KPCC Staff (scpr.org, 4-1-16); Seth Auberon, Pat Macpherson, CC Liu, Wisdom Quarterly
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| Vikings' gang member former LA Undersheriff Paul Tanaka in 2012 (Bear Guerra/KPCC). |
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Tanaka convicted! Is Baca next?
Crooked Sheriffs on trial- Breaking news, while former L.A. Sheriff Baca awaits sentencing and possible indictment on other felony charges, his Undersheriff Paul Tanaka has been convicted. More to come on this breaking story.
| I was just following orders. |
- L.A. Sheriff scandal: Tanaka says he was following former Sheriff Lee Baca
- Failed candidate for Sheriff: What happened to Tanaka?
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Tanaka, the former second-in-command, is charged with obstruction of justice and conspiracy in a sweeping federal investigation into abuses and corruption in L.A.'s jail system. Federal prosecutors have accused Tanaka of masterminding a plot to thwart the FBI's investigation into the jails — largely by moving a jail information from jail to jail to keep him away from investigators.
They've also accused Tanaka of creating a culture of violence in jails and turning a blind eye to deputy misconduct. Eight former department employees have already been convicted for their roles in the case. Tanaka's ex-boss, former Sheriff Lee Baca, pleaded guilty to lying to investigators and will be sentenced next month.
Tanaka testified for nearly three hours in what was the main event of the day, according to Celeste Fremon of Witness L.A., who's been following the trial. The prosecution rested Friday morning after a week and a half of testimony on Tanaka's alleged crimes.
Tanaka answered questions trying to dismantle the structure of the prosecution's arguments Friday, Fremon said. The judge began to allow cross-examination, but when prosecutor Brandon Fox started to ask about Tanaka's involvement with the deputy gang known as the Vikings, the defense objected. More + AUDIO
Gang member Tanaka ran L.A. Men's Jail
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| Korean leader full of bluster, just a distraction. Real day-to-day abusers hold down American citizens, no one notices or says anything even when they're caught and tried (pri.org). |
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| Rock 'n rollers are evil...or is it the police? |
The former Sheriff Lee Baca bailed out to avoid prosecution and left the department to his heir-apparent Paul Tanaka, a corrupt official who is a member of a police-gang. Both engaged in felonies, but Baca was smart enough to make a deal, plead guilty to a lesser charge in exchange for a sweetheart deal, and is awaiting sentencing. But Tanaka failed in his election bid to succeed Baca and is now exposed. Seven previous sheriff and L.A. Men's Jail officials have already been found guilty and sentenced. Tanaka is next, and he is dropping the criminal "code of silence" and blaming Baca. But it's too late. Baca already made his deal, and Tanaka as a minority is set to become the sacrificial lamb. Police often commit crimes, but when the pressure gets really bad one member of the force, almost always a racial minority is sent to slaughter to prove that police can police themselves. They cannot. Tanaka tried to lie his way out of it, but he failed on the stand. He is to be sentenced soon. The Occupy Movement was against criminal bankers and police state troops. And what has happened since the parks were occupied? The slow hand of justice has turned on the very officials that run the show -- bankers, money managers, cops, sheriff's deputies. Occupy said, "There's the problem right there, right in the officials most people put their trust in." What chance do we have if we keep believing liars? Vote for Hillary Clinton and face four to eight years of more-of-the-same? Obama was a great disappointment, promoting Bush Administration policies and seeing them through. Clinton would do the same.
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