Emily Shane murder trial begins
The trial of Sina Khankhanian, the man accused of killing 13-year-old Malibu resident Emily Shane, started Jan. 17 at the Airport Courthouse in Los Angeles. The trial, which is open to the public, is expected to last three weeks with morning and afternoon sessions each day.
The trial begins more than a year and a half after Khankhanian, 28, struck and killed Shane as she walked along Pacific Coast Highway. Khankhanian faces one charge of second-degree murder for allegedly hitting Shane on purpose on April 3, 2010 after driving recklessly for miles along PCH in an apparent attempt to end his own life.
The case has encountered numerous delays in the 21 months since Shane was killed. Khankhanian pleaded not guilty to a charge of second-degree murder after a January 2010 preliminary hearing. A pretrial conference to set a trial date was postponed multiple times while the prosecution and defense reviewed psychological testing performed on Khankhanian. A trial was eventually set for September, but those plans were shelved after Deputy District Attorney Marna Miller could not schedule enough eyewitnesses to the crime in time for the impending trial. Facing a deadline required by law, Miller decided to refile the case and start over.
Bradley Brunon, Khankhanian’s attorney, has argued that a second-degree murder charge, which carries a sentence of 15 years to life imprisonment in a state prison for intentionally killing another person, is too harsh. He says Khankhanian killed Shane unintentionally due to recklessness and should be charged with gross vehicular manslaughter. That charge carries a sentence of one to 10 years in a county jail or state prison.
The prosecution reportedly offered the defense a plea deal, which Khankhanian’s lawyer rejected.
Malibu Courthouse could close if tax measure fails, report says
The Malibu branch of the Los Angeles Superior Court system could face closure if a November tax measure proposed by Gov. Jerry Brown doesn’t pass, a local judge said. In his 2012-13 budget released last week, Brown proposes to fund California’s trial courts at the same level as it did last year, with one major asterisk: If California voters don’t pass a November tax initiative proposed by Brown, an additional $125 million will automatically be shed from funding to state courts.
Judge Joseph Biderman, who hears cases in Santa Monica as the supervising judge for the West District of Los Angeles County’s Superior Court system, told the Santa Monica Daily Press “everything is on the table,” including the possible closure of the Malibu branch courthouse.
Biderman told the Daily Press that while final decisions on cuts have not been made yet, the Malibu branch could be a casualty because it experiences less traffic than other areas. Other possibilities include reducing staff. The Los Angeles Superior Court System is currently $85.4 million in the red, according to a public information officer for the court system, with that figure expected to jump to $160.9 million next year if no cuts are made.
Arresting officer in Gibson DUI granted discrimination trial
Deputy James Mee will be allowed to take his workplace discrimination suit against Los Angeles County to court, Superior Court Judge Barbara Scheper ruled last Thursday.
Two weeks ago, lawyers for Los Angeles County filed a motion to dismiss Mee’s case against the county. In response, Mee’s attorneys filed court papers opposing the dismissal motion that included a sworn statement by the deputy. A hearing was set for Jan. 12, where Mee was granted the right to proceed to trial with this case.
Mee arrested actor Mel Gibson for drunk driving in July 2006 in Malibu. During the arrest, Gibson made a number of anti-Semitic comments and slurs. The actor later apologized, blaming his behavior on alcoholism.
After Mee, who is Jewish, included Gibson’s remarks in his arrest report, he alleges he was told to remove the comments by his superiors and place them in a separate report, giving Gibson preferential treatment.
Mee says he was subjected to repeated disciplinary action after the incident and overlooked for six or seven other positions, including that of motorcycle deputy. The deputy sued the county in September 2007 in response to the treatment he alleges he received.
The trial is scheduled to being Feb. 14.
Randall returns to Planning Commission
At the City Council meeting earlier this month, Malibu Mayor Laura Rosenthal announced longtime Malibu resident Carol Randall will temporarily serve on the Malibu Planning Commission. Randall will fill the seat vacated by Lisa Toledo last month until a permanent selection is made after the April City Council elections.
Randall, who has lived in Malibu since 1964, previously served on the Planning Commission from 2004 until 2008.
The longtime local has been on the Public Safety Commission since its inception, was a member of the committee that created the Malibu Senior Center and chaired a committee that formed proposals on solving Civic Center Way traffic problems.
Randall was named a Malibu Times Dolphin Award winner in 2004. She was also awarded Woman of the Year by State Senator Sheila Kuehl in 2007.
Cyclist struck on PCH
A cyclist was hit by a car near the intersection of Pacific Coast Highway and Sunset Boulevard in Pacific Palisades last Thursday night, Los Angeles Fire Department Spokesman Brian Humphrey confirmed. Firefighters responded to a 911 call stating that a vehicle and bicycle had collided at 11:01 p.m.
The cyclist was transported to the UCLA medical center. He reportedly suffered injuries to his head, legs and arms. The victim’s current condition is unknown.
A further investigation is being conducted by the Los Angeles Police Department’s West Valley Traffic Division. A spokesperson for the West Valley Traffic Division said he could not release the names or any information about the people involved in the incident.
This is the third serious accident to occur at the intersection of PCH and Sunset in the past few months.
Around 1:30 a.m. on Sept. 18, a Ferrari crashed near the same spot, killing one person and leaving another critically injured. The car, which authorities estimated was driving 90 mph, flew 30 feet down a cliff and onto the beach, shearing a power pole on its way down and splitting the car in half.
A week later, a pedestrian was struck and killed near the intersection at around 10:30 p.m. Sept. 24. The victim was struck in the number one northbound lane of PCH and sustained multiple traumatic injuries.
Online survey to assess disaster preparedness
The City of Malibu is asking the public to participate in a short Disaster Preparedness and Risk survey as a part of its Hazard Migration planning efforts. “The purpose of this survey is to provide a forum for public input on the level of disaster preparedness in the community and the potential local area risks,” a city press release states.
In addition to Malibu, the survey is being conducted in Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Hidden Hills and Westlake Village-the member cities of the Las Virgenes-Malibu Council of Governments.
The data gathered will aid officials in planning for disasters, as well as communicating with residents on mitigation steps to reduce the risk of disaster-related loss.
To take the survey, visit malibucity.org. For more information contact emergency services coordinator Brad Davis at 310.456.2489 x260.
City to host student art show
The City of Malibu is hosting a student art show Feb. 4-5 at the Michael Landon Center at Malibu Bluffs Park.
The Malibu Student Art Show is open to students in kindergarten through 12th grade and the deadline for students to submit artwork is Jan. 30. Submissions may be brought to the Michael Landon Center or to Malibu City Hall.
Students can submit art for the competition category or the show category. The artwork will be judged by members of the Malibu Art Association.
The free art gallery will be open to the public Feb. 4 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Feb. 5 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Michael Landon Center, 24250 Pacific Coast Highway. An artists’ reception will take place Feb. 4 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
For more information call 310.317.1364.