FR EE
FRIDAY, MARCH 14, 2003
Volume 2, Issue 104
Santa Monica Daily Press A newspaper with issues
L O T T O
Woman’s murder puts actors on guard
Building up
FANTASY 5
12, 21, 26, 32, 35 DAILY 3 Afternoon picks: 5, 5, 7 Evening picks: 5, 6, 8
BY CAROLYN SACKARIASON
DAILY DERBY
The recent murder of a young Santa Monica woman who was lured with hopes of fame and fortune has reminded the local acting community how dangerous auditioning can be. When news hit late last month that 21-year-old Kristi Johnson vanished after she went to meet a man who claimed to be a publicity photographer, actresses in Santa Monica started exchanging war stories about questionable situations they have found themselves in. They were lucky. Johnson, however, was not. The Santa Monica College student, who was more interested in the behind-the-scenes aspect of the entertainment business, was lured into the clutches of a smooth-talking predator who has a long criminal history of telling young, attractive women that he can make them famous.
Daily Press Staff Writer
1st Place: 03, Hot Shot. 2nd Place: 11, Money Bags. 3rd Place: 09, Winning Spirit. Race Time: 1:45.99.
NEWS OF THE WEIRD by Chuck Shepard
■ Kenneth Patrick Porche Jr., 22, was arrested outside the ladies' room at Dillard's department store in Houma, La., in January, carrying four plastic bags of urine and several empty bags labeled with descriptions such as "old woman." Police said they believed that Porche would enter a stall, disable the toilet's flush mechanism, and line the bowl with a plastic film to catch the urine, before hiding away in an adjacent stall. After a woman used the toilet and left, Porche would collect and bag the urine from the plastic film. Since Porche's behavior was difficult to characterize, police charged him under the catch-all "criminal mischief."
THOUGHT OF THE DAY Nobody ever forgets where he buried the hatchett.
INDEX Horoscopes Let the good times flow, Leo . . .2
Local Backgammon not bombs . . . . .3
Opinion My write . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
State The Democrats are coming . . .9
International A royal mess . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Sports Norway claims Iditarod . . . . .11
Classifieds Only $2.50 a day! . . . . . . . . . .13
Calendar Movie listings . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
National Man in the doghouse . . . . . . .16
John Wood/Daily Press
The public safety building behind City Hall is beginning to take shape. The new facility is expected to open in April and will house the headquarters of the Santa Monica Police Department. (Inset) A construction worker works his magic with concrete.
Elections could be done by ranking your choices By Daily Press staff
A new bill could allow Santa Monica voters to elect their officials by ranking them as their first, second and third choices. Introduced by Assembly member Loni Hancock (D-Berkeley), AB 1039, also known as the Local Electoral Freedom bill, would allow municipalities to enact alternative election methods, including Instant Runoff Voting and Proportional Representation. Instant Runoff Voting is a method that guarantees a winner with a mandate from a majority, all within a single election. In an IRV election, voters rank their choices — first, second, third, and so on. If a voter’s first choice “loses,” or finishes last, the voter’s next choice is counted toward the total in the next round. The rounds continue until a candidate has 50 percent plus one vote. The method would ensure that runoffs are eliminated and a candidate receives a true majority. The Green Party of California endorses the bill because it would simplify the electoral process and save dwindling tax dollars lost under the new state budget, officials say. “With declining voter turnout, cities need options to reinvolve residents and make sure municipal elections have the broadest participation,” explains Santa Monica Mayor pro tem Kevin McKeown, who is a Green Party member. “Instant runoff voting is perhaps the most exciting alternative because it lets voters rank their choices and truly vote their consciences. IRV saves cities money, and reduces the role of big corporate contributions in politics because candidates need run only a single campaign.” IRV would limit costs to cities for runoff elections by declaring a winner on Election Day, rather than a community bearing the costs of a runoff election a month later, officials say. Officials also claim the bill would: ■ Eliminate the “spoiler effect” of three-way candidacies. The Nader-Gore situation in 2000, as well as the Bush-Perot situation in See ELECTIONS, page 9
Johnson’s partially clothed, bound body was found in the Hollywood Hills last Monday, two weeks after she disappeared. Johnson told her roommates on Feb. 15 that she was going to the Century City Mall to meet the purported photographer she had previously met. She never returned. Her car was found a week later at the St. Regis Hotel in Century City, which was dropped off on Feb. 16 by a man who matches the description of the suspect police now believe may have murdered Johnson. The suspect, who is in custody at the Los Angeles County Jail on an unrelated felony charge, is a three-time convicted felon who was released from state prison on Jan. 20. Murder charges are expected to be filed within the next week, police said. “Whenever anyone goes to a place that they are unfamiliar with See PRECAUTIONS, page 8
Local inventor takes on City Hall regulations Game maker says city violated his first amendment rights BY JOHN WOOD Daily Press Staff Writer
A judge now will decide whether or not a local game inventor’s constitutional rights have been violated by the city. Stewart Lamle argued in front of a city hearing officer on Thursday that he should be granted a business license to play and sell his “Farook” game on the Third Street Promenade. City officials denied Lamle a business license last year, citing that he couldn’t sell his game without either a performance permit or a city-rented cart. Lamle appealed the city’s denial and hearing examiner Ed Edelman has 30 days to make a
John Wood/Daily Press
Stewart Lamle, the inventor of the game, ‘Farook,’ is appealing the city’s decision that he isn’t a street performer on the See FAROOK, page 9 Third Street Promenade.