2019-10-07

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The Student Voice of California State University, Fullerton

Monday October 7, 2019

Volume 106 Issue 19

Suspect facing Human trafficking murder charge in Orange County

PLEADS NOT GUILTY

Chris Chuyen Vo, the suspected assailant in the on campus killing of a former CSUF administrator, was arraigned Friday. NOAH BIESIADA HOSAM ELATTAR Editors

Chris Chuyen Vo, the man arrested in the stabbing death of former Cal State Fullerton administrator Steven Shek Keung Chan, pled not guilty to all charges during his arraignment at the Santa Ana Central Justice Center on Friday. Vo is charged with murder and special circumstances that could make him eligible for the death penalty if convicted. Vo’s original arraignment in court was scheduled for Aug. 23, but was delayed until Friday. Vo’s attorney, T. Edward Welbourn from Corrigan Welbourn and Stokke law firm, said that discovery is still being turned over to the defense, and that at this time, he does not have access to video evidence or confirmation that there is a positive ID on Vo.

Whitney Bokosky represented the Orange County District Attorney’s office. Chan’s widow, Margaret Chan, was present at the arraignment. Judge Kathleen Roberts presided over the arraignment. On Aug. 19, Chan was stabbed while getting out of his car in the College Park parking lot. He died at the scene as paramedics tried to revive him. Two days later, police arrested Vo at his home in Huntington Beach. Vo was held at the central jailhouse and temporarily held in mental health housing before being transferred to the Theo Lacy Facility in Orange. Vo will not be released on bail. His pre-trial is scheduled for Nov. 22. Vo waived his right to have his pre-trial in 10 days.

A 2019 report highlights the prevalence of a global issue within the community. MELISA RYBALTOWSKI Asst. Editor

The Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force in collaboration with police departments in cities countywide have made significant progress in the battle against human trafficking in the county since its formation in 2004, according to the a 2019 report from the task force. The task force worked with 60 participating organizations to help increase education and training, further anti-trafficking efforts and tend to the complex needs of victims. Human trafficking, coined by the United Nations as “modern slavery,” is defined as the act of trafficking by means of threat, use of force, deception or coercion for the purpose of explotation.

In July 2018, countywide sex-purchaser sting operations were conducted by the task force and collaborating police agencies to address the county’s human trafficking problem. Around 80% of human trafficking victims and traffickers from across the country come to Orange County, according to the report. The total number of human trafficking victims assisted in 2017 and 2018 is 415. Of the total, 83% were U.S. nationals, 87% were trafficked for sexual exploitation and 27% were minors, according to the report. The report states that demographics of victims in Orange County are: - 29% black - 24% hispanic - 19% white - 13% asian - 15% categorized as “other” In its 15 years of service, the task force has assisted over a thousand victims from 42 different countries. SEE CRIME 2

REBECCA MENA / DAILY TITAN

Titan Radio goes beyond sound waves

Various forms of artistic expression were observed at the station’s first art show. JULIAN OROZCO Staff Writer MELISA RYBALTOWSKI Asst. Editor

Cal State Fullerton students, alumni and members of the Fullerton community filed into Made Coffee in downtown Fullerton on Friday, Oct. 4, for a night focused on community, self expression and art. Titan Radio, CSUF’s campus-based internet radio, hosted its first art show offering past and present Titan Radio DJs and all members of the CSUF community a rare opportunity to exhibit their artwork. Xavier Sanchez, Titan Radio’s general manager, greeted guests as they arrived at the venue and explained the importance of the event. “The art show is a really big part of our mission as a station, which is, we want to give everyone an opportunity to express themselves and basically discover their creative passions,” said Sanchez. He was also happy to see an event come into fruition and have a positive turn out. “I think this art show is an amazing example of what we can do when we take some time to plan things out,” Sanchez said. “It’s amazing to see it kind of

come to life.” Sanchez has been a part of the station for three years and has kept returning because of the family environment. “I stumbled upon the station, and there was just such a positive space,” Sanchez said. “I felt like this was a second home. This is a place where I could be myself and kind of express myself in a way that I creatively probably couldn’t anywhere else.” Newly-appointed radio media coordinator, Matthew Sylvester, became the first ever paid Titan Radio faculty member this semester. “So I graduated May 2019, as a student of Cal State Fullerton, and then I basically pitched to some of the higher ups of the university that this job should be a thing and that I should be the one to do it,” Sylvester said. With this new responsibility, Sylvester has plans to get involved with the community and keep the organization growing. “We’ve started off just doing more events, started podcasting. I’m sure you guys heard the new speakers out in the quad, we’re manning that project. So sky’s the limit. We’re trying to do more collaborations with the Fullerton community,” Sylvester said. The station’s technical director, Danielle Batalla, said the art show had been on a to-do list for some time. “The idea behind tonight’s event is pretty much highlighting

all the artists that are in our station. For the longest time, Titan Radio has always wanted to do an art show, but we just didn’t really have the resources to make that happen. But now, we have those resources,” Batalla said. Chantal Elise, one of the artists on display, shared her inspiration for creating self-portraits focused on the enlarged human body. “It’s one of the most liberating feelings ever, seeing yourself portrayed as an art piece,” Elise said. In her art, Elise draws a parallel between flowers and bodies, saying that regardless of the deformities flowers might display, they are never considered ugly. Her allusion to nature manifests in her artwork through the mediums utilized to create her self-portrait, “My Body Is a Temple,” a cast sculpture made of plaster, bandages and foliage. “I want people to start shifting their view about bodies. Bodies are nature,” Elise said. “Human bodies don’t come in one size, they don’t come in one shape, and not everybody has the same abilities —- that’s what my art is all about; embracing the inner sections of human existence.” Elise shared that while her parents were dedicated to dieting, she struggled with feeling as though she had to constantly lose weight all of the time and consequently developed an eating disorder. SEE EXPRESS

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MELISA RYBALTOWSKI / DAILY TITAN

Cindy Rouze’s ‘Masque de Marie’ exhibits stark contrasts and neon colors.

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