Anti SB 1070 Protest in L.A.

L.A.P.D. calling out a dispersal order.

L.A.P.D. arrest a protester.

A female protester chained to each other.

An empty Wilshire Blvd.

L.A.P.D. making arrest.

A hundreds of protesters shut down the corner of Highland Ave. and Wilshire Blvd. with an act of cilvil disobedience over the Arizona law SB 1070.

The L.A. office of Wackenhut, a Arizona based security firm, is located next to the corner where 10 protesters, 9 women and 1 man, handcuffed themselves to each other in the middle of the intersection. All 10 were arrested by L.A.P.D.

The protest shut down the intersection for over 4 hours and caused traffic havoc in the area.

The protesters vowed to return to the intersection.

Photos by Ted Soqui © 2010

Bell Residents Speak

Hundreds of boisterous Bell residents filled the Bell community center to voice their feelings at the current members of city council and their mayor. The Bell mayor, city council, and police chief all had super high salaries with several making more than than President Obama. Many of the residents of Bell live close to poverty levels.

Several residents called for the city officials to resign and give tax refunds. Others attempted to shame the city officials into resigning and verbally abused the politicians. The meeting ended at midnight.

Photos by Ted Soqui © 2010

Walking Man of Silverlake Dead

A long time fixture of Silverlake, the "Walking Man" or "Walking Guy" he had many monikers, had died at the age of 58. The Walking Man, Marc Abrams, was found dead in a hot tub at his Siverlake residence.

The Walking Man was known to just about every area resident of Silverlake. He would often be seen reading something as his circumvented Silverlake by foot everyday, sometimes several times a day.

I never seen he stop for very long or hang out, he just walked and walked and walked.

Stopped by a mural that he was featured in on Sunset Blvd. and Vendome. The folks that stopped by were sadly surprised to here of his death, some left flowers, others left shoes. Everyone had the same story, they've seen him everyday just walking and walking.

There will be a memorial walk in honor of the Walking Man this Sunday. Meeting at 1850 w.Silverlake Blvd. at noon.

Walk on "Walking Man."

Photos by Ted Soqui © 2010

LiLo Arrives @ BH Courthouse

Lindsay Lohan arrived to the Beverly Hills courthouse 10 minutes late, where she was expected to turn herself in to serve a 90 day sentence. Her estranged parents also showed up to the courthouse, and yelled out to her that they loved her inside the courtroom.

Photography and video, inside the courtroom, of Lindsay Lohan being handcuffed and lead off by Sheriff deputies was not permitted by the Judge Marsha Revel.

Photography by Ted Soqui © 2010

L.A. Libraries Close on Sundays and Mondays

L.A. city officials ordered all 73 public libraries to close on Sundays and Mondays due to budget short falls.

30 to 40 people, most of them librarians, gathered around the L.A. Central Library to protest the closings.

Photos by Ted Soqui © 2010

"Grim Sleeper" Missed by a Hair in 1988

Here is a L.A. Weekly story illustrating how close, and yet so far away the L.A.P.D. was to capturing the "Grim Sleeper" serial murder suspect Lonnie Franklin Jr. in 1998. The story is written by L.A. Weekly investigative reporter Christine Pelesik.

Photo montage by Ted Soqui © 2010

Lotus Festival

Bali dancing from the Indonesian Cultural Center.

Bali dancing

Bali and Java music.

Bangladeshi dancers waiting to perform.

Echo Park Lake with no Lotus blooms.

L.A.'s 32nd lotus Festival at the Echo Park Lake. Plenty of food and dancing, but sadly again still no Lotus flowers in the lake this year.

Photos by Ted Soqui © 2010

BART Officer Found Guilty of Manslaughter

BART officer Johannes Mehsele was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter of an unarmed man, Oscar Grant. Mehsele reached for his service gun instead of his taser when he mistakenly shot Grant. A small but vocal group chanted "justice for Oscar" out front of the downtown L.A. courthouse when the court case was held. A massive group of L.A.P.D. officers stood ready for trouble behind the L.A.P.D. downtown headquarters.

Photos by Ted Soqui © 2010

"Grim Sleeper" Captured

The "Grim Sleeper" in court. Pool image by Al Seib/LA Times

LAPD mugshot of the Lonnie David Franklin jr. dated 2/25/1994

Family of Janecia Peters at a press conference.

LAPD officer setting up mugshots of the "Grim Sleeper" suspect.

Families and friends of "Grim Sleeper" victims.

Lead Detective Dennis Kilcoyne.

The serial murder suspect known as the "Grim Sleeper," Lonnie David Franklin Jr., has been captured by the L.A.P.D. The "Grim Reaper" is known to have committed at least 10 murders, and one attempted murder.

The L.A.P.D. along with city and state officials held a press conference outside of the new Police Administration Building. Lead Detective Dennis Kilcoyne spoke on how they used new D.N.A. techniques to capture the "Grim Sleeper."

Photos by Ted Soqui © 2010