Latest Update on Jamiel's Law

Lately, I have been following the efforts of Mr and Mrs. Jamiel Shaw Sr. to have Los Angeles Special Rule 40 amended so that LAPD officers could take action on the streets against known gang members who are in the country illegally. The Shaw's son, Jamiel Jr., was gunned down in March. Pedro Espinoza, a member of the 18th Street Gang and illegal alien is charged with the crime.

Mr Shaw was recently interviewed on Full Disclosure, a public affairs cable program. During the interview, Shaw claimed that LA City Council Member, Herb Wesson had tried to convince the Shaws to drop their efforts to have Special Rule 40 amended. Mr Shaw also claimed that during his appearance before the LA City Council to plead his case, City Council Member Bernard Parks (formerly LAPD's Chief of Police) left the room.

Shaw has also claimed that Asst DA, Michelle Hanisee, told him and his wife that the position of the DA's Office was that Jamiel was the victim of a gang murder as opposed to a hate crime (Shaw was black.), and that the DA would attempt to show that Jamiel was a gang member himself, a charge Mr and Mrs Shaw vehemently deny. (Jamiel was a star high school football player.)

As for action to amend SO 40, at this point, the Shaws are still waiting for their petition to return from the City Clerk's Office. They need 76,000 signatures within 120 days that would qualify it to be placed on the March 3, 2009 election ballot.

In addition, LA Council Member, Dennis Zine, who is supporting the measure, has stated that once on the ballot, he will write a resolution of support (which would open the door for the City Council to discuss Jamiel's Law).

In his latest posting, Mr Shaw states,"We truly miss Jas, and we will never stop fighting to get Jamiel's Law passed. Please fight with us."

The interview of Mr Shaw on Full Disclosure can be found on:

www.fulldisclosure.net.

It is a two-part interview to be featured on 45 cable systems. A preview can be found on: www.youtube.com/FullDisclosureNetwork.

It should also be pointed out that City Council Member Jack Weiss controls the passage of Mr Zine's resolution through the City Council bureaucracy. Mr Shaw is urging supporters to call Weiss' office to urge him to support the measure (which he currently does not). Weiss' phone number is (213) 473-7005.

Speaking of Mr Weiss, who some regard as the worst of the cast of Disney characters that is the LA City Council, he is currently jockeying for the position of LA City Attorney, currently held by another empty suit named Rocky Delgadillo. Mr Weiss may be too busy to care about the grief being endured by the Shaws, but he is not too busy to attend a big fund raiser June 10 on his behalf held in Santa Monica by a certain Steve Sugerman. Mr Sugerman, who is considered a fixture at City Hall, pleaded to a felony charge a few years back for his role in the Fleishman-Hillard scandal.* However, that apparently did not make him persona non grata at City Hall, nor does it concern Jack Weiss.

So, as things stand now, Mr and Mrs Shaw struggle literally against City Hall while said institution just goes on feathering its nest.

And where might you ask is LA Mayor's mayor, Antonio (Viajero)Villaraigosa? Well, now that he is no longer on Hillary Clinton's campaign trail, he is getting ready to go on a junket next month to Israel with half a plane load of his horseholders to study that country's security procedures and "green technology". The cost is being paid for by the mayor's budget, LA Airport, Harbor Commission, and the Department of Water and Power. (Yes, their bosses are all going as well.) And if you can figure that one out, drop me a line.

* Fleishman-Hillard was a PR firm hired by the ever-questionable Department of Water and Power, which also became enmeshed with former mayor, James Hahn-just one of his many scandals.