Media Links **NO DISCUSSION**

[Angel Who Cares]

Finishing Chelsea's run
Updated: Mar 20, 2010 at 8:26 PM PDT
<snipped>
Hundreds of people finished the run that Chelsea King started, but never completed. It's their way of taking back the park where Chelsea was attacked and killed.
KUSI's Lena Lewis has more on the three-mile journey.

Video: Finishing Chelsea's run 2:13
http://www.kusi.com/home/88746327.html?video=YHI&t=a

Article:
http://www.kusi.com/home/88746327.html

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Joggers Plan to Finish Chelsea King's Run
Last Update: 3/19 11:45 pm
<snipped>
Many, like Rancho Bernardo resident Becky Rapp, hope the run remains an annual tradition. "I think they should keep it going. I think if they could do it every year that would be wonderful. I'm sure people would come from all over San Diego and participate in it." Now there's a push on Facebook to change the park's name to Chelsea King Memorial Park. The city says they won't act on the change without the families consent, but already park goers seem positive about the idea. Sarah Zeiler said, "Anything to honor her memory is meaningful, and I think, a reminder on how to keep our own families safe."

This week, Sheriff Bill Gore publicly acknowledged for the first time that the body found by searchers near Lake Hodges was that of the Poway High School senior, who vanished Feb. 25. Gore, District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis and other officials involved in the case had previously refused to provide the confirmation, even after charging John Albert Gardner III, 30, with murdering the teen. In addition, investigators have described Gardner as a "focal point" of their investigation into the apparent murder of 14-year-old Amber Dubois of Escondido, who went missing while walking to school in February 2009. The high school freshman's remains were discovered on a remote hillside in the Pala area two weekends ago.

View from the trail at Lake Hodges (Photo by Travis Kahle)

Video: Finishing Chelsea's Run 0:55
The community gathers at the Rancho Bernardo Community Park to honor the fallen 17 year old. 3/20/10
http://www.sandiego6.com/mediacenter/[email protected]&navCatId=5

Video: Chelsea's Run Participants 3:03
Nancelle Lauffer describes her personal reasons for finishing Chelsea's run. 3/20/10
http://www.sandiego6.com/mediacenter/[email protected]&navCatId=5

Video: Memorial Run 2:35
Hundreds of runners and walkers in Rancho Bernardo are preparing for a run honoring Poway teen Chelsea King. 3/19/10
http://www.sandiego6.com/mediacenter/[email protected]&navCatId=5

Video: Parole Reform & Chelsea's Run 1:17
Call for sex offenders who violate their parole to be put through a tough review process. Plus, a memorial run for Chelsea King is gaining support on Facebook. 3/17/10
http://www.sandiego6.com/mediacenter/[email protected]&navCatId=5

Article:
http://www.sandiego6.com/news/local...Chelsea-Kings-Run/Sr-TfjcvZ0KbJRXRdG7o6A.cspx

 

[Angel Who Cares]

John Gardner Repeatedly Stopped by Police
Last Update: 3/19 6:19 pm
<snipped>
The sex offender charged with murdering a San Diego County teen was repeatedly fined for drug and driving offenses after his prison release -- once while driving a car that later may have been used in an attempted kidnapping. Law enforcement records show John Gardner III was cited at least eight times between his 2005 prison release and his arrest last month for Chelsea King's death.

The records show he and another sex offender were found smoking pot at an Oceanside park in 2008. Gardner was stopped in Escondido last June for driving without insurance. His gold Pontiac matched the description of a car used four months later in the attempted gunpoint abduction of a girl in his hometown of Lake Elsinore. Authorities seized a similar car on March 11 from an Escondido junkyard. It was not immediately clear whether the car belongs to Gardner.

Prison Records Released

Friend Stands by Gardner

Seven Parole Violations
Gardner is also the focus of the investigation into the February 2009 slaying of Amber Dubois, according to Escondido police. The Escondido teen was 14 when she disappeared while walking to school. Her body was found earlier this month. Escondido police said only that investigators were following a "lead" when they discovered Amber's remains in the Pala area.

Bill Garcia, a private investigator who had been working for the Dubois family, said that it was his belief that a tip in the Dubois case did not come from Gardner, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported. Gardner could face the death penalty if convicted of Chelsea's death. A preliminary hearing is set for Aug. 4.
*Much more at link!

PDF: Read part 1 of the John Gardner prison file (6.0MB)
http://www.sandiego6.com/media/lib/...2-a69e-219d3a4bc058/Gardner_central_file1.pdf

PDF: Read part 2 of the John Gardner prison file (6.1MB)
http://www.sandiego6.com/media/lib/...e-9f55-95da0db88115/Gardner_central_file2.pdf

PDF: Read the John Gardner criminal complaint (1.6MB)
http://www.sandiego6.com/media/lib/...b4ab9a900be5/CD225886_John_Albert_Gardner.pdf

Article:
http://www.sandiego6.com/news/local...-Bernardo-jogging/zTLAKar0XUGyf78trbfHvg.cspx

 

[Angel Who Cares]

John & Ken Radio Podcasts

Audio: Parole Mess 4PM (3/16)
Ex Parole Agent Highlights Big Problems
http://www.kfi640.com/mediaplayer/?...demand&item=18166646&feed_name=JohnandKen.xml

Audio: John Gardner Attack 4PM (3/17)
Woman Recounts Almost Being Raped By John Gardner
http://www.kfi640.com/mediaplayer/?...demand&item=18190328&feed_name=JohnandKen.xml

Audio: Sex Offender Neighbor 6PM (3/19)
Family Finds Out Sex Offender Is Their Neighbor
http://www.kfi640.com/mediaplayer/?...demand&item=18242465&feed_name=JohnandKen.xml

 

[Angel Who Cares]

REGION: Task force tracks sex offenders countywide
March 20, 2010 5:12 pm
<snipped>
Nearly all local law enforcement agencies say they have at least one detective or staff member assigned to manage files on registered sex offenders in their jurisdiction. But few have the resources to consistently verify that the offenders live where they say they do or drive the car they have registered.

Often, that's where the San Diego Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement Task Force steps in. "The other agencies, they are overworked, understaffed," said Sheriff's Detective Miguel Baca, part of the multi-agency team that "fills in that gap" of checking on the offenders, as one parole official put it.

SAFE has a staff of about 10 law enforcement officers from agencies including the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the California Department of Justice, San Diego County's district attorney's office, the county's sheriff's and probation departments and the San Diego Police Department.

Article:
http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/sdcounty/article_6ea74cf8-6d36-5a04-bf73-f55f8e8991b3.html

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Thousands Come Out To Finish Chelsea King's Run
Mar 20, 2010 10:05 pm US/Pacific
<snipped>
An estimated 3,000 people showed up at a San Diego park where 17-year-old murder victim Chelsea King was attacked to participate in a tribute called "Finish Chelsea's Run."

The three-mile run began at 9 a.m. at Rancho Bernardo Community Park where many dressed in King's favorite colors, blue and orange. As part of the event, a band played on stage between giant posters of King.

Video: Thousands Come Out To Finish Chelsea King's Run
http://cbs2.com/Link.ashx?R=http://cbs2.com/video/[email protected]

Video: Hundreds Sign Up To 'Finish Chelsea's Run'
http://cbs2.com/video/[email protected]

Article:
http://cbs2.com/local/chelsea.king.run.2.1577326.html

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Tomko reaches out in time of tragedy
Righty, other A's visit with family of slain teenager
03/20/10 9:35 PM ET
<snipped>
A's pitcher Brett Tomko can't even fathom the tragedy surrounding Brent King's family. Tomko knows that good days have been few and far in between for them ever since Brent and his wife, Kelly, lost their teenage daughter Chelsea last month. So on Saturday, he gave them one. Tomko, rehabbing his arm at Minor League camp, showed up at Phoenix Municipal Stadium along with Brent and Brent's son, Tyler, before the A's took on the visiting Cubs in a split-squad game.

The Oakland right-hander welcomed them as his guests of honor, offering a tour of the A's clubhouse and meet-and-greet sessions with several teammates, including Andrew Bailey, Craig Breslow and Michael Wuertz.

Tomko had never met Brent or 13-year-old Tyler before Saturday, but the three were introduced thanks to a mutual friend before finding out they live just a mile from each other in the city of
Poway, located in the middle of San Diego County. It was the same place Chelsea, a 17-year-old student at Poway High School, went for a jog Feb. 25 and subsequently disappeared for five days before her body was found near Lake Hodges.

Tyler, who brought some friends from Chicago, and his father have been making the Spring Training trip for the past three years. Tomko hopes this one stands out as not only being the most memorable but as a beginning of a new friendship. "They seem like a great family," he said. "I'm sure we'll stay in contact, and hopefully they can come out to a game when we're playing down south."

Article:
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100320&content_id=8856318&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

 

[Angel Who Cares]

A's notes: Tomko reaches out to family of Chelsea King
Posted: 03/20/2010 08:21:42 PM PDT
Updated: 03/20/2010 09:54:19 PM PDT
<snipped>
A's right-hander Brett Tomko, sidelined with an arm injury, made an appearance in the clubhouse Saturday and brought special guests. Tomko was joined by Brent and Tyler King, the father and brother of Chelsea King, a 17-year-old girl whose body was found March 2 after she went missing while jogging in Poway.

Tomko lives in Poway, which is located in San Diego County, and shared in the community's grief over her death. Murder charges have been brought against John Albert Gardner III in connection with the case. "I think it hits home when you're that close to it," Tomko said. "You almost feel a little attacked yourself when you're living four miles from that trail."

Tomko was assigned to minor league camp to rehab his injury and hadn't yet reported when news of Chelsea's disappearance broke. He didn't know the King family beforehand. But he learned through a friend that Brent and Tyler were big baseball fans and had a trip planned to Phoenix for spring training. Tomko gave them a tour of the clubhouse and introduced them to numerous players before the A's 7-4 split-squad victory over the Chicago Cubs. He said he plans to keep in touch with the family.

Article:
http://www.mercurynews.com/sports/ci_14721102

 

[Angel Who Cares]

RANCHO BERNARDO: Thousands help to finish Chelsea's run on trails at Lake Hodges
Posted: March 20, 2010 9:44 pm
<snipped>
Friends and supporters gathered at Rancho Bernardo Community Park on Saturday morning, where Chelsea King was attacked and killed, to pay tribute to the slain teen in an event called Finish Chelsea's Run. More than 2,000 joggers and walkers trekked the three-mile course along the trails near Lake Hodges. Many were dressed in King's favorite colors, blue and orange. Chelsea's mother, Kelly King, hugged people as they crossed the finish line. The event raised several thousand dollars, which organizers said will be donated to Chelsea's Light, a foundation established by her parents. "This park was stolen from us and now we're taking it back," said runner Dave Jewell of Cardiff. He helped create the event after asking several of his friends if they wanted to go out and symbolically finish the run that Chelsea started.

Radio producer Tommy Sablan of Rancho Penasquitos was among the organizers of the event. He called on San Diegans to turn their rage and frustration into something positive and put pressure on lawmakers and law enforcement personnel. "It didn't matter how many people showed up today," he said. "Coming out here to run for Chelsea and Amber, people have made a statement that it's time to change the laws and take back this park."

Todd Velazquez, a 1999 graduate of Poway High and member of the school's cross-country running team also helped organize the tribute. Velazquez said that he didn't expect the turnout to be as big as it was. "This tragedy hit close to home," he said. "Hopefully, this event will give people hope that we can change things."

Michael Bourgeois of Mira Mesa, who was among the first to finish the run, said that as a father of two young daughters, he had to do whatever he could to help make the community safer for children.

Bourgeois said he was overcome with emotion as he ran the trail, thinking about where Chelsea was attacked, where her life ended and why this had to happen to anyone's daughter. "Chelsea, I hope you're looking down and seeing what's happening today," he said. "I know you're in a better place."

More than 2,000 people participated in Finish Chelsea's Run on Saturday morning in honor of Chelsea King, 17, who was killed in February while running the trails near Lake Hodges.

Kelly King, right, the mother of Chelsea King, is hugged by her neighbor Stephanie Binkle as Binkle finishes the run/walk Saturday at the Rancho Bernardo Community Park in Rancho Bernardo.

Blue ribbons line the trail as more than 2,000 people participate in Finish Chelsea's Run on Saturday. Poway High School senior Chelsea King, 17, was killed while running the same trail in February.

More than 2,000 people participated in Finish Chelsea's Run on Saturday morning in honor of Chelsea King, 17, who was killed in February while running the trails near Lake Hodges.

San Dieguito River Park Ranger Natalie Borchardt hands people native flower seeds at the Finish Chelsea's Run on Saturday morning in honor of Chelsea King, 17, who was killed in February while running the trails near Lake Hodges.

Natalie Schultz, left, helps Jessica Livingston carry the stoller containing Livingston's 6-month-old son Gavin over a mud puddle during Finish Chelsea's Run on Saturday morning in honor of Chelsea King, 17, who was killed in February while running the trails near Lake Hodges.

Musical group Truth on Earth perform before the start of Finish Chelsea's Run on Saturday morning in honor of Chelsea King, 17, who was killed in February while running the trails near Lake Hodges.

Article:
http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/escondido/article_a27553cd-1129-5026-9a19-4453669caac3.html

 

[Angel Who Cares]

3,500 finish route that Chelsea started
Slain girl&#8217;s mother cheers participants
March 21, 2010 at 12:04 a.m., updated March 21, 2010 at 12:05 a.m.
<snipped>
The trails that had grown quiet after the killing of Poway teenager Chelsea King came back to life yesterday as thousands of people finished the run she never did.

They weren&#8217;t necessarily runners or even friends of Chelsea&#8217;s, but strangers once again drawn together by a tragedy that continues to resonate across the nation. &#8220;This is a community thing,&#8221; said Dennis Caco, a member of a group called San Diego Running. &#8220;No runner is left behind.&#8221; In a quintessential San Diego-style tribute, as many as 3,500 people resolutely walked and jogged the three-mile route, symbolically taking back the park as their own. They said it&#8217;s what Chelsea would have wanted.

As they crossed the finish line at Rancho Bernardo Community Park, many were surprised to find Chelsea&#8217;s mother cheering them on. &#8220;Thank you,&#8221; Kelly King told the many strangers who embraced her. San Marcos resident Lori Balfour apologized for her perspiration before falling into King&#8217;s arms and breaking down into tears. &#8220;I love this part,&#8221; King assured her. &#8220;Sweat is good!&#8221; &#8220;It&#8217;s disheartening to be so wary of being in danger in a place so beautiful,&#8221; Balfour said, still wiping away tears after her talk with King. &#8220;Just to see her standing there greeting people and being so gracious is a true measure of strength. You can tell God is uplifting her and her family.&#8221;

Cross-country teams and running clubs wore their uniforms to honor their fallen competitor, while others did so by wearing orange, Chelsea&#8217;s favorite color, and blue, the color of her eyes. But it was too soon to return to the park for many of Chelsea&#8217;s teammates, said their coach, Dan Schaitel.

San Diego State University sociologist Jean Twenge, who studies the current generation of youth, said the response to the slaying of Chelsea, as well as the death of Escondido teen Amber Dubois, crosses generational barriers. &#8220;In this case, Amber walked to school. Chelsea went for a run. They didn&#8217;t do anything wrong,&#8221; Twenge said. &#8220;I see the response as a human response.&#8221;

Amber vanished in February 2009, and her remains were found this month in Pala. A public memorial service for her is set for 1 p.m. Saturday at Escondido High School. John Albert Gardner III, a registered sex offender, has been charged with rape and murder in Chelsea&#8217;s death and is the focus of the investigation into Amber&#8217;s slaying. He is also charged with assault with the intent to rape in an attack on a jogger in the Rancho Bernardo park in December.

Amber&#8217;s mother, Carrie McGonigle, walked the trail yesterday with a volunteer who had helped search for both girls when they disappeared.
*Much More At Link!

Caren Sheffler (left) hugged Kelly King, mother of Chelsea King, at the end of the run yesterday.&#65279;

*More Photos From Yesterday&#8217;s Event:
http://uniontrib.com/chelsea-run

Article:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/mar/21/3500-runners-walkers-finish-the-route-that/

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Parole agents backing off, critics claim
Crowded prisons cited as motivation
March 21, 2010 at 12:04 a.m., updated March 21, 2010 at 12:05 a.m.
<snipped>
For at least 11 years, the percentage of felony ex-convicts sent back to California prisons for parole violations has dipped. Last year, 15 percent of 106,355 parolees were put back behind bars, a new low. That&#8217;s down steadily from 25 percent in 1998, according to a data analysis by The San Diego Union-Tribune.

It may be that ex-cons are behaving better. But critics of the overburdened state corrections agency say the phenomenon is a systematic effort by parole officials to move their charges through the system, to keep from making crowded prisons worse. The criticism rang anew last week with the release of the corrections file of John Albert Gardner III, the sex offender accused of raping and killing Chelsea King, 17, of Poway. Gardner is also being investigated in the death of Amber Dubois, 14, of Escondido.

Gardner&#8217;s case file showed seven parole violations from a previous molestation sentence that could have resulted in a return to prison and stricter post-release supervision. &#8220;The whole concept of parole is prevention,&#8221; said Graham McGruer, who spent more than 20 years as a parole agent and manager and is now a private consultant. &#8220;There&#8217;s a greater possibility that these girls would be alive today if parole had been watching.&#8221;
*****
When California voters passed Jessica&#8217;s Law in 2006, they expected tougher prison sentences for sex offenders and stricter supervision of convicts after their release. But the ideals of the measure ran into the reality of the troubled California prison system.

The state was struggling to house offenders under the 1994 &#8220;three strikes&#8221; law, and was facing a federal court order to improve medical care for inmates. Another group of prisoners had sued to force the state to address persistent overcrowding, which has some prisons operating at more than double their designed capacity.
*****
Paul Sutton has studied the California prison system for more than 20 years. Sutton, a San Diego State University criminal justice professor, has toured practically every lockup in the state. The parole trends are no accident, he said.

&#8220;It&#8217;s happening whether anybody admits it or not &#8212; releasing people early, not supervising them as closely or not supervising them at all,&#8221; Sutton said. &#8220;Everyplace we go, they complain about the fact that parolees are not going to be revoked back to the prisons.&#8221;
*Much More At Link!

Article:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/mar/21/parole-agents-backing-off-critics-claim/

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Video: Thousands finish Chelsea's Run 2:09
http://www.cbs8.com/global/category...default&clipId=4638813&flvUri=&partnerclipid=

Video: Finishing the Run Chelsea Started 1:26
http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local-beat/Finishing_the_Run_Chelsea_Started_San_Diego.html

Video: Finish Chelsea's Run 3/20/10 1:05
Hundreds of people took a job along the shores of Lake Hodges today to symbolically complete Chelsea King's last run in the park.
http://www.sandiego6.com/mediacenter/[email protected]&navCatId=5

Video: San Diego 6 News Webcast 3/19/10 3:52
Deadly two-alarm fire. Marine killed in rollover crash. Tour bus crash victim dies. Chelsea King run. Sandra Bullock's husband linked to San Diego stripper. Weekend weather forecast
http://www.sandiego6.com/mediacenter/[email protected]&navCatId=5

 

[Angel Who Cares]

ESCONDIDO: Dumanis won't attend forum
March 22, 2010 11:23 am
<snipped>
San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis will not take part in Tuesday's community forum on Megan's Law because of a gag order issued by the court that prohibits discussion of any kind regarding the Amber Dubois and Chelsea King cases, said Escondido Councilman Dick Daniels.

Even though the scope of the forum will not cover those cases, the district attorney felt it was inappropriate for her office to discuss any aspect of the issues in a public setting, Daniels said.

Sen. Mark Wyland will replace Dumanis.

Article:
http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/sdcounty/article_dd644750-2a3f-51b2-afd4-ea21337e2bb2.html

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Relative of Gardner&#8217;s mom comes to her defense
Nurse described as &#8216;kind,&#8217; &#8216;generous,&#8217; &#8216;levelheaded&#8217;
Monday, March 22, 2010 at 1:20 a.m.
<snipped>
Osborn has not responded to the criticisms or acknowledged requests for interviews. Her friends and family followed her lead until Friday, when a close relative said Osborn has been the subject of outrageously unfair attacks. &#8220;She is the backbone of this family,&#8221; said the relative, who asked that her name not be used because she didn&#8217;t want to anger Osborn or the family&#8217;s attorney. &#8220;She&#8217;s kind, levelheaded and a generous, nurturing person, extraordinarily good in a crisis. She not only gives good advice, she follows up.

&#8220;John was there to get into rehab, and she was trying to help him find a location. At the same time, he&#8217;s an adult and he was a little resistant.&#8221; Asked whether the rehab would be for drug, alcohol or psychiatric treatment, the relative said, &#8220;probably all three.&#8221;

After Gardner&#8217;s arrest, Osborn went on leave from her job in a behavioral health unit at Scripps Mercy Hospital in Hillcrest. &#8220;She has not been at work for about two weeks, but she is still employed. She has gone through a lot and she&#8217;s been on leave,&#8221; said Don Stanziano, spokesman for the Scripps Health system. Osborn is on leave for an indefinite period, Stanziano said. Some hospital workers said administrators scheduled and then canceled a March 11 meeting with employees who had called for Osborn&#8217;s ouster.

A former relative defended Osborn on Friday in a brief telephone interview. The niece of one of Osborn&#8217;s three former husbands said she knew the family well and has stayed in touch with them. &#8220;She&#8217;s a very good person,&#8221; the niece said.

Osborn, 54, grew up in Lawndale, a suburb of Los Angeles, the oldest of four children. As a teenager, she had two daughters. Then, in 1980, at age 25, Osborn married Gardner&#8217;s father. She became licensed as a registered nurse in 1985 and divorced in 1989, when John Gardner III was 10. The father lived in Palmdale when Osborn moved back to Lawndale and received full physical custody of her son. She worked as a nurse at the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute earning about $36,000 a year at the time of the divorce.

Osborn remarried in 1990, lived in Running Springs near Lake Arrowhead and worked as a nurse at Community Hospital of San Bernardino. In 1996, she returned to court seeking back payment for the $70 a month in child support payments her son&#8217;s father had failed to pay. By that time, she was earning about $48,000 a year.

As for whether Osborn should have recognized Gardner could be a continuing danger, that&#8217;s a complex issue, said licensed clinical psychologist Jonathan Gale, who specializes in men&#8217;s issues and adolescents. &#8220;Certainly, if she saw signs that indicated someone&#8217;s life was in danger, she should have done something, particularly if she&#8217;s in the (medical) field,&#8221; said Gale, who is in private practice in La Jolla. Typically, parents invoke self-defense mechanisms because it can be so painful to believe their child is capable of a violent crime, Gale said.
*Much more at link!

Article:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/mar/22/relative-of-gardners-mother-comes-to-her-defense/

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Entire community comes together for Chelsea's run
Posted: Mar 20, 2010 9:25 PM EDT
Updated: Mar 21, 2010 8:25 PM EDT
<snipped>
Thousands of people turned out Saturday at a San Diego park where 17-year-old murder victim Chelsea King was attacked in a tribute that's being called "Finish Chelsea's Run."

The event was free, and donations were given to the Chelsea's Light Foundation.

Video: Thousands finish Chelsea's Run 2:09
http://www.cbs8.com/global/category...default&clipId=4638813&flvUri=&partnerclipid=

Article:
http://www.cbs8.com/Global/story.asp?S=12176900

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Kehoe proposes self-defense legislation
Her effort comes in response to Chelsea King's killing
Monday, March 22, 2010 at 5:53 p.m.
<snipped>
Convinced public schools fall short in educating students on how to protect themselves from strangers, state Sen. Christine Kehoe will introduce legislation to establish self-awareness and self-defense programs in grades 7-12.

&#8220;It is a step that we can take to make young women and young men more aware of their safety,&#8221; the San Diego Democrat said in an interview Monday.

The classes should be offered in an &#8220;age appropriate way&#8221; starting in seventh grade thorough high school graduation, she said.

Kehoe said young people should still be able to go outside without fear. &#8220;They should and we hope they do,&#8221; the senator said. &#8220;But we also think they will be safer if they know basic self-defense steps.&#8221;

Article:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/mar/22/kehoe-proposes-self-defense-legislation/

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Attorneys acquainted with high-profile cases
March 22, 2010 at 8:57 p.m., updated March 22, 2010 at 11:22 p.m.
<snipped>
Defense lawyers Michael Popkins and Mel Epley, both of the county Public Defender&#8217;s Office, requested the order that bars all parties in the case from commenting publicly about Gardner.

Deputy District Attorney Kristen Spieler, the prosecutor, did not object. Most recently, she prosecuted Richard Saldivar, 40, who was arrested in the October stabbing death of his 28-year-old neighbor, Jennifer Lee Jones, in Rancho Bernardo. Saldivar pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and is scheduled to be sentenced next month. Spieler worked as a deputy city attorney in San Diego before then-District Attorney Paul Pfingst hired her in 1998. She was named prosecutor of the year in 2008 by the Deputy District Attorneys Association of San Diego County.

Popkins, 59, is Gardner&#8217;s lead attorney. He has more than 30 years&#8217; experience and has been an adjunct faculty member at California Western School of Law. In 1992, Popkins defended Hai Van Nguyen, an Orange County man accused of killing an El Cajon liquor store owner. Nguyen, then 19, avoided the death penalty by pleading guilty to felony charges days after another man, Robert Alton Harris, became the first inmate in 25 years to be executed after California reinstated the death penalty. Six years later, Popkins represented Veronica Gonzales of Chula Vista, who &#8212; along with her husband, Ivan &#8212; was convicted of torturing and murdering her 4-year-old niece in 1995. Authorities said the couple burned the child with scalding water and waited hours before seeking assistance. They became the first couple in California history to be sent to death row together.

Epley has more than 20 years of experience defending people accused of offenses ranging from theft to murder. Most recently, Epley, 45, handled the case of Dragon Jones, whom authorities dubbed &#8220;The Backroom Bandit.&#8221; Jones was accused of robbing 20 small businesses in a month last year. At each location, Jones ordered a female employee into a backroom and warned her not to call police. He was sentenced to 14 years in prison.

Steigerwalt said Epley is a skilled researcher and legal writer, which &#8212; coupled with Popkins&#8217; experience in high-profile cases &#8212; makes them well-suited to handle the Gardner case. &#8220;It&#8217;s a good combination,&#8221; Steigerwalt said. &#8220;Between those two lawyers, everything that needs to be covered will be.&#8221;
*Much More At Link!

Profiles:
**Kristen Spieler
*Position: Deputy district attorney
*Age: 44
*Education:Bachelor&#8217;s degree, University of California San Diego; law degree, California Western School of Law
*Passed the bar: 1994
*Home: Point Loma

**Michael Popkins
*Position: Deputy public defender
*Age: 59
*Education:Bachelor&#8217;s degree, Villanova University; law degree, University of San Diego School of Law
*Passed the bar: 1976
*Home: Tierrasanta

**Mel Epley
*Position: Deputy public defender
*Age: 45
*Education: Bachelor&#8217;s degree, San Diego State University; law degree, University of San Diego School of Law
*Passed the bar: 1989
*Home: Chula Vista

Article:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/mar/22/attorneys-acquainted-high-profile-gardner/

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Sailors honor Chelsea King during Lake Hodges cleanup
Tuesday, March 23, 2010 at 10:53 a.m.
<snipped>
A group of about 40 sailors from the USS Makin Island picked up trash around Lake Hodges Tuesday morning and held a moment of silence in honor of Chelsea King, the slain Poway teenager whose body was found in the area earlier this month.

Starting in the parking lot at Rancho Bernardo Community Park, the sailors &#8211; and at least one Marine &#8211; picked up a few scraps of litter as they walked toward the spot where 17-year-old Chelsea King&#8217;s body was discovered March 2.

They paused to look at notes, flowers and other mementos left to honor Chelsea&#8217;s memory. Then, after a brief prayer from Horn, they bowed their heads in silence.

Crew members from the USS Makin Island lower their heads in a moment of reflection at the location of where Chelsea King's body was found at Lake Hodges. They came to the lake to clean up trash as part of a beautification project in Chelsea's name, March 23, 2010.

Michael Cullinan, an airman on the USS Makin Island, was among the ship's crew members to clean up trash in the area where Chelsea King's body was found as part of beautification project in her name, March 23, 2010.

Article:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/mar/23/sailors-honor-chelsea-king-during-lake-hodges-clea/

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Chelsea&#8217;s Law could create one-strike provision for sex offenders
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
<snipped>
A law that could create a one-strike provision and reform parole and monitoring for registered sex offenders will be introduced into legislation in April, a state lawmaker said Tuesday.

Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher and Chelsea&#8217;s parents, Brent and Kelly King, gathered Tuesday to announce the legislative effort and a timeline for the Assembly Public Safety Committee to consider it. &#8220;The primary responsibility of government is public safety; the protection of the innocent, the vulnerable, our children,&#8221; Fletcher said. &#8220;This has to be our highest priority.&#8221;

Fletcher and the Chelsea&#8217;s Light Foundation &#8212; an organization formed in the wake of King&#8217;s death &#8212; will host a Chelsea&#8217;s Law forum March 30 at 6:30 p.m. at Maranatha Chapel in Rancho Bernardo. Fletcher said he and Brent and Kelly King want to provide information about existing sex offender laws, and allow the community to give input on Chelsea&#8217;s Law.

Authorities are also investigating whether Gardner is involved with the disappearance and death of 14-year-old Amber Dubois, whose remains were found March 6 in Pala.
*More at link!

Kelly King speaks about Chelsea's Law on Tuesday.

Article:
http://www.sdnn.com/sandiego/2010-0...create-one-strike-provision-for-sex-offenders

 

[Angel Who Cares]

REGION: King family joins assemblyman to announce sex predator bill
Nathan Fletcher says changes needed to 'one-strike' law, parole system and tracking

March 23, 2010 7:51 pm
<snipped>
The parents of Chelsea King asked Thursday for public support in their efforts with a state lawmaker to review and tighten restrictions governing sex offenders in California.

"If our laws were smarter and bolder, Chelsea might still be here," said her father, Brent King. "If there was greater accountability for enforcement of existing laws, Chelsea might still be here." "I beg everyone to be relentless and to join a new group of warriors," said Chelsea's mother, Kelly King. "Warriors for change and for Chelsea's Light."

The grieving parents joined with Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher, R-San Diego, at a press conference as the lawmaker formally announced his intent to introduce legislation next month bearing Chelsea's name. Fletcher said his proposed "Chelsea's Law" will address three areas: changes to the "one-strike" provision that governs certain sex offense cases; parole reform; and better electronic tracking of sex offenders.

Fletcher and the Kings also announced a public forum set for next week to explain sex offender laws and seek community input and suggestions for change. The forum will be at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Maranatha Chapel in Rancho Bernardo.
*Much More At Link!

Brent King's statement:
Twenty-seven days ago, on a beautiful day, a lot like today, in the middle of the afternoon, our daughter Chelsea went for a run in a public park. Other kids were playing baseball, softball, shooting baskets, just enjoying life. During her run, our daughter's life was brutally, tragically taken away from her, and our family's world was shattered.

If our laws were smarter and bolder, Chelsea might still be here. If there was greater accountability for enforcement of existing laws, Chelsea might still be here. If our elected officials, Republicans, Democrats, assemblymen and congressmen, judges and governors made decisions based on how that decision would affect their own daughter or their own son, there would be swift and decisive reform for all of our children now. This is why we're here today. Not just to change how we protect our children from predators, but to revolutionize how we as a society keep them safe ---- in Chelsea's name.

Some might argue that we shouldn't move so swiftly, but Chelsea never moved slowly. And neither will we. Each day is a new day of danger for our children under our current laws. Please, I'm asking everybody, please, as a parent who is living with this pain every minute of every day, I'm asking that you help us seize this moment and help us make these changes now. Thank you.

Kelly King's statement
On the day that Chelsea was born, I was given the most precious gift that anyone could imagine. It is the same gift that every parent is given on the day their child is born. A new life to cherish and to love and protect. With this gift also comes the greatest responsibility anyone could ever imagine. And we welcomed it with a strong and eager heart.

From that day forward, I promised my precious baby girl I would love her and care for her all the days of her life and my life. I would love her with all my being, my heart and all my energy. One month ago, the life I envisioned 17 years ago and was so blissfully fulfilling was horribly and irreparably changed forever. What didn't change was my promise to Chelsea. I continue to love and care for her and protect her spirit and the legacy she created during her time here on earth. But I will also make a new promise. I promise to do all I can to protect other daughters and other mothers from this incomprehensible nightmare I am walking through.

I can't do this alone. Above all else, I am and always will be a mother to Tyler (Chelsea's younger brother) and a wife to Brent. I need every parent, every lawmaker, every citizen to stand with me. I am strong, but the weight of this task ahead will take every single one of us doing the right thing to ensure that this promise can never be broken. I beg everyone to be relentless and to join a new group of warriors, warriors for change and for Chelsea's Light. Thank you.

Brent King asked supporters to visit the two Web sites the family has set up in pursuit of their efforts to change laws.
The first is the official site of their foundation:
http://www.chelseaslight.org/

Brent King asked supporters to visit the two Web sites the family has set up in pursuit of their efforts to change laws.
The second site is a Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/chelseaslight

Article:
http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/sdcounty/article_5e19fd3b-2fa8-501d-8cd3-e17555925807.html