Welcome to L.A. TACO’s daily news briefs, where we bring our loyal members, readers, and supporters the latest headlines about Los Angeles politics and culture. Stay informed and look closely.
—Highland Park: Back-to-back Taco Madness champ Victor Villa was spotted front and center at a punk show in Highland Park last night, singing along to Highland Park-based band ‘The Runts.’ All proceeds from the sold-out show—which also featured the local, emerging, melodic crust band Lagrimas—went to the L.A. Tenants Union to help towards the displacement happening around northeast Los Angeles. [@Miglovin/IG]
—Vernon: Twenty pallets of free alcohol wipes are waiting for you in Vernon. Time to stock up for the next pandemic! [Craigslist]
—Torrance: Two Torrance police officers linked to a racist text scandal were indicted for the 2018 killing of Christopher Deandre Mitchell. Former District Attorney Jackie Lacey initially declined to charge the officers but DA George Gascón reopened the case after he was sworn into office. In a statement, Black Lives Matter-LA said "For more than four years now, Christopher’s family, Black Lives Matter - Los Angeles, and ally groups have been committed to righteous organizing and demanding that Matthew Concannon, Anthony Chavez, and a third involved officer, Brian Kawamoto, be fired , held accountable, and that the City of Torrance create and empower a civilian oversight commission to hold police accountable.” This is a long time coming,” said Sherlyn Haynes, Christopher’s mother. [LAT]
—Two former Los Angeles County Sheriff's involved in the killing of 18-year-old Andres Guardado were federally indicted on charges of conspiracy, deprivation of rights, witness tampering, and falsification of records for allegedly abducting a skateboarder months before Guardado was killed. The Los Angeles District Attorney's office has not said whether charges will be filed in the Guardado case. [LAT]
—Social media users are criticizing LAPD Chief Michel Moore for retweeting an "anti-homeless" Twitter page called "Bums of Venice." In response to questions, Chief Moore told L.A. TACO he doesn't associate the page with being "anti-homeless." "The message was what I was amplifying, which was the outstanding work of our people in safely de-escalating a very dangerous situation." [Lexis-Olivier Ray/Twitter]
—Police arrested a tech consultant for allegedly stabbing the creator of Cash App to death in San Francisco earlier this month. [NY Times]
—A federal judge declared a mistrial in a Jose Huizar-related corruption trial because the defendant’s lawyer was hospitalized and unable to return to court. [Meghann Cuniff/Substack]
—LAist put together this round-up of Black-owned literary spaces in Los Angeles. [LAist]
—Roller Derby legend, Frank Macedo, passed away earlier this week at the age of 86-years-old. [Olympic Auditorium/Twitter]
