CA - Lily Burk, 17, Los Angeles, 24 July 2009

[Angel Who Cares]

Police say LA teen tried to get money before death
Posted: 07/27/2009 12:30:55 PM PDT
Updated: 07/27/2009 12:30:56 PM PDT
<snipped>
At a news conference Monday, Deputy Chief Sergio Diaz said Lily Burk was alive for about two hours after she was abducted Friday afternoon in downtown Los Angeles.

Her body was found the next day. Police said she had head injuries and there were signs of a struggle.

Diaz says a 50-year-old parolee, Charlie Samuel, was arrested at about 11:45 p.m. Sunday after fingerprints in Burk's car linked him to her killing. Diaz says Samuel already was in jail because he'd been arrested on a downtown street a half-hour after the killing for possessing a cocaine pipe.

Article:
http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_12922104

:angel:

 

[Kimster]

The was in jail before Lily's parents even called LE. No one has a chance with these lifeless perps!!!

I wonder why he was still out, unless his arrests weren't felonies? California is the king of the "three strikes you're out" law!

 

[Angel Who Cares]

This is another version of the time-line...I think it has more info in it than the other one I posted!

LAPD's timeline of events leading up to Lily Burk's slaying
12:36 PM | July 27, 2009
<snipped>
LAPD detectives have arrested a 50-year-old transient, Charlie Samuel, in connection with the slaying. Here is the timeline:

2:30 p.m. Friday: Burk leaves her home in Los Feliz to pick up some exams at Southwestern University School of Law in the Mid-Wilshire area. She was collecting the exams for her mother, an entertainment lawyer who also taught at the school.

3 p.m: Samuel approaches Burk at her car, which was parked near the law school at Wilshire Place, north of 7th Street. Samuel then allegedly abducts Burk.

3:35 p.m.: Samuel attempts to withdraw money from at least one location in downtown Los Angeles with Burk&#8217;s credit card. But the girl&#8217;s credit card was not set up to be used at an ATM.

3:35 p.m. &#8211; 4 p.m.: Burk calls both her mother and father, asking how to withdraw money using her credit card. She does not say she is in distress.

4:52 p.m.: Samuel exits the driver&#8217;s side door of Burk&#8217;s Volvo at 458 Alameda St. in downtown Los Angeles.

5:25 p.m.: LAPD officers see Samuel on 3rd Street drinking beer and in possession of a coke pipe. He is arrested. Burk&#8217;s parents report her missing. A missing persons report is filed and detectives begin searching for her.

6:15 a.m. Saturday: Workers find Burk&#8217;s &#8220;lifeless body&#8221; inside her car at 458 Alameda St. They call 911 and police arrive.

Sunday morning: Police say they match fingerprints inside Burk's car to Samuel's.

Sunday evening: Samuel is arrested in connection with Burk's slaying.

Article:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lan...-events-leading-up-to-lily-burks-slaying.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Parolee Arrested for Murder of Lily Burk, 17
Monday, Jul. 27 2009 @ 12:28PM
<snipped>
The Los Angeles Police Department held a late-morning press conference today, one day after they arrested a former convict who had been on parole since last August. Charlie Samuel, 50, has been charged with the murder of Lily Burk, 17. Detectives received confirmation Saturday that latent fingerprints collected from Burk's car were Samuel's. They then discovered that Samuel, who had been living at drug treatment center, was already in custody.

Detectives believe that Samuel approached Lily at her car and forced her to drive to an ATM so she could withdraw money. Approximately 30 minutes after he allegedly killed Lily, Samuel was picked up by the Metropolitan Division's Mounted Unit for drinking a beer in public and being in possession of a crack pipe. Lily's body was found in the passenger seat of her black Volvo around 6:30 a.m. Saturday, near downtown's Skid Row.

Article:
http://blogs.laweekly.com/ladaily/crime/dont-publish/

:angel:

 

[Angel Who Cares]

This article has an excellent map with all points of importance in this case marked for reference!

I posted a direct link to the map for all of you:wink:

Suspected Murderer of Teenage Girl Arrested for Different Crime
July 27, 2009 12:30 PM
<snipped>
Burk had left her Los Feliz family home shortly before 2 p.m. that day on an errand for her mother to Southwestern University. About an hour later, police believe she was abducted in her Black Volvo, presumably for robbery, by Charlie Samuel, a 50-year-old parolee in town to complete a program related to previous programs.
After several unsuccessful attempts, Burk twice phoned her parents between 3:30 and 4 p.m. to ask how to use her credit card to get money from an ATM. She was told by her father that the card she had could not be used at an ATM, but they made arrangements to go to their home to pick up an unspecified amount of money. She never made it home.

Around 7 p.m., her parents made a missing persons report, a couple hours after Samuel was arrested on the streets. Burk's body was reported to police the next morning around 6:15 a.m. and she apparently died from blunt force trauma shortly before 5 p.m. on Friday. Fingerprints inside the car led to Samuel, who was already in custody where he was charged with murder.

VIEW MAP: Lily Burk Murder
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=U...66449&spn=0.099529,0.219727&z=12&source=embed

Article:
http://laist.com/2009/07/27/suspected_murderer_of_teenage_girl.php

:angel:

 

[dgfred]

Thanks Angel :clap: .

 

[weedemout]

so is it true what they say? never let the perp take you anywhere?

 

[Kimster]

so is it true what they say? never let the perp take you anywhere?

That's what I've heard! But if you have a gun pointed at you or a knife next to your throat, what can you do? James Hataway (the Ocasio case) is said to have put a choke hold on one of his victims - praise the Lord she got away! At the end of today's presser, I thought one of the members of LE said this perp didn't have a weapon? I guess if you are in that situation, finding out what resources your abducter has is a good thing. I have no idea! I'm beginning to think that all women and children need to have courses in self-defense!!!

 

[Angel Who Cares]

LAPD: "Parolee Charlie Samuel killed Lily Burk"
Monday, Jul. 27 2009 @ 1:09PM PT
<snipped>
Detectives learned on Saturday that latent fingerprints collected from Lily's car were ex-con Samuel's. Bizarrely, about 30 minutes after he allegedly killed Lily in broad daylight, Samuel was picked up by LAPD's Metropolitan Division Mounted Unit -- cops on horses -- on a street downtown for drinking beer in public and possessing a crack pipe.

It appears, from a riveting scoop quoting unnamed sources and published by the Los Angeles Times at 10:18 a.m., that Samuel is a failure of drug treatment programs and recently violated his parole. It is unknown why he was allowed to remain on the streets.

The murder of the teenager, who according to some reports was planning on working with the homeless this summer, has devastated the kids and families at her private school, Oakwood School in North Hollywood, which founded on a philosophy of humane education that focuses on the arts, sciences and humanities.

Her parents are well-known Los Angeles music writer Greg Burk, and law professor Deborah Drooz. The figure who has emerged as the family spokesman is Nick Goldberg, a top editorial page editor at the Los Angeles Times.

She called each of her parents hours later, asking how she could get cash using a credit card at an ATM. According to early reports, her parents were bothered by her strange phone calls and told her to return home.

Police, who believe she was murdered later that day, said that there were signs of struggle found in the Volvo. Detectives said Lily suffered head trauma, and the windshield of her car was broken -- though it had not been in an accident.

Article:
http://blogs.laweekly.com/ladaily/crime/parolee-charlie-samuel-killed/

 

[dgfred]

That's what I've heard! But if you have a gun pointed at you or a knife next to your throat, what can you do? James Hataway (the Ocasio case) is said to have put a choke hold on one of his victims - praise the Lord she got away! At the end of today's presser, I thought one of the members of LE said this perp didn't have a weapon? I guess if you are in that situation, finding out what resources your abducter has is a good thing. I have no idea! I'm beginning to think that all women and children need to have courses in self-defense!!!

More than self-defense... in fact I wouldn't care if women would always carry a gun for just such an occaision . The level of violence against women and young girls is just insane.

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Police: Lily Burk Abducted, Murdered by Parolee Intent on Robbery
1:19 PM PDT, July 27, 2009
<snipped>
Burk left her home in Los Feliz about 2 p.m. Friday to pick up some papers for her mother, a law professor at Southwestern University School of Law in the Westlake area.

Several hours later she called both parents, asking how to get cash using her credit cards at an ATM.

Her father told her the credit card could not be used at an ATM, police said.

Her parents, Deborah Drooz, 54, and Gregory Burk, 59, released the following statement regarding the arrest:

"We are grateful that the police apprehended someone so quickly and that this man is off the streets. We don't want him to hurt anyone else. We will now let the legal process run its course."

Drooz said police didn't arrive at their home until after 8 p.m., and said they were going to write the case up as a missing person. Drooz and her husband believed their daughter had been abducted.

Diaz said the case was always taken very seriously, and was not dismissed as a runaway.

The National Merit Scholar enjoyed throwing surprise parties for friends and nursing sick birds back to health.

Her parents, in a statement, described their daughter as "funny, warm, kind and empathetic."

"Lily was looking forward to going to college, to being a writer, to what was ahead," they said. "She had a really bright future and it was cut short. If there is anything that people can take away from this horrible tragedy, it's that life is fragile and that they should live every minute of it fully."

Lily Burk (Family Photo)

Crime Scene Photo:
http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-photo-girl-body-car,0,7467938.photo

VIDEO: Transient Parolee Arrested In Death Of Of 17 Year Old Girl
http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-video-girl-dead-car,0,534874.tivideo

VIDEO: Family of Lily Burk Releases Statement
http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-video-burk-statement,0,4676444.tivideo

Article:
http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-girl-found-dead-in-car,0,7663412.story?track=rss

:angel:

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Case of Slain Teen Cracked by Oft-Criticized Quality of Life Arrest
Published: Monday, July 27, 2009, at 02:11PM PT
<snipped>
The suspect, Charlie Samuel, was in custody hours before Burk was found. Police officers arrested Samuel on Friday night for drinking in public and possession of drug paraphernalia, the sort of "quality of life" offenses targeted by LAPD's Safer Cities initiative.

Samuel's prints were matched against those found in Burk's car, and on Sunday he was re-booked on suspicious of the girl's murder.

While the fortunate arrest provided a speedy resolution to Burk's tragic killing, LAPD has been criticized in recent years for just these sorts of arrests.

Advocacy groups such as the ACLU and Los Angeles Community Action Network have charged that the department was criminalizing homelessness by arresting those in Skid Row for menial offenses such as drinking in public.

Just two weeks ago the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty named Los Angeles the meanest city toward the homeless, in large part for the tactics used by Safer Cities.

Article:
http://blogdowntown.com/2009/07/4553-case-of-slain-teen-cracked-by-oftcriticized
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lily Burk's neck was slashed, coroner says
It's not yet clear whether the wound was the main cause of the 17-year-old's death. A 50-year-old transient has been arrested in the slaying. Charlie Samuel has a history of violence and drugs.
2:26 PM PDT, July 27, 2009 PT
<snipped>
The attacker who killed 17-year-old Lily Burk slashed her neck, according to the Los Angeles County coroner's report.

It was unclear from the report if the wound was the main cause of the girl's death. A spokesman for the coroner's office could not be reached for comment.

Over the weekend, Burk's classmates and family friends gathered at a Los Angeles home to mourn her death and remember her life.

"The thing we want people to know about Lily is that she was a beautiful person and that she was looking forward to her life. She was funny, warm, kind and empathetic. She was deeply and widely loved," read the statement from Deborah Drooz and Gregory Burk, a Times freelancer who writes about pop music.

Burk was supposed to begin her senior year at Oakwood School in North Hollywood in the fall.

Article:
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-lily-burk28-2009jul28,0,123041.story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
VIDEO: Cop's Arrest 'Career Criminal In Teen's Murder' 2:13
http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid16457194001?bclid=16472408001&bctid=30873986001
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LAPD's statement on arrest in Burk killing
July 27, 2009 11:59 AM PT
<snipped>
This just arrived from the LAPD:

July 25, 2009

***UPDATE***
On July 26, 2009, at approximately 7:15 p.m., Central Area Detectives booked Charlie Samuel, a male Black from Los Angeles, for the murder of Lily Burk.

Detectives received confirmation Sunday afternoon on latent prints collected from Burk's car that confirmed that Samuel had been an occupant inside the vehicle. They then discovered that Samuel was already in custody.

Detectives believe that Burk encountered Samuel in the area of Wilshire Boulevard and Wilshire Place at around 3:00 p.m. on Friday afternoon, July 24, 2009. Burk and Samuel then travelled to the downtown area of Los Angeles where Burk made several attempts to get money from an ATM.

Approximately thirty minutes later Samuel was detained by Metropolitan Division, Mounted Unit Officers Miguel Dominguez and Gary Copeland for a Drinking in Public violation near 3rd Street and Los Angeles Street. During the detention and subsequent search of Samuel, the Officer's found narcotics paraphernalia in his possession. Samuel was subsequently arrested and booked for Possession of Narcotics Paraphernalia.

Evidence already collected directly links Samuel to this crime. Detectives continue to develop the case with additional evidence expected to be uncovered. The motive appears to be robbery.

Article:
http://www.insidesocal.com/crime&courts/2009/07/lapds-statement-on-arrest-in-b.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Police say LA teen tried to get money before death
July 27, 2009
UPDATED: 40 minutes ago
<snipped>
The last hours of Lily Burk's life were spent trying to get money for a kidnapper who finally beat the 17-year-old to death and left her body in her car in a downtown parking lot, police said Monday.

Samuel was arrested a half-hour after the killing &#8212; and before Burk's body was discovered &#8212; for an unrelated drug crime. Police said he also has a previous criminal background, but did not provide details.

Samuel remained jailed Monday. It was not immediately clear whether he had a lawyer.

The teenager crossed paths with "one of these monsters that unfortunately we have living amongst us," Diaz said.

About two hours after Burk was kidnapped, Samuel got out of the Volvo and left it in a downtown parking lot, with Burk's body in the passenger seat, Diaz said. Burk suffered head injuries, apparently from striking the passenger side of the windshield, and there were signs of a struggle, according to police.

Less than a half-hour later, Samuel was seen drinking beer on a Skid Row street and arrested for investigation of possessing narcotics paraphernalia because he allegedly had a crack cocaine pipe, Diaz said. He was still jailed when Burk's body was found.

Samuel, originally from San Bernardino County, was in Los Angeles to complete a program he was ordered to take as a parole condition for previous crimes, police said.

"We believe he's not homeless, he has a place to live," police spokeswoman Officer Rosario Herrera said. She did not know where he lived, however.

Article:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hrtx33FQBJWfwKZUCxlV2djXAxjQD99N23E81

:angel:

 

[Angel Who Cares]

UPDATED: Police Arrest Suspect In 17-Year-Old Girl's Murder
Jul 27, 2009 3:40 pm US/Pacific
<snipped>
Burk arrived at Southwestern Law School at 2:45 p.m. Friday, according to Deputy Sergio Diaz, who discussed the case at a Monday morning news conference. The high school honor student was reportedly running an errand for her mother, who is an adjunct associate professor at the school.

Samuel allegedly abducted Burk, who would have been a senior at North Hollywood's Oakwood School this fall, around 3 p.m. as she walked back to her vehicle, which was parked on Wilshire Place, just north of Seventh Street, Diaz said.

Samuel allegedly tried to force Burk to withdraw money from an ATM at about 3:35 p.m. in the downtown Los Angeles area.

Burk had reportedly made calls to her parents between 3:35 p.m. and 4 p.m. asking them how to withdraw cash from a credit card, but the card was not set up to be an ATM card, Diaz said. According to Diaz, she did not tell them she was in distress.

Samuel exited the driver's seat of the vehicle at 4:52 p.m. and left it in a parking lot on Alameda Street, Diaz said. Burk's body was in the passenger seat of the vehicle.

At 5:25 p.m., authorities arrested Samuel for drinking a beer in public. The arresting officers determined Samuel was on parole and that he had narcotics paraphernalia in his possession.

VIDEO: Cops Arrest 'Career Criminal In Teen's Murder
http://www.cbs2.com/video/?id=109894@kcbs.dayport.com

VIDEO~WEB EXTRA: Police Discuss Arrest In Teens Murder
http://www.cbs2.com/video/?id=109875@kcbs.dayport.com

VIDEO: Arrest Made In Murder Of Teenage Honor Student
http://www.cbs2.com/video/?id=109875@kcbs.dayport.com

VIDEO: Police Make Arrest In Teen's Murder
http://www.cbs2.com/video/?id=109871@kcbs.dayport.com

VIDEO: Family Grieves For Teen Found Slain In Car
http://www.cbs2.com/video/?id=109808@kcbs.dayport.com

VIDEO: North Hollywood Teen Found Murdered
http://www.cbs2.com/video/?id=109786@kcbs.dayport.com

VIDEO: Honor Student Found Dead In Car
http://www.cbs2.com/video/?id=109847@kcbs.dayport.com

Article:
http://cbs2.com/local/Body.Downtown.Homicide.2.1102301.html

:angel:

 

[Angel Who Cares]

LAPD Releases Details and Timeline of Lily Burk Murder
July 27, 2009
49 Minutes Ago
<snipped>
Police in Los Angeles have released more information about the murder of 17-year-old Lily Burk. The teenager's body was found early Saturday morning in her car near Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles. A 50-year-old transient named Charlie Samuel is being held on suspicion of murder.

At a news conference this afternoon, police said they arrested Samuel at 5:30 p.m. Friday on a street downtown for allegedly posessing drugs and drug paraphernalia. That was just a short time after Samuel allegedly killed Burk, and 12 hours before the body was found.

The Times is also reporting that the coroner's office said Burk's neck was slashed. It's not clear, though, if that is what caused her death.

Police say Samuel has a long history of violent crime and drug abuse. He was released from state prison in February, where he was serving time for petty theft with a prior conviction. It didn't take Samuel long to get back in trouble. According to law enforcement records, Samuel was arrested on April 23 in North Hollywood on a parole violation. According to a law enforcement source, Samuel entered a drug treatment program after that arrest.

Samuel won't be getting out again anytime soon -- he is being held without bail.

Article:
http://www.opposingviews.com/articl...and-timeline-of-lily-burk-murder-r-1248733561
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lily Burk remembered fondly at homeless center where she volunteered
5:06 PM PT| July 27, 2009
<snipped>
Last summer, Lily Burk volunteered at a harm-reduction center run by Homeless Health Care Los Angeles, where her mother had once been a board member.

The health center in downtown Los Angeles was only a few blocks from where Burk was found dead inside her black Volvo. But an official with Homeless Health Care said the organization had not had any contact with suspect Charlie Samuel.

Dyhan Cardona, a case manager at the center, said she took Lily under her wing when the teenager first started working there. Cardona remembers feeling protective of the young girl &#8220;from across town&#8221; and didn&#8217;t like her working up front with the drug addicts who would come into the center.

&#8220;She was just such a promising young lady, and it&#8217;s just so sad that her life ended so soon,&#8221; Cardona said.

The following school year, Lily arranged for her classmates to tour the facility, and she planned to return this summer to volunteer.

One thing Cardona remembered about Lily was that the teenager always ate healthy food, including fresh fruits and granola, and marveled at a parfait from McDonald&#8217;s that Cardona once ate at work. Cardona pulled out a memento Lily had left her when she stopped volunteering last summer: a white origami crane with a note written across the bird.

&#8220;Thank you guys so very much for giving me this experience,&#8221; the note read, &#8220;and for putting up with me and my granola bars. Love, Lily B.&#8221;

Article:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lan...at-homeless-center-where-she-volunteered.html
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Lily Burk murder 'really hits home' LAPD says
Parolee, 50, is suspected of killing Oakwood student, 17
Updated: 07/27/2009 05:30:44 PM PDT
<snipped>
At a news conference outside the LAPD's Parker Center headquarters, LAPD Assistant Chief Jim McDonnell told reporters that the crime "really hits home for all of us."

"I have a 17-year-old daughter myself and I can't even imagine what the family has gone through over the weekend," McDonnell said.

"And this is something that for all police officers and everybody in the city, I think, it really hits you right in the gut," McDonnell said. "A tragic event for the whole city family today."

"This case does strike close to home for all of us who have children. This is really a parent's worst nightmare," Diaz said. "A young child, once she starts to get out on her own, to drive and to explore the world, through no fault of her own or anyone else crosses paths with one of these monsters that unfortunately we have living amongst us."

"We are grateful that the police apprehended someone so quickly and that this man is off the streets," Burk's parents, Deborah Drooz and Greg Burk, said in a statement that was read to KTLA by a family friend. "We don't want him to hurt anyone else. We will now let the legal process run its course."

In a statement released over the weekend, Burk's parents said, "The thing we want people to know about Lily is that she was a beautiful person and that she was looking forward to her life. She was funny, warm, kind and empathetic. She was deeply and widely loved.

"Lily was looking forward to going to college, to being a writer, to what was ahead," they said. "She had a really bright future and it was cut short. If there is anything that people can take away from this horrible tragedy, it's that life is fragile and that they should live every minute of it fully."

Assistant Chief of Police Jim McDonnell, left, listens as Deputy Chief Sergio Diaz, center, speaks Monday, July 27, 2009, during a news conference regarding the murder 17-year-old Lily Burk. A 50-year-old parolee, Charlie Samuel, was booked for investigation of the murder of Burk at 11:45 p.m. Sunday after fingerprints in Burk's car linked him to the killing, Diaz contended at the news conference.

Article:
http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_12922426?source=rv

:angel:

 

[Angel Who Cares]

In a blog message I read they are having a candlelight vigil for Lily tonight!

It is posted in this facebook page also:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=221291455454&ref=nf

:angel:

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Murder Was the Case: L.A. Homicide No. 175, Teenager Found Murdered Downtown
Monday, Jul. 27 2009 @ 4:44PM PT
<snipped>
Lily Belle Burk, 17, was found dead in the passenger seat of her black Volvo 6:30 a.m. Saturday morning.

Detectives investigating the case have indicated that Burk had signs of head trauma and appeared to have been beaten up before she was killed. However, a coroner source recently said that Burk's throat had been cut. Police have arrested 50-year-old Charlie Samuel of Los Angeles, who is suspected of being Burk's killer. Samuel was picked up by LAPD's Metropolitan Division Mounted Unit, for drinking a beer in public and possessing a crack pipe, just 30 minutes after he had allegedly murdered Burk.

Detectives confirmed reports that latent fingerprints collected from Burk's car were those of Samuel, who was supposed to have been living in a drug treatment center. Samuel is currently being held without bail at the Metropolitan Jail.

MAP: S Alameda St & E 4th St
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sou...panoid=NiD2EdM74UNGr6eDsNb9zg&cbp=12,180,,0,5

Article:
http://blogs.laweekly.com/ladaily/crime/homicide-175-teenager-found-mu/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Should California rethink treatment of low-level offenders?
Updated: 07/27/2009 05:37:47 PM PDT
<snipped>
ONE of the most controversial proposals in the most recent state budget was the early release of 27,000 inmates from California prisons.

The governor had proposed $1.2 billion in prison cuts that would have meant the early release of some prisoners and a reduction in the number of criminals housed by the state Department of Corrections.

The prison cuts were delayed until later this year when, presumably, the hype of the state budget agreement is over and a discussion on inmate release won't be so contentious.

But the killing of 17-year-old Lily Burk over the weekend is likely to ignite controversy over state prison funding.

Samuels was no stranger to law enforcement. He was released from state prison in February after serving time for petty theft with a prior conviction and was supposed to be in a court-ordered drug program as a condition of his parole.

This killing raises questions about more than prisoner release, but whether we are doing enough to rehabilitate criminals and to keep them from victimizing non-criminals.

What do you think should be the direction of the public discussion after the death of Burk? Do you think that the governor's early release program would put more dangerous offenders on the street?

Was this an avoidable crime? Should this re-ignite debate about California's death penalty? One of the criticisms of California's prison system is that too many low-level, minor drug offense convicts are locked up. In light of that, how can the state manage prison overcrowing and still protect the public from chronic offenders?

Article:
http://www.dailynews.com/opinions/ci_12925219
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The Death of Lily Burk: What We Know - UPDATED
July 27th, 2009
<snipped>
Here&#8217;s what we know about the death of 17-year-old Lily Burk.

This terrible thing happened within a comparatively short period of time and started with no hint of anything dangerous when Lily went to run an errand for her mother in the middle of the afternoon.

It does not appear, according to police, that Lily&#8217;s kidnapper was armed with a gun or a knife.

But he had some kind of sharp weapon.

UPDATE: And we now know that her throat was slashed.

Sometime within that same two hours Samuel allegedly drove Lily&#8217;s black Volvo to 458 S. Alameda Street, where he abandoned the car with this lovely, smart, funny, talented girl&#8217;s body inside in the passenger seat.

He walked less than a mile away where he began to drink. A little after 5 p.m., two Metropolitan Division, mounted division officers, Miguel Dominguez and Gary Copeland, were patrolling downtown when they spotted Samuel drinking in public. They detained him and found a crack pipe in his possession. (Samuel is on parole, thus subject to search at any time.) At around 5:30 p.m., Samuel was arrested for Possession of Narcotics Paraphernalia, which would have been a violation of the terms of his parole at the very least.

At 9 p.m. Sunday night, Samuel was officially arrested for Lily&#8217;s murder. According to the sheriff&#8217;s department inmate information site, he was booked at 11:27 that same night.

Although the arrest was made Sunday night, Central homicide detectives had not yet gone home when officers came into the station for the 6:15 a.m. shift change on Monday morning, a Central officer told me.

The official announcement of the arrest was made around 7. After that Detective Nelson, Detective Thayer Lake, and their core crew went to breakfast.

&#8220;This case strikes close to home for all of us with children,&#8221; said LAPD Deputy Chief Sergio Diaz when he was in front of the press microphones. &#8220;This is really a parent&#8217;s worst nightmare.&#8221;

Yes. It does. I have already talked to my own 23-year-old son twice today because I had the irrational need to hear his voice.

I know that Chief Diaz was speaking&#8212;not just in the professional abstract, but personally. He has two kids of his own on whom he completely dotes. Two smart and talented and beautiful daughters.

Assistant Chief Jim McDonnell, who was also at the press conference, has a daughter too. She is 17.

Just like Lily Burk.

Article:
http://witnessla.com/lapd/2009/admin/the-death-of-lily-burk/

:angel:

 

[daisy7]

Thanks, Angel, for all of the updates.

I pray for her parents. RIP Lily.

 

[panthera]

I'm so glad this was caught.

From the article ~

"Police say Samuel is a transient and a career criminal, who was released from state prison last February. They say he has a long rap sheet including assault with a deadly weapon, kidnapping and robbery."

What on earth was he doing out of prison in the first place? :furious: MOO

 

[panthera]

From one of the articles ~

4:52 p.m.: Samuel exits the driver&#8217;s side door of Burk&#8217;s Volvo at 458 Alameda St. in downtown Los Angeles.


I wonder how the exact time came to be known? Videotape from somewhere with him being seen exiting the car?

 

[Armandv101]

I went to the crime scene today and took some photos:

Lily Burk Crime Scene

 

[Angel Who Cares]

I went to the crime scene today and took some photos:

Lily Burk Crime Scene

Thanks so much Armandv101! :blowkiss:

I really appeciate you taking the time to do this for all of us here at WS's! My heart goes out to her parents, family, & friends.
As well as all of the locals from her area here at WS's.
I'm glad that LE made a quick arrest in this horrific murder of such a beautiful promising young lady. :cry:

Lily & her family are in my prayers tonight.

May she rest in peace with the lord above. As well as all of the missing, murdered, & any who are hurting from anything.

:angel: