In yet another example of how dangerous it can be to walk in LA, The AP reports:
A Swedish hip-hop artist who ran down and killed a man at a Hollywood crosswalk was sentenced Thursday to 15 years to life in state prison. David Moses Jassy, who also uses the name Dave Monopoly, was sentenced in Los Angeles County Superior Court for the Nov. 23, 2008, death of John Osnes.
Judge Michael Johnson denied defense motions for a new trial and to reduce Jassy's second-degree murder conviction to manslaughter.
"In my mind, there is no question that this is a murder" and Jassy "deserves every bit of punishment," the judge said.
Defense attorney Alec Rose said he planned to appeal the sentence.
Osnes, a 55-year-old musician and pedestrian activist, banged on the hood of Jassy's rented sport utility vehicle after it nearly struck him in a Hollywood crosswalk, prosecutors said.
Jassy got out, punched Osnes in the face and then gave him a brutal kick in the head as he bent to pick up his glasses so that he toppled to the ground, prosecutors said.
