E FR E
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2003
Volume 2, Issue 86
Santa Monica Daily Press A newspaper with issues
L O T T O
FANTASY 5 01, 06, 17, 18, 38
DAILY 3 Afternoon picks: 5, 7, 8 Evening picks: 1, 8, 6
DAILY DERBY 1st Place: 12, Lucky Charms 2nd Place: 06, Whirl Win 3rd Place: 02, Lucky Star
NEWS OF THE WEIRD by Chuck Shepard
Joe R. Thompson, 18, was thrown 25 feet into the air in a car crash near Highway 40 and Woods Chapel Road in Blue Springs, Mo., in January, but survived when he landed among, and held onto, live overhead power lines. Thompson remained conscious until rescuers arrived 20 minutes later and the electricity was shut off. He even made a cell phone call. (Fortunately for Thompson, the power lines were insulated.) ■
THOUGHT OF THE DAY
A good man is always a beginner.
Living wage supporters Search is on for put opposition on trial missing woman BY ANDY FIXMER Daily Press Staff Writer
Supporters of Santa Monica’s defeated living wage ordinance have called a hearing with high ranking officials to expose what they describe as their opponents intentionally misleading voters in the November election. More than 17 living wage supporters will testify Saturday before a panel convened by Santa Monicans for Responsible Tourism, also known as SMART, which ran the campaign for the living wage. The hearing will be held at the Santa Monica Alternative School House, located at 2525 Fifth St. It will consist of statewide elected officials and election experts who will review SMART’s allegations. The panel will make recommenda-
tions about how the state and city can make elections more equitable. “We felt that ... practices in the campaign to defeat the living wage really skirted legality and ethics,” said Vivian Rothstein, executive director of SMART. “It demands a public airing and review of these practices.” The living wage ordinance, which was passed by the Santa Monica City Council, would have forced businesses in the coastal zone making more than $5 million in revenue annually to pay their workers $10.50 an hour with benefits and $12.50 an hour without. Luxury beach hotels, restaurants and other businesses formed a coalition to defeat the living wage ordinance. They appealed the ordinance to a general
Suspected bank robber being investigated for two hold-ups Man arrested by SMPD after robbery at US Bank BY CAROLYN SACKARIASON Daily Press Staff Writer
INDEX Horoscopes Pices, don’t push others . . . . . .2
Local War, what is it good for? . . . . . .3
Opinion The low down on Prop. A . . . . .4
Real estate Homeowners’ battle . . . . . . . . . .6
International Latest Iraq developments . . . .10
Sports Kobe Bryant speaks . . . . . . . .11
Classifieds
The man arrested on Wednesday minutes after he allegedly robbed US Bank on Wilshire Boulevard also is suspected of robbing another bank in West Hollywood last Friday. The suspect, identified by Santa Monica Police as James Michael Stevens, a 53year-old transient, was arrested at about 4:10 p.m. after he allegedly threatened a bank teller with a replica handgun and demanded money. He was booked into Santa Monica Jail and was taken into fedRoss Furukawa/Daily Press eral custody. Stevens made his first court James Michael Stevens is suspected See ROBBERY, page 7 of robbing two banks in the past week.
BY DAVE DANFORTH Daily Press Staff Writer
Calendar Movie listings . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
National Pets on their way home . . . . .16
BY ANDY FIXMER Daily Press Staff Writer
As police continued their search Thursday for Santa Monica resident Kristine Louise Johnson, friends and family prayed for her safe return. Johnson, 21, disap- Kristine Louise Johnson peared Saturday after- since she speaks with her noon when she was daughter on a daily basis, reportedly on her way to she said. meet a Beverly Hills pho“One of the most frustographer, according to trating things to me is that police. Police are unsure there is nothing conwhat the purpose of the crete,” she said. “It’s like meeting was. she vanished on Saturday Johnson’s mother, Terry afternoon and there’s no Wark, reported her missing explanation for it.” to the Santa Monica Police Wark said Johnson has Department after she didn’t not used her cell phone show up for work on since Saturday, according Monday, Feb. 17. Wark to phone records. said Johnson, a data entry Johnson’s co-workers worker at Marina Del Rey- say she had told them she based CNCG Cellular, was was going to a party on supposed to be in her office Saturday. But she never on President’s Day. showed. “I thought when I filed Police officers continthe report I was making a ue to interview Johnson’s mistake,” Wark said. “I friends and co-workers, was hoping she would searching for clues to her call me and tell me every- whereabouts. Police have thing was fine. I was hop- put out an all points buling it was reckless aban- letin nationwide for donment of youth and I Johnson’s white 1996 was hoping she would Mazda Miata with license just turn up.” plate number 3RSV484. Wark left messages on “We’re in contact with Johnson’s cell phone several law enforcement Saturday afternoon and agencies throughout the Sunday evening, but her state,” said SMPD Lt. calls weren’t returned. See MISSING, page 8 That struck Wark as odd
Jury clears officer of wrongdoing in fatal shooting
The classiest gig in town . . . .13
A Santa Monica jury Thursday exonerated a Los Angeles policeman in the fatal shooting of an actor at a Halloween party, finding he acted reasonably in entering the costume party on a night which ended with his mistaking the actor’s replica gun for the real thing.
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See LIVING WAGE, page 7
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The case was brought by William Frey, 27, and Jeffrey Denton, 36, who were standing with actor Anthony Dwain Lee in a private room when Lee was fatally shot by officer Tarriel Hopper, a three-year LAPD officer who had gone to the Benedict Canyon mansion on a noise complaint. The episode gained national attention after the Oct. 28, 2000 episode. A widely-watched wrongful death case brought
by Lee’s family was settled before the trial. Denton escaped injury, while Frey was hit by glass from the shattered pains through which Hopper fired nine shots in the space of 1.86 seconds at a distance of six feet. Hopper said he acted as his training dictated after he saw the gun pointed at him through the door. Four shots hit Lee in the back — a See LAPD, page 9