Latest Press Release See other recent articles at: http://davisvanguard.org/ AND, see Chanel-3 KCRA on:Ochoa Family Complaint "Yolo Co. Sheriff Put's Gun to 9-year old Daughter's Head" - http://www.kcra.com/video/22639484/index.html

	Sheriff Prieto Promises "Full and Complete Investigation" of Complaints About a Gun Put to 9 Year Old's Head Written by David Greenwald    Tuesday, 23 February 2010 05:52 The testimony of the Yolo County Indepedent Civil Rights Commission has already begun to make an impact in Yolo County as Sheriff Ed Prieto is now forced to respond to allegations his deputies put a gun to a nine-year-old girl's head during the serving a search warrant on June 11, 2009. The Vanguard on Sunday morning was the first to report on nine-year-old Crystal Ochoa, who is now suffering from what appears to be post traumatic stress disorder stemming from treatment she received by Sheriff's Deputies last June, the same team from the gang task force led by Sgt. Dale Johnson and including Deputies Bautista and Ovieda that had a little over a month before shot and killed Luis Gutierrez. Following the Vanguard's report, the Sacramento Bee picked up the story on Monday.  Yolo County Sheriff Ed Prieto was then forced to respond to these allegations even as he attempted to downplay the Civil Rights Commission's proceedings. Last night KCRA picked up the story and Sheriff Prieto vowed to investigate the allegations which he claims are news to him, calling them "extremely disturbing and critical.  However, he also repeatedly stressed at this point, he does not know if they're true.  (Click here to see the video of the KCRA interview) Sheriff Prieto told KCRA: "We're going to conduct a full internal investigation" He continued: "I would hate to think, I would hate to think that Mr. [Santiago] Ochoa's complaints were legitimate, especially, especially the one that he alleges that an officer put a gun to his daughter's head, I would find that extraordinarily disturbing. In all honesty, I cannot believe an officer doing that." He emphasized over and over that he has a hard time believing that these allegations are true.  He gave his investigators thirty days to interview everyone who is involved in the search warrant. The incident occurred on June 11, 2009, when Sheriff's Deputies visited the Ochoa home for at least fourth time this time armed with a search warrant to search for weapons.  They found none and neither Mr. Ochoa nor anyone in his family have been charged with a crime. Mr. Ochoa testified on Saturday that the officers came in, threw his wife to the floor, tried to throw him to the floor and couldn't, so they threw him out of their home.  When his daughter, Crystal, then nine years old entered the room, they put a gun to her head and threw her out of the home as well. Mrs. Ochoa also testified: "I said my daughter, my daughter, she came out like this and when she did, they put a pistol on her head and then threw her out as well along with me." She asked the female officer: "Why do they do this to our daughter and she said, 'children kill as well.'  She began to vomit from the fright and she trembled.  I said why to our little girl, she's little?"  Crystal was nine years old and about 75 pounds at the time of the incident.  "In English they said, change the laws if you can." As a result of the trauma, Crystal has become ill, she repeatedly vomited, had to visit the emergency room, is having nightmares and is now struggling in school. Said Mrs. Ochoa: "Since then, I think she's ill because she's sleeping and she wakes up and then she slaps at us, it's like she's seeing something.  She says no, no, no.  She doesn't sleep well at night.  It's like she's traumatized, I don't know what.  We took her to a doctor at the clinic, and they said this girl is sick, take her to the emergency room.  She was taken to the hospital and the doctor said that she is traumatized." She continued, "She wouldn't stop vomiting and she was trembling like this.  She wouldn't sleep because she was frightened.  We sent her to another place with family members so this would get out of her head."  While Sheriff Prieto claims this is the first that they have heard of this incident, the department acknowledges receiving a verbal complaint at the time last summer. The family described going down to the Sheriff's Department following the incident.  When Mr. Ochoa went to the Sheriff's Department, he took Crystal with him, he was looking for help, but apparently the Sheriff's Deputy didn't know what to do.  Crystal vomited twice in front of them at the Sheriff's Department. While it is undoubtedly the policy of the Sheriff's Department not to follow up on oral complaints, one would think that a vomiting child might illicit a bit more concern and alarm. The fact of the matter is that while Sheriff Prieto is vowing a full investigation, he is also in the same breath doubting the veracity of the complaints. He said that he would hate to think that one of his men would do this and "In all honesty, I cannot believe an officer doing that." However, Crystal in her own words said on Saturday: "One of the polices came and they pointed a gun at my head and started taking me outside with the gun at my head." Does he believe she is lying? Mr. Ochoa interviewed on camera yesterday also told KCRA that he would prefer an independent agency investigate rather than the Sheriff's Department.  Given the statements by the Sheriff, that may be a good idea. The Vanguard will continue to monitor this case and update it as new information arises. ---David M. Greenwald reporting ------------------------------------------ Witness: Slain Farmworker Was Unarmed Luis Gutierrez Shot, Killed By Yolo County Deputy POSTED: 7:10 pm PST February 20, 2010 UPDATED: 7:21 pm PST February 20, 2010  Email  Print WOODLAND, Calif. -- An eyewitness to the fatal officer-involved shooting of a farmworker said she doesn't think the killing was justified and didn't see a weapon in the suspect's hand. The woman, who preferred not to be identified, spoke out to KCRA 3 on the day an independent commissioned opened hearings into the shooting of Luis Gutierrez. He was shot and killed by a Yolo County deputy in Woodland last April. The 21-year-old witness said even though Gutierrez was fighting with deputies, at the time he was shot in the back of the head he wasn't attacking. "He was trying to run from them," she said. She also told KCRA 3 she didn't see a knife, a weapon or a gun. "I don't think honestly, don't think it was justifiable at all," she said. Adding to suspicions at the hearing, the head of it -- a former California Supreme Court member -- said even he is not being allowed to review evidence of the shooting. "I just got a letter yesterday saying they considered this case still open because FBI is investigating, and I must say, we have contacted other witnesses and no one has been contacted by the FBI," former Supreme Court judge Cruz Reynoso said. This independent commission will hear from more witnesses Sunday and expects to hold further hearings in the future. The commission hopes to release a detailed report of what it learns sometime in the next several months.

	Independent Civil Rights Commission   P.O. Box 488 Davis, CA 95617 Art Apodaca, Liaison: 530-796-3721 Justice Cruz Reynoso (Ret.), Chair Contact: Arthur Apodaca, J.D., Liaison                         FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                 530-796-3721 or 916-370-3068   THE INDEPENDENT CIVIL RIGHTS COMMISSION, CHAIRED BY FORMERCALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT JUSTICE CRUZ REYNOSO, HOLD HEARINGS             The Independent Civil Rights Commission, a citizens’ panel, will hold its first hearings this weekend at the time, date, and place listed below.  Witnesses will testify regarding the killing of Luis Gutierrez by members of the Yolo County Gang Task Force.  Please see attached list of the IndependentCivil Rights Commission Members.  TIME: Two public hearings this coming weekend, Saturday, Feb.20, 10am-1pm, and Sunday, February 21, 2pm-5pm. PLACE: Woodland Community College-Community Room, 2300 East Gibson Road, Woodland, CA 95667 ATTENDANCE: OPEN TO ALL NOTE: There is absolutely no smoking allowed in the community room or at the college.   Independent Civil Rights Commission Members Justice Cruz Reynoso (Ret.), Chair.  Professor of Law, Emeritus, UC Davis School of Law.  Vice-Chair, United States Commission on Civil Rights (1994-2005); Former U.S. Army Special Agent, Counter Intelligence Corps, Washington, D.C.; Associate Justice, 3rd District Court of Appeal,Sacramento (1976-1982); Associate Justice,California Supreme Court(1982-1987); Presidential Medal of Freedom, 2000; Hispanic Heritage Foundation Award in Education, 2000;  United Nations Commission on Human Rights, U.S. Delegate, 1980 Session-Geneva, Switzerland. Felix P. Barros. California Dept. of Corrections (1972-2001): Correctional Officer- Lieutenant; Parole Agent (retired); gang specialist trainer within CDC. Joan Branin, J.D. US Air Force, Judge Advocate General Corps, Lieut. Col. (retired); California Dept. of Personnel Administration, Labor Relations Counsel IV.   Rev. Richard Chiolis. M.Div, San Francisco Theological Seminary; Marriage, Family, and Child Counselor; Former Mediator, Sacramento Family Court (retired); Presbyterian clergy (retired).   Irma Diaz. Pre-school Teacher; Associate in Arts, Early Childhood Education specialist; PTA, Lee Jr. High School, Woodland.   Cecilia Escamilla Greenwald. BA, UC Davis; Coro Fellow in Public Affairs. Former Chair, Davis Human Relations Commission.    Rev. Vernon Holmes. BA, CSU Hayward;  M.Div., Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary;MA, GTU; Former Pastor, American Lutheran Church, Woodland; Evangelical Lutheran clergy (retired ). Matthew Jacobs, J.D. Former Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California.  He is currently a principal in a private law firm in Sacramento, where his practice includes white collar criminal defense.  Ruth Jones, J.D. Former prosecutor in street crime section, NYC District Attorney’s Office; criminal law professor at McGeorge School of Law.  William Kopper, J.D. Private Law Firm.  Former Mayor of Davis; Former President of the Yolo County Bar Association.   Robert G. McDonald.  Retired Detective Sergeant who is a nationally recognized expert on investigation ofviolent crime.   Gladys Puentes. BA, UC Berkeley. Graduate of Woodland High School and elementary schools in Woodland. Aida Elizabeth Ramirez. Graduate of Esparto High School. Married mother of school-age children; member of civic committees helping with the underprivileged in Madison and Esparto.

	Key Leaders Absent as Over 150 Attend Civil Rights Forum in Woodland Written by David GreenwaldFriday, 15 January 2010 05:42 Last night at Dingle Elementary School  in Woodland a large audience of at least 150 people gathered to listen to what was billed as a townhall meeting with the county and city's leadership.  Apparently organizers for this event entitled, "Protecting Our Children's Public Safety" organized by the Yolo County Justice Coalition, had invited leaders ranging from the members of the Woodland City Council, the Woodland Police Chief Carey Sullivan, Yolo County Sheriff Ed Prieto, District Attorney Jeff Reisig, and members of County Board of Supervisors. Of these invitees only two showed up.  Woodland Police Chief Carey Sullivan sent his Lt. Don Beal and Woodland Mayor Skip Davies came and graciously and patiently addressed a group of questioners that seem to grow more frustrated as the night went on.  The crowd was very grateful to Lt. Beal who was actually on duty as the scene commander and to Mayor Davies, but they were frustrated at the lack of attendance of other political leaders. They grew more frustrated because the questions that they had really were not questions that either of the men who attended could address. Also attending this meeting was Former California Supreme Court Justice Cruz Reynoso.  Hey was the main speaker and addressed two critical issues, first he talked about his role as Chair of the Independent Human Right Commission.  And secondly he spoke of the need for Latinos to vote and mobilize for change. First he spoke on the Human Rights Commission: "The commission was formed after several citizens in the community asked if I would chair the commission asking about the Luis Gutierrez incident and trying to find out as much as possible." He continued: "The commission will be listened to by the community and the officials only to the extent of the respect that those individual members of the commission have.  So we are trying to make sure that this commission has among other things a retired police officer, a retire prosecutor, as well as members of the community." He said he wanted to start out hearing about the problems in the community, particularly in Woodland pertaining to police-community relations.  The Luis Gutierrez incident its will be one of the prime focuses of their initial investigation.  From there they may expand to look at the issue of racial profiling. "We have reports that all too often folk of color, particularly Chicanos are stopped more often than non-Chicanos in this county." Finally he hopes to be able to work with local officials to solve some of these concerns. "One of the concerns and the reason why people asked me to chair this commission was that many of the statements that public officials were issuing didn't make sense, they were contradictory sometimes, they gave different reports about what had happened.  We hope, though we don't have subpoena power, we hope to be able to find out as much as possible about what happened.  Everything will be on the record." He then went to speak to issues of concern more broadly. "I often tell people that one of the civil rights that we should have is the ability to walk our communities without fear.  I think that's very important, particularly for children." He continued: "I was just reading a report written by a professor at John Jay College in New York City, which specializes in dealing with police-community relations.  He was saying in that article that we have to recognize that most of the victims of crime were poor people and further, sad to say, most of the perpetrators in those crimes are also poor people." He called for community groups to look beyond this simple issue.  He cited the fact that people who both perpetrate and are victims of violence have never graduated from high school.  They have not had the opportunities that many of us have to have the sort of jobs to support their families.  From his perspective, education and jobs are so related to the issue of crime.   He would cite a study done in Washington where they found that the recidivism rate drops dramatically when inmates released are given unemployment benefits for the first six months.  The reason was that they were able to re-establish their lives and their relationships without having the pressure to immediately find a job.  However, the study gathered dust because the legislature was not interested in the appearance of being soft on crime. He would go on to talk about the Latino Community the need for education, but also for mobilization and voting. Of the community leaders that were invited to the meeting, only Woodland Police Chief Carey Sullivan sent his reputation and Skip Davies, Mayor of Woodland showed up.  He had actually not intended to speak, but did so and then graciously and patiently addressed audience questions. I think one of the lessons that can be taken from this is that the people appreciated his attendance and the respect he showed the audience.  A number of other leaders probably avoided this event because they either feared this particular group--heavily comprised of minorities and working class citizens--or they feared they would somehow legitimize the organizers.   They missed the point.  The event was legitimized by the number of concerned citizens.  Lt. Don Beal told the audience that he was blown away by the number of attendees, he had no idea that so many people would show up when he was asked to attend. There were definitely some tough questions asked by the members of the audience.  There was clear frustration at the process and the lack of responsiveness of the leaders who probably were in far better position to address these questions.  But there was also a level of respect that everyone showed due to the fact that Lt. Beal and Mayor Davies simply showed up to the meeting and a level of disdain for the fact that others did not. Mayor Davies said that he came to listen the what the people at this event had to say. "I have been worried about the safety of your children and my children since I came to Woodland in 1966.  I was principal at Douglas Junior High School and had some of you in school.  In those days our Latino population was about 30 percent, today our Latino population is over 40 percent.  I felt it was my responsibility to hire and employ teachers, Latino teachers, teachers that reflected the community.   We try to do that in the city, in the police department and everywhere else." He talked about looking at a model from San Jose which has reduced the violence in that city.  He said that seventeen years ago in San Jose there were close to 30 gang deaths a year, this most recent year it was just seven.   "Violence doesn't go away but together with your churches, your schools, your county, everything in our community working together, we can make it a better city in Woodland and a better city for our children." In the end, while the crowd was appreciative of the efforts of Mayor Davies and Lt. Beal, they were frustrated and that showed through increasingly as they began to realize that the questions they had regarding the death of Luis Gutierrez, the issue of the gang task force and gang policies, the profiling of people of color were not issues that either of these men could address on this night. Nevertheless I think this was a valuable event for all involved.  It is not often that you see a large group of people of color show up to this type of meeting.  Many of these people are not ones that you see at every single political event.  This was as one person put it, a very working class audience.  And they are frustrated and angry.  And if the other political leaders in the Woodland Community and in the County ignore them, I think they do so at their own peril. The fact is that Luis Gutierrez was shot on April 30, 2008, now nearly nine months later, there are still a large contingent of people who are showing up at these kinds of events.  That probably indicates that the anger and emotions are not subsiding.  So I would think it would behoove people like Vice Mayor Art Pimentel, whose absence disappointed many of the audience members to find a way to meet and talk with this segment of the community. I don't know where Matt Rexroad was or whether he had other obligations on this evening.  The event was down the street from where he lives however.  I have enormous respect for Mr. Rexroad precisely because he normally attends these kinds of events even though he will take flack and even though he may disagree with those who have done the organization of the event.   Back in December he responded to my op-ed in the Woodland Daily Democrat, writing: "David Greenwald, editor of the  People's Vanguard of  Davis, had an opinion piece published in The  Democrat on Sunday. Greenwald disagrees with me and the  majority of  people from Woodland on the  characterization of  what happened when three Yolo County sheriff's deputies shot and killed Luis Gutierrez Navarro on Gum Avenue in April 2009 and when Ricardo Abrahams died in May 2008 when being detained by the  Woodland Police Department." Maybe he is correct, but on this night there were 150 people, most of them from Woodland, who felt otherwise and it would have been nice if he had been able to make it to this meeting to address the issue. The chief law enforcement officers Ed Prieto and Jeff Reisig also did not attend.  I understand their reasoning for not wanting to.  But as leaders, sometimes you have to do things that are not pleasant and deal with people that will not agree with you and may at times treat you discourteously.  Ducking forums is not leadership.  And I'm sure all can claim prior obligations, but if they had wanted to attend they could have written a response, they could have done as Chief Sullivan did and send someone in their place, or they could have requested a separate meeting. I am disappointed that Ed Prieto, a fellow Latino and a generally good and decent person could not have gone and spoken to these citizens or at least sent a representative in his place. For those who did attend I think everyone in that audience gained a measure of respect for.  The message is clear, there is sizable concern in Woodland and Yolo County about these issues and these concerns are not going away with time.  Time for the leadership in this county to step up and address it. ---David M. Greenwald reporting -------------- Yolo County Justice Coalition  invites you to: YOLO COUNTY TOWN HALL FORUM "PROTECTING OUR CHILDRENS  PUBLIC SAFETY " A Yolo County Justice Coalition Community Gathering Date: January 14th, 2010  Time: 6:30 PM Location: Dingle Elementary School Auditorium, 625 Elm Street, Woodland,California The Town Hall style forum is designed to give the community and county leaders an opportunity to communicate and exchange concerns and suggestions. Ask public officials questions in the Question and Answer segment of the town hall forum. CONFIRMED SPECIAL GUEST: Former California Supreme Court Justice Cruz Reynoso Other Invited Guests: JEFF REISIG ,YOLO COUNTY DISTRIC ATTORNEY Ed Prieto, Yolo County Sherriff                                    Carey Sullivan, Woodland Police Chief                                    Yolo County Supervisors: -Mike McGowan -Helen Thomson -Matt Rexroad Woodland City Council Members: -Marlin H. Davies   -Artemio Pimentel  -Jim Provenza -Jeff Monroe                                                                                        -William Marble                                                                                     -Martie Dote  -Duane Chamberlain Yolo County Justice Coalition "FOR TRUTH AND JUSTICE !" YoloCountyJusticeCoalition@gmail.com www.lclaasacramento.com     FORO PUBLICO                     "PROTEGER LA SEGURIDAD                        DE NUESTROS Niños/as"                  Una reunion de y parte de la "Coalicion por la Justicia de el Condado de Yolo" Este "Foro Comunitariode La Comunidad" esta designado en darle la oportunidad  los residentes del Condado de Yolo y a los lideres de de las agencias publicas del  Condado la oportunidad de entre cambiar y discutir las preocupación y sugerencias  de los "Residentes". El Publico esta invitado en participar hablar con los oficiales Publicos y hacer sus preguntas a ellos sus preocupación de su familia.   Fecha : 14 de Enero, 2010  Hora : 6:30 PM  Lugar : Dingle Elementar School (La Escuela)      Auditorio, 625 Elm Street Woodland,California                                   Invitado Honrado : Cruz Reynoso, Juez de la Corte Suprema de California (Jubilado)           y Comision de Investigacion Independiente                                                      Invitados adicional  JEFF REISIG ,YOLO COUNTY DISTRIC ATTORNEY Ed Prieto, Yolo County Sherriff                                    Carey Sullivan, Woodland Police Chief                                    Yolo County Supervisors: -Mike McGowan -Helen Thomson -Matt Rexroad Woodland City Council Members: -Marlin H. Davies   -Artemio Pimentel  -Jim Provenza -Jeff Monroe                                                                                        -William Marble                                                                                     -Martie Dote  -DuanChamberlain  "Coalicion por la Justicia de el Condado  de Yolo"                                              "POR LA JUSTICIA Y LA VERDAD"                                                               YoloCountyJusticeCoalition@gmail.com                                                                                 www.lclaasacramento.com

	News Front: LCLAA Sacramento Demands Federal Investigation of Farmworker Luis Gutierrez Navarro Shooting

Eric Alfaro and Al Rojas speak on shooting of Luis Guitierrez and Vigil for October 30, 2009 - Woodland DMV - 6:00 p.m.

Commentary: DA Reisig Suddenly Vulnerable in 2010?

Click here to See KCRA Channel 3 media coverage on Yolo County Sheriff Drunk, Firing Weapon, and Suspected of Shooting his Dog

Catch the DavisVanguard Radio Show with Al Rojas!!!

Click Here for --> FOX40NEWS: Vigil Held For Farmworker Shot By Deputies - Woodland June 6, 2009