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  • #161
Thousands Gather to Mourn Chelsea King
Outpouring of Grief Revitalizes Shaken Community at Teen's Memorial Service
POWAY, Calif., March 13, 2010
<snipped>
More than 6,000 mourners held sunflowers tied with blue ribbons as they said goodbye to Chelsea King, the straight-A student and cross-country runner who was known for her kindness and compassion. "She was a person who brought sunshine and light to school every day," said Dakota Douglas, Chelsea's friend and cross-country teammate. "She was an incredible person, was nice to everyone. I just can't believe that she's gone. School's not the same without her."

During the memorial, a giant monitor over the high school football field reminisced of happier days -- Chelsea laughing with her friends, loving life. The school band filled the air with music; Chelsea had played the French horn in the band.

As everyone grieved, there was a message of hope. This strongly Christian community praying together that something good would ultimately come from something tragic, that laws would change, eyes would be opened and accountability would be had.
*More at link!

ABC WATCH: Chelsea King Remembered
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/chelsea-king-remembered-10096158

Article:
http://abcnews.go.com/WN/thousands-gather-mourn-chelsea-king/story?id=10094325
 
  • #162
  • #163
  • #164
  • #165
Did System Fail Chelsea King?
Suspect in teen's murder violated parole six times
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DpPddgaGVM[/ame]

'Appalling' Failure of Justice System
Geraldo talks to John Walsh about case of Calif. teen allegedly killed by paroled sex offender
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSntr8kLYgM[/ame]

Outrage Over California Murders
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ii9v28Bqgac[/ame]
 
  • #166
Thousands Attend Memorial Service for Chelsea King Video
3:46 PM PST, March 13, 2010
<snipped>
"A lot of people are getting ready to bring closure to it," said Evan Shirley, 17, a friend of Chelsea's. "I hope to see everyone come out to support the family and honor their friend in whatever way they see fit."

The service comes 11 days after Chelsea's body was found in a shallow, lakeside grave, ending a massive five-day search. She had last been seen on Feb. 25 wearing running clothes in Rancho Bernardo Park.

Video: KTLA-Chelsea King Remembered In Huge Public Memorial 2:25
http://www.ktla.com/videobeta/4bc17...in-Huge-Public-Memorial-Brandon-Rudat-reports

Video: John-Gardner's Former Friend Speaks Out 2:27
http://www.ktla.com/videobeta/05293...ormer-Friend-Speaks-Out-Jennifer-Musa-reports

Video: John Albert Gardner Was Freed Even When He Broke Parole 2:06
http://www.ktla.com/videobeta/686e4...ed-Even-When-He-Broke-Parole-Jen-Musa-reports

Article:
http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-poway-missing,0,5645458.story
 
  • #167
ESCONDIDO: Mother leads push for one-strike law
Thousands in Facebook group joining her effort
March 14, 2010 7:42 pm
<snipped>
When Karen Doll-Murphy learned that convicted sex offender John Albert Gardner III was linked by police to the disappearance of Chelsea King, she got angry. Then she got busy. The Escondido life coach and mother of two created a Facebook page called "Support One Strike Law for Sex Offenders," with the goal of lobbying legislators to pass a law that would put convicted sexual predators away forever.

Gardner, charged with murder and rape or attempted rape in the death of 17-year-old Chelsea, a Poway High School senior, served five years in prison for a 2000 attack on a 13-year-old girl in Rancho Bernardo. "This spurred from what happened to Chelsea King and now Amber," Doll-Murphy said. "This is an emotional issue. I go from fear to rage. For me, that was just the final straw. That was the tipping point. This guy should never have been out to offend again."

Doll-Murphy's group is one of several efforts on Facebook advocating changes to laws dealing with sex offenders. Those are among many other pages reflecting anger and frustration in the wake of the deaths of the two North County teenagers.

Those efforts have definitely attracted attention. More than 6,000 members joined Doll-Murphy's group in six days, and the number is growing quickly. A group called "Chelsea's Law" has attracted 3,800 members and more than 1,000 have joined "Chelsea King Tribute ---- 1 And Done."

Article:
http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/escondido/article_d36acf45-404d-5e13-9eb3-8e0c8272e162.html
 
  • #168
REGION: Ensuring a fair trial the usual reason for court-issued gag orders
Judge bars authorities from talking about murder case facing John Albert Gardner III
March 14, 2010 7:42 pm
<snipped>
Unless they come out in court or legal filings, there will be no official statements about the criminal case against registered sex offender John Albert Gardner III. A court-issued gag order has seen to that.

Gardner, 30, was charged with murder on March 3, a day after searchers found Chelsea King's body in a shallow grave along a tributary to Lake Hodges. The 17-year-old Poway High School senior went missing in the same area on Feb. 25.

The gag order in Gardner's case was requested Tuesday by his attorneys and signed by a judge the same day. It bars attorneys and their agents ---- including investigators and police ---- involved in his criminal prosecution from talking to the media or the public about the case.

The general purpose of a gag order is to ensure the defendant gets a fair trial, that the jury pool is not influenced by potentially inflammatory statements from attorneys or authorities close to the investigation. But it limits what the public will learn about a case.

Details guarded
Nearly daily since Gardner's arrest, local and national media outlets have uncovered details about him, including reports that link him to cars similar to those used in attempted abductions of girls in recent months, both in San Diego and Riverside counties.

Then came Gardner's arrest and the subsequent gag order signed by San Diego Superior Court Judge David Danielsen. Authorities now closely guard any details, large or small.

'Obligation to do justice'
It appears probable that the first opportunity for details about the case to come out is Gardner's preliminary hearing, which is set for Aug. 4.

A preliminary hearing is a key pretrial proceeding at which prosecutors lay out their evidence against the accused, and a judge must decide whether the evidence provides a strong suspicion that the defendant committed the crime. "There is an obligation to do justice," Feldman said, "not to taint the jury."
*Much more at link!

Article:
http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/sdcounty/article_bacdcc3d-b3a5-52b1-be0e-10c6c6dd2daa.html
 
  • #169
Effect of sex offender crackdown still debated
Gardner paroled before 2006 measure took effect
Monday, March 15, 2010 at 12:04 a.m.
<snipped>
Since the measure was enacted in California in 2006, Jessica&#8217;s Law has prompted several legal challenges on the grounds it violates the constitutional rights of those it restricts.

Among the leading issues is a provision prohibiting sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of parks or schools. Four registered sex offender parolees, two of whom are from San Diego, contested this part of the law, saying it leaves too few places where they would be allowed to live.

The state Supreme Court ruled Feb. 1 that it needed more information, particularly the extent of available housing &#8212; that complies with the residency restrictions &#8212; where each parolee lives. Their cases were sent back to the trial courts for more hearings. &#8220;Is it constitutional for people to be homeless?&#8221; said Ernest Galvan, a San Francisco lawyer who represented the men. &#8220;All of that will be developed in the lower courts.&#8221;

Gerald Blank, a San Diego defense lawyer who has handled many sex-crime cases, disagreed. Blank said Gardner could have received a longer sentence under the laws in 2000.

Blank said the maximum term Gardner faced was miscalculated and should have been 10 years and eight months, which would have kept him in prison until after Jessica&#8217;s Law passed. &#8220;There was a failure of the system here,&#8221; Blank said.
*Much more at link!

Article:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/mar/15/jessicas-law-still-debated/
 
  • #170
Principal Leads the Way to Healing
The principal is so well-liked he has his own Facebook fan page
Updated 11:09 AM PDT, Mon, Mar 15, 2010
<snipped>
In the wake of the tragic death of Chelsea King, campus unity and solidarity have been the central themes at Poway High School. The man leading the charge is principal Scott Fisher who spoke at the 17-year old's memorial service Saturday

Students and parents say Fisher's leadership has cemented his admiration within their community. The principal is so well-liked he has his own Facebook fan page with 1,500 admirers. His tireless efforts to help students cope with Chelsea's death has made parents grateful.

"I think he has been at the school 24-7 this past week and he has done an amazing job in supporting the kids," said Terry Moreno who has three boys at Poway High.

Video: Poway Principal Helps Campus Heal
http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local-beat/Poway_Principal_Helps_Campus_Heal_San_Diego.html

Article:
http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/loc...ading-The-Way-To-Campus-Healing-87621967.html
 
  • #171
Chelsea King&#8217;s parents announce formation of foundation
Monday, March 15, 2010
<snipped>
Kelly and Brent King, parents of slain Poway High School senior Chelsea King, announced Monday they have formed Chelsea&#8217;s Light Foundation, a California non-profit corporation.

&#8220;We know that the path to healing will be long and unsteady because Chelsea&#8217;s absence leaves such a gaping hole in our hearts, our family and our community,&#8221; the Kings said in a statement released through a family spokesperson. &#8220;We will reach past our grief and focus our rage to bring about changes that will make our communities safer. Establishing the Chelsea&#8217;s Light Foundation is our first positive step in that direction. We invite global participation. As Chelsea loved to say, &#8216;go big or go home.&#8217;&#8221;

The specific plan for the foundation will be defined over the coming weeks and months, the spokesperson said

Foundation updates will be posted on the "Chelsea&#8217;s Light Facebook" page which currently has nearly 38,000 members.
http://www.facebook.com/chelseaslight

Article:
http://www.sdnn.com/sandiego/2010-0...ings-parents-announce-formation-of-foundation
 
  • #172
Apt. Landlords Face Megan's Law Dilemma
POSTED: 4:32 pm PDT March 15, 2010
UPDATED: 6:07 pm PDT March 15, 2010
<snipped>
The Chelsea King case has raised questions about where registered sex offenders can and should live, but 10News learned many local apartment owners said the state is not helping them at all. Apartment owners are not required to check the Megan's Law Web site to see if prospective or current tenants are on the database. They said even if they do check, their hands are tied.

It's a question that has gotten new attention following the deaths of King and Amber Dubois: What can apartment owners do about registered sex offenders? "Apartment owners are in a Catch-22 situation," said Bob Pinnegar, Executive Director of the San Diego County Apartment Association.

Pinnegar pointed out landlords legally cannot use the information on the Megan's Law Web site to evict registered sex offenders or deny them from renting an apartment. On the other hand, landlords can be held liable for not protecting tenants from a known risk.

"Your duty is to protect the residents, but the state has not given us the tools to protect residents in the case of sex offenders," Pinnegar said

Article:
http://www.10news.com/news/22848580/detail.html
 
  • #173
  • #174
Can Gardner's parents be blamed in Chelsea's death?
Posted: Mar 15, 2010 9:18 PM EDT
Updated: Mar 15, 2010 9:18 PM EDT
<snipped>
The man accused of murdering 17-year-old Chelsea King was staying at his parents' home at the time of her death. As a convicted sex offender, John Gardner is required to register his residence, but he never registered at the Rancho Bernardo home.

A picture of John Gardner inside his mom's Rancho Bernardo home, where he was living at times, despite never registering here as a sex offender. Authorities didn't know about Gardner's secret residence, but his mother did. So can police go after her?

"It's stretching the argument under criminal law that would be harboring a fugitive cause he's not really a fugitive," News 8 legal analyst Kerry Steigerwalt said.

Stiegerwalt says the only way Gardner's mom could be held criminally responsible for his actions is if police could prove she knew what he was doing. "Somebody has to be able to establish knowledge on her part for her to have any exposure," he said.
*More at link!

Article:
http://www.760kfmb.com/Global/story.asp?S=12146577
 
  • #175
REGION: Details released on two other Gardner traffic violations
Pot possession while on parole detailed
March 15, 2010 6:30 pm
<snipped>
He drove at least four separate cars, including one matching a vehicle involved in a 2009 Lake Elsinore attempted child abduction, according to officials and court records.

Below is a list of Gardner's known traffic violations, including details of the violations that were released Monday:

-- Jan. 30, 2010: cited for expired registration and no proof of insurance in Lake Elsinore during a DUI checkpoint. He was driving a black 2002 Nissan Sentra at Corydon and Cereal streets.

-- June 11, 2009: cited for driving without insurance north of Escondido on Interstate 15 near West Lilac Road. Gardner was driving a gold 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix north of Escondido. That car matches the description of a vehicle used in an attempted child abduction reported Oct. 28, 2009, in Lake Elsinore. A car of similar make and model was seized Thursday from an Escondido junk yard and taken to a city holding facility.

-- April 2, 2009: cited for having an open container of alcohol, driving without a license and without a front license plate in Escondido on El Norte Parkway at North Iris Lane. Gardner was driving a gray, four-door Ford Focus at the time. The year of the car was not noted on the citation.

-- Nov. 19, 2008: cited for misdemeanor marijuana possession while driving in Oceanside near Buccaneer Park. Gardner was driving a white 2004 Chevrolet Silverado truck at the time.

-- June 25, 2008: cited for misdemeanor marijuana possession while driving on North Rock Springs Road in Escondido. Gardner was driving a 2005 Hyundai Elantra, registered to his stepfather, Kevin O'Reilly.

-- Jan. 11, 2007: cited for speeding in excess of 70 mph on northbound Interstate 15 north of Old Highway 395. Gardner was driving a white 2004 Chevrolet pickup.

Gardner faced hundreds of dollars in fines in each case. Three of his cases have been forwarded to collections because the fines were unpaid, a court spokeswoman said.

She did not specify which cases were outstanding.

Article:
http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/sdcounty/article_e30272d2-4319-5202-956a-71c82ec81e81.html
 
  • #176
Chelsea called for "full embrace of life&#8217;s small joys"
Final paper was read at slain student's memorial service
Monday, March 15, 2010 at 4:58 p.m.
<snipped>
In what is believed to be the final high school paper Chelsea King ever wrote, she took a look at two novellas by Russian literary giant Leo Tolstoy. The first, &#8220;The Death of Ivan Ilyich,&#8221; was published in 1886. It&#8217;s about a judge who is dying and bitterly questions the value of his life.

The second, &#8220;Hadji Murad,&#8221; is Tolstoy&#8217;s last work and was published posthumously in 1912. It tells the story of a rebel commander searching for honor and nobility during war and in the face of certain death. Tolstoy wrote both stories after he was already famous for two epic novels, &#8220;War and Peace&#8221; and &#8220;Anna Karenina,&#8221; and had been struggling with his own crisis of meaning.

In her paper, written for John Graber&#8217;s Advanced Placement Literature class at Poway High School, Chelsea acknowledged at age 17 that &#8220;the looming presence of death hardly crosses my mind.&#8221;

Three days after turning in the paper, she disappeared during a run on Feb 25 at Rancho Bernardo Community Park, where her cross country team had trained. Her remains were found five days later in a shallow grave next to Lake Hodges, which borders the park. A registered sex offender has been arrested in the case.

&#8220;If we essentially are born merely to die,&#8221; she asks in the paper, &#8220;how does one possibly live a life of meaning and significance?&#8221;

Her answer: &#8220;living for the sheer thrill of living, maintaining an objective honesty with oneself, and upholding an unconditional positive regard for all.&#8221;
*Much more at link!

This photo of Chelsea King was taken by Rollin Swan, a theater teacher at Poway High, at a school performance the evening before she went missing.
ckhorn_t352.jpg


Article:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/mar/15/chelsea-called-full-embrace-lifes-small-joys/
 
  • #177
Experts: Gardner likely to pursue venue change
Tuesday, March 16, 2010 at 12:02 a.m.
<snipped>
So far, Gardner&#8217;s lawyers have not filed documents in Superior Court asking a judge to consider moving the trial to another county, where potential jurors might not have been exposed to extensive media coverage.

Some say it&#8217;s only a matter of time. &#8220;I suspect they will,&#8221; said Shaun Martin, a professor at the University of San Diego School of Law, who noted the intense public interest in Gardner&#8217;s case.

Martin said the typical argument defense attorneys make in favor of a change of venue is that members of the public have made up their minds about the case. Therefore, their client cannot get a fair trial.

These assertions can be difficult to prove, Martin said. &#8220;You can&#8217;t just say, &#8216;Look, there&#8217;ve been a lot of newspaper clippings,&#8217;&#8201;&#8221; he said. &#8220;You have to prove that potential jurors have already come to an opinion about the defendant&#8217;s guilt and might not be able to leave that opinion behind once they become jurors.&#8221;

The common argument against moving a trial out of the area where the crime occurred is that in a county the size of San Diego &#8212; with a population of more than 3 million &#8212; it is possible to find 12 men and women who can be fair and impartial.

Article:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/mar/16/experts-gardner-likely-to-pursue-venue-change/
 
  • #178
  • #179
  • #180
REGION: 'One-strike' law for sex offenders already on the books

<snipped>
The arrest of convicted sex offender John Albert Gardner III in connection with the death of 17-year-old Chelsea King has prompted some outraged residents and lawmakers to call for a "one-strike" law for sex crimes. But a law like that already is on the books, legal experts say.

A 1994 law

While some point to Gardner's sentence in their argument for a new one-strike law, many lawyers say current sentencing laws are powerful enough. "I don't think the law is the problem," said Robert Fellmeth, a former San Diego County prosecutor who heads the Children's Advocacy Institute at the University of San Diego's School of law.

He said a law adopted by the California Legislature in 1994, designed to allow life sentences for certain sex offenses, is as strong a criminal law as any.

The sentencing gives child molesters and rapists sentences of 15 years to life or 25 years to life if the crime is committed under particular aggravating circumstances. People convicted of molesting multiple victims qualify for life sentences under the statute, as do child molesters or rapists who inflict great bodily injury, kidnap or tie up a victim. San Diego Defense Attorney Gerald Blank said prosecutors missed their chance to seek one-strike sentencing for Gardner's 2000 crime. "That's what 667.61 is designed for; it fit him like a glove," Blank said, referring to the penal code.

According to court documents, Gardner took a 13-year-old acquaintance to his mother's Rancho Bernardo town house and assaulted her in several rooms of the house. He allegedly punched her in the face and held her down, but she ultimately ran away. Gardner also was charged with a misdemeanor for aggressively kissing and petting a 14-year-old girl months earlier, according to court documents. Blank said with multiple victims and restraining the 13-year-old, prosecutors could have charged the case so Gardner qualified for a 15- or 25-years-to-life sentence. The San Diego County District Attorney's office has declined to comment on the case.

One-strike qualifications.
*Much more at link!

Article:
http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/sdcounty/article_da574920-30eb-550d-922a-2ef9a22dc66a.html
 
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