Keep Bailing

LOS GATOS – On December 21, local police arrested two suspects believed responsible for a string of auto burglaries that took place over a two day spree.  The duo is believed to have burglarized over nine cars and one residence.

Los Gatos Police arrested Billy Auston, 29, and Monica Verni, 23, both of San Jose.  The pair allegedly smashed the windows of locked vehicles to steal a laptop, purses, credit and gift cards, a wallet, cash, a digital camera and a portable DVD player.  They also managed to pilfer an automatic garage door opener from one car, enter victim’s garage, and then steal a purse and wallet from another car that was parked inside.

Austin and Verni have Read more »

SAN JOSE, CA. — In what is said to be  a ground breaking decision,  San Jose Police are now being outfitted with bluetooth cell phone earpieces and head-mounted cameras. This new device will record their interactions with the public and perhaps, quell the steam which has been brought about by recent complaints regarding the SJPD using excessive force.

Chief Rob Davis stated the small camera will be tested  Read more »

A PROBLEM WITH AUTHORITY OR IS AUTHORITY THE PROBLEM?

Sometimes an officer’s reaction to a potentially dangerous situation is pretty clear cut.  Wading into fights, stopping domestic violence, and running across wanted suspects often requires a stronger response  than the spoken word. But an officer who is too hasty to jump to conclusions only serves to fan the fires of police-distrust, especially among minorities. 

Reportedly, several hundred times a year, small interactions between  San Jose Police and the public, like jay walking or failing to signal in traffic, turn violent.  Even more surprising: it’s being alleged that it is the police who strike the first blow.  While many continue to debate whether or not the officers’ actions are excessive, detractors say the San Jose Police Department  routinely dismisses complaints and limits real public investigation — strong and reaching allegations.

In 2007, over 117 complaints about the use of excessive force during resisting arrest were filed in San Jose, but the department sustained just two cases.  A Santa Clara County civil grand jury report cited widespread community concern about racial profiling in San Jose.  It concluded that citizens feel too discouraged by the city’s rubber-stamp rejection of their complaints  to continue reporting perceived officer  misconduct.

The San Jose Mercury News recently investigated Read more »

The Dhaliwal brothers have a track record of drug use, DUI’s, high speed chase, and false identification in their town of San Jose. The two were made famous when they visited the San Francisco Zoo and were attacked a little after the Zoo’s closing time by a tiger on the loose. San Francisco Police arrived quickly and ended up shooting and killing Tatiana the tiger. Kulbir and Armitpal ended up getting a settlement of $900K for the zoo incident.

But the real story is about the brothers who appear to be just plain bad news… Read more »

A writer by any other name… is a bail bondsman

Nope, this is not Stephanie Plum or Jackie Brown. This is Robin Sandoval-March: copy editor, blogger, published songwriter and screenwriter… and our newest bail bondsman (bondswoman?).

Robin grew up in San Jose. Bail bonds in San Jose is incredibly competitive, perhaps one of the most competitive bail bond markets in California. But Robin wouldn’t have dreamed of that connection. She set her sights on the songwriting business in L.A. “It was a challenge at first, but I finally managed to have some of my songs published in film, records and television. Unfortunately, the pay wasn’t enough; I still needed a full time job,“  Robin told me when we spoke about her become a licensed California bail agent.

“I didn’t know the first thing about bail bonds,  Read more »