Davis Vanguard opines on proceedings of Reynoso's unofficial panel

Two cases receive attention: Gutierrez Navarro death and Ochoa search

Witnesses testify on Gutierrez case; allege gestapo tactics by Gang Task Force officers
Sunday, February 21, 2010

Former Supreme Court Justice Cruz Reynoso is chairing a thirteen person commission on civil rights to look into the 2009 shooting of Luis Gutierrez. Saturday marked the first public meeting of that commission where they took testimony from four witnesses to Gutierrez's mannerisms and activities of the day, the shooting itself, and the tactics of the officers. In day one of testimony taken by the Yolo County Independent Civil Rights Commission a number of witnesses were called to testify. Some of these were direct witnesses to facets of the events of the day that Luis Gutierrez was shot by three Yolo County Sheriff's Deputies working for the Yolo County Gang Task Force.

More questions about official Gutierrez report as weekend testimony wraps up
Monday, February 22, 2010

The final portion of [Private Investigator Frank Roman's] testimony focused on the witness Rudulfo Flores. Here was the official account:

On June 1, 2009, Yolo Sheriff’s Office Deputy J. Lazaro contacted Flores at Woodland Memorial Hospital. At that time, Flores was in the custody of the Yolo County Sheriff. Flores told Lazaro the person who died was known as “Indian Gutierrez” because he was a good knife thrower. According to Flores, the deputy was lucky not to get killed because Gutierrez, who is a Sureño gang member, is a dangerous person and had said he would not let the cops take him.

On June 2, Woodland Police Department Detective Ron Cordova reinterviewed Flores. Flores advised he knew Gutierrez (Navarro) as a Sureño because since he (Flores) associates with Sureños. Gutierrez always carried a knife and was good with it. Gutierrez’s nickname was “Indio” because he was good with a knife. Flores knew Gutierrez used controlled substances and was considered dangerous.

Sheriff Prieto promises "full and complete investigation" of complaints about a gun put to 9 year-old's head
Tuesday, February 23, 2010

The Vanguard on Sunday morning was the first to report on nine-year-old [name withheld] who is now suffering from what appears to be post traumatic stress disorder stemming from treatment she received by Sheriff's Deputies last June, the same team from the gang task force led by Sgt. Dale Johnson and including Deputies Bautista and Ovieda that had a little over a month before [he] shot and killed Luis Gutierrez.

More evidence emerges to substantiate charges against sheriff's deputies
Wednesday, February 24, 2010

The ER report shows that Santiago Ochoa took his daughter into the emergency room on the evening of June 25, 2009. That is two weeks after police had raided their home on June 11. Mr. Ochoa confirmed with the Vanguard that this was the same day he brought his daughter to the Sheriff's department where they made an oral complaint and requested assistance for his daughter.