VOICE Issue May 6, 2021

Inland Southern California’s News Weekly

May 6, 2021 Volume 48 | Issue 42 theievoice.com

A Nexus:

Domestic Violence and Homelessness

theievoice.com | MAY 6, 2021 | VOICE 1

Inside - California Democrats Sharpen Messaging Against Newsom Recall

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2 VOICE | MAY 6, 2021 | theievoice.com

PAULETTE BROWN-HINDS, PhD Publisher S.E. WILLIAMS Executive Editor

Redistricting - Be Aware of Stacking, Packing, and Cracking

LEO CABRAL Managing Editor CHEETARA PIRY Staff Reporter SAIDA MAALIN Staff Reporter SUSAN MORRIS General Manager / Controller MARLA A. MATIME Project Director CHRIS ALLEN Creative Director CHRISTEN IRVING Revenue/Audience Engagement CHUCK BIBBS Digital Director ALEXANDER BROWN-HINDS Creative

“Most of the time, we see only what we want to see, or what others tell us to see, instead of really investigating to see what is really there. We embrace illusions only because we are presented with the illusion that is embraced by the majority. . . And like obedient schoolchildren, we do not question their validity and swallow everything up like medicine. Why? Because since the earliest days of our youth, we have been conditioned to accept that the direction of the herd, and authority anywhere — is always right.” [Today, we know better and should be unafraid to challenge the status quo when warranted.]

- Suzy Kassem

HASSAN BROOKS Distribution MONICA VICUNA VOICE Cares HARDY & CHERYL BROWN Co-Publishers Emeritus CONTRIBUTORS Gary Montgomery, Dr. Ernest Levister, Dr. Joseph Bailey, Jordan Brown, Benoit Malphettes, Kathy Malphettes, Laura Klure CONTACT US To submit an article, become a subscriber, advertiser, sponsor, or partner please contact the general manager at 951.682.6070 or email suzie@ voicemediaventures.com.

ESTABLISHED 1972

Voice Media Ventures Post Office Box 912 Riverside, California 92502 (951) 682-6070 Published every Thursday and distributed throughout the Inland Empire Adjudicated, a legal newspaper of general circulation on July 8, 1974 Case # 108890 by the Superior Court of Riverside County. Stories published do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publishers. Member of: National Newspaper Publishers Association, California Black Media and California News Publishers Association

I

“ want to know why I should care about redistricting,” someone declared.

To that I must respond, “If you are Black, lived in America in 2020 and survived, that should be reason enough.”

I am not being hyperbolic. Certainly, people all over the world continue to be impacted by the pandemic, but for Black Americans, COVID-19 was the exclamation point on our sojourn in this nation and it signaled a new reality that screams, “We have had enough!”

A list of reasons why If you grieved the agonizing loss of a family member or friend to COVID-19; if—through six degrees of separation, more or less—you

experienced the sudden impact of an untimely death of a Black man or woman at the hands of police or were once devastated by the injustice of such loss; if you knew someone locked in the COVID death houses called American prisons for a non-violent crime and you watched the former president’s cronies—who betrayed the nation and squandered millions of taxpayers’ dollars, enjoy the benevolence of home confinement; if you were appalled by the former president’s rush to execute prisoners before he left office (most of them Black) when we know DNA has exonerated 156 death row inmates in recent years; if you know someone who waited too long to seek medical treatment for COVID or cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure or heart disease continued on page 15

theievoice.com | MAY 6, 2021 | VOICE 3

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California Democrats Sharpen Messaging Against Newsom Recall

Kathleen Ronayne | Associated Press

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alifornia Democrats sharpened their anti-recall messaging Saturday during the state party’s annual convention, arguing removing Gov. Gavin Newsom from office early would roll back immigrant rights and criminal justice reforms, stall progress on the housing crisis, and waste taxpayer money.

Democrats Seek to Energize Voters I Support of Newsom The California Democratic Party gathering, held virtually, served as a venue for party leaders to energize some of the party’s most active volunteers ahead of Newsom’s expected election later this year.

“I’ve seen firsthand what a leader he is and how he really does put his heart into his work on behalf of the people of California, and President Joe Biden and I support him 100%,” Vice President Kamala Harris, who began her political career in San Francisco alongside Newsom, said in pre-taped remarks. She added, “because of your hard work, we’re going to keep Gov. Gavin Newsom in Sacramento.”

Timing

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Snapshot of Recall Newsom website

The annual convention comes on the heels of the California secretary of state announcing the recall election had enough valid signatures to qualify for the ballot. Though there are several more steps before the recall is certified, it’s all but certain voters will decide later this year whether to remove Newsom from office before his regularly scheduled re-election in 2022.

Republicans are Angry Republican voters angry at Newsom’s liberal policies on immigration, criminal justice reform and more launched the longshot recall effort last year. It gained steam during the pandemic, as people grew frustrated by Newsom’s pandemic response. Still, recent polling shows Newsom with support from a majority of voters.

Newsom and his allies paint the recall as a partisan effort in hopes of keeping Democrats and independent voters united behind him; Republicans make up just a quarter of the state’s registered voters. continued on page 9

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Waiting for justice: Defendants locked up for years awaiting trials, sentencing Emily Hoeven | Cal Matters

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or thousands of Californians, the notion of “presumed innocent” has been turned on its head. They’ve waited years in jail without being tried or sentenced. These defendants — along with the victims of crimes — are the human toll of a struggling judicial system.

DeAndre Davis has been waiting 651 days in a Sacramento County jail. Charged with the murder of a 21-year-old man shot during a robbery in 2019, he hasn’t been tried and he hasn’t been sentenced — and he hasn’t even had a preliminary hearing to decide if there’s enough evidence to take him to trial.

For Davis, it’s been an agonizing ordeal made worse by the pandemic. Held without bail because of the severity of the charges, he’s locked down as much as 23 hours a day inside a concrete box as his life outside is crumbling. From his cell, he went through a divorce and lost custody of his 10-year-old daughter, he said.

“I’ve lost so much of my life in here, fighting this case,” said Davis, 37, speaking during a collect call from the Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center in Elk Grove. “I don’t want to sit in here another year or two.”

Nearly two years of waiting is a different kind of torture for Jennifer Maraston. She’s the mother of Jaquan Wyatt, the man Davis is accused of killing at a Sacramento apartment complex.

“There’s not a day that goes by where I don’t get up and think about my son,” Maraston said.

“Emotionally it takes a toll — the not knowing. I don’t want the case to get to the back of people’s minds. I don’t want people to forget this is still going on.”

But justice for Davis and Maraston is many more months, if not years, away.

Davis is one of thousands of men and women throughout California who are stuck for years in county jails without being convicted of any crime. A CalMatters investigation has revealed that at least 1,300 people have been incarcerated in California’s jails longer than three years without being tried or sentenced.

Of those, 332 people have been waiting in jail for longer than five years, according to CalMatters’ analysis. And one man in Fresno County has been jailed awaiting trial in a double-murder case for nearly 12 years — 4,269 days since his arrest.

The reasons for the long delays are myriad:

Defense attorneys seek extra time to prepare, prosecutors pursue stiff sentences that lead to extra hearings, and judges struggle to manage their crowded calendars.

The result is a troubling backlog of cases that existed even before the pandemic. Now COVID-19 has pushed the problem to a crisis point. Shuttered courtrooms have delayed hearings, and state emergency orders have allowed judges to waive speedy trial rights and keep pushing back trial dates — all leading to even more time behind bars for people who have been charged but not convicted of a crime.

“The wheels of justice turn very slowly,” said Mariam El-menshawi, director of the California Victims of Crime Resource Center and adjunct professor at the McGeorge School of Law. “With COVID, it’s slowed down the process even more.”

These are men and women for whom the notion of “presumed innocent” has been turned on its head.

They — along with the victims of crimes awaiting justice — are the human toll of a California judicial system that struggles to dispose of cases in a timely

manner.

Most of the defendants held in jail before their trials are Black and Latino, based on the 21 counties where demographic data was available. In San Francisco, for instance, where 5% of the population is Black, half of the unsentenced inmates jailed for longer than a year are Black, including 25 who have been jailed longer than five years, according to sheriff’s department data.

Many low-income people are incarcerated for years before they are convicted because they can’t pay bail. Last week, the California Supreme Court ruled that people can’t be held in jail before trial solely because they can’t afford to get out. But there appears to be no immediate impact; judges will have to rule in those cases, and they still can consider public safety before releasing detainees.

The longest delays are for people charged with felonies, which range from burglary to sexual assault to murder. If people are ultimately convicted, the time they serve before trial counts toward their sentences. But some eventually will be acquitted or continued on page 12

theievoice.com | MAY 6, 2021 | VOICE 5

classifieds&publicnotices PUBLIC NOTICES Firefighter Trainee – Paramedic San Bernardino County, CA The San Bernardino County Fire District is now recruiting courageous women and men with great integrity and compassion to join our family. SBCoFD is an all-risk/full-service fire department hiring future leaders to serve our diverse communities in environments from urban, suburban and rural areas to snowcapped mountains, stunning lakes, cities, towns and desert areas. If you are self-motivated, care about people and believe in serving others with honor, review our announcement at www. sbcounty.gov/jobs for requirements and salary information. Apply by 5/17/21 at 5 PM. (909) 387-8304 - EEO/ADA p. 5/6/2021 _______________________________ NAME CHANGE ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE NUMBER CVMV2100707 To All Interested Persons: Petitioner: MARCELA DOMINGUEZ filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: MARCELA DOMINGUEZ to. JACOUELINE MARCELA DOMINGUEZ VALLE. The Court Orders that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: Date: 05/27/21 Time: 1:30 PM Dept: MV2. The address of the court is: SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE, 13800 HEACOCK ST, D201, MORENO VALLEY, CA 92553 A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: Black Voice News, 1201 University Avenue, Suite 210, Riverside, CA 92507.

Date: 3/24/2021 ERIC V. ISAAC, Judge of the Superior Court p. 4/22, 4/29, 5/6, 5/13/2021 _______________________________ AMENDED SUMMONS SUMMONS (FAMILY LAW) CASE NUMBER FLRI2000998 Notice to Respondent: OLA ABOUADAL You are being sued Petitioner’s name is: HANNA FAYAD KHOURI You have 30 calendar days after this Summons and Petition are served on you to file a Response (form FL-120 or FL-123) at the court and have a copy served on the petitioner. A letter or phone call will not protect you. If you do not file your Response on time, the court may make orders affecting your marriage or domestic partnership, your property, and custody of your children. You may be ordered to pay support and attorney fees and costs. If you cannot pay the filing fee, ak the clerk for a fee waiver form. If you want legal advice, contact a lawyer immediately. You can get information about finding lawyers at the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/ serlfhelp), at the California legal Services Web site (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), or by contacting your local county bar association.

Tiene 30 dias corridos despues de haber recibido la entrega legal de esta Citacion y Peticion para presentar una Respuesta (formulario FL-120 o FL-123) ante la corte y efectuar la entrega legal de una copia al demandante. Una carta o llamada telefonica no basta para protegerlo. Si no presenta su Respuesta a tiempo, la corte puede dar ordenes que afecten su matrimonio o pareja de hecho, sus bienes y la custodia de sus hijos.

La corte tambien le puede ordenar que pague manutencion, y honorarios y costos legales. Si no puede pagar la cuota de presentacio, pida al secretario un formulario de exencion de cuotas.

Si desea obtener asesoramiento legal, pongase en contacto de inmediato con un abogado.

Puede obtener informacion para encontrar a un abogado en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes

de California (www.sucorte .ca.gov), en el sitio Web de los Servicios Legales de California (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org) o poniendose en contacto con el colegio de abogados de su condado.

The name and address of the court is: SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA , 4175 MAIN STREET, PO BOX 431, RIVERSIDE, CA 92501 The name, address, and telephone number of plaintiff’s attorney, or plaintiff without an attorney are: HANNA FAYAD KHOURI 1131 DANTORINI RD, RIVERSIDE, CA 92506. Notice to the person served: You are served as an individual.

Clerk C. TORRES-RIVERA DATE: 3/15/2021 p. 5/6, 5/13, 5/20, 5/27/2021 _______________________________ FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAMES The following persons) is (are) doing business as: R.I.S.E. INTEGRATIVE THERAPY CENTER 15740 Turnberry St Moreno Valley, CA 92555 RIVERSIDE COUNTY 6185 Magnolia Ave, Suite 210 Riverside, CA 92507 Carolette Yvonne King 1760 Palermo Dr Riverside, CA 92507 This business is conducted by: Individual Registrant has not yet begun to transact business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above.

I declare that all the information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code, that the registrant knows to be false, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1000) s. Carolette Yvonne King The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (sec. 1440 et. seq. b &p code) Statement was filed with the County of Riverside on 04/06/2021 I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office.

NOTICE- In accordance with subdivision (a) of section 17920, a fictitious business name statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see section 14411 et seq., business and professions code). I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office.

Peter Aldana, County Clerk, FILE NO. R-202104407 p. 4/15, 4/22, 4/29, 5/6/2021 _______________________________ The following persons) is (are) doing business as: GARDEN BAY DISTRIBUTION 1110 Viewcrest Ct Corona, California 92882 RIVERSIDE COUNTY Garden Bay Distribution Corp 1110 Viewcrest Ct Corona, California 92882 CA This business is conducted by: Corporation Registrant has not yet begun to transact business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above.

I declare that all the information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code, that the registrant knows to be false, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1000) s. Roberto Giovani Ramirez, CEO The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (sec. 1440 et. seq. b &p code)

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Statement was filed with the County of Riverside on 03/29/2021 I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office.

NOTICE- In accordance with subdivision (a) of section 17920, a fictitious business name statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see section 14411 et seq., business and professions code). I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office.

Peter Aldana, County Clerk, FILE NO. R-202103891 p. 4/15, 4/22, 4/29, 5/6/2021 _______________________________ The following persons) is (are) doing business as: JAKE HANA SUSHI 31805 HWY 79 South #1 & #3 Temecula, CA 92592 RIVERSIDE COUNTY 420 Exchange Ste 250 Irvine, CA 92602 Two Treasures Inc 31805 Temecula Pkwy Ste Temecula, CA 92592 CA This business is conducted by: Corporation Registrant has not yet begun to transact business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above.

I declare that all the information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code, that the registrant knows to be false, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1000) s. Hyon Chung John Bae, CEO The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (sec. 1440 et. seq. b &p code) Statement was filed with the County of Riverside on 03/25/2021 I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office.

NOTICE- In accordance with subdivision (a) of section 17920, a fictitious business name statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see section 14411 et seq., business and professions code). I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office.

Peter Aldana, County Clerk, FILE NO. R-202103673 p. 4/15, 4/22, 4/29, 5/6/2021 _______________________________ The following persons) is (are) doing business as: SHIELD YOURSELF 29350 Coral Island Court Menifee, California, 92585 RIVERSIDE COUNTY WHY CC LLC 29350 Coral Island Court Menifee, California, 92585 CA This business is conducted by: Limited Liability Company Registrant has not yet begun to transact business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above.

I declare that all the information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code,

that the registrant knows to be false, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1000) s. Yolanda D. Collier, Managing Member The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (sec. 1440 et. seq. b &p code) Statement was filed with the County of Riverside on 04/13/2021 I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office.

NOTICE- In accordance with subdivision (a) of section 17920, a fictitious business name statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see section 14411 et seq., business and professions code). I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office.

Peter Aldana, County Clerk, FILE NO. R-202104601 p. 4/22, 4/29, 5/6, 5/13/2021 _______________________________ The following persons) is (are) doing business as: SOWING OUR LIBERATION 5074 Crestomore Rd Riverside, CA 92509 RIVERSIDE COUNTY 310 E. Mills Drive Anaheim, CA 92805 Ingrid Yunaira Salazar Rubio 24023 W. La Salle Street Buckeye, AZ 85326 Autumn Joelle Yanez-Jacobo 3479 Hillhurst Drive San Bernardino, CA 92405 Tracy Katsuko Walters 310 E. Mills Drive Anaheim, CA 92805 This business is conducted by: General Partnership Registrant has not yet begun to transact business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above.

I declare that all the information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code, that the registrant knows to be false, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1000) s. Ingrid Y. Salazar Rubio, General Partner The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (sec. 1440 et. seq. b &p code) Statement was filed with the County of Riverside on 03/26/2021 I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office.

NOTICE- In accordance with subdivision (a) of section 17920, a fictitious business name statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see section 14411 et seq., business and professions code). I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office.

Peter Aldana, County Clerk, FILE NO. R-202103834 p. 4/22, 4/29, 5/6, 5/13/2021 _______________________________ The following persons) is (are) doing business as: LADIES OF STATUS 25981 Calle Fuego

Moreno Valley, CA 92551 RIVERSIDE COUNTY LEONEICA PERCIE JONES 25981 Calle Fuego Moreno Valley, CA 92551 This business is conducted by: Individual Registrant has not yet begun to transact business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above.

I declare that all the information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code, that the registrant knows to be false, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1000) s. Leoneica P. Jones The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (sec. 1440 et. seq. b &p code) Statement was filed with the County of Riverside on 04/01/2021 I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office.

NOTICE- In accordance with subdivision (a) of section 17920, a fictitious business name statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see section 14411 et seq., business and professions code). I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office.

Peter Aldana, County Clerk, FILE NO. R-202104222 p. 4/29, 5/6, 5/13, 5/20/2021 _______________________________ The following persons) is (are) doing business as: LASHEDBYLAINE BEAUTY BAR & SPA LUXURY LAINE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT 1090 N. Orange St, Apt 4 Riverside, CA 92501 RIVERSIDE COUNTY Kayshia Elaine Thompson 1090 N. Orange St, Apt 4 Riverside, CA 92501 This business is conducted by: Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on 2019 I declare that all the information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code, that the registrant knows to be false, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1000) s. Kayshia Elaine Thompson The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (sec. 1440 et. seq. b &p code) Statement was filed with the County of Riverside on 04/01/2021 I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office.

NOTICE- In accordance with subdivision (a) of section 17920, a fictitious business name statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see section 14411 et seq., business and professions code). I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office.

Peter Aldana, County Clerk, FILE NO. R-202104217

p. 4/29, 5/6, 5/13, 5/20/2021 _______________________________ The following persons) is (are) doing business as: DIVINITY TEMP AGENCY 25345 Woodcreek Court Moreno Valley, CA 92553 RIVERSIDE COUNTY Patricia Monita Bundy 25345 Woodcreek Court Moreno Valley, CA 92553 This business is conducted by: Individual Registrant has not yet begun to transact business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above.

I declare that all the information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code, that the registrant knows to be false, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1000) s. Patricia Monita Bundy The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (sec. 1440 et. seq. b &p code) Statement was filed with the County of Riverside on 04/14/2021 I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office.

NOTICE- In accordance with subdivision (a) of section 17920, a fictitious business name statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see section 14411 et seq., business and professions code). I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office.

Peter Aldana, County Clerk, FILE NO. R-202104705 p. 5/6, 5/13, 5/20/ 5/27/2021 _______________________________ The following persons) is (are) doing business as: CREATED TO WORSHIP AND DESIGN 977 Summit View Ct Corona, CA 92882 RIVERSIDE COUNTY Jessica Rachel Martinez 977 Summit View Ct Corona, CA 92882 This business is conducted by: Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on January 1, 2021 I declare that all the information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code, that the registrant knows to be false, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1000) s. Jessica Rachel Martinez The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (sec. 1440 et. seq. b &p code) Statement was filed with the County of Riverside on 04/19/2021 I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office.

NOTICE- In accordance with subdivision (a) of section 17920, a fictitious business name statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see section 14411 et seq., business and professions code). I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on

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Black Churches in IE Leading Black Community to Higher COVID-19 Vaccination Rates

Kori Skillman | Contributor

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iverside and San Bernardino Counties along with other counties in the state leaned on the influence of the church to encourage Black residents to take the COVID-19 vaccine.

Research shows there are several barriers to vaccination that impact Black communities beyond the issue of hesitancy. Blacks, more than others, have limited access to the internet, computers, and transportation. All of this makes scheduling vaccination appointments online difficult for many.

Mitigating racially disproportionate vaccine administration is critical for achieving community immunity and ensuring Blacks are encouraged to participate in the vaccination process could help narrow the racial disparities of COVID-19’s impact on the Black community or, at least, prevent them from widening.

“We have so many of our people ill or [who have] passed away. The Black church decided individually and collectively that we can’t just sit and wait for somebody to come take care of us,” said Bishop Kelvin Simmons, of Immanuel Praise Fellowship in Rancho Cucamonga, during one of the church’s first mobile vaccination days.

Months into the COVID-19 vaccine administration in the U.S., Black-Americans still lag in vaccination rates nationally. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported race/ethnicity information was known for about 55 percent of people who had received at least one dose of the vaccine. Among them, 64 percent were White and 12 percent were Hispanic, while only nine percent were Black.

Though Black people make up six percent of California’s total population among those who have received at least one dose as of April 22, only 3.7 percent were administered to Black people compared to 38.1 percent to Whites, 16.5 percent to Asians and 23.3 percent to Latinos according to state officials.

White residents in the Inland Empire are being vaccinated at a much higher rate than either Black or Latino residents. In response, public health officials and Black church leaders are working together for a solution. Public officials say that churches are crucial in lessening the divide in vaccinations by race.

Few institutions have been able to rally the Black community through reach and trustworthiness like Black churches have. (source:rivcoph.org)

“It is imperative that no one or no group is left behind in these efforts [to vaccinate the community],” said San Bernardino County Health Supervisor, Corwin Porter before his recent retirement.

Combating low vaccination rates The vaccine alliance between churches and public health officials, formed through the African American Community Empowerment Council, consists of 35 Black churches statewide encouraging vaccinations to their predominantly Black congregations through mobile and pop-up vaccination sites right on church grounds.

“There are congregations that said yes to being part of this effort because it is part of our plan to help our community during this season of COVID,” said Simmons, who also serves as president of the Inland Empire Concerned African American Churches.

According to Dr. Leon McDougle, Associate

Dean for Diversity and Inclusion at The Ohio State University, governments commonly enlist the help of Black churches during public health emergencies.

He recalled the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the 80s as the last time he saw similar unity between health officials and Black churches. However, he noted to the Kaiser Family Foundation, that this pandemic has accelerated the collaborative process.

“The African-American church is an anchor for the community,” said Sabrina Saunders, founder of the One Accord Project, a nonprofit that organizes Black churches in the San Francisco Bay Area around nonpartisan issues like voter registration and low-income housing.

She highlighted that in addition to spiritual guidance, Black congregations look to their pastors for emotional support, financial resources, etc because they are well-trusted by the community they serve. continued on page 17

theievoice.com | MAY 6, 2021 | VOICE 7

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Chauvin Juror: After Intense Trial, Verdict was “Easy Part” Amy Forliti and Doug Glass | Associated Press

A

juror who cast one of the unanimous votes to convict a white former Minneapolis police officer in George Floyd’s death said Wednesday that deliberations were relaxed and methodical as he and 11 other jurors quickly talked their way to agreement in parts of just two days.

Brandon Mitchell was the first juror who deliberated to come forward publicly since Derek Chauvin was convicted April 20 of second- and third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, following an alternate juror who wasn’t part of deliberations. Mitchell, who is Black, said the jury room was a relief after three weeks of emotional testimony that he described as “like a funeral” day after day.

The Testimony “It’s not human nature to watch people die,” Mitchell said in an interview with The Associated Press, describing testimony that day after day included video of Floyd’s desperate cries as he was held down by Chauvin. “You know you want to be able to help somebody... watching the same person die every day, and you see his family member in the (courtroom).”

Prosecutors said Chauvin pinned Floyd, a Black man, to the pavement outside Cup Foods in Minneapolis for 9 minutes, 29 seconds on May 25. Floyd had been accused of passing a counterfeit $20 bill at the store. Three other officers, since fired, face trial in August.

Prosecutors played a wide range of videos for the jury, including teenager Darnella Frazier’s bystander video that was seen worldwide in the hours after Floyd’s death. That video and the officers’ body camera video recorded bystanders

8 VOICE | MAY 6, 2021 | theievoice.com

Derek Chauvin booking photo (source twitter)

shouting at Chauvin and the other officers to get off Floyd, warning that they were cutting off his breathing and asking them to check for a pulse.

“It’s cold in the room. It just feels dark,” Mitchell said of the weeks of testimony.

“It felt like a funeral in there... The decision was the easy part.”

Mitchell’s Background

continued on page 17

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White Farmer Sue Seeking Government Loan Forgiveness Todd Richmond | Associated Press

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group of Midwestern farmers sued the federal government Thursday alleging they can’t participate in a COVID-19 loan forgiveness program because they’re White.

The group of plaintiffs includes farmers from Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota and Ohio.

According to the lawsuit, the Biden administration’s COVID-19 stimulus plan provides $4 billion to forgive loans for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers who are Black, American Indian, Hispanic, Alaskan native, Asian American or Pacific Islander.

White farmers aren’t eligible, amounting to a violation of the plaintiffs’ constitutional rights, the lawsuit contends.

“Were plaintiffs eligible for the loan forgiveness benefit, they would have the opportunity to make additional investments in their property, expand their farms, purchase equipment and supplies, and otherwise support their families and local communities,” the lawsuit said. “Because plaintiffs are ineligible to even apply for the program solely due to their race, they have been denied the equal protection of the law and therefore suffered harm.”

U.S. Department of Agriculture Reviewing Lawsuit The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a statement saying it was reviewing the lawsuit with the U.S. Department of Justice, but that the USDA plans to continue to offer loan forgiveness to “socially disadvantaged” farmers.

Attorneys for the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty filed the action on the White farmers’ behalf in federal court in Green Bay. The filing seeks a court order prohibiting the USDA from applying racial classifications when determining eligibility for loan modifications and payments under the stimulus plan. It also seeks unspecified damages.

Minority Farmers: A History of Being Denied Minority farmers have maintained for decades that they have been unfairly denied farm loans and other government assistance.

The USDA in 1999 and 2010 settled lawsuits from Black farmers accusing the agency of discriminating against them.

Still, less than two percent of direct loans from the Trump administration in 2020 went to Black farmers. And some Black farmers have criticized Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack for failing to address a backlog of discrimination complaints and

President Joe Biden signing stimulus plan. The Biden administration’s COVID-19 stimulus plan provides $4 billion to forgive loans for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. (image source: cspan.org)

failing to hire minorities for high-level positions.

Vilsack, who served under President Barack Obama and returned to the role after President Joe Biden took office, said in a statement last month that generations of socially disadvantaged farmers have suffered due to systemic discrimination and a cycle of debt. He has been trying to assure minority

farming groups and senators who will vote on his confirmation that he will work to stem racism within the USDA. Civil rights advocates have hailed Biden’s stimulus plan as a means of finally helping farmers of color.

California Democrats, continued from page 4

Maintaining the support of activists will be key to keeping another Democrat out of the race.

Democratic Party and Community Leaders Raise their Voices in Support of Newsom “With the help of the Biden-Harris administration, California is poised to put our fight against inequality into overdrive,” Newsom said. “National Republicans and extreme rightwingers, they’re not sitting back, they’re throwing everything they can at their recall power grab all in hopes — all in hopes — of rolling back all the important progress we have made together. We can’t let them win.”

Elsewhere, U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee said removing Newsom from office would roll back

California’s progress on the housing crisis, though critics say he hasn’t done enough to speed building. State Controller Betty Yee said the recall could cost $90 million, money that would be better spent on other state priorities.

(State finance officials have not yet done a formal cost estimate.)

Franky Carrillo, a criminal justice reform advocate who had a wrongful murder conviction overturned in 2011 after 20 years in prison, gave a rousing defense of the governor’s criminal justice policies. Carrillo joined Newsom at the Capitol in early 2019 when Newsom issued a moratorium on the death penalty, a key point of anger among some recall supporters.

“We must defend him and not allow a continued on page 15

theievoice.com | MAY 6, 2021 | VOICE 9

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A Nexus: Domestic Violence and Homelessness

S.E. Williams | Executive Editor

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hen Catalina arrived at the shelter as a domestic violence victim, she was eight months pregnant.

Her significant other had beaten her, while striking his foot in her abdomen during the end stage of her pregnancy. She arrived at the shelter with little more than her purse.

This is one of thousands of domestic violence victims’ experiences, incidents that increased exponentially in the Age of COVID-19.

When the coronavirus jolted the world in 2020, California was already experiencing a homeless crisis. More than 151,000 people in the state were without a place to call home and nearly 75 percent of them were unsheltered. The state held the dubious distinction of having the largest portion of unsheltered people in the nation.

10 VOICE | MAY 6, 2021 | theievoice.com

Victims of domestic violence often find themselves trapped between violence and homelessness.

During a recent interview with the IE Voice and Black Voice News, Deputy Michael Jones of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department and member of its Homeless Outreach & Proactive Enforcement (HOPE) Team shared the relationship between domestic violence and homelessness, “Often the female unhoused state they have been a victim of domestic violence at some point in their life.”

A report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention supported this assessment noting more than 31 percent of women in the U.S. were physically abused by an intimate partner at some point in their lives.

Jones went on to describe based on his

experience, the types of homeless individuals he encounters in San Bernardino County who are also victims of domestic violence. He described them as, “Mostly middle-aged Caucasian and African-American females.”

According to Jones, San Bernardino County has several programs that are the first option they consider for local homeless who are also recent victims of domestic violence. “We provide the same homeless services for housing, from shelter to long term housing, to all individuals[who are] interested.”

Bringing H.O.P.E. The county’s H.O.P.E. program, aims to balance proactive outreach with enforcement of the law, while connecting members of the homeless population with resources that may

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Homeless encampment San Bernardino County - Many females on the street enter [homelessness] single and for safety or other reasons start a relationship. Often, these end with a variety of issues, including domestic violence. (source: twitter.com/sbcountyhope)

help them transition from homelessness.

Each member of the four-man H.O.P.E. team, is responsible for connecting with resources, service providers, and points of contact within their region. When asked however, about the relationship between domestic violence and homelessness among those they interact with, and whether there was tracking to quantify the impact, Jones explained, “We do not track any populations.”

The Nation Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH) reports among the many who are homeless, domestic violence is often the immediate cause of their homelessness. And like Catalina, they may turn to homeless service programs seeking a safe temporary place to stay after fleeing an abusive relationship. While others turn to homeless programs because they do not have the economic resources to secure or maintain housing after leaving an abusive relationship.

In 2019, NAEH reported that on a single night, homeless services providers across the country had more than 48,000 beds set aside for survivors of domestic violence.

Despite the staggering number of beds set aside nationally, there are victims of domestic violence who also struggle with drugs and alcohol and as a result, are not welcome in many shelters set aside for domestic violence survivors.

As Florence White, Chief Executive Officer

Homeless shelter with empty beds - On a single night in 2019, homeless services providers across the country had more than 48,000 beds set aside for survivors of domestic violence. (source: pinterest)

Alternatives to Domestic Violence (ADV) explained, “If they are alcohol or drug abusers, for instance, if they are using some type of meth or crack or something like that and this [abuse] happened to them, [we] have to approach it differently because our shelter is a residential shelter.”

White continued. “We have women and children [in our shelter], so we have different conditions they have to be able to meet in order to be around the family environment.”

There are other places these individuals can be referred to, said White. She further explained how sometimes these individuals may have already been at another shelter highlighting on occasion some of these individuals may move from shelter to shelter, staying in one place until their time is up and then moving to another.

If they have used alcohol or drugs in the last thirty days, they would not be eligible for the ADV shelter White advised. This is because the combined issues of domestic violence and homelessness are compounded by the drug/ alcohol abuse and while these individuals may be domestic violence victims, they must be treated for drugs/alcohol before they can tackle other issues including domestic violence.

Jones echoed White’s assessment. “Most programs, especially domestic violence shelters, require sobriety.” When they encounter such individuals through H.O.P.E. program, “We

utilize county Alcohol and Drug Services for those who need that as a first step,” he shared.

Individuals can reach out for Alcohol and Drug services in San Bernardino County directly by calling (909) 421-4601.

Beyond those who become homeless due to domestic violence there are also those who became victims of domestic/partner violence after becoming homeless.

Jones expounded on this noting, “Many females on the street enter [homelessness] single and for safety or other reasons start a relationship. Often, these end with a variety of issues, including domestic violence, at times.” In 2019, 24 percent of the 450 homeless women in the county were unaccompanied.

At times, those that become victims while on the street Jones explained, seek domestic violence shelters or move to other areas. H.O.P.E. will also refer them to other programs.

H.O.P.E. encourages those who are seeking assistance from all walks of life and anyone homeless or at risk of domestic violence to call them at (909) 387-0623 or call 211 for services.

NAEH stresses the immediate need for victims of domestic violence, is safety, housing, and supportive services. This assistance is required to help them heal from the trauma of abuse. In addition, they require services to help improve their economic stability. continued on page 15

theievoice.com | MAY 6, 2021 | VOICE 11

IN THE NEWS Waiting for Justice, continued from page 5

have charges dropped; others will take plea deals to get out.

California’s Judicial Council guidelines recommend that felony cases generally wrap up within 12 months. Yet even before the pandemic, the state’s courts closed only about three-quarters of felony cases in that timeframe, according to the Judicial Council’s most recent annual report.

But many of the courts are incapable of accurately reporting the data, so that percentage could actually be better or worse. It’s a troubling situation: The state Judicial Council doesn’t know how severe the delays are in its trial courts, calling into question how it can provide even basic oversight of a system that encompasses hundreds of thousands of Californians a year.

CalMatters sought records from all 58 county sheriff’s departments. Thirty-three provided the records, which listed about 5,800 people who have been behind bars for longer than a year without being sentenced for a crime. For 22 counties that wouldn’t provide records, CalMatters scraped online inmate locators and court dockets, uncovering another 2,800 inmates held for longer than a year.

(Some could be serving sentences in jail or waiting for a prison transfer.) Three — Ventura, Tuolumne and Trinity — didn’t respond to the records request and don’t have online jail rosters.

The records offer an unprecedented glimpse into the impact of California’s sluggish justice system.

Most counties have inmates who have been stuck in jail for years without a trial.

In Riverside County, for instance,121 people have been locked up longer than three years without being convicted or sentenced, while 33 have been jailed longer than five years, according to records from the county’s sheriff’s department. About 650 of nearly 1,900 inmates with open cases have been held longer than a year.

In Contra Costa County, 38 unsentenced people have been behind bars longer than three years, including nine waiting in jail longer than five years.

In Los Angeles County, which has the state’s largest jail population,1,350 unsentenced people have been waiting longer than a year, and about 180 have been there longer than three years, according to the sheriff’s department data.

“If the case is still provable, then move it forward aggressively. And if it’s not for any reason, then we should reevaluate our settlement position or consider dismissal,” said San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin, who tried to tackle a backlog of older cases when he took office.

“There are some cases where after three, four,

12 VOICE | MAY 6, 2021 | theievoice.com

Jennifer Maraston holds a pillow covered in photos of her son Jaquan Wyatt, who was murdered the day after he turned 21 while traveling in California. It has been nearly two years since his homicide, but court proceedings have been delayed by challenges involving COVID-19 and the amount of people charged in the case. Photo by Shelby Tauber for CalMatters

five years, we simply don’t have the evidence to prove the case. And the sooner we identify those cases, the more efficient we can be with our limited resources focused on cases that we can prove.”

Delays carry more than just an emotional cost for victims and defendants.

“There is a dollar cost to this issue too,” said Sagar Bajpai, a law student at the UCLA Law School who co-authored a recent report that found that detainees are spending more time behind bars pretrial in Los Angeles County during the pandemic.

Los Angeles County spends about $43,000 to house an inmate in jail for a year, according to the report. There’s also a cost for courts; one decadeold study found if the courts granted one fewer continuance in every felony case, it would have saved about $60 million a year.

Not all inmates will ultimately be convicted after their long stints in jail.

In August 2016, Victor Jimenez, 41, was charged in Los Angeles County Superior Court with illegally possessing a firearm and drugs for sale. He said he refused a deal to serve six years, preferring to go to trial because, he said, he didn’t do it. But the case dragged on for months. “It’s pretty tough, man,” Jimenez said.

A jury acquitted him, and he walked out of the courthouse a free man in January, 2018 — after serving 503 days in jail.

County jails are not set up to hold people for years at a time. Many don’t have outdoor exercise space or educational programs like prisons do, and jails are at

high risk of COVID-19 outbreaks without adequate medical services.

Lenore Anderson, president of the Alliance for Safety and Justice, a justice reform advocacy group, was surprised that CalMatters found at least 1,275 people have been stuck in California jails fighting a case for longer than three years.

“It is shocking people would be waiting this long,” she said. “Jails in essence were built as short-term facilities.”

David Lee Williams, who was arrested in 2019 for allegedly stealing a car and illegally possessing a firearm and drugs, has been held in Sacramento County jail for two years. He said he turned down a plea deal that would have amounted to four years behind bars because he said he didn’t steal the car and has proof he paid for it. He can’t afford to put money down toward his $500,000 bail, or to pay for better legal representation.

“I don’t have enough money to get my attorney to work harder for me. I don’t have the resources,” Williams said.

Williams said being in jail is in many ways harder than his earlier stints in prison.

“It’s a lot on your psyche because at least you know the next level is home from prison,” he said.

“Here being in this tinder box right now with the coronavirus you’re wondering every day if you’re going to get it.”

Williams said he recently did get sick with COVID-19.

continued on page 14

publicnotices file in my office.

Peter Aldana, County Clerk, FILE NO. R-202104893 p. 5/6, 5/13, 5/20/ 5/27/2021 _______________________________ The following persons) is (are) doing business as: BETTER TOGETHER BAKERY 3036 David Street Riverside, CA 92506 RIVERSIDE COUNTY Adelante Career Consulting LLC 3036 David Street Riverside, CA 92506 CA This business is conducted by: Limited Liability Company Registrant has not yet begun to transact business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above.

I declare that all the information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code, that the registrant knows to be false, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1000) s. Rebecca Ramirez, Member The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (sec. 1440 et. seq. b &p code) Statement was filed with the County of Riverside on 04/27/2021 I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office.

NOTICE- In accordance with subdivision (a) of section 17920, a fictitious business name statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see section 14411 et seq., business and professions code). I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office.

Peter Aldana, County Clerk, FILE NO. R-202105198 p. 5/6, 5/13, 5/20/ 5/27/2021 _______________________________ The following persons) is (are) doing business as: SOCALWHOLESALE 21500 Via Liago Lake Matthews, CA 92570 RIVERSIDE COUNTY SCW, INC. 21500 Via Liago Lake Matthews, CA 92570 CA This business is conducted by: Corporation Registrant has not yet begun to transact business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above.

I declare that all the information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code, that the registrant knows to be false, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1000) s. Patrick Madore, CEO The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (sec. 1440 et. seq. b &p code) Statement was filed with the County of Riverside on 04/13/2021 I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office.

NOTICE- In accordance with subdivision (a) of section 17920, a fictitious business name statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see section 14411 et seq., business and professions code). I hereby certify that this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file

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Waiting for Justice, continued from page 12

His mother, Kello Gordon, said it’s stressful knowing her son is “sitting in there in limbo” facing a possible life sentence, thanks to California’s “three strikes” sentencing law and his prior criminal record.

“All I can do is pray and hope they find the leniency and not just throw the book at him because they can,” Gordon said.

‘Year after year, after year, after year’ Albert Deeds was arrested for burglary in December, 2013 and spent longer than six years in the San Francisco jail before he was released last year.

Deeds had a history of burglaries, a pattern he said was born of his crack cocaine addiction and severe depression. “It was only a means to get money, so I could get high because I was hurting,” he said.

Because of his extensive history of nonviolent crime, he said, he was facing life in prison and the prosecutor at the time seemed uninterested in cutting a deal. So he sat inside while the case dragged on.

“Year after year, after year, after year, nothing was moving,” Deeds said.

“It was always an excuse — the judge is out today. Let’s set this three months down the line. Then it’s the date and, oh, the judge is on vacation,” he said, adding that his own defense contributed to delays. “It just kills you inside. You want to be with your family.”

Deeds said when Boudin took over as San Francisco district attorney last year, he got a deal that amounted to time served and he was finally able to get out of jail.

San Francisco has struggled to dispose of cases in a timely manner. In fiscal year 2018, the county completed 43% of felony cases in under 12 months, compared to the statewide rate of 79%, according to the Judicial Council’s annual report.

The percentage only includes felony cases that made it past preliminary hearings; eight out of 10 cases are resolved before then, according to a court spokesperson.

Boudin said the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office had more than 5,000 open cases when he took over. About 20% were more than two years old. His immediate goal was tackling that backlog.

There are multiple reasons why some pretrial detainees might be in jail for a few years — like a mental health hold or because of a negotiated settlement.

“Some of it is just general dysfunction and a bureaucratic morass,” Boudin said.

In a normal year, the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office handles about 300 jury trials. In 2020, there were only 27 trials and many were held before the pandemic, Boudin said.

“That is something I inherited and was really determined to fix. And I still am.

But we’re now in a worse position then we were when I took office, because of the pandemic.”

Delay is a legal strategy Defendants do have a right to a speedy trial. But they often waive such rights and their attorneys ask for continuances to keep preparing a case. Prosecutors say some defense lawyers use delay as a strategy, knowing a prosecutor’s case could fall apart if it drags out long enough.

“One of the foundational truisms of criminal law is that next to an acquittal or a dismissal, the best thing for a defendant oftentimes is a continuance,” said Larry Morse, legislative director for the California District Attorneys Association and former Merced County district attorney.

“The old maxim of ‘justice delayed is justice denied’ is a tenet of most prosecutors. Our cases generally don’t get better with the passage of time.

Witnesses disappear, pass away, get less interested in cooperating.”

Justice reform advocates and defense attorneys blame many of the delays on

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California’s sentencing laws, including enhancements that add time to sentences and the three strikes law. They also blame prosecutors for overcharging defendants and letting them sit behind bars as a way to pressure a plea deal.

“For most of our cases the sentences are so draconian and severe…(that) there’s not a lot of reason to rush their case forward,” said Natasha Minsker, an attorney and criminal justice consultant in Sacramento.

Elizabeth Camacho, a felony case manager in the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office, worked on Deeds’ case. “Stories like this happen all of the time, where the enhancement is so great that you must do everything because if they lose, they do get sent to prison for life,” Camacho said.

Lots of motions and hearings, time to review evidence and investigations of witnesses often mean lengthy jail detention before conviction. Mental health proceedings can add time to cases; many of the longer jail stays involve cases with a competency hearing.

Sacramento County’s courts have historically reported better than average case processing times. Sacramento disposed of 98% of felonies within 12 months, according to the state’s 2019 court statistics report.

But the pandemic is creating an alarming backlog, said Sacramento County Assistant Chief Deputy District Attorney Scott Triplett. “Every case, no matter where it is in the system, it’s almost like you can just add 12 months to the age of the case,” he said.

The DA’s office has a unit that tries to settle felony cases early, before they get to a preliminary hearing. Pre-pandemic, attorneys in that unit had a caseload of about 120 each. Now? The attorneys each have close to 400.

To combat COVID-19 outbreaks in jails, the courts enacted emergency measures designed to release many defendants on zero or reduced bail.

“When cases aren’t resolving it doesn’t just mean they’re going away,” Triplett said. “Caseloads are just swelling. At some point we’re going to feel like the dam has broken.”

And that flood of cases will impact the outcomes. If defendants assert their speedy trial rights after the pandemic, it could overwhelm the system.

“Will there be cases dismissed because there aren’t available court rooms?

Probably. Are there going to be deals being made that are more attractive to continued on page 16

IN THE NEWS California Democrats, continued from page 15

miscarriage of justice to occur,” Carrillo said.

Newsom also got support from Jaime Harrison, the chair of the Democratic National Committee. With no presidential or congressional elections scheduled this year, the recall will be among the highest profile races in the country this fall.

Recall Organizers Claim Effort is Not Partisan Recall organizers have denied the characterization of their effort as partisan, saying about 30% of people who signed the recall petition are not Republicans. That’s impossible to verify, and all of the major declared candidates are Republicans. Among those running are former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, businessman John Cox, former congressman Doug Ose and reality TV star Caitlyn Jenner, who has made no public campaign appearances since declaring her candidacy last week.

Faulconer, speaking to CNN on Saturday,

K E E P I N G Redistricting, continued from page 3

because they had no health insurance; if you tossed and turned with anxiety over a beloved elder who languished in a senior housing facility as COVID stalked it halls; if you are a front line worker who risked your life daily during the peak of the pandemic; if you are nearing 50 years of age and still paying off your student loans, then these reasons are just the beginnings of why you should care about redistricting.

Why does redistricting seem so complex Admittedly, understanding the redistricting process, like so many other political processes, is challenging to some extent—I believe by design— partly, to deter understanding and by extension, interest, and by further extension, participation in advocating for fairness in the process. This, in addition to the removal of civics education from the public school system, has left many feeling it is not important or does not matter in the deluge of other things that bombard our lives daily.

Yet, redistricting plays a major role in determining our destiny as citizens once

said Newsom has hurt small businesses and failed to do enough to tackle homelessness and get kids back in school.

Besides the Recall Beyond the recall, Harris, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other members of Congress touted President Joe Biden’s progress during his first 100 days and urged activists to help generate support for Biden’s ambitious spending agenda and look ahead to 2022’s midterm elections.

Harris recalled her career in California politics, where she served as San Francisco’s district attorney, state attorney general and U.S. senator before winning the vice presidency.

“As a daughter of California who is in the White House, I thank you. It is because of you and your hard work,” she said.

All virtual, the event was awkward at times, with some videos clearly recorded weeks in advance and already out of date. Newsom, for

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example, touted the administration of 24 million vaccine doses, but earlier Saturday morning he had tweeted about the number of doses crossing 30 million.

Going virtual also meant there were fewer ways for activists to display discontent. At past conventions, some delegates have booed or turned their backs on speakers. The only moment of criticism came when outgoing party secretary Jenny Bach, a member of the California Young Democrats who ran and lost for party vice chair, said the party has “too much toxicity and hostility” and needs changes.

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every ten years and in many places it remains a process again consigned to the same forces that designed and uphold the institutional, structural, systemic racism that produced the laundry list of disparities detailed above.

At the core of this are the laws, rules and regulations that serve as guardrails for redistricting. At the core of that are those selected to design and implement those laws, rules, and regulations. At the core of that is how those representatives are selected. At the core of that, is who does the selecting. And finally, at the core of determining who does the selecting, is the all-important process of redistricting. This same cycle repeats over and over again every decade.

What history has taught us Four hundred plus years have taught us that diversity in representation matters. It brings a variety of perspectives and lived experiences to decisions that include everything from the services provided to communities to the

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ANexus, continued from page 11

Catalina, whose story opened this report, gave birth to a healthy baby girl a week after arriving at the shelter, according to Community Homeless Solutions who recorded her story.

They also report three months after entering the shelter, Catalina and her children moved to an apartment and she no longer depends on her abuser for survival nor support.

Learn more about NAEH’s efforts in the area of homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing for survivors of domestic violence at https:// endhomelessness.org.

Learn more about the Domestic Violence Programs in San Bernardino County at https:// www.domesticshelters.org/help/ca/sanbernardino.

This Domestic Violence Report is presented in partnership with Black Voice News, California Black Media’s Domestic Violence Journalism and Awareness Project, and The Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation.

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defendants? That’s happening now,” he said.

‘Important for me to fight his fight’ Morse of the District Attorney’s Association has a unique perspective on the long delays for justice. The long-time prosecutor lost his own son to murder two years ago.

“I know the empty vacant look in the eyes of families who have had someone stolen from them in the most brutal nonsensical fashion. We have a very deep compact with victims to ensure we do everything we can to ensure justice is achieved,” Morse said.

Jaquan Wyatt died on the streets of Sacramento in May 2019, the day after turning 21. His mother lives more than 1,700 miles away in Dallas,Texas.

A month after the killing, Maraston was headed to a Texas cemetery to mourn when she got a call from a Sacramento detective saying police arrested six men, including Davis, for allegedly killing her son and attempting to murder two others.

She flew out with a friend for the initial hearing in the case, flew out again to mark the anniversary of the death and to meet the new prosecutor assigned to the case, and has logged on to every virtual court hearing she can since the pandemic started.

“This was my son, my first-born son. I am his representative. I am his mother. It’s important for me to fight his fight,” she said.

“I’ve still got work to do for him,” she said, holding back tears as she described Wyatt as a funny kid who was a role model for his three siblings. “He was a great kid and I miss him so much.”

She said a conviction and sentence will help her move to the acceptance stage of grieving — accepting that her boy is gone.

Multi-defendant murder cases — like the one against Davis and five other men charged in the killing of Maraston’s son — are particularly complex and often take years, prosecutors said. Just juggling the schedules of six defense attorneys delays cases for months at a time. Prosecutors say Davis shot Maraston’s son; he alleges that it was the others.

If she’s lucky, Maraston won’t have to wait as long as the family of Gary and Sandra De Bartolo, a Central Valley couple whose throats were slashed in what appears to be a robbery gone bad.

That was almost 12 years ago.

The man charged with wielding the knife was booked into a Fresno County jail on July 23, 2009, records show. He’s been there ever since, accused but not convicted of the murder. It’s one of the longestrunning cases in the state, and it appears to have dragged on because it has multiple defendants and was ensnared in a statewide controversy over when

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accomplices can be held guilty of murder.

Sandra’s younger brother, Ken Carvalho, remembers talking to law enforcement after the arrest. “They told me it’ll be a year or two probably before this comes to a head. In July, it’ll be 12 years.

I’ve lost all faith in the judicial system,” Carvalho said.

He said he’s been to court 50 or 60 times over the years. He’s on the fourth prosecutor handling the case. Two defendants were released in recent years.

Jury selection in the trial of his sister’s accused killer began last year. Then it was halted when the pandemic hit. He doesn’t even care if the suspect gets the death penalty or not. “I just want it done,” he said.

‘Serious shortfalls’ in court budgets Many attorneys and experts blame a lack of court resources for a role in the long delays.

“There’s too many cases, too few courtrooms, too few judges, too few staff, insufficient numbers of jurors,” said LaDoris Cordell, a retired Santa Clara Superior Court Judge.

The budget of California’s judicial branch hasn’t kept pace with the workload, according to a biennial report the Judicial Council, the state judicial branch’s policymaking body, prepared in November for the Legislature.

“The number of judgeships authorized and funded by the Legislature has not kept pace with workload in all California trial courts, leaving some with serious shortfalls,” the council’s administrative director wrote. Eighteen courts in the state need 139 more judges, according to the council.

In an attempt to assist the backlogged courts, the Judicial Council approved emergency measures

during the pandemic to allow for remote proceedings and lifted caps limiting the number of hours retired judges could work in a year.

Still, it’s not a new problem: Local courts have long struggled with staffing levels and resources.

“We have been really challenged by the shortage of funding for many, many years,” said David Yamasaki, the Orange County Superior Court’s executive officer and a former member of the Judicial Council.

The number of judges alone, however, doesn’t appear to be a solution to long delays. Dozens of courts appear to have adequate staffing levels and yet continue to struggle to resolve cases, Judicial Council data shows.

Individual judges do have some control over the pace of cases. They can push attorneys to reach agreements and can refuse to grant additional continuances.

“I’ve seen some courts that never saw a continuance it didn’t like. I’ve heard of other judges that virtually never grant continuances and jam cases along. I’d say both of those extremes are probably not the best way to do business,” said J. Richard Couzens, a former Placer County superior court judge who was part of a team of judges from around the state that helped clear backlogs in the Riverside County court during the mid-2000s.

The state needs to strike a balance between ensuring broad access to justice while also giving locally elected judges their discretion, he said.

“Ultimately is the remedy going to be worse? Is the answer taking away judicial discretion?” Couzens said. “What injustice does that cause?”

In Sacramento, Davis was finally scheduled for continued on page 18

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Mitchell, 31, a high school basketball coach, recounted his jury experience in a round of interviews with multiple media outlets, including telling ABC’s “Good Morning America” that he thought verdicts could have been reached even faster: “I felt like it should have been 20 minutes,” he said.

In his interview with AP, Mitchell described jurors settling down to work the afternoon after sitting through hours of closing arguments. They elected a foreperson, he said, “then we went straight to manslaughter,” with a preliminary vote and soon a final vote.

They then broke and came back the second day, and started with the third-degree murder charge.

Bishop Kelvin Simmons, Immanuel Praise Fellowship in Rancho Cucamonga

This trust is crucial in overcoming a long history of medical wrongdoings against Black people.

Local Results

By Thursday April 22, Blacks in Riverside County who are nearly 6 percent of the population, according to Riverside County’s new Public Health Officer, Dr Geoffrey Leung, vaccination rates for the Black community are improving month over month.

The county however still lags behind its target it is performing above the state average.

In San Bernardino County on the other hand, 7.7 percent of Blacks were partially vaccinated and 14.2 are fully vaccinated again, above the state average.

In addition both inland counties are well above the national vaccination rate for Blacks that averaged nine percent on April 21 according to the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF).

Earlier this year a KFF survey found about a third of Blacks who were either already vaccinated or wanted to be vaccinated as soon as possible, while about 43 percent of them wanted to “wait and see” how the vaccinations affected others. In addition, eight percent of Blacks said they would only get the vaccine if required, while 14 percent said they would not get the vaccine at all.

Of the Blacks who said they wanted to “wait and see,” more than a third said they would look to a religious leader for information on the vaccine.

Reaching a Verdict “That took a little bit more time,” Mitchell said, calling the language of the statute “a little bit tricky.”

After about four hours on that, he said, jurors then reached agreement in just half an hour on seconddegree murder. He said the group simply worked its way through jury instructions in checklist fashion.

Mitchell described video footage as “for sure” the strongest part of the prosecution case, followed closely by Dr. Martin Tobin, a breathing expert whom he said “kind of set it over the top” with a convincing and easily understood explanation of how Floyd was unable to breathe due to the restraint.

Mitchell said he thought Chauvin attorney Eric Nelson “actually did an OK job.”

Mitchell’s Opinion of Chauvin’s Attorney “I just don’t think they had any, they didn’t have an avenue to go down,” he said. “They threw a bunch of things out there just to see what would stick” but none did.

“Their opening statement and some of their early arguments were very, were so good that I was very curious and was waiting for that moment, for that kind of a-ha moment.... that just never happened,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell said he thought Nelson’s frequent portrayal of about 15 bystanders as a potential threat to officers was “a good idea.”

“The only issue is that nobody seemed hostile,” he said. He said he was befuddled by one sequence in testimony when Nelson asked a state investigative agent whether Floyd could be heard saying “I ate too many drugs” on a snippet of body camera video. The agent later reversed himself, saying he didn’t think that was what Floyd had said.

“I didn’t really understand it,” Mitchell said.

Chauvin chose not to testify, a decision Mitchell said

he didn’t think affected the final outcome: “I think the evidence was too much.”

Mitchell Felt No Pressure Mitchell said he felt no pressure to reach a verdict that would lessen the chance of violent protests, and didn’t think the other jurors did, either. He said he was only vaguely aware of the police shooting of Black motorist Daunte Wright in nearby Brooklyn Center that set off a week of raucous protest in that city in the midst of the trial.

Mitchell hid his involvement in the Chauvin trial from the kids on his basketball team, saying they knew he was on a jury but not that case. He said his mother and siblings knew.

“They wanted me to stay on the jury, so they avoided (talking about the case) like the Black Plague,” Mitchell said. He said he was relieved to now be able to talk about the case.

He was reluctant to predict what will happen to three other fired officers charged in Floyd’s death: Thomas Lane, J. Kueng and Tou Thao, who all face a joint trial in August.

“Their cases are going to be very different,” he said, noting Lane asking at one point whether Floyd should be turned. “It’s really hard to tell how much they really, uh, participated in the events. It’s really not as easy… as the Chauvin trial was.”

Mitchell called his participation in the trial “eyeopening” but hesitated when asked whether it had also been life-changing.

“Hopefully, it sparks a lot of change in my community,” he said.

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policies that direct and control our lives to how redistricting will work in your community or state.

We have learned that challenging historical norms, established by a homogenous set of leaders, who historically viewed every issue through the lens of plantation owners and madmen, rather than the kaleidoscope that is America, is a work in progress.

Certainly, diverse viewpoints enrich debate; however, only to the extent one values another’s point of view can such debate be elevated to seek the highest solution with input from all—clearly, we are not there yet.

This year As the challenge of redistricting heats up in 2021 which will determine who gets a seat at the table for the next ten years, it is important to remember this is a battle for equity in representation being fought on three fronts-federal, state, and local; and at the local level, it splinters even further as agencies within municipalities from water boards to school boards, grapple with the same considerations.

The challenge of redistricting is further complicated by the lack of consistency in rules governing the process—again, I believe by design—as they vary from state to state; at the municipal level from county to county or city to city; and within municipalities they can vary between boards, committees, and commissions.

For the first time in its 170-year history, California will lose a Congressional seat this year and the loss is not without consequences beyond diminished representation. Where the loss will be absorbed and how it might impact nearby Black communities, if at all, is yet to be determined.

However, the loss of a Congressional seat is only one area of this vast web-of-ways political representation, as determined by redistricting, matters. This is because at times, even the smallest shift in district lines can significantly impact who is elected based on their political ideology.

As an aside, the loss of a Congressional seat also means a loss of federal funding to the state for important services like schools, hospitals, Medicaid, and other programs and services

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important for Black and other underserved communities.

Efforts are underway Redistricting is already in motion. Last July, the California Supreme Court granted the Legislature’s emergency petition for a fourmonth extension to the redistricting deadlines due to COVID-19. As a result, final statewide maps are now due to the Secretary of state no later than December 15, 2021. This will certainly impact the 2022 elections—another reason to pay attention.

Know, understand and resist the use of redistricting’s dirty tricks In the coming months you will read and/ or hear redistricting terms historically used to dilute minority votes. The oldest and dirtiest trick of redistricting is “gerrymandering” or the act of manipulating electoral boundaries to favor one party, class or, as we know it in the Black community—to minimize the potential impact of Black voters.

Yet, when you unpack the concept of gerrymandering, you discover it is composed of a trilogy of dirty tricks. They include “Stacking” which consists of combining low-income, less educated minorities together to create a perceived voting majority and then placing it in the same district as high-income, moreeducated White voters who turn out in greater numbers; “Packing” which combines as many (usually minority) voters into one district as possible to prevent them from affecting elections in other districts; and then, there’s “Cracking” which disperses a group of minority voters into several districts to prevent them from reaching a majority.

Recognizing these tricks and calling them out for what they are at any level, be it state or local, is imperative because fairness in redistricting will lay the foundation for equity and representation in the coming decade.

Of course, this is just my opinion. I’m keeping it real.

S.E. Williams Executive Editor

Kello Gordon breaks down while looking at a photo of her son David Lee Williams in her Sacramento home on March 5, 2021. Williams is currently sick with COVID-19 and Gordon worries he is not receiving the medical care he needs while in jail. Photo by Anne Wernikoff, CalMatters Waiting for Justice, continued from page 16

a preliminary hearing this month to determine if there’s enough evidence to keep holding him in jail.

He asked the judge to go to trial, but the hearing was pushed back once again at the request of another defendant, this time to the end of May. By then, Davis will have spent 709 days in jail without a conviction.

For him, and the mother of the man he’s accused of killing, the wait for justice continues.

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