legal claim Monday, alleging she was struck in the head by a foam bullet fired by Los Angeles police, leaving her with stitches, a fractured cheekbone and a brain injury.
Jasmine Morales, 26, spent nine days hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and is seeking $10 million from the city of Los Angeles for injuries she suffered during the May 30 incident, according to the claim.
The projectile, likely a 40-millimeter hard foam round, flew in through her open driver’s side window near the Grove about 8 p.m. as she was driving to a Target store, according to the legal filing and her lawyers.
The impact nearly knocked Morales unconscious, according to her claim. Neama Rahmani, one of her lawyers, said that based on eyewitness accounts, the officer had fired the projectile from inside a police car.
Morales’ attorney said she was traveling through the area and was not a part of the protests.
“For an officer in a black-and-white to shoot a nearby driver in the face is not tactical police work so much as a drive-by shooting,” Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor, said. The claim, the required legal precursor to a lawsuit, alleges the LAPD officer clearly violated department guidelines for using such force.
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“It was willful officer misconduct,” Rahmani said. “The officer took deliberate aim and fired while she was driving her car. There’s no defense for that brutality.”
Josh Rubenstein, communication director for the Los Angeles Police Department, said the department was “not previously aware of this incident” and is now looking into the claim’s statements.
Photographs Morales’ attorneys said were taken in the aftermath show the left side of Morales’ face bloody and bruised with a wound on her temple and a black eye.
Morales remembers little of the incident apart from waking up in Cedars-Sinai, according to her attorneys. Her passenger drove her the few blocks to the hospital, where her attorneys said she needed critical care.
Morales, according to the claim, never heard any warning or order from the officers, and protesters were not around her Toyota but were nearby. The incident unfolded as a protest in the Fairfax district escalated into violence, with officers using batons and firing hard foam rounds into the crowd, some of whom set fire to parked police cars.
Morales required 20 stitches, and the Los Angeles resident suffered a fractured cheekbone, traumatic brain injury, bruising and impaired vision, the legal claim said. Morales was released from the hospital June 8, according to Rahmani.
“In brain injury cases, she could get better in a matter of weeks or suffer lifelong impacts,” Rahmani said.
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Houman Sayaghi, another of Morales’ attorneys, said the foam projectile did not fall into the car after it struck his client, but he hopes video footage from surrounding security cameras, including a nearby bank, will help reconstruct events.
During the protests May 30, Los Angeles police deployed a “40-millimeter Less-Lethal Launcher” using single-shot hard foam projectiles. It is a device the LAPD and other police agencies claim allows for more precise targeting of violent suspects, thereby reducing the risk of serious injuries caused by other “less-lethal” alternatives.
But Rahmani said that an officer firing the weapon at a motorist is clearly an indiscriminate use of force against a person who posed absolutely no threat and was nothing but an innocent bystander passing through the area.
The civilian Los Angeles Police Commission and its inspector general’s office have said they will review all complaints of excessive force against the department.
An LAPD spokeswoman previously said the department is reviewing use of the 40-millimeter launcher and plans to release the findings “at a later time.”
In the wake of multiple accusations of indiscriminate fire by officers, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said he had directed the LAPD to “minimize” use of the less-lethal weapons when dealing with peaceful protesters.
A Times review of dozens of instances of police force during protests over the police killing of Floyd found that demonstrators suffered a range of injuries at the hands of the LAPD, including minor bruising from baton strikes and falls as police skirmish lines advanced, and serious injuries to some protesters’ genitals and heads from foam and sponge bullets and beanbags being launched into crowds, sometimes from close range.
A 2017 analysis of 1,984 people struck by rubber or plastic bullets found that 3% were killed and 15% permanently injured. The peer-reviewed study, published in the journal BMJ Open, reviewed 30 years of scientific papers worldwide on injuries from kinetic impact projectiles, or KIPs, which include rubber-coated bullets, beanbag rounds, sponge rounds and others.
Dr. Rohini Haar, the study’s lead author and an emergency room physician, told The Times that the so-called sponge rounds fired by the 40-millimeter launcher had not reduced problems.


latimes--2020-06-16--Suspect in killing of 2 Bay Area officers tied to right-wing 'boogaloo' group, prosecutors allege

When sheriff ’ s deputies searched a white van on June 6 in a wooded hamlet in Santa Cruz County , they found ammunition , firearms , bomb-making equipment — and a ballistic vest with a curious patch .
The patch contained an igloo and Hawaiian-style print , markings associated with a growing , extremist , anti-government movement aimed at fomenting unrest and civil war .
On Tuesday , federal law enforcement officials announced that they were charging Air Force Sgt .
Steven Carrillo , 32 , the alleged owner of that vest , and suspected accomplice Robert A. Justus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the May 29 shooting death of a federal security officer in Oakland .
Officials said Carrillo , who also faces state charges in the June 6 killing of a Santa Cruz sheriff ’ s deputy , was a follower of the “ boogaloo ” movement , which a federal complaint said is not a fixed group but includes people who identify themselves as militia and target perceived government tyranny .
Justus ’ social media posts also show support for boogaloo memes .
One post reviewed by the Times names people who have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Grant , shot by transit police at Oakland ’ s Fruitvale station in 2009 , and Vicki Weaver , wife of white supremacist Randy Weaver , killed by an FBI sniper during the 1992 Ruby Ridge siege in Idaho .
The federal government charged Carrillo with killing federal security officer David Patrick Underwood , 53 , a resident of the small East Bay city of Pinole , and the attempted murder of Underwood ’ s partner .
The charges qualify for the death penalty , but officials said no decision has yet been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Justus is charged with aiding Carrillo in the killing and attempted killing .
The security officers were shot while guarding a federal building in downtown Oakland during a protest over the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer .
The pair used the protest as a cover for their plans to attack law enforcement , said FBI Special Agent In Charge Jack Bennett .
“ There is no evidence that these men had any intention to join the demonstration in Oakland , ” Bennett said at a Tuesday news conference .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ cops.
” Federal officials said Carrillo fired the shots and Justus drove him around in a white van .
Surveilance video showed that Carrillo slid open the van ’ s side door to fire his weapon , officials said , and Justus acted at the getaway driver .
The two men were linked through cellphone records , officials said .
Carrillo used a privately made , unmarked machine gun — a so-called ghost gun — with a silencer to kill Underwood , Bennett said .
The federal complaint against Carrillo said law enforcement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the shootings in both Oakland and Santa Cruz .
The Oakland killing sparked an eight-day manhunt that led to Carrillo ’ s arrest after someone reported a white van containing firearms and bomb-making equipment in the small , mountainous Santa Cruz County community of Ben Lomond .
Evidence in the van led authorities to Carrillo ’ s Ben Lomond home .
There , in the early afternoon , Carrillo allegedly opened fire on the deputies , killing Sgt .
Damon Gutzwiller and injuring another deputy .
An explosion rocked the property , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was shot during the gunfire , ran away and then hijacked a car on a nearby highway , according to the federal complaint against him .
When he was arrested , he was bleeding from his hip .
Carrillo apparently used his own blood to write messages on the hood of the hijacked car , the complaint said .
It identified the writing as “ BOOG , ” “ I Became Unreasonable , ” and “ Stop the Duopoly.
” He was part of an elite Air Force security unit at Travis Air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He served as a team leader trained to protect aircraft at air strips from insurgents and terrorists .
Brian Levin , executive director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at Cal State San Bernardino , said Carrillo ’ s posts on social media , including Facebook , became increasingly disturbing in the days before the Oakland shooting .
Levin said the center ’ s research shows there have been 27 homicides connected to far-right extremists in the U.S. since 2019 .
That number doesn ’ t include the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FBI arrested three devotees of the boogaloo movement in Nevada recently , and they were charged with inciting violence with the use of Molotov cocktails at protests .
Levin said boogaloo followers include ultra-libertarians and white supremacists , but they all share a belief in a coming second civil war .
“ They are 2nd Amendment insurrectionists , ” Levin said .
“ The boogaloo boys believe in armed insurrection and include attacks on the police.
” Other experts on extremists said the boogaloo movement was still evolving , and its philosophy varied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of individual members .
While followers all want a second civil war to reset American society , their desired new society varies from embracing racism to one focused on armed libertarianism , the experts said .
Many followers discovered the movement on internet chat sites .
It then migrated to more mainstream social media , including Facebook and TikTok , where young adherents post videos of themselves dancing in their trademark Hawaiian shirts .
Devin Burghart , executive director of the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights , which tracks far-right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including the boogaloo movement , increased their online presence dramatically when governments ordered shutdowns to protect people during the COVID-19 pandemic .
Adherents attended reopen protests and later shifted to the Floyd demonstrations , he said .
Following President Trump ’ s call for “ MAGA night ” on Twitter after protesters demonstrated in front of the White House , Burghart said , he saw an uptick in alt-right participation in Floyd rallies .
“ We only saw a handful of instances ” before that , Burghart said .
“ We saw more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their Hawaiian shirts.
” Members of the New Mexico Civil Guard militia group , one of whom shot a protester recently over the removal of a statue , also have ties to the boogaloo movement , he said .
“ A number of boogaloo boys started in different elements of the far right and have been drawn to the more confrontational stance of the boogaloo over time , ” Burghart said .
Justus was under surveillance when he and his parents entered the federal building in San Francisco on June 11 , nearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and asked to speak to an FBI agent .
His mother said they wanted to tell the FBI about the white van used in the Oakland killing .
Justus told an agent he met Carrillo on Facebook , and they agreed that Carrillo would pick him up at a transit station in Oakland for the May 29 Floyd protest ; At the station , Carrillo turned over the wheel to Justus .
According to the criminal complaint against him .
Justus said he did not want to participate in the killing but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carrillo .
After shooting the officers , Justus said , Carrillo was thrilled .
“ Did you see how they ... fell !
” Justus said Carrillo exclaimed .
An FBI agent who wrote the criminal complaint called Justus ’ statement “ a false , exculpatory narrative carefully crafted to fit what Justus believed to be the state of evidence .
”

Maura Dolan, Richard Winton, Anita Chabria

When sheriff’s deputies searched a white van on June 6 in a wooded hamlet in Santa Cruz County, they found ammunition, firearms, bomb-making equipment — and a ballistic vest with a curious patch.
The patch contained an igloo and Hawaiian-style print, markings associated with a growing, extremist, anti-government movement aimed at fomenting unrest and civil war.
On Tuesday, federal law enforcement officials announced that they were charging Air Force Sgt. Steven Carrillo, 32, the alleged owner of that vest, and suspected accomplice Robert A. Justus Jr., 30, of Millbrae in the May 29 shooting death of a federal security officer in Oakland.
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Officials said Carrillo, who also faces state charges in the June 6 killing of a Santa Cruz sheriff’s deputy, was a follower of the “boogaloo” movement, which a federal complaint said is not a fixed group but includes people who identify themselves as militia and target perceived government tyranny.
Justus’ social media posts also show support for boogaloo memes. One post reviewed by the Times names people who have been killed by law enforcement, including Oscar Grant, shot by transit police at Oakland’s Fruitvale station in 2009, and Vicki Weaver, wife of white supremacist Randy Weaver, killed by an FBI sniper during the 1992 Ruby Ridge siege in Idaho.
The federal government charged Carrillo with killing federal security officer David Patrick Underwood, 53, a resident of the small East Bay city of Pinole, and the attempted murder of Underwood’s partner. The charges qualify for the death penalty, but officials said no decision has yet been made on whether to seek it. Justus is charged with aiding Carrillo in the killing and attempted killing.
The security officers were shot while guarding a federal building in downtown Oakland during a protest over the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. The pair used the protest as a cover for their plans to attack law enforcement, said FBI Special Agent In Charge Jack Bennett.
“There is no evidence that these men had any intention to join the demonstration in Oakland,” Bennett said at a Tuesday news conference. “They came to Oakland to kill cops.”
Federal officials said Carrillo fired the shots and Justus drove him around in a white van. Surveilance video showed that Carrillo slid open the van’s side door to fire his weapon, officials said, and Justus acted at the getaway driver.
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The two men were linked through cellphone records, officials said. Carrillo used a privately made, unmarked machine gun — a so-called ghost gun — with a silencer to kill Underwood, Bennett said. The federal complaint against Carrillo said law enforcement found similarities in fired cartridge cases at the shootings in both Oakland and Santa Cruz.
The Oakland killing sparked an eight-day manhunt that led to Carrillo’s arrest after someone reported a white van containing firearms and bomb-making equipment in the small, mountainous Santa Cruz County community of Ben Lomond.
Evidence in the van led authorities to Carrillo’s Ben Lomond home. There, in the early afternoon, Carrillo allegedly opened fire on the deputies, killing Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller and injuring another deputy. An explosion rocked the property, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Carrillo was shot during the gunfire, ran away and then hijacked a car on a nearby highway, according to the federal complaint against him. When he was arrested, he was bleeding from his hip.
Carrillo apparently used his own blood to write messages on the hood of the hijacked car, the complaint said. It identified the writing as “BOOG,” “I Became Unreasonable,” and “Stop the Duopoly.”
He was part of an elite Air Force security unit at Travis Air Force Base in the city of Fairfield. He served as a team leader trained to protect aircraft at air strips from insurgents and terrorists.
Brian Levin, executive director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at Cal State San Bernardino, said Carrillo’s posts on social media, including Facebook, became increasingly disturbing in the days before the Oakland shooting.
Levin said the center’s research shows there have been 27 homicides connected to far-right extremists in the U.S. since 2019. That number doesn’t include the most recent Bay Area killings. The FBI arrested three devotees of the boogaloo movement in Nevada recently, and they were charged with inciting violence with the use of Molotov cocktails at protests.
Levin said boogaloo followers include ultra-libertarians and white supremacists, but they all share a belief in a coming second civil war.
“They are 2nd Amendment insurrectionists,” Levin said. “The boogaloo boys believe in armed insurrection and include attacks on the police.”
Other experts on extremists said the boogaloo movement was still evolving, and its philosophy varied depending on geography and the underlying beliefs of individual members.
While followers all want a second civil war to reset American society, their desired new society varies from embracing racism to one focused on armed libertarianism, the experts said.
Many followers discovered the movement on internet chat sites. It then migrated to more mainstream social media, including Facebook and TikTok, where young adherents post videos of themselves dancing in their trademark Hawaiian shirts.
Devin Burghart, executive director of the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights, which tracks far-right extremist activity, said alt-right groups, including the boogaloo movement, increased their online presence dramatically when governments ordered shutdowns to protect people during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Adherents attended reopen protests and later shifted to the Floyd demonstrations, he said.
Following President Trump’s call for “MAGA night” on Twitter after protesters demonstrated in front of the White House, Burghart said, he saw an uptick in alt-right participation in Floyd rallies.
“We only saw a handful of instances” before that, Burghart said. “We saw more boogaloo boys showing up at rallies with their Hawaiian shirts.”
Members of the New Mexico Civil Guard militia group, one of whom shot a protester recently over the removal of a statue, also have ties to the boogaloo movement, he said.
“A number of boogaloo boys started in different elements of the far right and have been drawn to the more confrontational stance of the boogaloo over time,” Burghart said.
Justus was under surveillance when he and his parents entered the federal building in San Francisco on June 11, nearly a week after Carrillo’s arrest, and asked to speak to an FBI agent. His mother said they wanted to tell the FBI about the white van used in the Oakland killing.
Justus told an agent he met Carrillo on Facebook, and they agreed that Carrillo would pick him up at a transit station in Oakland for the May 29 Floyd protest; At the station, Carrillo turned over the wheel to Justus.
According to the criminal complaint against him. Justus said he did not want to participate in the killing but he was trapped in the van with Carrillo.
After shooting the officers, Justus said, Carrillo was thrilled. “Did you see how they ... fell!” Justus said Carrillo exclaimed.
An FBI agent who wrote the criminal complaint called Justus’ statement “a false, exculpatory narrative carefully crafted to fit what Justus believed to be the state of evidence.”


latimes--2020-06-17--How to cover the protests? For L.A.'s top Black radio hosts, you make noise, and listen

When radio personality Kurt “ Big Boy ” Alexander first watched the video of George Floyd ’ s killing , the host of the popular “ Big Boy ’ s Neighborhood ” morning show on hip-hop station Real 92.3 ( KRRL-FM ) could pinpoint the moment he knew his next day ’ s show would be different .
“ Once they took his lifeless body and put it on a stretcher , ” he recalled late last week , “ I knew immediately that whatever I had scheduled for the next show was thrown out the window .
It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tense weekend , the station interrupted Saturday programming and Big Boy , 50 , went live to take calls .
On the other end of the dial on rival Power 106 ( KPWR-FM ) , morning show host Nick Cannon , 39 , watched enough of Floyd ’ s “ public lynching , ” as he called it , and spoke about it on that Friday ’ s show .
But behind the scenes , he was plotting .
“ I wanted to be on the front lines , ground zero , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this week , so he boarded a plane .
By the time he got on the air Monday morning , the scene on the ground in Minneapolis was tense .
Images of law enforcement violence against protesters spread across social media .
Since that fateful Memorial Day , Cannon , Big Boy , KDAY ’ s Cece & Romeo , KJLH ’ s Dominique DiPrima and other Black voices on the FM dial have responded with a kind of communal outrage , in the process reconfirming the platform ’ s role in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ balkanized by social media , cable news , streaming services and podcasts , terrestrial radio has stepped up in its role as a local forum .
Black radio on-air personalities have grilled guests , discussed racism and police violence , frustrations and solutions .
Illustrating the power of the medium , they have broadcast interviews with leaders including Mayor Eric Garcetti , Congresswoman Maxine Waters and Sen. Kamala Harris .
On stations including Power 106 , KDAY 93.5 and Cali 93.9 , programmers increased rotation on what it described as “ music that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , programming blocks have been given over to listeners so they can vent and share .
“ You can talk to people a million miles away , but here you ’ re talking to people rolling down Main Street or Crenshaw and they ’ re hearing about their neighborhood and their councilpersons in real time , ” says historian and curator Daniel Walker of USC ’ s Center for Religion and Civic Culture and a professor at El Camino College .
“ Terrestrial radio is making these things very real for people , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ African American-centered or African American-owned stations.
” He added , “ Being able to channel that energy and to listen and to respond — those notions are so different than somebody getting 8,000 comments next to a tweet .
You ’ re being heard because , during that time period , you ’ re the singular voice.
” Over at urban contemporary station KJLH ( 102.3 FM ) , veteran DJ Lawrence “ Lon McQ ” Williams knew he ’ d address his audience after watching footage of Floyd ’ s death .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and station general manager Karen Slade were part of a team broadcasting the events from the station ’ s then-studio on Crenshaw .
The coverage earned the station , which is owned by Stevie Wonder , a Peabody Award .
Nearly 30 years later as he commuted to the station ’ s Inglewood studios for his 10 a.m. time slot , McQ pondered what he ’ d say during the first on-air break .
“ Do you try to say something profound , or something smart or something spiritual ?
What do you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ invite .
“ The first word out of my mouth was , ‘ I ’ ve seen the video .
I know how you feel .
I know you ’ re angry .
But before you do something rash , call me .
Let ’ s talk about it.
’ ” The phones lighted up , McQ recalled .
“ Call after call after call after call , it was basically the same fury , the same anger.
” Added Big Boy of the listener response to Floyd ’ s killing : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
You saw people that were ready to stand up and do something for whatever cause it was , and it wasn ’ t just about black and brown .
This time it wasn ’ t people saying , ‘ That doesn ’ t affect me.
” Historian Walker was listening .
“ For a person from a totally different generation than the young people who are his primary listeners , Big Boy is really speaking to the people you see in the protests , part of that multicultural , diverse swath of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has that ability to speak to Latinos , Asian Americans , whites , in this kind of California flow that we have.
” That ’ s one reason why Real 92.3 FM owner iHeartMedia hired Big Boy away from Power 106 in 2015 , Walker said .
It also proves how much value the stations place on its morning talent .
His move prompted a lawsuit by Power 106 ’ s then-owner Emmis Communcations .
Big Boy ’ s contract with iHeartMedia is reportedly worth more than $ 3.5 million annually .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ celebrated his first anniversary as Power 106 ’ s morning host — a slot occupied until 2015 by Big Boy —has continually opened the phone lines and invited listeners “ to protest live on air.
” He ’ s talked with policemen and their spouses , disenfranchised voters , incarcerated men .
During an interview with Gov .
Gavin Newsom , Cannon , who recently earned a criminology degree from Howard University , said he had “ lost all faith and hope in law enforcement.
” In response , Newsom acknowledged the legitimacy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do better .
Asked whether he was satisfied with that response , Cannon said that “ from his position as an outstanding politician , I was .
One thing I can not negate about our governor is his ability to present his platform and his rhetoric in a very buttoned-up and smooth manner.
” Added Cannon , “ He took blame where he needed to take blame , and he said to hold him accountable.
” Cannon said many of his peers were stumped when he decided a half-decade ago to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noted actor , comedian and host , the San Diego native earned mainstream attention during an eight-season run as host of NBC ’ s “ America ’ s Got Talent , ” as well as for his since-ended marriage to Mariah Carey .
Cannon currently hosts “ The Masked Singer ” on Fox .
As his TV career has flourished , Cannon has become an on-the-ground activist in Black communities .
“ I didn ’ t want to be another so-called entertainer or celebrity having an opinion about something that I hadn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his degree .
“ The only way to make change in the system is to know the system from within.
” Cannon did ride-alongs with law enforcement and sat down with prison guards , so that “ I could speak intelligently on the issues and understand why certain laws are created , and why we uphold certain laws.
” Asked if his opinions had ever drawn the ire of his bosses , Cannon laughed .
“ I have in the past .
I think they know not to mess with me now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my beliefs.
” Most famously , in 2017 Cannon bumped up against institutional power when NBC lawyers threatened his job at “ America ’ s Got Talent.
” During his Showtime comedy special , “ Stand Up Don ’ t Shoot , ” Cannon referenced NBC , he recalled , “ in a joking manner , but still said something that they weren ’ t too happy with .
I said , ‘ NBC stands for N— Be Careful.
’ ” NBC brass threatened to fire Cannon if he didn ’ t edit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The show was on a different network .
He saw it as a 1st Amendment issue .
“ For them to threaten my employment — I ’ ll never forget that moment because I said , ‘ They can ’ t fire me .
I quit.
’ ” He never looked back .
Recently , Cannon released an incendiary spoken-word video that addressed police violence and civil unrest .
He didn ’ t hear a peep from Meruelo Media Group , which owns Power 106 , KDAY , Cali 93.9 and 95.5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so strident that you would think that it was somebody who has no ties to any corporate structure , who doesn ’ t have to worry about the next paycheck or the fact that they also do mainstream television.
’ ” He also noted that unlike the newcomer Cannon , Big Boy ’ s 26 successful years on Los Angeles radio has proven his ability to speak both for and with his listeners .
“ He has a credibility that I think the listeners require of him .
His audience expects him to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s gang members , when things are going on like that , or some celebrity feud.
” Most prominently , Big Boy ’ s June 3 interview with Snoop Dogg went viral after the Long Beach icon made a surprising confession , one couched in a critique of President Trump .
“ I ain ’ t never voted a day in my life , but this year I think I ’ m gon na get out and vote , ‘ cause I can ’ t stand to see this punk in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that interview , Big Boy said he figured Snoop had at least voted for Barack Obama .
“ But when he said that he felt like he was brainwashed into thinking that he couldn ’ t vote because of his [ record ] , I figured we were talking to a lot of people ” who [ also ] thought they couldn ’ t vote because of a past conviction .
Since that interview , local voting initiatives have popped up to address that misconception .
For McQ , such ground-level interaction and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , despite it coming from so-called old technology , breeds trust in his listeners .
“ I know where they are .
They ’ re in Leimert Park , South L.A. , South Central , Long Beach and Compton.
” He adds , “ A lot of people have moved out to the I.E .
— to Ontario , Riverside , Palmdale.
” When it ’ s their turn to speak over the airwaves , McQ adds , “ I don ’ t try to interrupt them .
I don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t let them say certain things , just the expression of anger at being left out and mistreated , disrespected year after year after year .
I don ’ t try to say whether they are right or whether they ’ re wrong .
I just basically say , ‘ Hey , I understand what you ’ re going through because we all are in this together .
’ ”

Nick Cannon, who hosts the morning show on Power 106, holds a criminology degree from Howard University. He says he has “lost all faith and hope in law enforcement.”
When radio personality Kurt “Big Boy” Alexander first watched the video of George Floyd’s killing, the host of the popular “Big Boy’s Neighborhood” morning show on hip-hop station Real 92.3 (KRRL-FM) could pinpoint the moment he knew his next day’s show would be different.
“Once they took his lifeless body and put it on a stretcher,” he recalled late last week, “I knew immediately that whatever I had scheduled for the next show was thrown out the window. It was going to be totally erased.” Sensing a tense weekend, the station interrupted Saturday programming and Big Boy, 50, went live to take calls.
On the other end of the dial on rival Power 106 (KPWR-FM), morning show host Nick Cannon, 39, watched enough of Floyd’s “public lynching,” as he called it, and spoke about it on that Friday’s show. But behind the scenes, he was plotting.
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“I wanted to be on the front lines, ground zero, in Minneapolis,” Cannon said earlier this week, so he boarded a plane. By the time he got on the air Monday morning, the scene on the ground in Minneapolis was tense. Images of law enforcement violence against protesters spread across social media.
Since that fateful Memorial Day, Cannon, Big Boy, KDAY’s Cece & Romeo, KJLH’s Dominique DiPrima and other Black voices on the FM dial have responded with a kind of communal outrage, in the process reconfirming the platform’s role in the L.A. media landscape. In a culture balkanized by social media, cable news, streaming services and podcasts, terrestrial radio has stepped up in its role as a local forum.
Black radio on-air personalities have grilled guests, discussed racism and police violence, frustrations and solutions. Illustrating the power of the medium, they have broadcast interviews with leaders including Mayor Eric Garcetti, Congresswoman Maxine Waters and Sen. Kamala Harris. On stations including Power 106, KDAY 93.5 and Cali 93.9, programmers increased rotation on what it described as “music that had more conscious messages.” More important, programming blocks have been given over to listeners so they can vent and share.
Real 92.3 morning host Big Boy. (iHeartMedia)
“You can talk to people a million miles away, but here you’re talking to people rolling down Main Street or Crenshaw and they’re hearing about their neighborhood and their councilpersons in real time,” says historian and curator Daniel Walker, professor at El Camino College. “Terrestrial radio is making these things very real for people, and continuing that tradition, especially for African American-centered or African American-owned stations.”
He added, “Being able to channel that energy and to listen and to respond — those notions are so different than somebody getting 8,000 comments next to a tweet. You’re being heard because, during that time period, you’re the singular voice.”
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Over at urban contemporary station KJLH (102.3 FM), veteran DJ Lawrence “Lon McQ” Williams knew he’d address his audience after watching footage of Floyd’s death. During the 1992 L.A. uprising, he and station general manager Karen Slade were part of a team broadcasting the events from the station’s then-studio on Crenshaw. The coverage earned the station, which is owned by Stevie Wonder, a Peabody Award.
Nearly 30 years later as he commuted to the station’s Inglewood studios for his 10 a.m. time slot, McQ pondered what he’d say during the first on-air break. “Do you try to say something profound, or something smart or something spiritual? What do you say?” He opted for an invite. “The first word out of my mouth was, ‘I’ve seen the video. I know how you feel. I know you’re angry. But before you do something rash, call me. Let’s talk about it.’”
The phones lighted up, McQ recalled. “Call after call after call after call, it was basically the same fury, the same anger.”
Added Big Boy of the listener response to Floyd’s killing: “You saw outrage. You saw anger. You saw people that were ready to stand up and do something for whatever cause it was, and it wasn’t just about black and brown. This time it wasn’t people saying, ‘That doesn’t affect me.”
Historian Walker was listening. “For a person from a totally different generation than the young people who are his primary listeners, Big Boy is really speaking to the people you see in the protests, part of that multicultural, diverse swath of America.” Walker adds, “he has that ability to speak to Latinos, Asian Americans, whites, in this kind of California flow that we have.”
That’s one reason why Real 92.3 FM owner iHeartMedia hired Big Boy away from Power 106 in 2015, Walker said. It also proves how much value the stations place on its morning talent. His move prompted a lawsuit by Power 106’s then-owner Emmis Communcations. Big Boy’s contract with iHeartMedia is reportedly worth more than $3.5 million annually.
For his part, Cannon, who just celebrated his first anniversary as Power 106’s morning host — a slot occupied until 2015 by Big Boy —has continually opened the phone lines and invited listeners “to protest live on air.” He’s talked with policemen and their spouses, disenfranchised voters, incarcerated men. During an interview with Gov. Gavin Newsom, Cannon, who recently earned a criminology degree from Howard University, said he had “lost all faith and hope in law enforcement.” In response, Newsom acknowledged the legitimacy of Cannon’s cynicism and pledged to do better.
Asked whether he was satisfied with that response, Cannon said that “from his position as an outstanding politician, I was. One thing I cannot negate about our governor is his ability to present his platform and his rhetoric in a very buttoned-up and smooth manner.” Added Cannon, “He took blame where he needed to take blame, and he said to hold him accountable.”
Nick Cannon hosts Fox’s hit TV series “The Masked Singer.” (Michael Becker / Fox)
Cannon said many of his peers were stumped when he decided a half-decade ago to get a degree in criminology. Already a noted actor, comedian and host, the San Diego native earned mainstream attention during an eight-season run as host of NBC’s “America’s Got Talent,” as well as for his since-ended marriage to Mariah Carey. Cannon currently hosts “The Masked Singer” on Fox. As his TV career has flourished, Cannon has become an on-the-ground activist in Black communities.
“I didn’t want to be another so-called entertainer or celebrity having an opinion about something that I hadn’t thoroughly studied,” he said of his degree. “The only way to make change in the system is to know the system from within.” Cannon did ride-alongs with law enforcement and sat down with prison guards, so that “I could speak intelligently on the issues and understand why certain laws are created, and why we uphold certain laws.”
Asked if his opinions had ever drawn the ire of his bosses, Cannon laughed. “I have in the past. I think they know not to mess with me now. They know I stand firm in my beliefs.”
Most famously, in 2017 Cannon bumped up against institutional power when NBC lawyers threatened his job at “America’s Got Talent.” During his Showtime comedy special, “Stand Up Don’t Shoot,” Cannon referenced NBC, he recalled, “in a joking manner, but still said something that they weren’t too happy with. I said, ‘NBC stands for N— Be Careful.’”
NBC brass threatened to fire Cannon if he didn’t edit out the joke. He was furious. The show was on a different network. He saw it as a 1st Amendment issue. “For them to threaten my employment — I’ll never forget that moment because I said, ‘They can’t fire me. I quit.’” He never looked back. Recently, Cannon released an incendiary spoken-word video that addressed police violence and civil unrest. He didn’t hear a peep from Meruelo Media Group, which owns Power 106, KDAY, Cali 93.9 and 95.5 KLOS.
Walker called the clip “so strident that you would think that it was somebody who has no ties to any corporate structure, who doesn’t have to worry about the next paycheck or the fact that they also do mainstream television.’”
He also noted that unlike the newcomer Cannon, Big Boy’s 26 successful years on Los Angeles radio has proven his ability to speak both for and with his listeners. “He has a credibility that I think the listeners require of him. His audience expects him to speak to the direct thing, whether it’s gang members, when things are going on like that, or some celebrity feud.”
Most prominently, Big Boy’s June 3 interview with Snoop Dogg went viral after the Long Beach icon made a surprising confession, one couched in a critique of President Trump. “I ain’t never voted a day in my life, but this year I think I’m gonna get out and vote, ‘cause I can’t stand to see this punk in office one more year.”
Asked about that interview, Big Boy said he figured Snoop had at least voted for Barack Obama. “But when he said that he felt like he was brainwashed into thinking that he couldn’t vote because of his [record], I figured we were talking to a lot of people” who [also] thought they couldn’t vote because of a past conviction. Since that interview, local voting initiatives have popped up to address that misconception.
For McQ, such ground-level interaction and communication provides opportunity for an idea exchange that, despite it coming from so-called old technology, breeds trust in his listeners. “I know where they are. They’re in Leimert Park, South L.A., South Central, Long Beach and Compton.” He adds, “A lot of people have moved out to the I.E. — to Ontario, Riverside, Palmdale.”
When it’s their turn to speak over the airwaves, McQ adds, “I don’t try to interrupt them. I don’t try to correct them. I can’t let them say certain things, just the expression of anger at being left out and mistreated, disrespected year after year after year. I don’t try to say whether they are right or whether they’re wrong. I just basically say, ‘Hey, I understand what you’re going through because we all are in this together.’”


latimes--2020-06-17--Fast-moving brush fire in Butte County destroys four homes

At least four homes have been destroyed in a fast-moving brush fire that erupted just before noon in Butte County in Northern California , officials said Wednesday .
The blaze , dubbed the Nelson fire , prompted evacuations in the town of Thermalito , near Oroville .
Photos from the scene showed black smoke consuming the area .
The fire jumped to about 50 acres , and authorities with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection reported progress before the blaze shot up to nearly 100 acres around 2 p.m .
Within half an hour , though , firefighters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been stopped and the blaze was 50 % contained .
The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for the area shortly before 5:30 a.m .
The warning remains in effect until Thursday afternoon .
Several other areas in the Central Valley are also under the warning .
A fast-moving brush fire broke out south of the area in a rural section of Calaveras County on Tuesday night , which also prompted an evacuation warning .
The Walker fire had ballooned to 1,100 acres and was 10 % contained Wednesday morning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that blaze .
The cause of both fires is under investigation , officials said .

At least four homes have been destroyed in a fast-moving brush fire that erupted just before noon in Butte County in Northern California, officials said Wednesday.
The blaze, dubbed the Nelson fire, prompted evacuations in the town of Thermalito, near Oroville. Photos from the scene showed black smoke consuming the area.
The fire jumped to about 50 acres, and authorities with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection reported progress before the blaze shot up to nearly 100 acres around 2 p.m. Within half an hour, though, firefighters reported that forward progress of the fire had been stopped and the blaze was 50% contained.
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#NelsonFire [update] Fire is roughly estimated at 50 acres. Structures are involved. Making good progress on stopping the forward spread. pic.twitter.com/POPPZAz64K — CAL FIRE Butte Unit/Butte County Fire Department (@CALFIRE_ButteCo) June 17, 2020
The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for the area shortly before 5:30 a.m. The warning remains in effect until Thursday afternoon. Several other areas in the Central Valley are also under the warning.
A fast-moving brush fire broke out south of the area in a rural section of Calaveras County on Tuesday night, which also prompted an evacuation warning.
The Walker fire had ballooned to 1,100 acres and was 10% contained Wednesday morning. Two structures have been destroyed in that blaze.
The cause of both fires is under investigation, officials said.


latimes--2020-06-17--Kobe Bryant helicopter pilot dismissed weather concerns before crash, NTSB documents show

The night before Kobe Bryant ’ s fateful final helicopter trip , the broker arranging the former Lakers star ’ s flight to Thousand Oaks expressed concern to the pilot that “ weather could be an issue.
” The next morning , the pilot , Ara Zobayan , assured the broker and Bryant ’ s personal drivers that the weather conditions “ should be OK , ” according to text messages made public on Wednesday by the National Transportation Safety Board .
An hour and half later , Zobayan , Bryant , his daughter Gianna and six other people on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ craft plunged into a fog-shrouded hillside above Calabasas .
The text message exchanges are among the findings in 1,700 pages of documents released by federal regulators Wednesday .
The documents draw no conclusions about the cause of the crash and will be followed by a final report .
A preliminary report in February said there were no signs of engine failure , meaning the chopper didn ’ t lose power before it hit the hill .
The NTSB noted that videos and photos from the public “ depict fog and low clouds obscuring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noted that the pilot had struggled with a low cloud ceiling .
A witness on a mountain bike trail told investigators that the area was “ surrounded by mist ” and that he heard the sound of a helicopter and saw a blue and white chopper emerge from the clouds , passing from left to right .
The 1991 Sikorsky S-76B was carrying to a youth basketball game at Bryant ’ s Mamba Academy in Thousand Oaks .
Those who perished in the fiery crash included ; Christina Mauser ; Payton and Sarah @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Altobelli ; and Zobayan .

The night before Kobe Bryant’s final helicopter flight, the broker arranging the former Lakers star’s trip to Camarillo expressed concern to the pilot that “weather could be an issue.”
The next morning, the pilot, Ara Zobayan, assured the broker and Bryant’s personal drivers that the weather conditions “should be OK,” according to text messages made public Wednesday by the National Transportation Safety Board.
An hour and half later, Zobayan, Bryant, his daughter and six other people on board the helicopter were killed when the craft plunged into a fog-shrouded hillside above Calabasas.
The text messages are among the findings in 1,700 pages of documents that federal regulators released Wednesday. The records draw no conclusions about the cause of the crash, but they offer the most comprehensive account to date of Bryant’s final flight, which took off from John Wayne Airport in Orange County the morning of Jan. 26 and slammed into a hillside 39 minutes later, killing everyone on board.
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NTSB investigators have interviewed virtually everyone who had some role in ferrying Bryant through Southern California’s skies, from the mechanic who maintained his favored helicopter, to the broker who arranged his travel, to Bryant’s personal assistant, Catherine Brady.
Brady told the NTSB that while Bryant’s 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, had games scheduled on the 26th for noon and 2 p.m., Bryant had asked her to move up his departure time, from 9:45 a.m. to 9 a.m., because he had wanted to watch another team play.
The morning of the 26th, a Sikorsky S-76B, operated by Island Express Helicopters, was waiting for Bryant at John Wayne Airport. Zobayan took off at 9:06 a.m., carrying Bryant, Gianna and six others: Christina Mauser; Payton and Sarah Chester; John, Keri and Alyssa Altobelli.
At 9:44 a.m., Zobayan, who was hugging the 101 Freeway near Calabasas, informed an air traffic controller he intended to climb above the cloud layer, Marie Moler, an NTSB aircraft performance specialist, wrote in a report released Wednesday. Zobayan began to climb and then banked left, straying from the 101, Moler wrote.
Zobayan, she said, may have “misperceived both pitch and roll angles”: While he told an air traffic controller he was climbing to 4,000 feet, he in fact was descending “rapidly while in a left turn,” the report said.
“When a pilot misperceives attitude and acceleration,” Moler wrote, “it is known as the ‘somatogravic illusion’ and can cause spatial disorientation.”
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The Sikorsky slammed into a hillside at 184 mph, strewing wreckage across an area the size of a football field.
Four minutes later, the broker who arranged the flight asked Whitney Bagge, the vice president of Island Express Helicopters, to check the flight’s status, Bagge told the NTSB. She saw that a flight tracker had lost Zobayan at 9:45 a.m. As she tried to reach Zobayan over the radio, Bagge said she “kept refreshing the tracker praying that it was just broken.”


latimes--2020-06-17--Actor Danny Masterson charged in three rape cases

Actor Danny Masterson has been charged with three counts of rape involving incidents between 2001 and 2003 , Los Angeles prosecutors said Wednesday .
The Los Angeles County district attorney ’ s office said in a statement that Masterson is accused of raping a 23-year-old woman between January and December 2001 , a 28-year-old woman in April 2003 and a 23-year-old woman he invited to a Hollywood party between October and December 2003 .
Masterson surrendered to Los Angeles police and was booked Wednesday afternoon at the downtown jail .
He was released after posting $ 3.3-million bail .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is scheduled to be arraigned in September .
He could not immediately be reached for comment .
The alleged crimes occurred at his Hollywood Hills home , officials said .
When sexual assault allegations against the actor were first raised in 2017 , he and his representative denied them and suggested they were motivated by the producer of an anti-Scientology television series .
Masterson has identified himself as a practicing Scientologist .
In a statement Wednesday , his attorney said Masterson is innocent .
“ We ’ re confident that he will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to light and witnesses have the opportunity to testify , ” Tom Mesereau said .
“ Obviously , Mr. Masterson and his wife are in complete shock considering that these nearly 20-year old allegations are suddenly resulting in charges being filed , but they and their family are comforted knowing that ultimately the truth will come out .
The people who know Mr. Masterson know his character and know the allegations to be false.
” Masterson has been the subject of the growing number of sexual assault allegations from women he knew .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ charged by Los Angeles County Dist .
Atty .
Jackie Lacey , following Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein on rape charges in the wake of the # MeToo movement , which gave voice to sexual assault survivors and has spurred a cultural awakening .
Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison after bring convicted of rape and committing a criminal sexual act in New York this year .
In the Masterson case , Lacey has come under fire previously for not acting on the allegations .
Among those voicing criticism was actress Leah @ @ @ @ @ @ @ critic of the church , who publicly questioned why the district attorney had not charged the actor .
The LAPD ’ s elite sex crimes unit inside its Robbery-Homicide Division began investigating Masterson in late 2016 .
In March 2017 , the department acknowledged it was looking into allegations of three accusers .
A month later , evidence was presented to the district attorney ’ s office , but prosecutors repeatedly asked for additional investigations .
Prosecutors reviewed allegations from five women .
The district attorney ’ s office declined to file sexual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for insufficient evidence and the other based on the statute of limitations for the crime alleged .
In 2019 , four women joined a civil lawsuit against Masterson , alleging the actor sexually assaulted them and claiming that after coming forward , the actor , along with affiliates of the Church of Scientology , sought to silence and intimidate them .
The lawsuit contends that Masterson has worked as field staff member for Scientology-related organizations .
One of the plaintiffs , Chrissie Bixler , alleged that while dating Masterson , he assaulted her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in late 2001 or early 2002 , and that one of the alleged assaults occurred while she was unconscious .
After Bixler reported the assault to the LAPD in 2016 , she claims in the lawsuit that she was stalked and threatened , purportedly by people affiliated with Scientology-related organizations .
Another woman who joined the lawsuit but opted to sue Masterson anonymously accused him of sexually assaulting her at his home on April 24 or April 25 of 2003 , a date that corresponds to an incident that is the basis for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case .
That woman alleged she became “ very sick and disoriented ” after drinking a beverage at Masterson ’ s home , according to the lawsuit .
She alleged that after falling ill , Masterson brought her into a bathroom , undressed her and sexually assaulted her in the shower , according to the lawsuit .
The woman claimed that she later awoke to him raping her .
The lawsuit stated that an unidentified witness was present for some of the events leading to the alleged assault .
Masterson ’ s lawyers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allegations , calling them “ false and defamatory.
” The attorneys have noted that the claims do not mention that the plaintiffs “ all had long-standing relationships with Mr. Masterson.
” The lawyers have also said that the “ original claims ” stemmed from “ prior consensual relationships.
” “ This lawsuit is not about justice , as Mr. Masterson ’ s exes disingenuously claim , ” his lawyer Andrew Brettler wrote in a February court filing .
“ It is a shameful money grab ; plain and simple.
” William Forman , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ International , previously dismissed the claims made in the litigation .
“ This baseless lawsuit will go nowhere , because the claims are ludicrous and a sham , ” Forman told The Times in 2019 .
“ It ’ s a dishonest and hallucinatory publicity stunt.
” Masterson ’ s prosecution is being led by Deputy Dist .
Atty .
Reinhold Mueller , who is also handling charges against Weinstein .
Masterson faces a possible maximum sentence of 45 years to life in state prison if convicted of all charges .
The actor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Ranch ” in 2017 after Los Angeles police acknowledged the investigation .
“ From day one , I have denied the outrageous allegations against me .
I have never been charged with a crime , let alone convicted of one , ” he said then .
“ In this country , you are presumed innocent until proven guilty .
However , in the current climate , it seems as if you are presumed guilty the moment you are accused .
I understand and look forward to clearing my name once and for @ @ @

Actor Danny Masterson has been charged with three counts of rape involving incidents between 2001 and 2003, Los Angeles prosecutors said Wednesday.
The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office said in a statement that Masterson is accused of raping a 23-year-old woman between January and December 2001, a 28-year-old woman in April 2003 and a 23-year-old woman he invited to a Hollywood party between October and December 2003.
Masterson surrendered to Los Angeles police and was booked Wednesday afternoon at the downtown jail. He was released after posting $3.3-million bail.
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The “That ‘70s Show” actor is scheduled to be arraigned in September. He could not immediately be reached for comment. The alleged crimes occurred at his Hollywood Hills home, officials said.
When sexual assault allegations against the actor were first raised in 2017, he and his representative denied them and suggested they were motivated by the producer of an anti-Scientology television series. Masterson has identified himself as a practicing Scientologist.
In a statement Wednesday, his attorney said Masterson is innocent.
“We’re confident that he will be exonerated when all the evidence finally comes to light and witnesses have the opportunity to testify,” Tom Mesereau said. “Obviously, Mr. Masterson and his wife are in complete shock considering that these nearly 20-year old allegations are suddenly resulting in charges being filed, but they and their family are comforted knowing that ultimately the truth will come out. The people who know Mr. Masterson know his character and know the allegations to be false.”
Mesereau most famously successfully defended singer Michael Jackson against child molestation charges.
Masterson has been the subject of the growing number of sexual assault allegations from women he knew. He becomes the second high-profile Hollywood figure charged by Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey, following Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein on rape charges in the wake of the #MeToo movement, which gave voice to sexual assault survivors and has spurred a cultural awakening.
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Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison after bring convicted of rape and committing a criminal sexual act in New York this year.
In the Masterson case, Lacey has come under fire previously for not acting on the allegations. Among those voicing criticism was actress Leah Remini, a former Scientologist and well-known critic of the church, who publicly questioned why the district attorney had not charged the actor.
The LAPD’s elite sex crimes unit inside its Robbery-Homicide Division began investigating Masterson in late 2016. In March 2017, the department acknowledged it was looking into allegations of three accusers. A month later, evidence was presented to the district attorney’s office, but prosecutors repeatedly asked for additional investigations.
Prosecutors reviewed allegations from five women. The district attorney’s office declined to file sexual assault charges in two cases, one for insufficient evidence and the other based on the statute of limitations for the crime alleged.
All three accusers in the criminal case have also joined in a civil lawsuit that was filed against Masterson in 2019 in Los Angeles County Superior Court, according to the women’s attorney, Brian Kent. In that lawsuit, a total of four women accused Masterson of sexually assaulting them and said that after coming forward, the actor, along with affiliates of the Church of Scientology, sought to silence and intimidate them. The lawsuit contends that Masterson has worked as a field staff member for Scientology-related organizations.
One of the plaintiffs, Chrissie Bixler, alleged that while dating Masterson, he assaulted her “on more than one occasion” in late 2001 or early 2002, and that one of the alleged assaults occurred while she was unconscious.
After Bixler reported the assault to the LAPD in 2016, she claims in the lawsuit that she was stalked and threatened, purportedly by people affiliated with Scientology-related organizations.
Another woman who joined the lawsuit but opted to sue Masterson anonymously accused him of sexually assaulting her at his home on April 24 or 25 of 2003, a date that corresponds to an incident that is the basis for one of the charges in the criminal case.
That woman alleged she became “very sick and disoriented” after drinking a beverage at Masterson’s home, according to the lawsuit. She alleged that after falling ill, Masterson brought her into a bathroom, undressed her and sexually assaulted her in the shower, according to the lawsuit. The woman claimed that she later awoke to him raping her. The lawsuit stated that an unidentified witness was present for some of the events leading to the alleged assault.
Masterson’s lawyers have vigorously denied the lawsuit’s allegations, calling them “false and defamatory.” The attorneys have noted that the claims do not mention that the plaintiffs “all had long-standing relationships with Mr. Masterson.” The lawyers have also said that the “original claims” stemmed from “prior consensual relationships.”
“This lawsuit is not about justice, as Mr. Masterson’s exes disingenuously claim,” his lawyer Andrew Brettler wrote in a February court filing. “It is a shameful money grab; plain and simple.”
William Forman, an attorney for the Church of Scientology International, previously dismissed the claims made in the litigation.
“This baseless lawsuit will go nowhere, because the claims are ludicrous and a sham,” Forman told The Times in 2019. “It’s a dishonest and hallucinatory publicity stunt.”
Masterson’s prosecution is being led by Deputy Dist. Atty. Reinhold Mueller, who is also handling sex abuse charges against former USC gynecologist Dr. George Tyndall. Masterson faces a possible maximum sentence of 45 years to life in state prison if convicted of all charges.
The actor was fired from the Netflix series “The Ranch” in 2017 after Los Angeles police acknowledged the investigation.
“From day one, I have denied the outrageous allegations against me. I have never been charged with a crime, let alone convicted of one,” he said then. “In this country, you are presumed innocent until proven guilty. However, in the current climate, it seems as if you are presumed guilty the moment you are accused. I understand and look forward to clearing my name once and for all.”


latimes--2020-06-17--One killed after SUV slams into Silver Lake restaurant

One person was killed and two others were seriously injured Wednesday morning when an SUV crashed into the front of a restaurant in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles , officials said .
According to witnesses , the vehicle was on the wrong side of the street and speeding when it swerved to avoid an oncoming car .
Then , shortly after 10:30 a.m. , the SUV careened into the L & E Oyster Bar in the 1600 block of North Silver Lake Boulevard .
The vehicle struck someone riding either a motorcycle or a scooter , toppled a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the building .
One person died at the scene and two others — a 72-year-old woman and a 52-year-old man — were taken to the hospital in serious condition , according to the Los Angeles Fire Department .
Lamill Coffee , across the street from the restaurant , was open at the time of the crash .
Johnny Mendoza , a store manager , said he and others heard what sounded like an explosion and ran across the street with a fire extinguisher to put out a small blaze in the car @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a passenger in the SUV , whom they helped from the vehicle .
Both were taken to the hospital , he said .
Authorities could not confirm who was taken to the hospital and did not provide information on the person who died .
L & E Oyster Bar , which had been providing curbside takeout only , was not open at the time of the crash .
The area around the restaurant on Silver Lake Boulevard is currently closed off as police investigate the crash .

A crime scene technician works at the site of a crash in Silver Lake where an SUV hit the front of a building.
One person was killed and two others were seriously injured Wednesday morning when an SUV crashed into the front of a restaurant in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles, officials said.
According to witnesses, the vehicle was on the wrong side of the street and speeding when it swerved to avoid an oncoming car. Then, shortly after 10:30 a.m., the SUV careened into the L&E Oyster Bar in the 1600 block of North Silver Lake Boulevard.
The vehicle struck someone riding either a motorcycle or a scooter, toppled a tree and, on impact, overturned into the building.
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One person died at the scene and two others — a 72-year-old woman and a 52-year-old man — were taken to the hospital in serious condition, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
Sadly, one person died onscene of this overturned vehicle in the 1600 block of N Silverlake. Please avoid area, will be an extended duration incident as @LAPDHQ investigates 📷 Eric French #lafd pic.twitter.com/9uJ0b5SXPj — LAFD Talk (@LAFDtalk) June 17, 2020
Lamill Coffee, across the street from the restaurant, was open at the time of the crash. Johnny Mendoza, a store manager, said he and others heard what sounded like an explosion and ran across the street with a fire extinguisher to put out a small blaze in the car. Mendoza said there was a driver and a passenger in the SUV, whom they helped from the vehicle. Both were taken to the hospital, he said.
Authorities could not confirm who was taken to the hospital and did not provide information on the person who died.
L&E Oyster Bar, which had been providing curbside takeout only, was not open at the time of the crash. The area around the restaurant on Silver Lake Boulevard is currently closed off as police investigate the crash.
Times staff writer Deborah Vankin contributed to this report.