COUNTY MURDERS RISE, STRAIN DA, LAW ENFORCEMENT.Byline: Andrea Cavanaugh Staff Writer A rash of killings during the past year more than doubled the homicide homicide (hŏm`əsīd), in law, the taking of human life. Homicides that are neither justifiable nor excusable are considered crimes. A criminal homicide committed with malice is known as murder, otherwise it is called manslaughter. rate in Ventura County from the previous year, to the highest level in nearly a quarter-century. There were 49 homicides during 2003 in Ventura County, compared with 24 the year before, said James Baroni, supervising investigator with the Ventura County Medical Examiner's Office. The numbers are the highest since 1979, when 59 homicides were reported. In Ventura County, normally considered one of the safest counties in the nation, the increased number of homicides is bogging down police and prosecutors alike. ``There's no case that is more time consuming than a homicide case,'' said Mike Frawley, a chief deputy district attorney. ``One homicide case is like having 50 burglaries or robberies.'' Nearly half the county's homicides took place in Oxnard, where 23 people were killed during the past year, most victims of gang violence. Two people were shot to death this past year in Simi Valley Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. , one of them part of a murder-suicide. Two homicides took place in Santa Paula Santa Paula (săn`tə pôl`ə), city (1990 pop. 25,062), Ventura co., S Calif., on the Santa Clara River in a fertile valley that yields citrus fruits, avocados, vegetables, flowers, nursery products, and walnuts; laid out 1875, inc. , and three in Ventura. The Ventura County Sheriff's Department The Ventura County Sheriff's Department (VCSD) provides law enforcement for the unincorporated areas of Ventura County, California, USA, as well as several cities within the county. The cities that VCSD serves are Camarillo, Fillmore, Moorpark, Ojai, and Thousand Oaks. handled 19 killings in 2003, compared with two the year before. ``It's been an extraordinarily busy year for us,'' sheriff's spokesman Eric Nishimoto said. ``I'm not sure that we can point to any one thing.'' Both Nishimoto and Frawley said a surge in gang and drug activity within the county contributed to the increase. Gang killings are notoriously difficult to investigate and prosecute To follow through; to commence and continue an action or judicial proceeding to its ultimate conclusion. To proceed against a defendant by charging that person with a crime and bringing him or her to trial. because witnesses fear retribution RETRIBUTION. 1. That which is given to another to recompense him for what has been received from him; as a rent for the hire of a house. 2. A salary paid to a person for his services. 3. The distribution of rewards and punishments. . Clashes between police and the mentally ill also are on the rise, sometimes ending in gunfire, Nishimoto said. Four people were shot to death this past year by Ventura County sheriff's deputies. The increase in killings is putting a strain on the District Attorney's CERTIFICATE, ATTORNEY'S, Practice, English law. By statute 37 Geo. III., c. 90, s. 26, 28, attorneys are required to deliver to the commissioners of stamp duties, a paper or note in writing, containing the name and usual place of residence of such person, and thereupon, on paying certain Office, when budget cuts have reduced the number of attorneys assigned as·sign tr.v. as·signed, as·sign·ing, as·signs 1. To set apart for a particular purpose; designate: assigned a day for the inspection. 2. to the homicide unit from nine to six over the past two years, Frawley said. ``We've cut down the staffing in our homicide unit even though homicides are up,'' Frawley said. ``We're asking those attorneys to handle more cases. They don't like it. ``They feel a lot more pressure,'' he said. ``You lose a homicide case, you've got a very disappointed family. We generally don't lose them because we put the appropriate number of resources into them, but it's getting harder to do that.'' Andrea Cavanaugh, (805) 583-7604 andrea.cavanaugh(at)dailynews.com |
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