Joseph Wolfe , Former Fullerton PD arraigned for participation in beating-death of Kelly Thomas.

Posted by CotoBlogzz

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA - Joseph Wolfe , Former Fullerton PD arraigned yesterday for his criminal participation in the July 2011 beating-death of 37-year-old homeless man Kelly Thomas.   Wolfe  is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing Nov. 2, 2012.

Since that time, former Officer Manuel Ramos and  former Corporal Jay Cicinelli were charged Sept. 21, 2011, according to   the Orange County District Attorney’s office (OCDA,) the OCDA  has actively continued its investigation and legal review and decided to seek an indictment against Wolfe.

The Orange County Grand Jury heard testimony from 10 witnesses and examined 113 exhibits of evidence over three days beginning Sept. 19, 2012, before returning an indictment on Sept. 24, 2012.   Since the law requires that grand jury transcripts, including any evidence or testimony, to be sealed until 10 calendar days have passed from the date of receipt of those transcripts by the defense, the OCDA is legally prohibited from discussing any information related to the grand jury proceedings at this time.

According to the OCDA:

 Ramos is charged with one felony count of second degree murder and one felony count of involuntary manslaughter. He faces a maximum sentence of 15 years to life in state prison if convicted. Ramos is out of custody on $1 million bail.

Cicinelli is charged with one felony count of involuntary manslaughter and one felony count of the use of excessive force. He faces a maximum sentence of four years in state prison if convicted. Cicinelli is out of custody on $25,000 bail.

Ramos and Cicinelli are scheduled for a pre-trial trial setting conference Nov. 30, 2012, at 9:00 a.m. in Department C-40, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana. 

Due to a lack of evidence, as described below, criminal charges have not been filed against the remaining three officers involved in the incident including Officer Kenton Hampton, Sergeant Kevin Craig, and Corporal James Blatney.

The decision regarding seeking criminal charges against all three defendants was made by District Attorney Rackauckas.  

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DUI Santa Ana Man charged with killing a woman

 

Posted by CotoBlogzz

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA - Steven Todd Newcomer will be arraigned tomorrow for killing a woman by crashing into her motorcycle after making an unsafe turn into an intersection according to the Orange County District Attorney’s (OCDA) office.

Newcomer, 44, Santa Ana, is charged with one felony count each of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated without gross negligence and hit and run causing death. Newcomer is scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow, Friday, Aug. 31, 2012

At approximately 8:40 p.m. on April 12, 2012, 32-year-old Kimberly Krause was riding her motorcycle eastbound on Chapman Avenue approaching the intersection at Pioneer Lane in Garden Grove. Newcomer is accused of driving while under the influence of alcohol westbound on Chapman Avenue toward the same intersection. 

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As Krause legally passed through the intersection on a green light, Newcomer is accused of making a left turn in front of the victim without yielding to oncoming traffic. The defendant is accused of crashing into the victim and throwing her from her motorcycle. Newcomer is accused of briefly stopping at the scene before fleeing into a nearby residential complex to a friend's home. He is accused of failing to call 911 to seek help for the victim. 

Officers from the Garden Grove Police Department (GGPD), who investigated this case, responded to the scene and located Krause lying at the corner of the intersection. She was transported to the University of California, Irvine Medical Center and pronounced dead at 9:01 p.m. due to multiple blunt force traumatic injuries. 

Approximately 10 minutes after the crash, Newcomer is accused of being located by GGPD walking inside the residential complex near the crime scene. He is accused of displaying objective signs of alcohol intoxication including bloodshot eyes and emitting a strong odor of alcohol. At midnight, over three hours after the crash, the defendant is accused of having a blood alcohol level of .14 percent.