March 22, 2023 Breaking News, Latest News, and Videos

Police Ask Sheriff’s Help in School Hate Crime Case:

Santa Monica’s police department has asked the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department to step in and investigate administrators of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District to avoid any perceived conflicts of interest, citing the close relationship between the district and the City of Santa Monica. During Santa Monica police’s recent investigation of a hate crime at Santa Monica High School, officers were informed of allegations that school administrators had handled the incident unlawfully. “This referral is routinely made to avoid any appearance of a potential conflict of interest; it does not signify any determination by the police department that any administrator acted unlawfully,” notes a statement from the Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD).

Sgt. Richard Lewis, SMPD’s public information officer, explained that despite the referral his department is still actively investigating the incident between the students itself.

The Associated Press reported that authorities are investigating accusations that administrators destroyed evidence. Sgt. Victor Lewandowski of Internal Investigations Bureau of the Sheriff’s Department said he couldn’t comment on an ongoing investigation and that it was too early in the investigation to state what the high school administration might be charged with.

“The District welcomes the investigation and is fully cooperating with the Santa Monica Police Department,” read an e-mail from the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District to the Mirror. “In light of the investigation we are not at liberty to discuss this any further.” On June 21, SMPD began investigating a hate crime regarding a May 4 incident in which a brown wrestling dummy was suspended with a rope around its neck and black wrestler was strapped by connecting a chain to a belt loop on his pants to a locker while a couple of his teammates allegedly made racial remarks. One of the racial epithets allegedly made was “slave for sale.” But the Santa Monica Bay Wrestling Club explained in an e-mailed statement to the press that the wrestling dummy is frequently hung from a chin-up bar by a rope under the armpits for drilling, but on the day of the incident the attempt to hang the dummy failed resulting in a rope around the dummy’s neck, the statement explained. “The rope was tied in a noose-like knot at some point, just as a way to try to set up the dummy for practice,” the statement reads. “This was an understandably disturbing scene to some students, both black and white, but any noose symbolism was not the stated intent of the actions.” The wrestling club statement then describes that strapping the black wrestler to the locker incident as “completely unrelated” to the hanging dummy. “In spite of what has been published in the papers . . . nearly every student on the team, regardless of race, has been the subject of this prank at some point in the season. The Santa Monica Bay Wrestling Club also cites interviews with the wrestlers involved, as well as administrators, teammates, and the team’s coach. The statement contests that no derogatory racial statements were made at any time during either incident. “On the surface, and as it was reported in the press, these two incidents seem related and can be misconstrued by outsiders as racially motivated,” the statement reads. The LA Times reported that students involved have since been suspended or received other discipline. Additionally, the entire wrestling team has undergone sensitivity training. The assaulted student’s mother, Victoria Gray, told the LA Times she was upset because she didn’t find out about the incident until May 31 when a parent told her. Gray told the LA Times that she was never notified by the school.

in News
Related Posts

Emerging Artist Jesse Liu Opens First-Ever Exhibition in Venice Gallery

March 22, 2023

March 22, 2023

“Spring Fever” currently on display at Yiwei Gallery By Keemia Zhang Local artist Jesse Liu has opened her first solo...

Santa Monica Place Invites LGBTQIA+ Artisans to Apply for Made With PRIDE Marketplace

March 21, 2023

March 21, 2023

Partnering with Streetlet, the marketplace will take place each weekend in June and showcase local goods made in Southern California....

Santa Monica Councilmember Phil Brock Appointed to National League of Cities Council on Youth, Education, and Families

March 21, 2023

March 21, 2023

Brock to collaborate with group of local leaders to develop and guide programs for communities across the country Santa Monica...

Santa Monica Receives $70,000 Donation From Kiwanis Charities for Scoreboards in Two Parks

March 21, 2023

March 21, 2023

Donation will fund the installation of new scoreboards at Historic Belmar Park and Los Amigos Park The Santa Monica City...

Should Santa Monica Close the Airport?

March 21, 2023

March 21, 2023

Santa Monica City Council recently voted to begin the process of closing Santa Monica Municipal Airport. The decision was kick-started...

City Council Puts Plan for Use of Parking Lots for Affordable Housing in Motion

March 21, 2023

March 21, 2023

Sites are located at 1217 Euclid Street, 1211-1217 14th Street and 1146 16th Street By Dolores Quintana ​​During the Santa...

Santa Monica Warns Residents of Crypto Ponzi Scheme

March 21, 2023

March 21, 2023

City says 30 + households in Santa Monica have reported being victimized by CryptoFX, LLC Over 30 households in Santa...

Man Arrested for Sexual Assaults Targeting Homeless Victims

March 20, 2023

March 20, 2023

Anthony Pittman faces rape charges in connection to series of sexual assaults A West Hollywood man has been arrested in...

SMa.r.t. Column: Going Bare

March 20, 2023

March 20, 2023

(part 3 of 3 articles) Every City faces periodic interruptions to its normal life. Some interruptions in our City are...

Santa Monica Mall Owner, Macerich, Finds Way Out of Retail Property Crisis

March 19, 2023

March 19, 2023

Move comes amidst a crisis for retail property owners, with loans coming due for refinancing with much higher interest rates...

Historic Santa Monica Property “The Witbeck House” Listed for Sale at $22.5M

March 19, 2023

March 19, 2023

Greene & Greene-designed home features 26,000+ square foot lot with five bedroom home A historic property known as The Witbeck...

New Affordable Housing Complex Completed in Santa Monica’s Pico Neighborhood

March 18, 2023

March 18, 2023

Las Flores offers 73 one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments at 1834-1848 14th Street By Sam Catanzaro Community Corp. of Santa...

Are You Staying in Santa Monica Over the Summer?

March 17, 2023

March 17, 2023

Spring is officially here, which means summer is just around the corner. Santa Monica residents, what are your travel plans...

Suspect Arrested in Palisades Park Stabbing of City of Santa Monica Employee

March 17, 2023

March 17, 2023

Barna Allen Cranford arrested in connection to March 15 stabbing By Sam Catanzaro Santa Monica police have identified and arrested...

Negotiations for Independent Malibu School District Progressing

March 17, 2023

March 17, 2023

City of Malibu  and Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Complete draft of key deliverables By Sam Catanzaro Negotiations between Santa...