Pasadena: James Hall, 40

James Hall, a 40-year-old black man, died Monday, April 20, 2009, of apparent stab wounds, according to the Los Angeles County coroner's office.

Hall was badly wounded when he was discovered about 8 p.m. by a passerby near Pasadena City College, according to Pasadena police. He was taken to Huntington Hospital, where he died.

Patrick Mason, 42, and Steve Sumner, 45, both of Pasadena, were arrested the next day in connection with Hall's death. Police said they believe the two men may have had a confrontation with Hall.

At the time of his arrest, Sumner was on parole on a conviction for assault with a deadly weapon, police said.

There was no indication that the fatal attack had any connection to the college, said police spokeswoman Janet Pope Givens.

Anyone with any information about the killing is asked to call the Pasadena Police Department's detective division at (626) 744-4522.

-- Megan Garvey

Pasadena Star-News article on the fatal stabbing

Covina: Yazmeen Hassan, 18

Yazmeen Hassan, an 18-year old Latina, was shot in the head Monday, April 20, 2009, according to the Los Angeles County coroner's office.

She was killed at her boyfriend's grandparents' house in the 100 block of Brightview Drive in Covina, KTLA-TV Channel 5 reported. Her body was discovered by the grandfather in a bedroom that she and her boyfriend shared at the house.

Joseph Anthony Gutierrez, 18, turned himself in to police the next day. He was arrested on suspicion of murder. His attorney told the San Gabriel Valley Tribune that Gutierrez is innocent.

Gutierrez is being held at county jail in lieu of $2-million bail, and is scheduled to next appear in court May 13, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department records.

—Megan Garvey

San Gabriel Valley Tribune article on Gutierrez's arrest

Gardena: Joseph Shorty, 41

Joseph Shorty, a 41-year-old American Indian, died Monday, April 20, 2009, after being asphyxiated, either with a T-shirt gag to his mouth or a ligature around his neck, according to the Los Angeles County coroner's office.

He apparently was killed at the Patio Inn Motel in the 13800 block of South Normandie Avenue in Gardena.

—Megan Garvey

Dispatch: Defense invokes 'Crash' to explain killing of John Osnes, 55

A fuller picture of a brutal attack that took place in Hollywood shortly after midnight Nov. 24, 2008 -- killing John Osnes, a 55-year old white man -- has emerged in the last few weeks. The Times Harriet Ryan has more on the case:

In a city besotted with automobiles, John Osnes prided himself on doing without one. At 55, he had never owned a car and he never planned to. He loved the subway, the bus and,  most of all, walking.

But being a pedestrian in Los Angeles can be dangerous. Close calls with discourteous drivers grated on Osnes, and he sometimes shouted at motorists who failed to yield to those on foot.

The rights of pedestrians were apparently on Osnes' mind late one November night when an SUV pulled too close to him in a Hollywood crosswalk. What occurred next has been described by the driver's lawyer as a real-life version of the Oscar-winning movie "Crash": A random roadway encounter between strangers leads to tragedy.

Minutes after he stepped off the curb, Osnes lay dying, police were searching for the SUV's driver and 10 horrified witnesses were trying to understand how a minor confrontation -- a shout and a smack on a car hood -- had prompted an attack of breathtaking brutality.

"I was just screaming and trying to get out of the car," a passenger in another vehicle, Rebecca Rinn, recalled on the witness stand last month. "I had never seen anyone hit like that before."

 A fuller picture of the encounter emerged in the last few weeks at a preliminary hearing in which a Superior Court judge ordered the driver of the SUV, Swedish musician David Jassy, held for trial on murder charges. The 35-year-old faces a possible life sentence in an attack that friends and acquaintances say they cannot reconcile with the man they knew. He did not testify at the hearing, but witness accounts disclosed by the prosecution suggest that Jassy may have arrived at the intersection already riled by an argument with his girlfriend and then become enraged when Osnes struck the side and front of his rented vehicle.

Read the rest of Ryan's story on David Jassy's hearing

--Megan Garvey

Top Photo: John Osnes, brutally beaten and run over in a Hollywood cross walk. Credit: Handout from memorial website

Bottom photo: Swedish rapper David Moses Jassy, listens during a preliminary hearing Monday, March 30, 2009, in Los Angles Superior Court. Credit: AP Photo / Damian Dovarganes

Crenshaw: Man, 78, found burned

The charred body of Salvador Rosales, a 78-year-old Latino, was found Friday, Jan. 16, 2009, in the 3800 block of South Redondo Boulevard in Crenshaw, according to coroner's records.
-- Anthony Pesce

Long Beach: Man, 53, crushed with a car

George McCafferty, a 53-year-old white man, died when he was crushed between the door of his car and another vehicle on Saturday, April 18, 2009, on the Carson Street offramp from the northbound 605 Freeway in Long Beach, according to the Los Angeles County coroner's office.

McCafferty was involved in an argument with another driver, and both had stepped out of their cars. The other driver, who police identified as Duy Tieu, 29, reportedly got back into his car and drove it into McCafferty – pinning him and crushing him to death, officials said.

Tieu has been charged with murder and is scheduled to be arraigned April 27, officials said.
-- Anthony Pesce

Historic South-Central: Man, 41, shot in the head

Lance Ennis, a 41-year-old black man, died when he was shot in the head on Sunday, April 19, 2009, in the 1300 block of East 43 Street in Historic South-Central, according to the Los Angeles County coroner's office.

Ennis was leaving his vehicle about 5:45 a.m. when he was shot in the 1300 block of East 43rd Street near Hooper Avenue, Los Angeles Police Lt. George Macias said.

"It's unknown at this time if there was gang involvement," he said. Ennis was taken to County-USC Medical Center, where he died five hours later.

Homicide detectives with the Newton Community station were investigating the case.
-- Corina Knoll

Long Beach: Man, 46, killed in hospital shooting

Hugo Bustamante, a 46-year-old Latino, died when he was shot while working at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center on Thursday, April 16, 2009, in Long Beach, according to the Los Angeles County coroner's office.

Bustamante was a supervisor at the hospital pharmacy. He and his colleague Kelly Hales, 56, were shot and killed by coworker Mario Ramirez, 50, police said.

Witnesses said Ramirez shot his two supervisors, then turned the gun on himself. He also died. Police have no motive for the shooting.

--Anthony Pesce

Read more Times coverage:

Gunman kills 2 and takes own life at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center

Long Beach hospital shootings make 'no sense'

Long Beach: Man, 56, killed in hospital shooting

Kelly Hales, a 56-year-old white man, was shot while working at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center on Thursday, April 16, 2009, in Long Beach, according to the Los Angeles County coroner's office.

Hales was a supervisor at the hospital pharmacy. He and his colleague Hugo Bustamante, 46, were shot by coworker Mario Ramirez, 50, police said.

After shooting his supervisors, witnesses said Ramirez turned the gun on himself. He also died. Police have no motive for the shooting.

--Anthony Pesce

Read more Times coverage:

Gunman kills 2 and takes own life at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center

Long Beach hospital shootings make 'no sense'

Pomona: Man, 18, shot and assaulted

Marquis Leblanc, an 18-year-old black man, died after he was assaulted and shot on Friday, April 17, 2009, in the 2200 block of Virginia Avenue in Pomona, according to the Los Angeles County coroner's office.

-- Anthony Pesce

Huntington Park: Man, 29, shot several times

Juan Sanchez, a 29-year-old Latino, died from several gunshot wounds on Sunday, April 19, 2009, according to the Los Angeles County coroner's office.

The shooting took place in the 6200 block of Newell Street in Huntington Park.

-- Anthony Pesce

East Los Angeles: Woman, 18, shot

Celestina Morando, an 18-year-old Latina, was shot in a possible murder-suicide on Thursday, March 12, 2009, in the 700 block of South Ditman Avenue in East Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles County coroner's office.

Police suspect Oscar Morales, 36, in the killing.  According to police records, Morales shot and killed Morando then himself.

No other information is available.

-- Anthony Pesce

West Covina: Man, 19, shot in the head

Jason Guijarro, a 19-year-old Latino, died from a gunshot wound to the head on Wednesday, April 1, 2009, in the 2200 block of West Merced Avenue in West Covina, according to the Los Angeles County coroner's office.

-- Anthony Pesce

Sentencing in shooting of Jasmine Sanders, 8

Last July, 8-year-old Jasmine Sanders was playing with her brother outside a South Los Angeles apartment building when she was struck by a stray bullet and killed.

The stray bullet that struck Sanders' chest was fired by her cousin, who was 13-years-old at the time and was aiming at a man who was at the scene. Last April, the 14-year-old youth was convicted in Sanders' murder.

On Thursday, April 23, 2009, Sanders' cousin was sentenced to a youth correctional facility, the district attorney's office said in a statement.

Compton Juvenile Court Judge Charles R. Scarlett sentenced the teen to 50 years plus two life sentences for the first-degree murder of Sanders, the statement said. Deputy Dist. Atty. Ryan Dibble of the Compton Juvenile Office said the youth would be held for a minimum of at least seven years at a correction facility.

--Ruben Vives

Other related articles:

Losses cripple family

13-year-old charged with murder in cousin's death

Dispatch: Son held in stabbing death of Hollywood woman

More than 20 years ago, Erika Scarano went on a crusade to clean up her Hollywood neighborhood of prostitution.

The effort led her to start a community action group, and soon she was spearheading a movement to establish a courthouse in Hollywood. The Hollywood branch of Los Angeles County Superior Court opened in 1986, followed by a drop in prostitution and petty theft.

As for Scarano, she faded into the background as a public figure -- until two weeks ago, when homicide detectives began investigating her death.

Scarano, 69, was stabbed several times March 29 during an argument with her 19-year-old adoptive son, Christopher, said Det. Wendi Berndt of the Los Angeles Police Department's Hollywood Division.

A week later, investigators found Scarano's son at My Friend's Place, a youth shelter in Hollywood. The teenager, who suffers from mental health problems, was arrested on suspicion of murder, Berndt said.

Chris Shabel, an activist and former member of Scarano's Neighborhood Action Group, was surprised there wasn't more reaction to her friend's death, considering her effect

"She was a very big activist at that time," Shabel said.

Mar Vista area: Man shot by possible gang members

Guillermo Lopez, a 25-year-old Latino was killed in a possible gang shooting at the corner of Washington Place and Wade Street at 8:15 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25.

Police say Lopez and a 19-year-old friend were at a parking lot when two male Latinos, possibly gang members, approached them on foot and confronted them. Both assailants were armed with handguns, and one of them asked Lopez and his friend where they were from, police said. The victims responded that they were not gang members. The suspects opened fire.    

Lopez was struck multiple times and collapsed in the parking lot, where he died. His friend was also hit multiple times and taken to a hospital. 

Investigators described one of the assailants as 18- to 20-years-old, 5 feet 5, 180 pounds and wearing a gray, hooded sweatshirt and blue pants. The other was described as the same age, 5 feet 9, 150 pounds, with a dark complexion and also wearing a gray, hooded sweatshirt and black pants. They were last seen driving away in a gray, four-door Honda, heading northbound on Wade Street.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Pacific Division homicide detectives at (310) 482-6316 or (310) 482-6349. 

Long Beach: Youth, 15, shot [UPDATED]

Ezra Davis, a 15-year-old black male, was shot in the upper body on Saturday, January 31, 2009, in the 800 block of Washington Place in Long Beach, according to the Los Angeles County coroner's office.

Police responded to a call that shots had been fired at 12:04 p.m., and discovered him lying on the sidewalk wounded, according to Long Beach Police Department records. Ezra was taken to a hospital, where he died, police said.

[An earlier version of this post incorrectly reported that Ezra was shot on March 31, 2009.]

-- Anthony Pesce

Long Beach Press-Telegram article on the shooting

West Covina: Man, 19, shot

Walter Zomoza, a 19-year-old Latino, died of a gunshot wound to the neck on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2009, in the 19000 block of La Puente Road in West Covina, according to coroner's records.

Zomoza was shot at 3:15 p.m., and witnesses told deputies they saw a car with two people in it driving away after the scene, according to a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department news release.

Police later found the car at a hospital, and one of the occupants had suffered a gunshot wound. The other person left the hospital before police arrived, officials said.

-- Anthony Pesce

Hollywood: Man, 27, stabbed in bar fight

Charles Isaac, a 27-year-old black man, was stabbed in a bar fight on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2009, in the 1100 block of North Western Avenue in Hollywood.

Isaac and an unidentified 43-year-old Latino got into a fight in a bar. They ended up outside on the sidewalk, according to Los Angeles police.

Isaac allegedly stabbed the other man, and the man allegedly stabbed Isaac in the neck, police said. The Latino man was treated for his wound and survived the incident.

-- Anthony Pesce

Lennox: Man, 25, shot while crossing the street

Ricky Cage, a 25-year-old black man, died after being shot several times while crossing the street on Saturday, Feb. 16, 2009, at 102nd Street and Normandie Avenue in Lennox, according to the Los Angeles County coroner's office.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has classified the killing as gang-related.

-- Anthony Pesce

North Hills: Man, 49, shot

Richard Kaderly, a 49-year-old white man, died from a gunshot wound to the chest on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2009, in the 8700 block of Parthenia Place in North Hills, according to coroner's records.

-- Anthony Pesce

Historic South-Central: Man, 32, shot

Juan Hernandez, a 32-year-old Latino, suffered multiple gunshot wounds on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2009, at Stanford Avenueand East 32nd Street in Historic South-Central, according to coroner's records.

-- Anthony Pesce

South Los Angeles: Woman, 18, shot

Edtanisha Williams, an 18-year-old black woman, died from multiple gunshot wounds on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2009,  according to coroner's records.

The shooting took place in the 800 block of West Imperial Highway in South Los Angeles.

-- Anthony Pesce

Pasadena: Man, 38, shot by police

Leroy Barnes Jr., a 38-year-old black man, was shot by police officers 11 times during a traffic stop on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2009, at Mentone Street and Washington Boulevard in Pasadena, officials said.

Pasadena Police Department officials said two officers fired at Barnes, of Pasadena, after he pulled a .32-caliber Colt handgun from a backpack and pointed it at them.

The department had originally said the shooting took place outside the car, but after conducting more interviews and gathering additional evidence, officials determined the shooting took place in the car during a struggle over the gun, said Janet Pope-Givens, a department spokeswoman.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California called for an independent investigation into the shooting, saying shifting accounts provided by police raised "troubling questions about whether the officers involved in the incident purposely provided false information."

According to police, Barnes was an admitted gang member with a criminal history that dated back to 1989. Barnes had 13 convictions -- six misdemeanors and seven felonies, including assault, robbery, spousal abuse and discharge of a firearm in public, Pope-Givens said.

In a 1993 incident, Barnes fired at police officers in a park in broad daylight, Pope-Givens said. He was convicted and spent seven years in state prison for that offense. He was on active parole at the time of his death, having been released in April 2008 after serving four years behind bars for another conviction.

-- Andrew Blankstein

Lancaster: Woman, 49, stabbed

Judith Enniss, a 49-year-old white woman, was stabbed to death on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2009, in the 3300 block of Brittany Lane in Lancaster, according to coroner's records.

Enniss was stabbed about 9 a.m. by a white man, whose name has not been released. The man who stabbed her called 911 and confessed to police when they arrived at the home, according to a statement released by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

Police arrested the man, who had stab wounds, and took him to the hospital, authorities said.

-- Anthony Pesce

Compton: Man, 23, shot in the head [UPDATED]

Eder Sosa Vicencio, a 23-year-old Latino, was shot in the head while he was driving his car April 16, 2009 in the 700 block of North Acacia Avenue in Compton, according to the Los Angeles County coroner's office.

Vicencio was shot by a black man who was walking northbound on Acacia Avenue, officials said. His car hit another vehicle, and the two people who were inside fled the scene before police arrived.

[An earlier version of this post incorrectly spelled the victim's last name as Vincencio.]

-- Anthony Pesce

Exposition Park: Youth, 17, shot in the back

Ricardo Tzul Jr., a 17-year-old white youth, was shot in the back on Friday, Feb. 20, 2009,  in the 1700 block of West 38th Place in Exposition Park, according to coroner's records.
-- Anthony Pesce

Watts: Man, 19, shot in back

Alfonso Cera, a 19-year-old Latino, died of a gunshot wound to the back on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009, in the 1400 block of East Imperial Highway in Watts, according to coroner's records.
-- Anthony Pesce

East Los Angeles: Youth, 16, shot in the neck

Joe Lopez, a 16-year-old Latino youth, died of a gunshot wound to his neck on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009,at Union Pacific and Hicks Avenues in East Los Angeles, according to coroner's records.
-- Anthony Pesce

Compton: Man, 31, shot by wife

Marcus Lemons, a 31-year-old black man, was shot by his wife, a CHP officer, on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009, in the 400 block of Amantha Avenue in Compton.

The name of the officer has not been released by authorities, but the shooting is being investigated as a domestic violence incident, authorities said.

Lemons was in a car with his wife when she shot him.

Read more Times coverage of the incident:

Off-duty CHP officer allegedly kills husband

Man allegedly killed by wife, a CHP officer, is identified

-- Anthony Pesce