LAPD Detective Denied Bond

LAPD Detective Denied Bond—Lawyers Up

Los Angeles, CA—It’s shocking anytime I see a police officer in handcuffs. I’ve seen it before as rare as that happens but I’ve yet to see a policewoman in restraints until this morning.

The proceedings took place before a packed courtroom with most major press organizations present.

Stephanie Lazarus was brought in wearing a waist chain and handcuffs. She was also wearing a orange jumpsuit as she made her court appearance from the prisoner cage within division 30 of the Superior Court.

Lazarus a 25 year LAPD veteran is facing capital murder charges in connection with her arrest Friday at the LAPD Parker Center where she worked as a detective specializing in art thefts.

The 23 year-old cold case, culminated in Lazarus’ arrest after police say DNA linked Lazarus to the killing.

Lazarus was represented by Camarillo lawyer, Mark Pachowicz. The Commissioner, Kristi Loustau ordered that Lazarus be held without bond. Pachowicz asked to continue the current matter agreeing to waive time under the speedy trial rules. A new date July 6, 2009 at 8:30 AM was given. Lazarus was asked if she wished to waive time and she agreed. Prosecutors did little more than give their names for the record.

On Monday police revealed that there was a significant struggle that included biting. Lazarus was identified as a suspect through a DNA match of saliva taken from bite marks on Rasmussen's body. The question may be reduced to a defense of self-defense.

Outside the court a press conference held by personal injury lawyer John Taylor with the parents of the dead woman, Nels and Loretta Rasmussen who came in from Chandler, Arizona.

Taylor shed little light on the circumstances of the killing other than to say that Lazarus was a frequent visitor to the home of Sherri Rasmussen and her husband. You can see the entire conference I shot on a $200.00 hand held HD Flip Camera in two parts below:

Part One

Part Two

Comments

Anonymous said…

Hey Paul,
Thank you for the excellent and fair coverage of Stephanie Lazarus. As an LAPD cop myself, I’ve cringed at some of the things I’ve read so far or seen on TV about this case.

Lazarus deserves a fair day in court to present her defense.

June 10, 2009 3:16 AM

Anonymous said…

She deserves the same due process and FAIRNESS as any other person. This is stinking like a rotten fish from the getgo.

June 10, 2009 8:36 AM

A 40 Caliber Nightmare Is Caught On Tape.

So you’re confident that that .40 caliber S&W service round will keep you safe. Maybe you’ll have second thoughts after you see this video. One hot summer night in 1994 Tempe and Mesa Arizona police were involved in a pursuit with this suspect who ran into a stranger’s apartment to hide after being shot TWICE in the chest. He was shirtless and you can see the blood pumping out of those two wounds. What’s really frightening is just how agile this fellow is as he struts to the ambulance. If he was not handcuffed and had a knife or a gun, ask yourself if he could still hurt you, your partner or a hostage? If your jurisdiction demands that officers carry either the 9MM or the .40 Caliber S&W it’s time to show this video to your bosses and lobby to have the .45 ACP round authorized. The switch may well reduce the screaming by self-appointed community activists about how many rounds police had to use on a suspect. The really talented and courageous video journalist, Karen Ke...

The origin of the feature film, COME FRIDAY…

CLick On the pictures to see full size versions. Long ago there was a young lady I had the hots for in a big way (Yes, I know that hots is not a word). She was pretty, incredibly bright, and had some real elegance about her. She had a love for children and basic kindness that you don’t often see in someone her age. I met her parents and could understand she came from a much more stable home than mine. I was raised by a single, welfare mom and suddenly found myself way out-classed. For whatever reasons things did not workout they way I had hoped. Sadly for me, we went on our separate ways. From time to time I’d run into this lady in various places where our job had taken us. Whenever this happened my heart would skip a beat or two. I left my hometown Chicago, and moved to Arizona where I founded my detective agency. As a private eye and soon a TV news producer too, my career took me to the highest profile criminal events in Arizona and throughout the country. There’s no question that ...

America Will See Its Worst Race Riot Yet This Summer

Star Prosecution Witness, Rachel Jeantel Sanford, FL —Yes, the George Zimmerman trial here has thousands of African-Americans getting ready for some serious bloodletting. I don’t want to make idle and dire predictions but this nation has never been so divided and racially sensitive. Our African-American President took sides on this case at the very beginning. That ratified a George Zimmerman guilty verdict in the minds of millions. There’s just one little problem, and that is the murder case should have never been filed. It was filed purely for political reasons despite the fact that it was a simple justifiable homicide. Zimmerman was on the block watch lookout program and followed a suspicious Trayvon Martin after he used an improper entrance to a gated community. Zimmerman was acting as the eyes and ears of the Sanford Police Department. Martin did not like being followed and knew that he could easily beat up the out-of-shape...

Search This Blog