MAN CHARGED IN CONFRONTATION.Byline: Phillip W. Browne Daily News Staff Writer A Mission Hills man accused of threatening a Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. police officer with a shotgun has been charged with four felonies, including assault on officers, officials said Friday. The first time police tried to file charges against Steven Michael Short, 23, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office declined to 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. . But after re-investigation, prosecutors decided there was enough evidence to go forward with charges, said Short's attorney, Carlo Spiga. ``This is a malicious prosecution An action for damages brought by one against whom a civil suit or criminal proceeding has been unsuccessfully commenced without Probable Cause and for a purpose other than that of bringing the alleged offender to justice. . Nothing about this case makes sense,'' Spiga said. ``The police were there illegally. They're doing a good job of ruining his life.'' Los Angeles police Lt. Anthony Alba declined to comment. Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Bill Johnson Bill Johnson may refer to:
Short was charged Wednesday with three counts of assault with a deadly weapon Assault with a Deadly Weapon is the term used to describe the act of threatening to harm one or more people by using a weapon (usually a firearm). Here, assault must be differentiated from battery as they are often confused. Assault is threatening to use force. on peace officers, and one count of possession of narcotics narcotics n. 1) techinically, drugs which dull the senses. 2) a popular generic term for drugs which cannot be legally possessed, sold, or transported except for medicinal uses for which a physician or dentist's prescription is required. , according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. the District Attorney's Office. He was released on $150,000 bail, Spiga said. Short's mother Cynthia Carroll Cynthia Carroll is an American businesswoman. She is the chief executive officer of Anglo American PLC, a Johannesburg, South Africa mining company, which, among other things, is the world's largest platinum producer. , 40, said the police were acting like ``irresponsible Gestapo'' when they raided her son's home. ``Their unprofessionalism and failure to protect and serve really frightens me. They could have killed my son,'' Carroll said. The charges stem from a confrontation Feb. 8 with Officer Michael Patton of the Foothill Division at Short's house in the 15000 block of Kingsbury Street. Short was shot and wounded during the incident. Police accounts of the search and shooting differ greatly from what witnesses said occurred. According to police, Short's friend Travis Garlitz had thrown a half-full beer can at an off-duty officer's car. Short was not present during the incident, but police went to his house in search of Garlitz, investigators said. Witnesses have said police overreacted, didn't identify themselves before entering the house, conducted an unauthorized search and brutalized Garlitz. Officers said they had a right to enter and were justified in searching the house for suspects. According to a police report obtained by the Daily News, Foothill Division Officer David Hance said he knocked on the door and announced that police officers were there. When he knocked, the door swung open about two feet, the report says. When they saw Garlitz, they entered the house ``in fresh pursuit of Garlitz,'' the report says. ``They never had permission to enter. They entered the house illegally and got a warrant later,'' Spiga said. ``To think this all started over a beer can is staggering. This was a vigilante vigilante n. someone who takes the law into his/her own hands by trying and/or punishing another person without any legal authority. In the 1800s groups of vigilantes dispensed "frontier justice" by holding trials of accused horse-thieves, rustlers and shooters, and act.'' Spiga said he also couldn't understand why there were three counts of assault filed against his client, when the confrontation only occurred with Patton. ``(Short) only heard a commotion and thought the house was being robbed, and the only officer confronted was Patton,'' he said. ``Again, it doesn't make sense.'' |
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