Pretrial Process in California Criminal Courts
If you were arrested for criminal offense in Los Angeles County, the pretrial process will proceed when you enter a not guilty plea. The pretrial is a court appearance that allows for motions such as to suppress evidence under California Penal Code Section 1538.5 or a motion to set aside...
Carjacking Felons Sentenced to California State Prison
Two convicted felons who were accused of assaulting and carjacking a man – then leading police of a high-speed chase ending in a car crash causing injuries – pleaded guilty to the felony charges and were sentenced to a California state prison. Defendant’s Donovan Adame, 22, and Eric Guzman, 21,...
Largest Child Pornography Website Shutdown by Federal Prosecutors
The operator of the world’s largest child pornography file-sharing website site located in South Korea was by United States federal prosecutors on charges. They filed against him for what they called the “world’s largest dark web child porn marketplace.” Jong Woo Son, 23, was already serving an 18-month...
LAPD Officer Charged with Felony Corporal Injury to Spouse
Los Angeles County Prosecutors have filed felony criminal charges against a Los Angeles Police officer that accuse him of beating his girlfriend causing serious injuries on three separate incidents. He was arrested by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputies and booked at the Santa Clarita Valley Station. His bail was originally set...
Battery Causing Serious Bodily Injury - California Penal Code 243(d)
Under California law, a battery under Penal Code 242 is defined as an offensive touching. In practical terms, this means that anyone who physically touches someone else without their permission is guilty of a battery. When that non-consensual, unprivileged touching results in serious enough injuries to the victim, the crime of...
Victim Restitution in California Criminal Cases
In Los Angeles County Criminal Courts, if you were convicted of a misdemeanor or felony crime where a victim suffered some type of loss, you will normally be required by the court to pay restitution to the victim, which would be a condition of your probation. Victim restitution is the right...
Ex-Cal State Northridge Soccer Player Convicted of Rape on Campus
A former soccer player at California State Northridge has been convicted of raping a woman on the campus that occurred in January 2018. According to Los Angeles County jail records, he was taken into custody in August 2018 by Cal State Northridge police, but was released on bond. He was then...
Two Men Plead Guilty to Home Invasion Robbery in Seal Beach
Two Costa Mesa, California men have pleaded guilty to a home invasion robbery that occurred in in Seal Beach back in August 2017. Richard Derderian, 35, and co-defendant Aaron Lipsey, 36, entered a plea of guilty to the felony crimes of robbery, burglary, dissuading a witness by force, criminal threats, possession...
California Supreme Court Orders Discovery of Police Misconduct Records
On August 26, 2019, in Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs v. Superior Court, the California Supreme Court reversed a Court of Appeals ruling which enjoined the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department from disclosing to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office the identities of certain deputies which the Sheriff’s...
Hollywood Ripper Found Guilty of Murder in Los Angeles
A Los Angeles jury convicted Michael Gargiulo, known as the "Hollywood Ripper," of two counts of murder and the attempted murder of another person. The verdict was announced after several months of testimony. The sentencing phase will now be scheduled and he is facing life in a California state prison...