LIVWRK DEVELOPMENT to BUY BALDWIN HILLS-CRENSHAW MALL by Danny J
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ELECTION 2020 ELECTION 2020 NOVEMBER 3RD NOVEMBER 3RD VOL. LXXXVI, NO. 44 • $1.00 + Ca. Sales Tax “For Over Eighty Years, The Voice of Our Community Speaking for Itself” THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2020 Taste of Soul 2020 The 15th Annual Taste of Soul Brings Community Food Distribution to Crenshaw The food distribution comes at a critical time as our community struggles with economic downturn during COVID-19 pandemic Danny J. Bakewell Sr. | Taste of Soul Founder/Creator VIEW ENTIRE SHOW ONLINE www.TASTEOFSOUL.org Despite COVID-19 Pandemic, Bakewell Media & Hyundai Celebrate Unprecedented Taste COURTESY PHOTO The Taste of Soul family festival took on a more noble cause in the feeding the community at the food distribution portion of event on Crenshaw Blvd. of Soul Virtual Experience {See FULL STORY on C-1} {See FULL STORY on B-1} SENTINEL EXCLUSIVE . SENTINEL EXCLUSIVE . SENTINEL EXCLUSIVE LIVWRK DEVELOPMENT TO BUY BALDWIN HILLS-CRENSHAW MALL By Danny J. Bakewell, Jr. job was at a gas station on built in 1947 in the heart Executive Editor La Brea at the age of 15. of the Crenshaw Corridor, Abehsera’s mother is fifth and entrenched in heart Asher Abehsera, found- generation Angeleno and of the African American er and CEO of LIVWRK, his father is of Moroccan Community. talks candidly about his (North Africa) decent, and In early 2005, a group purchase of the mall, his has spent his entire life em- of investors, led by Quin- commitment to community bracing the diversity and ton Primo (one of the few inclusion, his partnerships multi-cultural lifestyle he African American-owned with CIM and the Kushner grew up a part of. investment firms) Capri Family. These days, abehsera Capital Partner, purchased Abehsera wants people finds himself and his com- the shopping mall. In 2010, to understand he is not pany, LIVWRK Develop- the mall added new interior from New York. In fact, he ment, in the middle of a embellishments, a modern was born and raised right heated debate regarding his and a larger food court on here in Los Angeles. He company’s plans to pur- the first level. Capri has COURTESY PHOTO explains he grew up in the chase the Baldwin Hills- also redesigned the theme The Baldwin Hills-Crenshaw Mall will soon take on new ownership who say they Pacific Pan Park area (Fair- Crenshaw Mall; a vastly Baldwin Hills-Crenshaw want to work with with the community with inclusion and job opportunities. fax District), and his first outdated shopping mall {See CRENSHAW MALL A-21} West Basin Director Earvin “Magic” Johnson & Gloria D. Gray Re-Elected as Maxine Waters Endorse Metropolitan Board Chairwoman Herb Wesson for Supervisor COURTESY PHOTO COURTESY PHOTO COURTESY PHOTO COURTESY PHOTO Gloria D. Gray Entrepreneur City Council President Congresswoman {Read Full Story Online at www.lasentinel.net} Earvin “Magic” Johnson Herb Wesson Maxine Waters Subscribe TODAY! (323) 299-3800 A-2 LASENTINEL.NET NEWS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2020 POLICE CHIEF (Ret) & CITY COUNCILMAN (Ret) BERNARD PARKS SAYS WHY WE SHOULD VOTE FOR JACKIE LACEY Bernard C. Parks Jackie Lacey Chief Bernard Parks: DA Candidate George Gascon is Not Who He Says He is BY BERNARD PARKS the final authority on these policy matters and adjudi- in response to this case, Gascón, on news video, cated the shooting as out of policy. They believed the showed his opinion of the seriousness of the situation n the wake of the tragic death of George Floyd, officer was not in immediate danger and had more (https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/sf-district- Iwe witnessed an outpouring of grief and support. than enough time to assess and evaluate alternatives attorney-files-restraining-order-against- We have also begun a long-overdue conversation rather than using deadly force on Mr. Gus Woods. protesters/63725/”by throwing watermelon at the pro- about police & community interaction, most notably This matter was sent to a Board of Rights, for dis- testors and then filing a restraining order against concerning the use of violence by police officers ciplinary evaluation. Then, Commander George Gas- them). towards people of color. As an African American con was selected by the accused officer to be part of More recently, in 2018 the San Francisco Depart- man and a former Chief of the Los Angeles Police this disciplinary review board. George Gascon, act- ment of Police Accountability found that the officer Department, I welcome this conversation and believe ing as Board Chairperson, rejected the Commission’s who shot and killed Jessica Williams in 2016 should that much good can arise from this discussion. We findings and instead, inexplicably found the officer have been terminated. Gascon declined to file charges are all now engaged in the search for effective poli- not guilty. against the officers in contradiction to the findings of cies that address these systemic injustices that are Gascon hid behind a flimsy defense, claiming that the Police Department. deeply embedded within our society and criminal jus- the officer was acting on his memories of a ten-year- Gascon claims he represents change in the D.A.’s tice system. It is more important than ever that the old training session, which counseled officers that office, but records show that, while serving as the San people with experience in listening to their communi- anyone with a knife within 21 feet represented a Francisco DA, he routinely sought the advice of Los ties and enacting meaningful change are filling our threat that would justify the use of deadly force. To Angeles DA Jackie Lacey’s office on how to proceed elected roles. this day the tape from this training has never been with cases involving officer’s excessive use of force. Based on my personal experiences and by analyz- established as an officially approved LAPD training This comes as no surprise for someone who has no ing his problematic and worrisome record it is clear to tape and is contrary to the LAPD use of force policy. experience as a trial lawyer. me that Los Angeles County District Attorney candi- The truth is that Gascon has a reputation for going The stakes are too high to take a chance on some- date George Gascon is not one of those people. Gas- easy on officers involved in disciplinary cases. During one who will do plenty of talking but has never con has positioned himself as a candidate as a my time as Police Chief, it was widely known that shown a willingness to act. It is clear to me that reformer on the issue of police accountability. The officers, accused of misconduct, would routinely George Gascon lacks the legal experience and the problem is, that his record simply does not match his select George Gascon as a member of their discipli- ability to bring people together to deliver the meas- rhetoric. His claims should be exposed as fraudulent nary boards because they knew he had a reputation ured reforms that we need to make the city & county and he should be labeled as a political opportunist who for leniency. a safer and fairer place. Further, Gascon demon- should not be trusted by the people of Los Angeles. Gascon’s actions were totally inconsistent with the strates massive hypocrisy in calling for reforms and In 1999, when I was serving as LA’s police chief, direction I was taking the department. During that action in places where he has only shown the most I was horrified to read the details of an officer shoot- time, I fired 140 problem police officers; the most in retrograde and conservative of policies himself. ing case involving the death of a 56-year-old African LAPD history. Part 1 and violent crimes dropped over I am proud to support Jackie Lacey to be reelected American man, Gus Woods. The LAPD officer-shot 30%. Officer-involved shootings dropped 44%. And, so that she can continue her fine work as DA. She Mr Woods twice, killing him, despite the fact that Mr. non-lethal use of force cases dropped 18%. and her diverse team have tackled the biggest cases Woods was more than 20 feet away, holding only a Gascon’s record in San Francisco on this issue is and made significant inroads on everything from small metal rod. equally as questionable. During his only full year as addressing mental health issues in our criminal justice I noted that the original radio call specifically stat- Police Chief, officer-involved shootings spiked from system to safeguarding children from human traffick- ed the suspect appeared to be intoxicated and/or pos- the year prior from five to eleven. ing. It is more important than ever that we choose a sibly mentally ill. Upon arrival, the officer partially As District Attorney Gascon, again failed to live leader with substance and a record of achievement concealed himself behind his car door, while his part- up to his promise to hold bad cops accountable. He over shallow rhetoric and broken promises. ner retrieved the bean bag weapon from the trunk. was not successful in prosecuting any officers Bernard Parks was the Chief of the Los Angeles There was no evidence that the suspect presented an involved in the death of a civilian. Police Department from 1997 to 2003. He served immediate threat of death or imminent danger. I sup- The powerful image of Colin Kaepernick taking a on the Los Angeles City Council representing the 8th ported the findings of the Department’s Use of Force knee was in direct response to the shooting of Mr. District from 2003 to 2015. He recently retired from Board (UOF) and recommended to the Police Com- Mario Woods.