Fullerton Police Officers Found Not Guilty in Beating Death of Homeless Man
An Orange County jury has acquitted two former Fullerton police officers in the beating death of Kelly Thomas, an unarmed, mentally ill homeless man two years ago. After the verdict, about 80 protesters gathered at the Fullerton Transportation Center where the incident happened to light candles and carry signs saying things like "No More Killer Cops." The two officers still face a civil lawsuit, but the criminal case is over.
No Deal on Prison Overcrowding Between State Officials, Inmate Lawyers
Federal judges say California corrections officials and inmates' lawyers have failed to reach a long-term agreement to deal with overcrowding in the state's prison system. The two sides were in talks over how to comply with the judges' order to reduce the headcount in the prisons. Now the two sides have until January 23 to submit competing proposals to bring the state into compliance by April 18.
New Bills Aim to Protect Elderly, Regulate Assisted Living Facilities
State lawmakers unveiled 14 new bills on Monday designed to bolster the way the state regulates some 7,500 residential care facilities for the elderly. Assemblymember Brian Maienschein of San Diego wrote a bill proposing to raise the fines for abuse and neglect. Other bills would raise the training requirements for people who work at assisted living facilities and increase the frequency of unannounced inspections.
The Giving State: Crafting Story Books for Preschoolers
As part of our series on volunteering in California, "The Giving State," we meet a nonprofit administrator from San Francisco who supports a reading program for preschoolers from low-income areas.