City Attorney's Office Hosts Domestic Violence Meet 'n Greet

October 7, 2009

City Attorney Carmen Trutanich hosted a Meet and Greet/Roundtable Discussion with more than 30 representatives from Domestic Violence Agencies throughout the area.


The City Attorney, along with Eve Sheedy, Director of Domestic Violence Policy, Earl Thomas, Chief of the Criminal and Special Operations Branch and Maureen Siegel, Deputy Chief, Criminal and Special Litigation met with Executive Directors;
Patti Giggans, from Peace Over Violence,
Sara Berdine, from Haven Hills,
Karen Rosenthal from Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles,
TuLynn Smylie, from WomenShelter of Long Beach,
Bernita Walker from Project Peacemakers and
Judith Gordon, from Women’s and Children’s Crisis Shelter.

Also present were;
Marci Fukuroda from Rainbow Services,
Gerrie Rosen from the African Community Resource Center,
LaDawn Best from the LA Gay and Lesbian Center,
Gail Pincus from the Domestic Abuse Center,
TC Kim from the Asian Pacific Women’s Center,
Adriana Molina from Children’s Institute,
Ana Storey from Los Angeles Legal Aid,
Sandra Schooley from Seraphim Manor,
Ellen Sanchez from the Violence Intervention Program,
Kim Goldberg-Roth from Valley Trauma Center,
Kathy Adams from the Child Abuse Trauma Center,
Hamid Khan from South Asian Network,
Michelle Wall from Angel Step Inn and
representatives from Village Family Services.


The City Attorney shared his experience as a Prosecutor of Domestic Violence crimes and his plans to address this serious problem as City Attorney, including introduction of a Bureau of Investigators to provide both trial and victim support and Mentorship programs to prevent and guide youth away from violence.

Participants asked questions covering areas from Restraining Order enforcement to School based programs. The City Attorney confirmed both his personal commitment and the commitment of the City Attorney’s Office to address Domestic Violence both in the courtroom and in the community. The City Attorney clearly recognizes the contribution that Domestic Violence Agencies make to public safety and thanks them for their continued hard work, particularly in these economically challenging times.

Above (left to right) Maureen Siegel, Carmen Trutanich, Eve Sheedy, and Earl Thomas

Posted by: Eve Sheedy
Photos by: David Berger

Trutanich Takes Community Advice

Thursday, October 1, 2009

The newly formed City Attorney Community Advisory Group held its inaugural meeting on Thursday night organized by Marcia Selz, one of the group's founders and ardent campaigner for transparency in local government.

The group is comprised of representatives from Los Angeles' Neighborhood Councils and Home Owners Associations who not only have a wealth of information and advice for the City Attorney, but who also will provide vital feedback to the City Attorney on how the Office is responding to their needs.

Carmen "Nuch" Trutanich arrived at the meeting keen to hear from the group and received a warm welcome before fielding questions on hot button issues including; Medical Marijuana, Graffiti, Billboard Blight, Ethics and Crime.

There were hard questions for the City Attorney, and hard answers for the Group, many of whom were frustrated by the often overly obscured machinations of lobbyists, developers and planners.

Trutanich's Senior Assistant Jane Usher was on hand to assist the City Attorney some of the questions, along with West LA Neighborhood Prosecutors Dena Carreyn and Gita O'Neill and Sheryl Smith, Director of Public Affiairs.

Promising rapid and responsive solutions to issues in the community, Trutanich urged the group to contact their Neighborhood Prosecutors at the earliest stage to make sure the community gets the service it deserves from the City Attorney's Office. Click here to find out more about the Neighborhood Prosecutor Program.

The first meeting of the City Attorney Community Advisory Group wrapped up its business at around 10:30pm with a promise to meet again in 3 months at the City Attorney's Office, and with a commitment from Trutanich that any 'hot button' issues don't have to wait "Call your Neighborhood Prosecutor, call Jane Usher, call David Berger, or call me." said Trutanich.

Posted By: David Berger
Photos By: David Berger

Thanks to Sheryl Smith, Director of Public Affairs and Chief Public Information Officer John Franklin for logistical support.

City Attorney's Workers' Compensation Program Saves City $6.5M

October 1, 2009

The City of Los Angeles said a big "Thank You!" to the City Attorney's Office Personnel Department today;

Thank you for saving the City of Los Angeles $6.5M last year, with

Workers' Compensation Claims down by 36%, and

IOD (Injured On Duty) payments down by 32%.

That's the biggest saving of any City Department and it earned the City Attorney's Office Personnel Department an engraved crystal award for their hard work in running an effective program for the 1,000 plus City Attorney employees.

City Attorney Carmen "Nuch" Trutanich congratulated Personnel Director Rosemary Fisher-Anaya and her staff of Christina Sarabia, Kristina De La Vega, Wanda Hudson, Kelly Tran, Irene Quan, Alma Zavaleta and John DiGrazia for their hard work in saving the City more money than any other City Department in these difficult times.

When asked how the Personnel Department was able to achieve such dramatic savings, Director Rosemary Fisher-Anaya said that she believed it was due the their policy of having a more personal "Hands on" approach to handling claims. Giving claimants quick answers to their questions, finding solutions for them and most important of all, "keeping in touch and making it personal."

Posted by: David Berger
Photos by: David Berger

Edgemont Grabber Convicted By Deputy City Attorney Dikran Sassounian

September 29, 2009


On September 21, 2009, defendant Moises Nunogomez (above) was convicted after a four day Jury Trial in case number 9CA04601.

22 year-old Nunogomez (DOB 11/30/1986) was found guilty of committing four counts of Sexual Battery in violation of Penal Code Section 243.4(e)(1).

The prosecution was handled by Deputy City Attorney Dikran Sassounian of the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office Special Trials Unit and was tried in Department 55 of the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center before Judge Terry Bork and a jury of eight women and four men.

Evidence presented during trial showed that, for a six month period between September 2008 and February 2009, the man who was only known as the "Edgemont Grabber," approached women from behind and grabbed their buttocks and genital area.

The crimes all occurred in the area of Edgemont and Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. Four women who testified at the trial had reported the attacks to the police. The "Edgemont Grabber" was finally identified and arrested on February 13, 2009 by Detectives
Johneen Jones and Hovenessian and Officers Tojong and Lear of the Northeast Division of the Los Angeles Police Department.

The break in the case leading to the Defendant’s arrest came when officers Tojong and Lear responded to the last attack on February 13, 2009. The victim reported the crime from her child’s pre-school. While the officers were showing her a photograph of the suspect, the school handyman recognized him and told officers where he lived. The officers responded to the Defendant’s apartment, where he was taken into custody without incident.

The trial itself was not without problems; three of the victims were unable to identify the defendant, his attacks being sudden, from behind, and momentary. Additionally, although defendant had made admissions to the police regarding his identity, those admissions were not recorded and the defense claimed the admissions could not be trusted.

The defendant also called Antonio Manzo, his live-in boyfriend, as a witness to testify that Nunogomez was gay. The defense used that fact to argue that the defendant's grabbing of the victims' buttocks and genital area could not have been motivated by a "sexual motivation or purpose" (an element of the crime).

Thanks to DCA Sassounian's careful preparation and skillful presentation of evidence, video tape evidence proved the defendant to be the attacker on one occasion, and the defendant's Modus Operandi was sufficiently unique to convince the jury that he was the attacker on the other occasions, with the Jury returning "Guilty" verdicts on all four counts of Sexual Battery.

The still images from the surveillance camera (below) are chilling. They capture Nonogomez's last attack in broad daylight against an innocent and defenseless victim.. His actions, the expression on his face, and his aggressive behavior towards the victim leave no doubt in anyone's mind as to the intentions of the defendant.



After the verdict, DCA Sassounian thanked the Jury for their deliberations and especially thanked LAPD Detectives Jones and Hovhanessian for conducting a thorough and extensive investigation leading to the identification and arrest of the defendant. Sassounian noted that although only four women reported their attacks to the police, the number of victims is likely to be much higher.

Nunogomez remained in custody after the verdict, and he will be back in Department 55 on October 5, 2009 for sentencing. He faces a maximum sentence of Four Years in County Jail and Compulsory Lifetime Registration as a Sex Offender under Penal Code Section 290, popularly known as 'Megan's Law.'

Posted by: David Berger

Deputy City Attorney Jerry Baik Fights To Change The Law

Wednesday, September 23, 2009


Jerry Baik (pictured above), Supervising Assistant City Attorney of the Identity Theft and Fraud Unit, prosecutes cases where counterfeit (fake) goods are seized. When the case is over and the defendant is convicted, the counterfeit goods are destroyed - that's the law according to Penal Code Section 350, and Jerry wants to change it.


Counterfeit goods come in all shapes and sizes, from the infamous fake Rolex watches through fake Louis Vuitton purses, fake Ralph Lauren Polo shirts, fake Nike trainers, and fake Mattel brand toys. You name it, they fake it; it's multi million dollar a year criminal enterprise.

While Jerry Baik and his Unit was busy prosecuting counterfeiters, he received a call from Ruth Schwartz who runs the Mark Taper Foundation Shelter Resource Bank.


The Shelter Resource Bank is a non-profit agency that distributes donated goods to the thousands of homeless people living in shelters in Los Angeles; people so poor they cannot afford a pair of shoes or T-Shirt.


The Shelter Resource Bank's warehouse is an impressive facility, but there's never enough of the basic needs for Los Angeles' most needy; clothes and shoes and maybe a present for a little holiday cheer. So Ruth had an idea; instead of destroying seized counterfeit merchandise, like clothes and trainers, why not donate them to the Shelter Resource Bank where they can be given to those who need them the most?

Ruth contacted Jerry Baik and asked him if it would be possible to use counterfeit goods in that way. Jerry had bad news for Ruth; the law commands destruction of counterfeit merchandise. "Can't anything be done?" asked Ruth, "it's such a waste." Jerry's answer was "Yes. Change the law!"

Ruth and Jerry worked together on the project; Ruth had to find someone in Sacramento who could propose a change in the law, and Jerry had to write the amendment. Ruth found a sympathetic ear in the form of State Senator Gilbert "Gil" Cedillo (D-Los Angeles) who succeeded in getting Jerry's amendment to Penal Code Section 350 passed in both Houses. The Bill awaits the signature of Governor Schwarzenegger, and anxious to move the process along, Ruth and Sen. Cedillo's staff arranged a Press Release on the roof of Skid Row's Union Rescue Mission for Sen. Cedillo and City Attorney Carmen Trutanich.


And so it was that on Wednesday morning, Los Angeles City Attorney's Office Public Information Officer, Frank Mateljan paced Skid Row apprehensively outside the Mission, waiting for the Senator and the City Attorney to arrive.


It wasn't long before they arrived and were soon engaged in deep discussions as to how to make the most of the proposed change in the law.


Above (left to right), Ruth Schwartz, from the Shelter Resource Bank), Deputy City Attorney Jerry Baik, City Attorney Carmen Trutanich, and Senator Gil Cedillo.


In the uncharacteristically blistering heat of a September morning, Sen. Cedillo spoke of how this change in the law could change the lives of so many needy people.


City Attorney Carmen Trutanich spoke passionately about his childhood. As one of five children of a cannery worker, he knew how precious a gift could be, and if there were counterfeit and donated toys and clothes that could safely be given to our most needy families, he urged Governor Schwarzenegger to sign the Bill to make that happen.


After the speeches were over, the City Attorney met with another one of his deputies; Songhai Miguda-Armstead, Assistant Supervising City Attorney of the Safe Neighborhood Division's Skid Row Project, and LAPD Officer McCain.


Before leaving for his next engagement, the City Attorney paused to greet a young boy, one of the many homeless children at the Union Rescue Mission. Nuch couldn't resist a 'High Five'....


Pity this one didn't make the front page of the LA Times.

The City Attorney didn't have to go far for his next engagement. Frank Mateljan had arranged with the Mission's Carrie Gatlin to use her office for a radio interview with Larry Mantel on his show, AirTalk on KPCC 89.3FM.


Frank got Larry on the line, and we left Nuch to debate Larry over recent events at the City Attorney's Office.


You can hear the City Attorney's interview by clicking here.

Posted by: David Berger
Photos by: David Berger

Special Trials Unit Convicts City's Biggest Tax Cheat

Thursday, August 20, 2009


Deputy City Attorney Richard Kraft, (pictured above with Investigator Brian Young from the Office of the Controller) successfully concluded the prosecution of the man who holds the dubious distinction of being at the top of the Office of Finance's "Top Debtors List." Kraft is the Supervising Attorney of the City Attorney's Special Trials Unit

After a three week trial, a jury unanimously convicted 47 year old Sohrab Sahab and his company, Prestige Parking, of a total of 295 counts comprising of:
135 counts of failing to remit parking occupancy taxes to the City;
149 counts of failing to file parking occupancy tax reporting forms; and
11 counts of operating parking lots in the City without a permit.


The convictions come in the wake of a 2006 investigation conducted by the City Attorney’s Office and City Controller's Waste, Fraud and Abuse Unit, working in close partnership with the Los Angeles Police Department, following a referral from the Mayor’s Office. The investigation uncovered evidence that Prestige Parking had for years collected, but failed to pay, hundreds of thousands of dollars annually in parking occupancy taxes for 29 parking lots.

“In these times of fiscal hardship for our City and our community, this should send a clear message that financial crimes against the City and taxpayers will not be tolerated,” said Kraft. Investigator Young worked with Kraft throughout the three years that this case has wended its way through the court's criminal and civil courts. The City Attorney’s Office is also currently pursuing a parallel civil action against Prestige Parking for additional unpaid taxes.

Despite City Controller Wendy Greuel's comment that "This conviction sends the message to all tax scofflaws, that cheating on your business taxes may seem appealing in the short-term, but we will do everything in our power to come after you and save taxpayer dollars," the Honorable Judge Edmund Clarke seemed less inclined to sentence Sahab to a lengthy jail sentence.

At the sentencing hearing on August 14, Judge Clarke dismissed the prosecution's suggested sentence of 4 years in jail as "too long," and expressed concerns as to whether the defendant was "too ill to go to jail."


Judge Clarke had patiently listened to defense attorney Roger Diamond's arguments that defendant suffered numerous health issues, especially a sleeping disorder (sleep apnea) requiring the use of a "CPAP device." Diamond asserted that the CPAP device would not be available to the defendant in County Jail, and in his sentencing memorandum, Diamond stated that "the court would be risking the imposition of a de facto death sentence on him by sentencing him to any stay in a lock up facility."


Judge Clarke seemed troubled by the issues raised by the defense and related a personal experience from his practice as a private attorney; he had represented a client whose husband had died as a result the lack of a CPAP device. The judge expressed doubts that the Jail would be able to take adequate care of the defendant due to his "many health issues." Accordingly, sentencing was continued to Thursday, August 20, at 1:30PM.

After the hearing Kraft immediately made arrangements to visit the Jail's medical facilities at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in downtown Los Angeles, pictured below.


Kraft's strategy was to be fully prepared, with evidence as well as argument, to refute any doubt that the defendant could not receive adequate care in custody.

Kraft used the pictures below to prove that the County Jail had adequate, indeed, exceptional medical care facilities.


Scrupulously clean conditions in the Jail's medical ward


A single occupant cell in the medical ward


And a CPAP Device, one of several available to inmates in need

In addition to obtaining pictorial evidence, Kraft also interviewed key members of the Jail's medical staff, and had them subpoenaed, in court and ready to testify when the sentencing hearing took place.

Kraft's preparation paid off. Judge Clarke indicated that he was satisfied that the defendant would receive adequate medical care in the County Jail, and sentenced the defendant to 525 days in Jail, 10 years of probation and $295,000 in fines. Restitution to the City of Los Angeles was ordered, and will be the subject of further litigation.

The case attracted print and broadcast media attention, and the Fox 11 News report can be seen here:



Deputy City Attorney Richard Kraft deserves the thanks of all Los Angelenos, and in City Attorney Carmen Trutainch's words "I want to extend my congratulations to Richard and the Special Trials Unit for their outstanding efforts in this case, and on behalf of the City’s taxpayers."

Documents of interest:

Prosecution Sentencing Recommendation

Defense Sentencing Memorandum


Posted By: David Berger
Main Photo By: Nigel Skeet
Other Credits: Fox 11 News

Civil Litigation Team Saves City Millions

Monday, August 3, 2009


Deputy City Attorney Christian Bojorquez, together with DCAs Todd Hayward and Kelly Kades, successfully defended the City from a multi-million dollar lawsuit brought by the mother of a 19 month old child who died because the child was used as a human shield by her father during a 2.5 hour shootout with LAPD's Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) officers.

During the two week trial Bojorquez presented evidence to counter the plaintiff's contention that SWAT should not have returned fire as the child's father fired on Officers while holding his child in one hand, and a semi automatic firearm in the other. Exactly what the plaintiff expected SWAT to do was never entirely clear and it seemed as though the plaintiff expected a payout based on emotion rather than law.

The thrust of the case presented by Bojorquez on behalf of the City established that SWAT had acted appropriately in all the circumstances. The Honorable Judge Rolf Treu agreed, ruling that there was no way a reasonable jury could find that the Officers' attempts to rescue the child from her father were unreasonable or inappropriate. Judge Treu thus granted Bojorquez's motion to dismiss the case before the jury had completed their deliberations.

Bojorquez's skillful and persuasive advocacy saved the City of Los Angeles from a multi-million dollar verdict that, in the words of City Attorney Carmen Trutanich, "could have bankrupted the City."

A full account of the facts surrounding this case can be found by clicking here.

We all owe Christian, Todd, Kelly and their support staffers, Sonia and Kelly, a huge vote of thanks for defending the City so ably and for upholding the finest traditions of the Office.

Posted By: David Berger
Photo By: Nigel Skeet

New Neighborhood Prosecutor for Korea Town

Monday, July 20th, 2009
Olympic Station, Korea Town

City Attorney Carmen Trutanich introduced his new Korea Town neighborhood prosecutor (NP), Minah Park, to leaders in L.A.’s Korean American community at the Korean American Federation of Los Angeles’ (KAFLA) annual board meeting.


NP Park, who is based at the Los Angeles Police Department’s new Olympic Station, served as a neighborhood prosecutor for the LAPD’s Newton Division prior to assuming her current position on July 8th. As the Olympic Station Neighborhood Prosecutor, Minah focuses on the day-to-day quality of life crimes and issues through vertical prosecution and other project-based work.

The KAFLA board meeting - which was held at the Dragon Restaurant in the heart of Korea Town - was filled with elected officials, KAFLA board members, community leaders, and Korean American legislative staff members.


The City Attorney - who was introduced by his Asian American Community Liaison Cindy Shin - also spoke to the 150 attendees about his goals for the office, his commitment to building the most diverse public law office in the nation, and his focus on building a solid partnership with the Asian American Community.


Posted By: Cindy Shin

The Annual City Attorney Family BBQ

Saturday, August 1, 2009

The flyer flew around the offices, announcing the first Annual City Attorney's Office Family BBQ Picnic of City Attorney Carmen Trutanich's administration.



And so it was that at around 11am on Saturday morning the families of the City Attorney's Office started arriving at the Los Angeles Police Academy near Dodger Stadium and climbed the steps to the picnic grounds.




A 'warm' welcome a the top of the steps - the flaming grill from the BBQ filled the air with the mouthwatering promise of tasty treats to come as hamburgers and hotdogs crackled while our Chefs de Jour, Richard Wright, Larry Budzinski, and Fred Barry tended the BBQ. (Click on any of the photos for more detail, and don't miss the link at the end of the page for more photos).



It's hard to estimate how many people attended as throughout the 5 hour event, as many people were coming as were going, but 900 hamburgers and a similar number of hotdogs were served. So how many hamburgers and hotdogs did you eat?

The air was filled with the scent of good food and great music, provided by our DJ Frankie Dominguez.

Los Angeles City Attorney Mugs were on sale at a bargain price, and were snapped up.


The LACA Baker to Vegas Team was the fundraising the focus of the event, and thanks to your generosity $1,700 was raised to help the Team's expenses next year.

There was a simply amazing cake baked, donated by Tropicana Bakery, commemerating the Annual LACA BBQ proudly displayed at the Baker to Vegas Team's stand.

It was an event of 'firsts'! Certainly the first time a City Attorney event had a Dunk Tank. So when Nuch climbed the steps of the Dunk Tank, it wasn't long before a lucky shot dumped the City Attorney in the water.

The Annual LACA Family BBQ Picnic was made possible by donations - no public money was spent. But most of all it was made possible by the hard work of the many good people of the Office, some of whom are pictured here:

(Left to right) Leti, Stephanie, Ashley, Sheryl, Robbie, Maria and Francisco

Last and by no means least, thanks to our very own Bureau of Investigation Chief Gary Schram for making this even the success that it undoubtedly was.

Plans for next year's event are already underway, so if you have any comments or suggestions, please email Sheryl Smith at Sheryl.Smith@lacity.org.

Posted by: David Berger