Hello West House it’s Topher and I will be your scribe for the week. My article is more of a somber one having to do with the death of an off-duty San Bernardino Sheriff’s Deputy. I choose to do this since law enforcement is something I want to eventually find a career in, and this is just an example of how the people you encounter while on-duty can come back while you are just trying to enjoy life off-duty. Larry Falce was a 36 year veteran of the department, and was involved in a minor traffic accident on New Year’s Eve while trying to avoid a dog in the roadway. While trying to exchange info with the other party a two strike felon by the name of Alonzo Smith punched Falce in the face and knocked him to the ground where Falce hit his head which eventually took his life. Alonzo Smith fled the scene and was apprehended a short time later.
Prompt: Do you think that the fact that they had a prior relationship while Falce was on duty should be taken into account in the courtroom? Also as two strike felon should Smith be locked away for the rest of his life with out the chance of parole or do you believe other punishment should be allowed? How safe do you feel just walking your neighborhood street, and what can we do to keep dangerous members of society off the streets?
Links
Three Strike Law- http://ca-criminal-defense.com/california-three-strikes-law/
News Article- http://ktla.com/2018/01/03/man-charged-with-murder-in-attack-of-70-year-old-off-duty-patrolman-in-san-bernardino/
Video of Attack (WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFRJDgMnzvA
Charges of Alonzo Smith
West House 
In response to Topher. With the question about how safe I feel walking around my neighborhood it depends. I think for the most part during daylight I feel pretty safe. Though last year there had been a serious amount of robberies and break-ins during the day so I am not sure if I should still feel safe. I don’t think there is anything you can really do to keep “dangerous member” off the streets. I think they have a place on this earth and it is just a consequence of living. Without those people, the world wouldn’t be what it is. I think that part of sociology’s functionalism theory, that everyone had a function in the world. I am not sure what Smith should deserve since we don’t know the full story. It doesn’t seem so clear so maybe there is more to the story.
My question: If he knew he was part of the three strike law why would he do something that he knew would cause him to break his parole? Do you think he was hiding something more and him punching him was a better outcome instead of exchanging information? Do you think the three strike law is reasonable?
Works Cited:
Bravo, Kristina. “Man Charged With Murder in Attack of 70-Year-Old Off-Duty Deputy in San Bernardino”. KTLA 5. 3 Jan 2018, http://ktla.com/2018/01/03/man-charged-with-murder-in-attack-of-70-year-old-off-duty-patrolman-in-san-bernardino/
Prompt: Do you think that the fact that they had a prior relationship while Falce was on duty should be taken into account in the courtroom? Also as two strike felon should Smith be locked away for the rest of his life without the chance of parole or do you believe other punishment should be allowed? How safe do you feel just walking your neighborhood street, and what can we do to keep dangerous members of society off the streets?
Yes, I believe that the prior meeting between the two should be taken into account in court because it could serve as possible evidence that the criminal knew who the off-duty officer was, and that the criminal acted just knowing who he was. I do believe that Smith should be locked away with a life sentence for murder, because of the coward attack that led to the officers family not having him this new year. Smith was a well known criminal who should’ve been in jail far ahead of this incident because of his previous encounters with the law. In the end it is up to the judge to sentence the perpetrator for his actions. I feel safe where I live because it is relatively a low crime area, with many residents looking out for others. Not every neighborhood is safe and in order to reduce crime and heinous acts of violence it all comes down to the community and whether they accept that way of life or if they condone it.
In response to Mariana: Smith acted the way he did because he is a career criminal who is violent and who simply doesn’t care about the law. I think that there are some flaws with the three strike law.
Question: Should communities take bigger steps such as programs to get people away from violence on their streets, so that everyone can live safer lives no matter what city they live in?
Works Cited: “Man Charged With Murder in Attack of 70-Year-Old Off-Duty Deputy in San Bernardino.” KTLA, 4 Jan. 2018, ktla.com/2018/01/03/man-charged-with-murder-in-attack-of-70-year-old-off-duty-patrolman-in-san-bernardino/.
Yes, I think that the fact that they had prior relationship while Falce was on duty should be taken into account in the courtroom because it can increase the chance of getting justice for the fallen officer. I think that Smith is a criminal and what he did was wrong and just plain cruel. I think Smith didn’t intentionally mean to kill the officer, but his violent actions should have consequences. Smith should have the same rights of to a court jury and judge because he is also an American citizen. I strongly believe that although he did kill an officer, he should not receive a stronger punishment because he killed an officer, but rather instead receive a stronger punishment for being a threat for the public. Mr. Smith committed a crime and he should pay for the crime, but still receive the same punishment as any other criminal who committed similar crimes as him. My neighborhood is a safe neighborhood, there has never been any crimes like murder except for accidentally minor car crashes. There has never been any gun shots or crime scenes near my house so I feel fairly safe in my household and believe that officers are doing a great job in keeping the criminals off the streets. Since I do live in Los Angeles every month there is a vintage car show in the street and to the police they are considered as a “gang”, but the officers are always there during the car show to make sure no violence breaks out. I think that in order to keep dangerous members of society off the streets we need to have more parole officers and have more officers on call. I think all officers should have access to the latest technology available like high tech body cameras and tasers just so the officers themselves should have some protection of their own. Officers risk their life everyday just by putting on and honoring their suit. Officers should have higher pay even if they are the lowest officers because it can also encourage more officers to join the force which can enhance the number of officers on the street.
Mariana’s Question:
I think that when it comes to criminals, they do not have the ability to foresee the consequences to their actions. I believe that Smith thought that he knocked the officer unconscious and that he could get away with it, although that was not the case. I don’t think he was hiding anything and he just had a non-logical violent response to what was happening which ultimately led to to the death of the officer. I think the three strike law is reasonable because if a certain person keeps committing one crime after another then they clearly are not cut out to fit into society and should be put someone where they will not be a danger for other humans.
My Question:
Do you think that people who have killed an officer should receive a harder sentence or punishment or they should receive the same sentence or punishment as if they killed any other person?
Prompt:
Do you think that the fact that they had a prior relationship while Falce was on duty should be taken into account in the courtroom? Also as two strike felon should Smith be locked away for the rest of his life with out the chance of parole or do you believe other punishment should be allowed? How safe do you feel just walking your neighborhood street, and what can we do to keep dangerous members of society off the streets?
Response to Prompt:
After reading the article and watching the KTLA 5 video giving a synopsis of the scenario, I have come to the conclusion that since both individuals had a prior relationship before the incident; it should definitely be taken into consideration in court. Given that they had a prior relationship, evidence can be drawn to prove that the felon had intentions for doing what he did – knowing all along who the officer was. With a bad history or not, I strongly believe that anyone who murders a person – with the exception of defense in a matter of life or death situation – deserves to serve a life-sentence. Hence, since this man is a felon (with two strikes), then it is intuitive and logical for this individual to serve a life-sentence. Personally, I feel rather safe in my neighborhood walking in the streets since there is absolutely minimal criminal activity, but I can imagine someone not feeling safe walking in their neighborhood if they live in an apprehensive community.
Response to Samuel’s Question:
I strongly do believe that more communities should be involved in creating opportunities and programs for people with a negative history in order to shape a better community. By investing in such programs, these certain individuals could be educated to staying in school, pursuing a career, and many more beneficial stances in society, while also encouraging them to stay off the streets and away from violence.
Question:
As briefly touched upon awhile back in Anaya’s class, there is an organization in Los Angeles known as Homeboy Industries: a youth program founded in 1992 that serves to provide former gang-involved and incarcerated individuals with hope, support, and training to be positive and active members of society. Do you think that similar programs are worthy of investing in our cities to promote a positive society? When these individuals’ lives change, would you feel comfortable working with them at your job given their prior circumstances? If you were a student, would you be bothered seeing and interacting with such individuals in the classroom?
Works Cited [MLA 8]:
Bravo, Kristina. “Man Charged With Murder in Attack of 70-Year-Old Off-Duty Deputy in San Bernardino”. KTLA 5. 3 Jan 2018, http://ktla.com/2018/01/03/man-charged-with-murder-in-attack-of-70-year-old-off-duty-patrolman-in-san-bernardino/
“San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Mourns the Death of Deputy Larry Falce.”YouTube, YouTube, 3 Jan. 2018, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.
I think Smith’s actions were influenced based on his prior relationship with Officer Falce. I think it’ll be always uncertain whether Smith’s actions were dictated on a desire to murder or just because he realized who Falce was at the crime scene, but I don’t think that truly matters. His intentions were to harm Falce, and he completed the task by taking away a person’s life. No one person should be able to get away with murder, unless it’s in a case of self defense. Smith simply should be placed in jail with no chance of parole. There’s no excuse for his actions, whether he tries to refute them or not. I can imagine it must’ve been a startling realization for Falce when he recognized Smith, but even Smith must realize that a police officer is someone with a responsibility to hold up the law. It’s a respectable field and I’m sure when Falce was off-duty, this responsibility to uphold those ideals aren’t as strong and he’s probably just a man making a living and doing his job.
My street isn’t that bad, mostly quiet other than the fact that my cross street is busy sometimes. But I’ve taken plenty of walks at night down my street and elsewhere in my neighborhood. Over all, not bad.
First off, before you get the dangerous members of society off the streets, we need to get all the non-dangerous individuals who are mass-incarcerated based on race and in-just laws out of our prisons. All nonviolent marijuana-related offenses should be rescinded in states that have legalized either medical or recreational (or both) use of the drug. Overall, the justice system needs a lot of revision to successfully get dangerous individuals behind bars.
In Response to Samuel L.: Overall, yes I do believe this should occur as the police aren’t capable of catching every violent person. And I don’t think prison is the right answer in some cases, rather rehabilitation and therapy and other practices can be used to prevent those showing signs of violence from continuing on this path. If all else fails, prison is always there.
My Question: What do you think of all the nonviolent criminals behind bars for drug related offenses, sucking up tax payer dollars and federal funding in our prison system? Should we release individuals who meet that description?
Works Cited: “Man Charged With Murder in Attack of 70-Year-Old Off-Duty Deputy in San Bernardino.” KTLA, 4 Jan. 2018, ktla.com/2018/01/03/man-charged-with-murder-in-attack-of-70-year-old-off-duty-patrolman-in-san-bernardino/.
Prompt: Do you think that the fact that they had a prior relationship while Falce was on duty should be taken into account in the courtroom? Also as two strike felon should Smith be locked away for the rest of his life with out the chance of parole or do you believe other punishment should be allowed? How safe do you feel just walking your neighborhood street, and what can we do to keep dangerous members of society off the streets?
Response: I believe that their prior relationship most definitely should be accounted for when the case is taken to courts. It could be a crucial factor in determining what occurred. I believe that Smith should be put away for life due to the severity of the action. I feel generally safe in my neighborhood, but I am aware that anything is possible and complete safety is not always guaranteed. Dangerous members of society can be kept off the streets if the government provided systems for these people to take refuge or contribute rather than engaging in dangerous activities.
Response to Josh: I believe that they should be released if they pass certain requirements which prove capability in society.
Question: How can we drop the crime rate in areas which have high rates.
It seems incredibly likely to me that Smith reacted to Officer Falce so violently because of their past relationship, which should by all means be brought up in court as it almost certainly influenced or caused the death of the unfortunate officer. Because normally a punch will not kill someone, it may be attributed to a charge of voluntary manslaughter rather than murder, as this was not likely perpetrated with the intent of killing. Despite that, it has the potential of being a life sentence due to the 3 strike rule, as that has the potential of expanding the sentence from 25 and up, whether or not the charge is murder or manslaughter. As it is not certain whether a two strike felon must serve a life sentence leads me to believe that other solutions are possible. That does not mitigate the crime, but due to the unintentional nature of the situation, it may reduce the severity of the sentence. It all really depends upon their relationship. Me personally, I have no fear when walking around my own neighborhood, as I can defend myself, and the area does not suffer from a monstrous crime rate like some other places do. That hardly means that fear is not justified in certain areas, it is just that I have no reason to fear in my own personal situation. When it comes to keeping dangerous people off the streets, I am inclined to agree with Josh, as if we simply store random people in prisons for no reason, than it is harder to have the actually dangerous people dealt with in an adequate manner, whether through imprisonment, therapy, or rehab depending upon the individual’s problem.
In Response to Ashley: I believe that an officer is as much a person as anyone else, and that the death of an officer should not be more heavily punished than the death of a fireman, teacher, or nurse.
Question: What could have caused Smith to lash out in such anger beyond being a criminal? Could their relationship have caused this?
In the video, Smith was pacing back and forth which could be considered a sign of nervousness. I looked further into the incident and before the punch was thrown, Smith walked to the car and pulled something out of the drivers side, walked back to the sidewalk, and both Smith and Falce were pointing at the front end of Smiths car and exchanging words, probably something about whose fault the accident was. Smith seemed worried and Falce kept pointing at Smiths car until, suddenly, Smith walks over to Falce and after a moment of hesitation, punches Falce, knocking him to the ground. Smith runs to the car, attempts to drive away, and gets rammed by a bystander in a larger car. I can’t form an opinion on the situation due to the fact that I did not hear the words exchanged, nor the details of Smiths previous arrests. Based off of the articles provided by Topher, Smith had been to jail multiple times for street terrorism, sale of Weed, and being an admitted gang member. Many of the charges were dropped, such as the possible 12 year prison sentence because Smith didn’t act alone. Smith, like I said before, seemed nervous, and getting into an accident with two strikes with an officer probably made him panic. Im not saying that Smith did nothing wrong, nor am I saying Falce did anything wrong, but Smith acted alone in this, not with others like normal which could have sent him into a fight or flight response. Should the fact that Smith had previous relationships with Falce be considered? yes, because just that fact alone could be one of the reasons why he did it. Should Smith be locked away? He has two strikes already meaning that this isn’t the first time he’s done something. California has some of the toughest strike laws, but should Smith be put away for life? personally I say no because the dude is only 30, not saying that thats an excuse for what he’s done, but he’s still (sorta) young. Should he be locked up? yes, because murder is murder and he didn’t commit the murder in a life threatening situation. How do I feel about just walking down the street? during the day I’m fine with it and usually don’t go down any known super bad streets. During the night? Night is a different story. I go on walks every night after dark and have met some people I would not want to be stuck in a room with, people I would not want to get on the bad side of, as well as people who are cool. Ive had a few scary encounters before, like less then a year ago I was walking with my mom on a poorly lit, no stop street near a four way intersection when this white pickup truck pulls over, slows down to a crawl, and followed us for a good half mile like that. They didn’t try to catcall us, talk to us, or anything. they just followed creepily. There were two guys in the truck, both easily over six feet tall. keep in mind that both my mom an I are 5’1. My mom was starting to panic and I was getting annoyed so I stopped, grabbed a piece of metal piping off the floor, turned around, and just stared at them. They looked at each other and drove off. I don’t go anywhere without some sort of defense even though I know how to fight because its always a roll the dice kind of chance situation where anything could happen. sometimes its more then one who attacks, and sometimes they may have a knife. Ever wonder why I wear boots? yes, I love them because they make me feel taller,yes, they’re comfortable and yes, they sometimes make me a bit more intimidating which helps combat the effects of shortness. But one of the bigger reasons? They can be used as a weapon. I once kicked my brother in the leg not hard at all and he had a massive bruise. I also tend to wear a ring not only because I like to, but if I need to punch someone because they can be like brass knuckles. Besides boots and rings, I normally have something like a pencil or pen on me just in case. Can these be considered weapons? yes, but if you hit someone with a tissue box hard enough you can kill em. What can people do to keep danger off of the streets? Truthfully I believe thats something that can never be fully under control. people can snap, situations can happen, things change. Ever been to Vegas? The streets are crazy at night, especially Fremont Experience Street ( one of my favorite places to be actually) or the Vegas Strip (Fremont is 100x crazier with DJs, girls dancing on bars, weed, beer, performers, Chippendales, heart attack grill, zippiness, etc. basically Venice beach+ The Vegas Strip+ crazy Drunkin parties+ burning man all in one) I once had a good 30 minute conversation with a lost drunkin guy who was wanting me to call his mom and told me I was pretty and sang SpongeBob songs. Funny as hell.
response to Conor: nervousness. If he crashed into Falce, chances are he was either on his phone or tailgating, both of which are kinda illegal.
Question: what kind of crazy experiences have you had that could’ve ended up bad? like stalkers, robbery, or anything?
I apologize for how long this is. My brother is in the sheriffs academy and I kind of have to deal with him talking about cop stuff and him preforming takedowns on me randomly. Just waiting for him to handcuff me because I kind of want to see if I can get my arms from being behind my back to the front of me which could end up in me dislocating my shoulders.
Prompt: Do you think that the fact that they had a prior relationship while Falce was on duty should be taken into account in the courtroom? Also as two strike felon should Smith be locked away for the rest of his life with out the chance of parole or do you believe other punishment should be allowed? How safe do you feel just walking your neighborhood street, and what can we do to keep dangerous members of society off the streets?
Response : I think the fact they had a prior relationship while Falce was on duty should be taken into account in the courtroom because then the case would be more just. Smith should be locked away for the rest of his life because he assaulted and murdered someone. He also attempted to run away. I feel okay walking around my neighborhood I guess. I took mixed martial arts. I took self defense classes. I can protect myself and others. I’m a man. We can keep dangerous members of society off of the streets by locking them up or having them on parole or under surveillance.
In Response To Destiny : I never had a crazy experience. I’ve had to deal with crazy homeless people or school fights so.
Question : Anyone think some of our peers will end up in jail?
I think that since there was a prior relationship while Falce was on duty should definitely be taken into account in the courtroom because he did most likely have shock and was a little confused after the first accident and maybe there could have been something else wrong when he was involved in the accident. Although it is difficult to tell if this was part of the caused anything but it is something to take into account. As a two strike felon Smith should definitely be locked away due to the fact that he had no remorse for Falce when he knocked him to the ground and injured him on contact. Due to this I believe that he should definitely be put in jail but with the chance of parole because people due deserve second chances. Although this should be his final chance because he did not have remorse for the injuries he caused and because he ran away as soon as the accident occurred. I definitely feel safe walking around my neighborhood streets because I have lived in my neighborhood for a long time and know my neighbors well. I think that what we can do to keep dangerous members of society off the streets is to keep people alert and updated about the people living around a certain neighborhood and gather a group of people in the neighborhood to keep watch and make sure the community feels safe at all times.
Response to Ashley: I think that people who have killed an officer shouldn’t receive a more difficult sentence because a person is a person no matter what and being a police officer should not make their lives any better then another person. If someone had killed a doctor or an accountant that would not affect any part of their sentence because the point is that person killed someone and that is a terrible crime no matter what.
Question: Why do you think so many people are becoming so accustomed to hearing stories about police officers being killed? Why aren’t people giving them the same respect as we once did?
Prompt: Do you think that the fact that they had a prior relationship while Falce was on duty should be taken into account in the courtroom? Also as two strike felon should Smith be locked away for the rest of his life without the chance of parole or do you believe other punishment should be allowed? How safe do you feel just walking your neighborhood street, and what can we do to keep dangerous members of society off the streets?
Yes, I do believe that Falce’s prior relationship while he was on duty should be taken into account in the courtroom. This would result in an increased chance of serving justice for the fallen officer. On the other hand, I believe that what Smith done was unprecedented, and that he should be punished with full force. Although I do not think that Smith intentionally killed the officer, I believe that he should still face the consequences. In addition, I also believe that Smith should have the same rights in the presence of a court, judge, and jury. In contrast, I believe that the charge that was placed on Smith inaccurate. The charge that was placed on him was under for killing an officer, but I believe that it should be for a continued threat to the public. Criminals who has committed a similar crime should receive the same for ALL criminals. I do not think that Smith should be treated differently.
I believe that my neighborhood is fairly safe. Although this is true, crime cannot be prevented in ALL neighborhoods. Even the nicest neighborhood is bound to have some criminal activity. I feel safe walking in the park alone without any improvised weapons or even walk to the closest store. I think that due to the fact that there is a baseball/softball game every weekend kind of reinforces the fact that my neighborhood is safe.
I think that if I ever see hoodlums in my neighborhood, the best course of action that I could do is
1) Ignore what’s happening and just close the blinds and turn off the lights
2) Call the police.
There really isn’t a lot for me to do without any major consequences. It’s not like I could just go up to a hoodlum and start beating him up because realistically, I would lose.
My Question: What do you think of all the nonviolent criminals behind bars for drug related offenses, sucking up tax payer dollars and federal funding in our prison system? Should we release individuals who meet that description?
In response to Josh: I believe that people who are sent to prison due to nonviolent crimes (drugs, jaywalking) should not receive a high sentence. In fact, I don’t think that some of these criminals should even be in prison, but rather receive a warning, fined, or house arrest. In addition, I also do not believe that these “criminals” should not be in prison due to the overcrowding of the prison system. To make matters worse, private prisons also often increase the sentence of these criminals, so people who are in prison due to nonviolent crimes stuck in prison for a longer time whereas actual criminals are let out.
Question: Do you believe that the current technology in the Police force is up to the standards today? Do you think that the police should invest in improving their technology, not necessarily in power, but rather in surveillance?
I do not necessarily feel that there is enough evidence to prove that he punched the deputy because of prior dealings with each other, and therefor feel that to use this against him in court there should be more evidence to back that theory up. However, I also feel that life in prison is not the way to go in hopes to “get bad members off out streets” because if that is our goal then we are building a false sense of reality. We should not aim to try to get these gang members off the street, but aim in educating and creating a better life for them to not fall back in their old lifestyle outside of prison. My nieghborhood is not one of the safer ones, and I do not feel comfortable walking around when it gets dark since there have been a lot of crime, and shootings near my house.
Question: Do you feel that prisons should adapt to try giving prisoners the tools to succeed when they leave prison, or to give prisoners longer sentences to keep the outside “safe”?
Response to the Prompt:
When watching the video I was quite appalled by the activity that this person decided to partake in. I honestly thought Humanity you would have more sense than this, not saying all people would do something like this, but the majority of people in the world have no respect for the sanctity of life anymore. The sheriff did not deserve to die in such a gruesome way. The fact that the murder was so shocking, surprising, or quite frankly just caught the sheriff off guard, means that anyone could come across an encounter with a person who has road rage and that could have been any person to die because of something like this. I don’t feel safe knowing that there are drivers out there that have such a capability as this considering I just got my license. Even seeing people out on the streets doing dangerous crimes makes me fearful to go running in the night because I’m a minor and a young girl at that.
I feel like a program needs to be established in the way that Samuel LaRussa has mentioned. there has been a company called homeboys which takes x-game members that want to change their lives and make them into productive hard-working citizens. I think more diverse and specific programs like these need to be in existence to get people that are searching for their purpose in life a place and opportunity to find that purpose.
Response to Mariana:
My conspiracy theory regarding the man’s two strikes not wanting to go on a third because he knew the officer and being involved in a car accident could have cost him his third strike. I don’t believe that a minor fender-bender can cause someone to have such drastic road rage, even though the world is becoming very crazy or people’s morals are declining. this man did not know that having punched him in the face would result in him being on trial or worse. Having a 3 strike law is a great opportunity for people to turn their lives around considering that they have multiple chances to fix the path that they are going on. It is up to the person to choose to test the law and face their fate.
Response to Samuel:
I would love for the community to be more involved with its patrons as well as the citizens to be more careful and Karen about what goes on within their surrounding. However, as far as the program’s opportunities go for having people be involved I don’t think there is very many if any. I have never heard of citizens having the power to say whether someone can go on death row or what not. That power is something that people need to have training for and be in the court system in order to do. Programs by spreading kindness and awareness are what the people can do and I’m fully in support of that.
Thoughts on the Prompt:
I like how it keeps us intertwined with the community as well as fully informed on the current event issues of today. If not for Topher’s blog post I wouldn’t have known about this incident. I think that having the opportunity to share what we are passionate about as well as what is most relevant in today’s world through our opinion is a good thing. I enjoyed learning about this case, especially for wanting to go into the legal field in the future to defend people’s rights.
Sources:
myfoxla. “San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Mourns the Death of Deputy Larry Falce.” YouTube, YouTube, 3 Jan. 2018, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFRJDgMnzvA.
“Man Charged With Murder in Attack of 70-Year-Old Off-Duty Deputy in San Bernardino.”KTLA, 4 Jan. 2018, ktla.com/2018/01/03/man-charged-with-murder-in-attack-of-70-year-old-off-duty-patrolman-in-san-bernardino/.
Question:
Knowing your perspective career that you want to go into, now that it is second semester of senior year, how can your career help people like these get off the streets?
If they did have a previous relationship, then it should be taken accountable because it could’ve been why Smith resorted with violence. He has previously committed crimes and it’s possible that the deputy was involved. I believe that the case should be further investigated as to why Smith lashed out on Mr. Falce. Further investigation would result in a better understanding of the crime, which would help the final sentencing of Smith’s crime. I feel completely safe in my neighborhood because it’s not an area of high criminal activity, and I’m completely aware of my surroundings. I’m unsure as to how we can keep dangerous people off the street because you never know who’s violent. Possibly having a better sentencing system in the criminal justice system could result in less dangerous people off the street, but there is no absolute fix. It’s very saddening for not only Mr. Falce losing his life, but also his family having to deal with his loss. No one could know who is violent or not. Prejudice is somewhat a way to feel if someone is dangerous; however, it could also be a way of misjudging someone’s true self.
Response to Marisa: Prisoners should be given the tools to succeed because some resort back to crimes because they are unable to care for themselves after they’re released from prison. If they were given the tools such as education then criminal activity would be less. However, at the same time, even if they did learn the tools and try to earn a living, some workplaces wouldn’t even hire them because they’re ex-cons.
Question: What are ways of reducing ex-cons committing crimes again?
Response: Many criminals will have negative thoughts towards officers, especially ones who reprimanded them. Their past relationship should be taken into account as it could be seen as a motive. Smith could be locked away for manslaughter added on to the two strike felony, but I don’t know much about what requires a certain punishment. My neighborhood is a primarily Latinx and we’re known for having gangs, but the most gang action I’ve seen are police helicopters and graffiti. I have walked around on my own numerous times, feeling nervous and aware of what to do in certain scenarios. I am also aware that there are ex-cons living around me (I can name three living on my street), but I have never felt as afraid of them than I feel around cops.
Question: How can we assure that ex-cons can get the help they need to become a functioning member of society again?
Mr. Smith should have the same rights when it comes to court jury and judge because he is a American citizen he is one of us and I strongly believe that even though he killed a officer. People need to make sure the punishment is reasonable they need to make sure they take every part of the evidence to consideration. For me he is a criminal he should be sentenced but take into consideration that he didn’t intend to do it. I think that we need more cops that can be out in the streets so that crimes like this don’t happen. The cops and others risk there lives for people’s safety they want people to feel safe and cops want to put the bad guys away.There are crimes being done everyday but things like this is way different.
The thing is that criminals have negative thoughts towards the cops because the criminal knows that the cops are going to do whatever it takes to bring that one criminal down. I live in La Puente, people say it’s ghetto but I say it depends where you go. Yes there are people part of gangs but that’s all up to you what you do in that gang. I mean there’s times where we have cops or helicopters searching for people but in any place that can happen.
Mariana’s Question:
I think that some criminals don’t have the ability to foresee what they have done. I believe that Smith and his actions got him in big trouble because of what he did. I feel like he wasn’t hiding anything but it ended up with a death of an officer which is very sad. The three strike rule/law is very reasonable in this car because he’s on parole so it keeps a person from coming more crimes but some people keep committing crimes which causes them to loose there parole.
My Question:
Do you think the people who have committed crimes change when they are in prison? Do you think they are allowed back into society?
Them having a prior relationship would definitely add to the court case as a motive for the murder. A two strike felon such as himself should be locked away for more time. He should be locked away without parole to set an example for other criminals. Laws are not for regular people. Regular people follow the law because they are regular people. Laws are for those that wish to cause harm to their fellow person and should be punished as such.
In responds to Fernanda, prison is a short term solution. They are not corrected in prison and usually are not affected at all in a positive way. A better solution than our current system should be implemented before we consider releasing them.
How could we improve our current correctional system to create a better outcome for the prisoners?
Prompt:
Do you think that the fact that they had a prior relationship while Falce was on duty should be taken into account in the courtroom? Also as two strike felon should Smith be locked away for the rest of his life with out the chance of parole or do you believe other punishment should be allowed? How safe do you feel just walking your neighborhood street, and what can we do to keep dangerous members of society off the streets?
Response to Prompt:
Given that Falce and Smith had a prior relationship to this tragic incident I would have to say that this should be taken into consideration in the courtroom. Considering this fact may provide the prosecutors with more evidence as to Smith’s motive for killing Falce in the first place. Due to the fact that Smith killed Falce, I strongly believe that Smith is not worthy of receiving parole or anything less than a life sentence. Most murder cases result in life in prison or even the death penalty. It is in my opinion that Smith should definitely be given life in prison without the chance of parole as he is considered a “career criminal” as stated by KTLA5 in their article. Having grown up in my neighborhood, I am accustomed to its people and do feel safe. In order to keep dangerous members of society off the streets we can continuously report violent/dangerous individuals to the police.
Response to Ashley’s Question:
I believe people that murdered an officer or someone with a similar status should still receive the same sentence as those that murdered a regular citizen. This is because law enforcement and regular citizens should be considered as equal in regards to their place in society.
Question:
What other laws beside the “three strike law” do you believe will be most effective in reducing the chances of crimes like these happening regularly?
Source [MLA 8]:
“Man Charged With Murder in Attack of 70-Year-Old Off-Duty Deputy in San Bernardino.”KTLA, 4 Jan. 2018, ktla.com/2018/01/03/man-charged-with-murder-in-attack-of-70-year-old-off-duty-patrolman-in-san-bernardino/.
In response to Topher, I do believe that the fact that they had a prior relationship should be taken under consideration in the courtroom. This is because it is possible that the guy who killed the officer did it purposely or it was all part of some scheme between him and his gang. At this point I think Smith was given the chance to better himself and try to go in the right path but has chosen not to. It is possible that such thing has happened because society has not accepted him due to his past or simply that his gang affiliation has kept him from bettering. Parole is a good idea in some cases but with Smith I do not believe it is no longer an option sadly. Personally, I am a very paranoid person and feel as if I’m never one hundred percent safe because of how evil people are now a days. Even when I go out with my mom and sister I am afraid that someone can attempt to harm us in anyway possible. It would be great if something could be done, but I feel as if our authorities already try their best to keep their citizens safe. The problem isn’t the system but society itself and the people who decide to harm others just for their own benefit or malicious act. It is very sad to think about but it is just humanity itself that needs to be fixed so that we can all feel safe walking home or even down the street.
In response to Fernanda: I do believe that some prisoners change while they are incarcerated but it is society’s rejection that makes them fall back to the same old track. Society is afraid and labels these people as criminals and once that is done it is hard to remove that label.
In response to Maxwell: The ways in which we can reduce the crime rate of ex-cons is by as a society accepting the crime that was committed and try best to move on from it. I mean if someone raped or killed someone it is hard to do but maybe their can be special programs that provide them with jobs. It may even be jobs amongst themselves and those who do not mind working with ex-cons, just something to make them feel a part of society again.
My question: How would society be different if the labeling theory didn’t exist at all?
Scribe: Topher Castro
myfoxla. “San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Mourns the Death of Deputy Larry Falce.” YouTube, YouTube, 3 Jan. 2018, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFRJDgMnzvA.
Nowhere in the article does it state that the two had a prior involvement together, but if they did then it should definitely be accounted for in the courtroom. Regardless of the 3 strike law Smith murdered someone so automatically I believe that the penalty should be life in prison. That said I don’t think it was Smith’s intention for Falce to die, but what happened happened and he has to face the consequences. Regarding public safety I feel pretty safe where I live to just walk around, day or night. Obviously just because I feel safe doesn’t mean I am, there is always a chance a criminal could be lurking around the corner, and that’s really just apart of life. You can never cleanse the streets of all crime and that’s just a fact.
In response to Ashley: Do you think that people who have killed an officer should receive a harder sentence or punishment or they should receive the same sentence or punishment as if they killed any other person?
I believe if you murder someone in cold blood then you should get life in prison no matter the circumstances. It doesn’t matter who it is or how old they are murder is murder. Let it be said that murder is different from simply killing. You can kill people in self defense and of course they should not be punished for defending themselves.
Question: Are there any reasonable punishments to give a murderer other than life in prison?
I feel because of the relationship they have, this case should be taken into court because of the we never know what kind of intentions Smith had towards Falce. He could’ve been envy of everything Falce had relating to work. Because if we really think about it, who comes up punching someone in the face while the other person is making a good deed with an innocent animal. No one does that or knows that the person is doing a heroic action, unless the person is stalking. But other than that, there should be justice towards this case. This isn’t a sensitive case, where we could just forget about it and not bring justice. Smith must face the consequences and hopefully regrets his actions. Now my answer to Topher’s question about walking in my neighborhood at night while feeling safe. I personally do, I grew up in my neighborhood and nothing big has happened in the last 16 years I’ve lived there. Yes there has been cases where people tried to break in houses down the street but never actually did. I usually walk my dog at night with my sister, so yes I do feel safe walking at night in my neighborhood.
Response to Fernanda: I feel some prisoners do changed but not all of them. It’s usually the ones that realize, there’s help out there and people who actually love them. But there’s prisoners who don’t care and would do it again if they could.
Question: Do you guys think if Falce were to be at another place at the time or been doing something else, even in the daylight. Would Smith still have the guts to go up and do what he did or would have he thought about it twice?
Prompt: Do you think that the fact that they had a prior relationship while Falce was on duty should be taken into account in the courtroom? Also as two strike felon should Smith be locked away for the rest of his life with out the chance of parole or do you believe other punishment should be allowed? How safe do you feel just walking your neighborhood street, and what can we do to keep dangerous members of society off the streets?
I think that gathering all evidence that involves the two people in the crime should be gathered and worked into the discussions in court. Thus, if there was a pre-existing relationship between Deputy Falce and Alonzo Smith, then I think that it should be taken into account in the courtroom, as it would serve as a piece of the puzzle.
Smith should face life in prison for his crimes, without parole. I believe this is just as he has previous charges to his name and is an admitted gang member, and has now received charges for homicide. According to the links provided by Christopher C., it was obvious that the attacker, Smith, had intentionally inflicted harm upon the off-duty deputy. As of right now, there is no evidence that would show Falce instigating the crime.
I feel safe walking in my neighborhood streets because I have lived there for over 10 years. My family has been on the same block for even longer, so many neighbors have history with my family. I am friendly with those in my neighborhood, and there has never been a disturbance other than a grumpy old man yelling at squirrels to stay off of his yard. To help maintain this friendly environment and expand it beyond my neighborhood, I would suggest that the law enforcement members are well-communicated with the citizens. I believe this would sharpen the organization among communities and strengthen the forces because a trust is well-established.
Answer to Fernanda M.:
I think that the prison-experience varies from person to person. One person might realize their past mistakes, learn from them, and turn their life around. Alternatively, an individual who was wrongly accused may develop anger and hate in themselves, causing them to lead a hateful life. I think anyone can reintegrate into society so long as their sentence permits it, and the individual has completed programs that prove they will be safe around themselves and others.
My Question:
Do you think the story would have been told differently if the roles were reversed, and the deputy had attacked the gang member? Would it have been told at all?
MLA:
“Man Charged With Murder in Attack of 70-Year-Old Off-Duty Deputy in San Bernardino.”KTLA, 4 Jan. 2018, ktla.com/2018/01/03/man-charged-with-murder-in-attack-of-70-year-old-off-duty-patrolman-in-san-bernardino/.
myfoxla. “San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Mourns the Death of Deputy Larry Falce.” YouTube, YouTube, 3 Jan. 2018, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFRJDgMnzvA.
“California ‘Three Strikes’ Law.” California Criminal Defense, ca-criminal-defense.com/california-three-strikes-law/.
Prompt: Do you think that the fact that they had a prior relationship while Falce was on duty should be taken into account in the courtroom? Also as two strike felon should Smith be locked away for the rest of his life with out the chance of parole or do you believe other punishment should be allowed? How safe do you feel just walking your neighborhood street, and what can we do to keep dangerous members of society off the streets?
I think all evidence that involves the two people in the crime should be gathered and worked into the discussions in court. Thus, if there was a pre-existing relationship between Deputy Falce and Alonzo Smith, then I think that it should be taken into account in the courtroom, as it would serve as a working piece of the puzzle.
Smith should face life in prison for his crimes, without parole. I believe this is just as he has previous charges to his name, is an admitted gang member, and has now received charges for homicide. According to the links provided by Christopher C., it was obvious that the attacker, Smith, had intentionally inflicted harm upon the off-duty deputy. As of right now, there is no evidence that would show Falce instigated the crime.
I feel safe walking in my neighborhood streets because I have lived there for over 10 years. My family has been on the same block for even longer, so many neighbors have history with my family. I am friendly with those in my neighborhood, and there has never been a disturbance other than a grumpy old man yelling at squirrels to stay off of his yard. To help maintain this friendly environment and expand it beyond my neighborhood, I would suggest that the law enforcement members are well-communicated with the citizens. I believe this would sharpen the organization among communities and strengthen the forces because a trust is well-established.
Answer to Fernanda M.:
I think that the prison-experience varies from person to person. One person might realize their past mistakes, learn from them, and turn their life around. Alternatively, an individual who was wrongly accused may develop anger and hate in themselves, causing them to lead a hateful life. I think anyone can reintegrate into society so long as their sentence permits it, and the individual has completed programs that prove they will be safe around themselves and others.
My Question:
Do you think the story would have been told differently if the roles were reversed, and the deputy had attacked the gang member? Would it have been told at all?
MLA:
“Man Charged With Murder in Attack of 70-Year-Old Off-Duty Deputy in San Bernardino.”KTLA, 4 Jan. 2018, ktla.com/2018/01/03/man-charged-with-murder-in-attack-of-70-year-old-off-duty-patrolman-in-san-bernardino/.
myfoxla. “San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Mourns the Death of Deputy Larry Falce.” YouTube, YouTube, 3 Jan. 2018, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFRJDgMnzvA.
“California ‘Three Strikes’ Law.” California Criminal Defense, ca-criminal-defense.com/california-three-strikes-law/.
Do you think that the fact that they had a prior relationship while Falce was on duty should be taken into account in the courtroom? Also as two strike felon should Smith be locked away for the rest of his life with out the chance of parole or do you believe other punishment should be allowed? How safe do you feel just walking your neighborhood street, and what can we do to keep dangerous members of society off the streets?
I do think it’s important to consider that they had a prior relationship because that means they have history and multiple things could’ve went down between the two of them which could then develop different motives. He definitely needs to be locked away for life because of him doing the act of killing someone. It also just seems fair because lately there have been a lot of people getting locked up for a long period of time for crimes that aren’t as serious as killing someone. I think also for the safety of society because we already live in a world that is very dangerous and no risks should be taken with someone who initiated the murder, he wasn’t doing it in self defense he hit him first. I personally feel pretty safe in the area I live in and it makes me be more loose but I do stay aware of my surroundings, especially in areas where it’s not so safe. I think what would help so much but seems rather difficult to accomplish is in society and how we treat each other. everyone thinks differently, which is ok, but we have to learn to respect to each other and understand it’s not ok to just go and kill innocent people.
Response to Julie: I think society wouldn’t be so judgmental of each other, people would think more equal of each other. I do think though some negatives is that people would get taken advantage of and people would get away with more things because if you don’t judge them by the bad choices they’ve made, that leaves the door open for them to make more bad choices which could ultimately affect you.
Question: What’s can society contribute to the increasing rates of crime in todays world?
RESPONSE:
I think the prior relationship between the late Falce and Smith should be/ should have been taken into account in the courtroom because from there they can find out Smith’s true malicious intents that could have been his idea or his gang’s. Even as a two-strike felon, I do believe he should be locked away for life without a chance of parole. He was given a second chance of not being sentenced to 12 years in prison and had to chance to get his act together and he didn’t, he didn’t learn from his mistakes or think twice about how his actions would affect Falce.
I don’t feel anything walking down my neighborhood street because I really never walk around my streets because although East Pomona isn’t as bad as some other cities across the country, it’s still pretty bad. My house has gotten robbed twice, someone got shot at the corner of my street and little down further from my street and a bunch of other things. I honestly don’t think there is any definite way to keep dangerous members of society off the streets because there will always be bad no matter what is done but one way could be cracking down on actual felonies such as murders and such instead of minor things as say maybe a broken head light, which is still bad but not as bad as other things.
RESPONSE TO ALYSSA’S QUESTION:
I think it has been more common to hear about cops being killed because of the grudges some hold against all cops because of the few bad ones. I think some people have lost respect for all cops because of the few malicious cops who kill citizens when they don’t have to, and mostly those they happen to kill are people of color and they tend to treat people of color harsher than white people.
RESPONSE TO ASHLEY’S QUESTION:
I think people who have killed an officer or someone in law enforcement should serve a longer/harsher sentence because they know they have authority and are important but it is also depending on the situation because there are some cops that do anything and are killed like Falce but others who kill people because they are simply scared when they have nothing to be scared of.
QUESTION: Do you think if what has been happening in our world recently, like the aggression of the few bad cops specifically towards people of color, was not happening Smith and others like him wouldn’t act so violently against cops who have no bad intentions?
WORKS CITED
– Bravo, Kristina, et al. “Man Charged With Murder in Attack of 70-Year-Old Off-Duty Deputy in San Bernardino.” KTLA, KTLA, 4 Jan. 2018, ktla.com/2018/01/03/man-charged-with-murder-in-attack-of-70-year-old-off-duty-patrolman-in-san-bernardino/.
– “California ‘Three Strikes’ Law.” California “Three Strikes” Law, California Criminal Defense, ca-criminal-defense.com/california-three-strikes-law/.
Considering that they had a relationship prior to him being on duty, I believe that it should be taken into account in the courtroom as this could have had an effect on the occurrences. Since Smith is a two strike felon I don’t think he should be given the amount of chances that he has been given. Not that I think he should be locked away for life, but definitely other punishments should be initiated. As I am a cautious individual, the idea of criminals being released is a terrifying thought. In order to keep dangerous members out on the street I think information about the felons should be available to all and they should be placed on parole until further improvements are noted.
In response to Julie ow would society be different if the labeling theory didn’t exist at all?: I think society would be different as judgement would be greatly diminished between different types of people and would not make prior misconceptions to be formulated.
Question: What should be implemented for crimes to be reduced with felons who continuously commit them?
Scribe: Topher Castro
myfoxla. “San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Mourns the Death of Deputy Larry Falce.” YouTube, YouTube, 3 Jan. 2018, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFRJDgMnzvA.
Prompt: Do you think that the fact that they had a prior relationship while Falce was on duty should be taken into account in the courtroom? Also as two strike felon should Smith be locked away for the rest of his life with out the chance of parole or do you believe other punishment should be allowed? How safe do you feel just walking your neighborhood street, and what can we do to keep dangerous members of society off the streets?
I do not think that the fact that they had a relationship prior should be taken into account in the courtroom because it does not effect the homicide. Smith should be locked up without parole especially since he is being charged with homicide. I feel very safe walking in my neighborhood street.
In response to Andy: No I do not think the stories would have been different.
Response: I feel relatively safe in my neighborhood during the day but its not the greatest area to be in at night since there are many occurrences with police coming by to houses for who knows what but other than that it’s okay. I don’t think the fact that he they had a prior relationship should matter due to the severity of the case considering it is a homicide.
In Response to Clarissa: I think those who continue to commit crimes should not receive parole after 3 times and should be kept in jail since they haven’t learned their lesson.