Orange County Judge Accused Of Covering Up Police Misconduct In Murder Case – Here’s What You Need To Know
A prominent Orange County judge is facing scathing new allegations that he led a criminal conspiracy to cover up police misconduct and withhold evidence in a murder case when he was a high-ranking prosecutor.
The allegations against O.C. Superior Court Judge Ebrahim Baytieh came in a 424-page court motion filed Thursday by Scott Sanders, the assistant public defender who uncovered one of the biggest law enforcement scandals of the past decade, known colloquially as the “O.C. jailhouse snitch scandal.”
Sanders said the evidence reveals that Baytieh — despite being lauded for his ethics at the district attorney's office and charged with deciding what evidence prosecutors should disclose across the department — was in fact among the worst offenders in the jailhouse snitch scandal. Sanders also said the evidence could taint more than 100 criminal cases — including at least 45 murder cases — in which he says Baytieh should have notified defendants about the alleged misuse of jailhouse informants and the law enforcement officers involved in it. Joining to discuss is Jill Replogle, LAist senior reporter covering Orange County.
With files from LAist. Read the full story here
India Hosts The G20 Summit: Is This Global Spotlight Indicative Of The Country’s Economic And Political Future?
It was wheels up yesterday for President Biden as he heads to India for the annual G20 summit -- he’ll join heads of state and economic leaders from 19 countries and the European Union in New Delhi to discuss issues like the global economy, climate change and support for developing countries. The summit puts India in the global spotlight, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi hopes to use the opportunity to situate his country as an emerging global superpower and a bastion of democracy. During an address to the UN General Assembly in September of 2021, Prime Minister Modi said “India is proud to be known to be the mother of democracy,” adding “Diversity is the identity of our strong democracy.” But what’s happening on the ground in India tells a slightly different story…recent years have seen pro-democracy protesters take to the streets to speak out against the Modi administration. Even as the country’s economy and diplomatic influence grows under Modi’s rule, so too do the fault lines in Indian society. Modi and his Hindu nationalist government have curbed civil liberties, eroded freedom of the press, and elevated Hindus in society in a way that has marginalized many other communities in the country. So, what’s still standing in the way of India taking that next step to global superpower? And how can it show the rest of the world that it’s serious about becoming one? Joining us to discuss are Bhaskar Chakravorti, dean of global Business at The Fletcher School at Tufts University and Sushant Singh, lecturer at Yale University and senior fellow at the Centre for Policy Research in India.
Non-Alcoholic Drinks Come In More Varieties Than Ever, But Can Be Tough To Find. Here’s Where To Get Them In LA
With so many of our interactions relying on alcohol as a social lubricant of sorts, it can be challenging for those who are sober to feel welcome or included in spaces where everyone else is drinking. Not only are your beverage choices usually limited, but there can also be a stigma attached. When someone says “I don’t drink,” it’s easy to assume it’s because they’re a recovering alcoholic or have an otherwise unhealthy relationship with alcohol. Thankfully, it may be as good of a time as ever to be sober, as the number of non-alcoholic beverage options grow beyond water, soda, juice and tea. Even bars and bottle shops are getting in on the trend, offering larger selections of non-alcoholic beers, wines and even spirits for folks who love the taste of a frosty brew or a creative cocktail but don’t want the booze. Freelance writer Melanie Lockert recently went on her own journey to sobriety after deciding that moderation simply didn’t work for her, but like many, she struggled to find places that offered non-alcoholic beverage options. She wrote about her journey to sobriety in a new piece at LAist.com, and shared a few places around Southern California where you can go and find top-end non-alcoholic drinks.
Today on AirTalk, Melanie joins us along with Brianda Gonzalez, the founder and CEO of the non-alcoholic bottle shop The New Bar in Venice, to talk about the growing sobriety and sober-curious movement, and where to get some of the best mocktails and non-alcoholic beers and wines in SoCal.
FilmWeek: ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3,’ ‘The Nun II,’ ‘El Conde’ And More
Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Christy Lemire and Lael Loewenstein review this weekend’s new movie releases in theaters, streaming, and on demand platforms.
- “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3” Wide Release
- “The Nun II” Wide Release
- “Scrapper” Landmark Nuart Theater [West LA]
- “El Conde” Laemmle Royal [West LA] & Laemmle NoHo [North Hollywood]; Begins Streaming on Netflix September 15
- “A Million Miles Away” Laemmle NoHo [North Hollywood]; Available on Prime Video September 15
- “Joyce Carol Oates: A Body In The Service Of Mind” Lammle Royal [West LA] & Available on Amazon & Apple TV+
- “Rotting In The Sun” Alamo Drafthouse Cinema [DTLA]; Available to Stream on MUBI September 15
FilmWeek Feature: Larry Mantle Interviews Saul Austerlitz About His Book On The Comedy Classic “Anchorman”
Released in 2004, “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy '' didn't reach initial critical acclaim, seen as just another run-of-the-mill, raunchy comedy. However, in the years since, the film, directed by Adam McKay and co-written by McKay and the film’s star Will Ferell, has become a beloved staple. You can ask fans and critics alike to quote their favorite lines from the film and many will argue that it is one of the best comedies of the 2000s. Saul Austerlitz, adjunct professor of writing and comedy history at New York University, is one of those people, assigning “Anchorman” as required viewing for his students, using it as an example of good satirical writing and improvisation. Today on FilmWeek, Larry is joined by Austerlitz to talk about his new book “Kind of a Big Deal: How Anchorman Stayed Classy and Became the most Iconic Comedy of the 21st Century” (August 2023, Penguin Random House) and breakdown what makes this movie a pinnacle of comedic filmmaking.
