Trials

Joshua Woodward, Table 8 Co-Owner, Tried to Murder Girlfriend's Fetus -- Prosecutors

Here's a doozy: The District Attorney's office today said Joshua Woodward, co-owner of L.A. restaurant Table 8, tried to induce miscarriage in his then-girlfriend four times by giving her the drug misoprostol. Prosecutors say that's attempted murder. The 40-year-old Woodward surrendered today and ... More >>

John Farahi: Iranian Bernie Madoff? Feds Say $20 Million of L.A. Persian Jews' Money Lost

yunguyen666​A Bel Air Estates man whose investment fraud allegedly cost $20 million in losses was indicted by a federal grand jury this week. And since these alleged, mini-Madoffs are getting titles in the news based on ethnicity, we'll call this suspect a potential Iranian Bernie Madoff. Ind ... More >>

D.A.'s Office: New Anand Jon Trial a 'Grave Mistake'

L.A. Daily has obtained a copy of the prosecution motion to be filed Monday, July 6, arguing against the granting of a new trial for fashion designer Anand Jon. The motion dismisses defense attorneys' claims that the spurned affections of one juror by Jon's sister, Sanjana, could have resulted in th ... More >>

Pellicano Co-Defendant Kevin Kachikian Sentenced

"I'm not a warm fuzzy type," Judge Dale Fischer told Kevin Kachikian at his sentencing today. As an understatement, the icy jurist's comment ranks just below, "Houston, we have a problem." But there was no need to point this out to Kachikian - he knew all about it. Last year he was one of five men ... More >>

Anand Jon Trial Shock: Rogue Juror Throws Verdict Monkey Wrench

Today lawyers for fashion designer Anand Jon sought to overturn his sexual assault verdicts and win a new trial, citing a bizarre incident that occurred during the trial that ended in his conviction last November. Although the defense attorneys' motions are under seal, they refer to an event in whic ... More >>

Anand Jon: Guilty 16 Times

Fashion designer Anand Jon Alexander faces life in prison today following his conviction on 16 charges of sexual assault and lewd conduct with minors. He was acquitted on four charges, while the jury deadlocked on three other counts. "Mr. Alexander is a 34-year-old pedophile masquerading as a fashi ... More >>

Anand Jon Verdicts: Guilty, Guilty, Guilty . . .

Victors: Deputy D.A.s Mara McIlvain (l.) and Frances Young (c.) At 11:45 a.m. today Judge David Wesley’s clerk began reading the jury verdicts Wesley had just unsealed, perused and approved. The tension in the packed courtroom had been oppressive since Department 102’s doors opened. Prosecuto ... More >>

Anand Jon's Defense Begins - Sort Of

The prosecution rested its case in chief today against fashion designer Anand Jon, who is charged with multiple sexual assaults against nine girls and young women between 2001 and 2007. The end came not with a bang but with the whimper of DNA testimony, provided by Sheriff’s Department senior crim ... More >>

The Strange and Disturbing Trial of Anand Jon

What we talk about when we talk about rape

Anand Jon Rape Trial Nears

A semen-stained comforter, a tampon and a camera. These were some of the items listed on a Beverly Hills P.D. search warrant when officers raided fashion designer Anand Jon's pad in March, 2007. Later that year Jon was charged with a list of offenses more often associated with spring break at Lake H ... More >>

Ninth Circuit Court Retreats to Idaho

Legal insiders point everywhere but at themselves during a sun-filled non-examination

Federal Judge Discloses Association with “Supergraphics” Company

The LA Weekly was taking a peek at court papers when we came across an interesting tidbit by a federal district judge who issued a preliminary injunction in June barring the city of Los Angeles from enforcing its sign ordinance against those huge, tacky, building-sized ads now slathering much of LA. ... More >>

“Supergraphics” Company Continues Attack Against Los Angeles’ Billboard Ban

Last week, attorneys for World Wide Rush filed a motion in federal court asking a judge to permanently block the city from prosecuting building owners who allow “supergraphics” signs on their buildings. The motion was filed after the city began enforcing its sign ordinance against the owners o ... More >>

Guilty As Charged: Anthony Pellicano trial ends with prosecution victory

Anthony Pellicano, onetime “P.I. to the Stars,” was convicted today of 76 of the 77 counts he faced for racketeering, wire fraud and identity theft. As Judge Dale Fischer began reading the first of the jury’s guilty verdicts at 12:15 p.m., Pellicano displayed the stoic bravado he showed throu ... More >>

Mistakes Were Made

Dysfunctional business as usual at Pellicano trial When we last left the trial of Anthony Pellicano and four co-defendants, the proceedings had been thrown into chaos after attorney Chad Hummel’s cross examination of a “businesswoman” whom the government had called to the witness stand to tes ... More >>

Phil Noir: Strangers On a Train Wreck

The jury that hangs together gets hung

Playa Vista Quicksand

A rare court ruling against the developer puts the kibosh — for now — on a vast Phase Two

Worse and Worser

A hothead female firefighter accuses a bombastic boss. She gets $6.2 million � at least.

Phil Noir: Murder As a Second Language

As questions about defense attorney Bruce Cutler�s effectiveness circulate, immigrant witnesses place new accents on shooting timeline

Sex, Justice and the D.A.'s Office

Could a prosecutor�s affair with a stripper bring down a death-penalty conviction and Steve Cooley?

The Steve and Bob Show

Ex-D.A. Philibosian has a good friend in Cooley

Foreplay and Justice

The case of a prosecutor who slept with a key witness

Rocky Road

Suit tarnishes city attorney�s polished image

Revenge of the White Cops

The meaning of the Inglewood verdict

Mean Girls

Now Jane Doe�s ex-friends say the Orange County rape victim was always a slut and a liar

Letters

L.A.-Boston: A Lesson for Convention Cops

Second and Long

Retrial in Inglewood�s videotaped beating case is a test for Steve Cooley

Web Exclusive

Arnold's Campaign Facing Libel Suit over Rhonda Miller Smear

Web of Deceit

Murder conviction overturned because D.A. withheld evidence

Reform for the Black Robes

Ever wonder why innocent people plead guilty?

Rage and the LAPD

Ruling keeps alive protesters� lawsuit in aftermath of Democratic Convention

The Rampart Verdict

The deeper meaning of LAPD�s biggest scandal may never be known

What Cooley Learned From Rampart

Not enough, say critics of the district attorney

LAPD Fiction

How a detective made up evidence and got away with it

How to Bury A Scandal

Rafael Perez has come and gone but Chief Parks remains unmoved

To Protect and Serve

Hahn spent his career making the city safe for cops

Rampart Watch

New, harder look produces more charges against cops

In Contempt

Judge Connor went beyond the call of duty to help Rampart officers

Beyond the Verdict

The real Rampart scandal is citywide

Trying for Justice

The deep meaning of the deeply flawed Rampart trial

Gimme Some Truth

Gang members make or break Rampart case

Another Fine Mess

Rampart scandal staggers into court

Naming Names

Defense attorneys want details on all the possibly flawed cases involving LAPD officers at the Rampart Station

Ganging Up in Venice

Alleged gang members mount spirited defense of their civil liberties

Crips and Bloods Unite

Nation of Islam steps in to challenge gang injunction

Sweetheart Deal?

LAPD Zealots Cost City a Cool Million

The High Cost of Bias

Gender gap persists at Sheriff�s Department

Michael Taylor's killer convicted

Killer of community activist Michael Taylor convicted