San Diego police have launched a homicide investigation into the death of a woman who was reportedly found stabbed in a ravine near the Birch Aquarium at Scripps in La Jolla on Monday morning.

According to police, groundkeepers found the woman in a ravine behind the aquarium, which is located at 2300 Expedition Way. At about 7:17 a.m. the worker's supervisor contacted police.

Once on scene, authorities reportedly discovered the woman had multiple stab wounds to her body.

Although she was still alive, the woman was unresponsive and medical crews transported her to Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla, where she later died, according to police.

Police describe the woman as being in her 30s and wearing street clothes at the time she was found.

Authorities said the woman had no identification on her and there was no indication whether she was a student, employee, or homeless.

Investigators at the scene reported finding some property that has yet to be evaluated.

There is no sidewalk in the area where the woman was found, but authorities said there was a foot path near where her body was discovered.

Because of the rugged terrain, investigators said they have to be more thorough in combing the area for evidence.

Police said they are trying to locate witnesses or anyone who may have information about the incident.

UCSD sent out an alert to its students and faculty on Monday morning regarding the incident, although it's unclear whether the woman had any ties to the university.

We will update this story once more information becomes available.
 

A home security camera captured the struggle between a La Jolla homeowner and the biotech executive accused of shooting him.

The video recorded what happened inside the home of Ronald Fletcher on Cottontail Lane in the early morning hours of September 18.

Hans Petersen is accused of breaking into the home of Fletcher, his estranged wife's brother, and shooting him just hours after another shooting at the home of his former business partner Steven Dowdy in the Bird Rock area of La Jolla.

“I was fighting for my life,” Fletcher testified about the confrontation with Petersen in the bathroom of his home.

Fletcher said he was in his bathroom getting ready for the day when he heard a man demand that he open the door and his safe at the count of three.

“Before he said three, bullets were coming through. I could see them. He shot through my door and they ricocheted in the bathroom,” he said.

Fletcher, 43, was struck in the stomach by a bullet. He testified that he managed to grab the gun from Petersen and waited for police to arrive.

In the video, officers can be seen entering the home with guns drawn. Fletcher throws down the gun and Petersen immediately surrenders.

Fletcher's sister Bonnie was in the process of divorcing Petersen at the time of the shooting.

Dowdy, a UCSD researcher and former business associate of the defendant, also testified at Monday’s hearing about what happened at his home on Waverly Avenue earlier that morning.

Dowdy, 53, was shot through his bedroom window by a man wearing a hooded sweatshirt standing outside his home. He testified he thought the noise was a brick strapped to an M80 at first but his wife confirmed the noises they were hearing were bullets.

Dowdy, who was home with his wife and two childrenk, said he threw framed photos out of the window to distract the shooter and keep him from getting inside the home.

“I yelled ‘I’m hit, I’m hit’ and then there was a third shot,” Dowdy testified. “At that point I realized the person was not there to rob our house but in fact was there to kill me.”

The bullet went through his pelvis traveling about an inch from his spine. He was hospitalized for more than a week.

According to Dowdy, his relationship with Petersen soured when Petersen lost his job and blamed him.

Dowdy testified that Petersen sent him several emails over the course of three years that “progressively got more disturbing” and that the two men hadn’t spoken since the day Petersen was fired – Sept. 12, 2010.

“He hasn’t said a word to me since then,” Dowdy testified.

Fletcher's sister, Bonnie, spoke with NBC 7 and said her brother had been protecting her throughout her divorce from Petersen.

She said her brother, who’s a real estate agent, had helped her sell some property she owned with Petersen as part of their separation.

After Monday's preliminary hearing, Judge Leo Valentine Jr. will decide if enough evidence was presented for Petersen to stand trial.

He faces up to 96 years to life in prison if convicted.

Two former police officers were acquitted of all charges Monday in the 2011 beating death of a homeless man at a Fullerton, Calif., transit station.

It took a single day of deliberations for jurors to reach their verdicts regarding the culpability of former Fullerton Officer Manuel Ramos and former Cpl. Jay Cicinelli in the death of 37-year-old Kelly Thomas.

Ramos, the first police officer in Orange County to be charged with murder while on duty, was found not guilty of one count each of second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter. Cicinelli was found not guilty of one count each of involuntary manslaughter and excessive use of force.

Charges against a third former Fullerton police officer, Joseph Wolfe, will be dropped in light of the not guilty verdicts, Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas said outside the courtroom.

Reaction was emotional on both sides after the verdict was read. Ramos and Cicinelli began to cry when they were acquitted, with Cicinelli hugging his attorney. Thomas’ father, Ron, burst into tears, kicking or stomping his foot.

The Kelly Thomas Case: Timeline | Fullerton Police Ignored Misconduct, Report Finds

"Where do we really find justice any more in our justice system?" Ron Thomas said after the verdict. "It has been proven right here today that they will get away with it. They will get away with it."

"This is so egregious ... the audio, the video ... any bad cop can now just walk around and do what he wants to any of us," Thomas said. "We're all in trouble now."

The case ignited outrage in the community and led to the recall of three Fullerton City Council members, the departure of the city’s police chief and a scathing report that accused the department of ignoring misconduct among its ranks.

Dozens of people attended the trial each day wearing yellow ribbons and buttons bearing Thomas' image.

"It's a disappointing day. It's a sad day," Julie McDonnell, a concerned citizen and 22-year resident of Fullerton, said outside the courtroom. “Unfortunately, we didn’t get the outcome we wanted.”

Just hours after the ruling, the FBI announced it would examine the evidence and testimony in the trial to determine if more investigation is needed.

"In 2011, the FBI opened an investigation to determine if Mr. Thomas' civil rights were violated during the altercation with Fullerton police officers. With the conclusion of the state court trial, investigators will examine the evidence and testimony to determine if further investigation is warranted at the federal level," FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said in a statement to NBC4.

The American Civil Liberties Union also called the verdict "disappointing."

“Today’s not guilty verdict in the criminal trial of Fullerton police officers Jay Cicinelli and Manuel Ramos, who were charged in the beating death of Kelly Thomas is disappointing, and demonstrates the need for civilian police review boards in Fullerton and elsewhere in Orange County,” said Hector Villagra, executive director of the ACLU of Southern California.

In a statement, the Fullerton police chief said he respects the jury’s decision and referenced changes made in his department since Thomas’ death.

“We respect the jury's verdict, and appreciate the consideration the jury gave to the evidence. We understand that there may be a wide variety of reactions to the verdict and encourage anybody who wishes to express their feelings to do so respectfully,” Chief Dan Hughes said.

“Over the course of the past two and a half years the City of Fullerton Police Department has taken significant steps to make it the best department possible. As Fullerton’s new Police Chief, I will make sure those efforts continue so that our police department serves the community with honor, integrity and professionalism."

Read: Kelly Thomas "Just Trying to Survive"

Jurors were handed the case on Jan. 9 and entered into deliberations on Monday, hours before the verdict came down.

The trial included five weeks of testimony highlighted by a key piece of surveillance video and audio recordings from the night of July 5, 2011, when Kelly Thomas encountered officers as they investigated a report of someone trying to break into vehicles near the Fullerton Transportation Center.

The video shows the confrontation escalate to violence involving six officers and Thomas, who suffered from schizophrenia. Thomas could be seen on the ground crying out for his father nearly 30 times, apologizing and begging for air.

Thomas struggled with officers, but only because he "was just trying to survive," the district attorney told jurors, adding that Thomas was never informed of intent to arrest him.

Thomas was taken to a hospital and placed on life support. He died at a hospital five days later.
Investigators later determined that Thomas was not responsible for the break-in attempts.

Read: Kelly Thomas Was "In Fight That He Started"

Defense attorneys claimed Thomas was a violent, unpredictable man who was to blame for the altercation because he was combative and ignored officers’ orders.

The coroner's report determined Thomas died from chest compression during the struggle.

A southwest Florida counselor stirred up controversy after he picked up a pair of hair clippers and shaved a student’s head in school, according to affiliate NBC 2.

School officials at Harns Marsh Middle said that 11-year-old student Danny Valdes' haircut was too distracting and gang-related. The student was placed into in-school suspension.

Valdes’ head was designed by his stepfather, who owns a barbershop, for a Miami Heat game that he attended. His head was designed with the Miami Heat logo, Miami skyline and 305 writing.

"I wanted to get my hair like that to show how proud I am of my Heat," Valdes told NBC 2.

Valdes attended the Miami Heat game during his winter break but kept the haircut when he returned to school last week.

The assistant principal then called the boy's stepfather, Arnaldo Fernadez, to notify him.

"I told her when he gets home from school I'll cut his hair and I'll make it toward their regulations," Fernandez said.

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A school counselor then shaved the student’s hair with a pair of hair clippers so he could return to class, saying his stepfather said it was OK.

The 11-year-old student agreed to the haircut so he wouldn't miss class, but his stepfather said he never gave the school permission.

The school district released a statement on Friday saying:

"While the school counselor followed the wishes of the student and instructions of the student's stepfather that were provided over the phone in the presence of several witnesses, the district acknowledges the action taken by personnel were not appropriate."

The boy’s mother is upset at the situation and said she will be switching her son to a different school.

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A fundraiser for Staten Island congressman Michael Grimm has been arrested in connection with an alleged campaign finance scheme, authorities say.

Diana Durand was arrested by the FBI Friday, accused of using straw donors to allegedly funnel more than $10,000 into the Grimm campaign. She also allegedly lied to federal agents when questioned about the scheme and her alleged violations of the $4,800 campaign limits, officials said.

The fake donor, described as a personal friend of Durand, told authorities that Durand suggested she donate to Grimm’s campaign and that she promised to reimburse her, according to the FBI. 

Durand’s attorney did not immediately return a request for comment.

Grimm, a Republican, has not been charged with any wrongdoing. His attorney William McGinley said: "We are saddened that the government took the extraordinary step of arresting a single mother on these allegations, and hope the matter will be resolved quickly. The complaint does not allege any improper conduct by Congressman Grimm, and he denies any wrongdoing.”

The FBI said it has emails Durand wrote about the alleged campaign scheme.

“I was hoping for my birthday you will just let me forget about paying you back …… Just kidding,” Durand allegedly wrote in one.

Prosecutors said she then wrote the donor a check for reimbursement which was cashed on April 6, 2010.

The criminal charges filed out of the U.S. Attorney’s office in Brooklyn show the criminal investigation into fundraising linked to the Grimm 2009-2010 campaign is ongoing. In August 2012, questions began to surface about the fundraising activities of an illegal immigrant rabbi and thousands of dollars he allegedly helped raised for the congressman. To date, that rabbi has only been charged in connection with lying on immigration documents.

A spokesman for U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch declined to comment on the charges filed on Friday or the broader investigation.

The 46-year-old Connecticut man whose YouTube video shows him surrounded by marijuana plants is facing a string of charges after police say they found drugs, packaging materials and more than $1,000 in cash at his storage unit in Clinton.

William Bradley was arrested on Monday and charged with multiple counts of narcotics violations after police discovered marijuana, oxycodone, hashish and cocaine in a storage unit on Nod Place in Clinton.

In a YouTube video posted in October, Bradley stands among marijuana plants as tall as he is. He takes viewers on a tour of “Hope Garden,” identifies himself by name and asks for donations.

Bradley says in the video that he has terminal cancer and wants to give away the marijuana to other cancer patients. He says without donations, he’ll be forced to sell it instead.

“As you can see, God has gifted me with an abundance and it’s more than I need, so I want to take the extra and give it to people that need the help,” Bradley says in the video. “I want to be able to help people like myself, and I don’t have the money to do that.”

Bradley directs the donations to a post office box in Westbrook.

“Maybe have a fundraiser,” he suggests in the video. “Go to your church or synagogue or mosque or organization or school or anywhere, start a collection, so that we together can help people, help people that need this medicine.”

Connecticut has legalized medical marijuana and organizations have been approved to serve as designated growers.

"I need to get my marijuana license so that I don't have to be a criminal anymore and I need help financially," Bradley says in the video.

After searching Bradley’s storage bin on Monday, police said they seized more than two pounds of marijuana, more than 20 grams of hashish, two bags of cocaine, four oxycodone pills, $1,017 of drug money and drug paraphernalia including packaging materials, scales, drug notes and a cellphone.

Police confirmed that Bradley is the person in the video.

Bradley is facing multiple drug charges, including possession of narcotics with intent to sell, possession of marijuana with intent to sell, possession of hashish with intent to sell, possession of drug paraphernalia and operating a drug factory.

Police said Bradley had been previously arrested and was found in possession of more than 10 pounds of marijuana in 2008.

He’s being held on a $5,000 bond and is due in Middletown Superior Court on Tuesday.

Bradley has posted other videos of the marijuana garden, most recently in November.

See more videos here.

San Diego Sheriff’s deputies are looking for information about a local woman who hasn’t been seen in two months.

According to the sheriff’s department, 37-year-old Ann Marie Ackerman was last seen at her apartment in Santee in November 2013. Officials said a family member reported her missing on Dec. 26.

Ackerman is described as 5-foot tall with brown eyes and a mole on her right check. She is known to visit East County and Imperial Beach, according to a missing person’s bulletin.

Ten days after Ackerman was reported missing, her case was turned over to the Sheriff’s Department Homicide Unit.

Anyone with information on her whereabouts can call the homicide unit at 858-974-2321 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477. Tipsters could receive up to a $1,000 reward.

A judge’s decision Monday will release a violent sexual predator into the East County community of Jacumba Hot Springs.

Judge Howard Shore ordered Mikel Wayne Marshall, 39, to be released on or before Feb. 10 with a quarterly review hearing scheduled in May. He had originally delayed the ruling so he could personally visit the proposed release site.

He will be placed in a home on the 42,000 block of Desert Rose Ranch Road.

Marshall was convicted of molesting four young boys, ages 4-8, between 1992 and 1994, according to the San Diego County District Attorney. After spending the last 14 years in prison and a state hospital, the court decided last August that Marshall could safely be released, which has been met with a great deal of controversy.

“We did argue against his release and presented evidence to the court,” said Deputy District Attorney Kristen Spieler. “We believed he should not be released and was not ready. Ultimately the court made its ruling and we have to abide by that.”

District 2 Supervisor Dianne Jacob argued Marshall should not be released as well.

“With his ugly rap sheet, Mikel Wayne Marshall belongs behind bars for good, not out in our community putting San Diego County residents at real risk,” she said in a statement last month.

Contractor Libery Healthcare will provide the placement, which will be for at least a year, according to Spieler. Marshall will have quarterly reviews, the first on May 19, and will be re-evaluated after a year at the location.

A new at-home test could help spot early warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease.

Most memory problems are not due to Alzheimer’s. But when forgetfulness is caused by the disease, early treatment can make a major difference in quality of life.

Determining whether one needs early treatment for Alzheimer’s is becoming even easier, now with a simple at-home test called SAGE.

The test takes a few minutes and only requires a pen and paper.

Dr. Douglas Scharre and his team at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center developed and administered the test to more than 1,000 patients over five years.

More: Take the SAGE Test

Scharre’s team found that nearly 30 percent of those tested showed early signs of thinking problems they didn’t know they had.

“If we see this change, we can catch it really early,” he said.

And that’s crucial because most Alzheimer’s patients delay treatment for three to four years.

“We’re finding better treatments, and if you start earlier, you do much better than if you start the treatments two, three, four years later,” Scharre said.

In addition to early diagnosis, the test can be used to follow the results of treatment.

To be clear, the test will not make a final diagnosis but since it may pick up early signs of short-term memory loss and thinking problems, it may lead to a cure for treatable forms of memory loss and life-changing treatment for Alzheimer’s – a major step for many patients and their families.

Fresh from her big win at the U.S. National Championships, figure skater Gracie Gold paid a visit to the "Today" show to talk about her victory and making it to Sochi.

"I was on top of the world," Gold told host Savannah Guthrie. “I’m still on cloud nine. I was so proud of how I skated and I was able to earn my spot to Sochi."

The 18-year-old Illinois native took home the gold Saturday at the U.S. National Championships in Boston, defeating runner-up Polina Edmunds by 18 points. Proper training and trusting her coach helped her prepare for the event, she said.

"I felt really well trained going into nationals," she said. Gold finished second last year.

Both Gold and Edmunds earned a spot on the U.S. Olympic team, but controversy swirled around the final pick for the figure skating team in Sochi that was announced on Sunday. Mirai Nagasu, who placed third on Saturday was passed over for two-time national champion Ashley Wagner, who finished fourth.

“I really wish that we had four or five spots going to Sochi,’’ Gold said. “It’s so hard just to have three. The ladies' field in the U.S. is so deep, and they’re all wonderful skaters. There wasn’t a dry eye in the audience."

The Barrio Logan neighborhood officially joins the ranks of other well-known San Diego neighborhoods – like Hillcrest and the Gaslamp District – by getting its own sign.

Construction began with a ground-breaking ceremony Monday for the sign, which will span Cesar E Chavez Parkway between Main Street and Newton Avenue.

The Port of San Diego is acting as the sponsor for the sign project, in partnership with SANDAG, Caltrans, and the City of San Diego. The sign is part of a $1.7 million Port Access Project for the Barrio Logan community.

“In the tradition of Chicano Park and its iconic murals, this piece will be the Barrio Logan community’s newest architectural and cultural landmark,” said Bob Nelson, Incoming Chair of the Board of Port Commissioners. “This design is of the community, by the community, and for the community.”

The project also includes crosswalk enhancements, lane adjustments, and beautification improvements in the community near the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal.

Douglas Lane, who was accused of reckless driving for allegedly trying to overtake another car on a lane-merge on State Route 67 before hitting a bicyclist, pleaded not guilty during his arraignment Monday.

He was arrested for the October incident where he nearly killed bicyclist Ambika Sundaresan. According to court documents, Lane sped up to overtake another merging car. The two cars collided, distracting Lane from noticing he had hit the cyclist.

“My client is very distraught that anyone was injured over the course of accident,” said Lane’s attorney, Paul Pfingst. “He didn’t even know that for a significant period of time until the police told him that and then when he explained this to the police they said everything was fine.”

Pfingst says Lane was surprised at the charges and has been cooperating with police.

Sundaresan, who broke her neck and collar bone, is a single mother living in Carmel Valley. She was participating in the Pedal for the Cause San Diego cycling fundraiser in memory of her father, who died of non-hodgkins lymphoma in 2001.

“It’s been life altering not just for myself, but for my kids,” she said of the crash. “Every parent would like their child’s life to be this carefree, and I know it’s not been for my kids now.”

Former San Diego Mayor Bob Filner is facing a third civil lawsuit from the sexual harassment scandal that led to his resignation.

On Friday, a lawsuit on behalf of Michelle Tyler and Katherine Ragazzino was filed in Superior Court. The women are suing both Filner and the city of San Diego.

Special Section: Mayor Under Fire

In August, Tyler and Ragazzino went public with their accusations against the former Congressman at a news conference with Attorney Gloria Allred.

Ragazzino, a Marine Corps veteran, suffered a traumatic brain injury and PTSD while serving in Iraq. When she encountered issues with the VA, vocational nurse Tyler went with her to ask then-mayor Filner for help.

In the mayor’s office, Filner allegedly asked Ragazzino to leave the meeting and then began giving compliments to Tyler. Tyler claimed that Filner implied he would only help solve Ragazzino’s problem with the VA if Tyler agreed to go on a date with him.

At that time, Allred said Tyler and Ragazzino were not filing a lawsuit.

Filner’s former communications director Irene McCormack Jackson and Park and Recreation Department manager Stacy McKenzie have also filed civil suits against Filner.

Filner Scandal: The Key Players

Filner stepped down on Aug. 30, 2013, after dozens of women came forward with claims of sexual harassment.

In October, Filner pleaded guilty to three charges in a criminal case. He started his three-month house arrest sentence on Jan. 1.

Filner Scandal: Interactive Timeline

Sunset draws a nightly pilgrimage of San Diego residents and tourists to Sunset Cliffs.

“The view here is amazing, especially on warm sunny days,” visitor Les Roth said.

“It's awesome. There is nothing like it in San Diego,” visitor Sean Miller said.

But the picturesque view cost Anna Bachman, 25, her life. Investigators say on Sunday, the graduate student who grew up in the Bay Area was posing for a picture near the stairs to the beach when she fell 40 to 50 feet and died. 

Accidents are common at the cliffs. One motorist drove right over the edge last July. A hiker injured his legs and back after slipping down the rocks last March.

There are several warnings about the unstable coastline, but very few fences or barricaded areas.

On Monday night, City Hall discussed the possibility of limiting access to the cliffs. Spokesperson Katie Keach told NBC 7 that staff is reviewing the signage and fencing along Sunset Cliffs to make sure it is appropriate.

Les Roth doesn’t think more fencing is the answer.

“You can put a lot of money into things to make them safer, but you're always going to have that one person that goes outside the chain,” Roth said.

“They just have to be observant. They can't be worried about their cell phones. They need to be wearing good secure shoes,” he added.

Bachman is from Cotati in Sonoma County but was working on her master’s degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She was in San Diego visiting her sister, who was with her at the time of the fall.

SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. announced preliminary revenue results for fiscal 2013, estimating its revenue at $1.46 billion.

That figure would represent a full-year record for the company in its 50-year operating history. SeaWorld (NYSE: SEAS) credits record fourth-quarter total attendance at the company’s parks in San Diego, San Antonio and Orlando, Fla., for the revenue increase.

The company expects to release final fourth-quarter and fiscal 2013 results in March.

“We are very pleased with our fourth-quarter performance, particularly for the SeaWorld-branded parks in Orlando and San Diego, which helped us to achieve record revenue for the year,” President and CEO Jim Atchison said.

The Business Journal is the premier business publication in San Diego. Every day online and each Monday in print, the Business Journal reports on how local business operate and why businesses leaders make the decisions they do. Every story is a dose of insight into how to run a better, more efficient, more profitable business.

Restaurants workers in California aren’t allowed to handle ready-to-eat foods with bare hands anymore, a change one culinary veteran says could present a "huge change" and challenge for sushi chefs and other food preparers.

Changes to the California Retail Food Code that went into effect on Jan. 1 require chefs to wear single-use disposable gloves when working with prepared foods, unless a permit-holder has prior approval from a local enforcement agency.

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Restaurants and food preparers have six months to get up to code. While that extra time means the change likely isn’t on many restaurants’ radars yet, Larry Bressler, a teacher at Le Cordon Bleu in Pasadena and general manager of the Chefs Center of California, said California sushi shops might have a difficult time to transitioning into the new code.

“This is going to be a huge change for sushi chefs,” Bressler said.

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Bressler said dropping the bare-handed method of rolling rice into perfect mounds won’t be the same for some sushi-making veterans.

“It becomes that much more of a challenge, that much more of a hassle,” Bressler said. “They’re going to have a very negative reaction.”

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The existing code requires employees to thoroughly wash their hands before preparing food or donning gloves to work with food. Bressler, who teaches a food safety and sanitation course, said the changes were made to protect consumers from eating foods that have been contaminated or handled improperly.

“Sometimes your hands are the best tool available, but you have to know how to use that tool safely,” Bressler said.

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Though the change might be a big deal for some chefs, Bressler doesn’t expect it will change any diner’s experience.

“The only way that it will affect their experience is if they have a pissed off sushi chef,” Bressler said.
 

Hours after two former police officers were acquitted of all charges in the 2011 beating death of a homeless man at a Fullerton, Calif., transit station, the FBI announced Monday it would examine evidence in the trial to see if further investigation is needed.

Jurors reached the verdicts in just one day regarding whether Fullerton Officer Manuel Ramos and former Cpl. Jay Cicinelli were responsible for the death of 37-year-old Kelly Thomas. Both were found not guilty.

"In 2011, the FBI opened an investigation to determine if Mr. Thomas' civil rights were violated during the altercation with Fullerton police officers. With the conclusion of the state court trial, investigators will examine the evidence and testimony to determine if further investigation is warranted at the federal level," FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said in a statement to NBC4.

Jury Finds Ex-Officers Accused in Kelly Thomas Death Not Guilty

Ramos, the first police officer in Orange County to be charged with murder while on duty, was found not guilty of one count each of second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter. Cicinelli was found not guilty of one count each of involuntary manslaughter and excessive use of force.

Charges against a third former Fullerton police officer, Joseph Wolfe, will be dropped in light of the not guilty verdicts, Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas said outside the courtroom.

The Kelly Thomas Case: Timeline | Fullerton Police Ignored Misconduct, Report Finds

"Where do we really find justice anymore in our justice system?" Ron Thomas, Kelly’s father, said after the verdict. "It has been proven right here today that they will get away with it. They will get away with it."

The case ignited outrage in the community and led to the recall of three Fullerton City Council members, the departure of the city’s police chief and a scathing report that accused the department of ignoring misconduct among its ranks.

Protesters gathered Monday night outside the Fullerton Police Department to rally against the officers’ acquittals. Demonstrators also rallied at the Fullerton Transportation Center, the site where police fought with Thomas in the summer of 2011 in the violent caught-on-camera confrontation.
 

Protesters gathered on Monday evening to rally against the not guilty verdicts of two former officers in the beating death of a mentally ill homeless man.

An Orange County jury found Manuel Ramos and Jay Cicinelli not guilty of all charges -- including manslaughter -- in the 2011 death of Kelly Thomas. A surveillance video showed police pummeling and stun-gunning him.

The Kelly Thomas Case: Jury Acquits Officers | Timeline | Fullerton Police Ignored Misconduct, Report Finds

Ron and Cathy Thomas told reporters that the verdict effectively tells police officers that they can kill people and get away with it.

"They got away with murdering my son,” Cathy Thomas said through tears. “It’s just not fair. I guess it’s legal to go out and kill now.”

Ron Thomas says the couple are "all torn up" by the verdict.

"This is so egregious ... the audio, the video ... Any bad cop can now just walk around and do what he wants to do to any of us," Thomas said. "We're all in trouble now."

However, Ramos attorney John Barnett says the officers were simply doing their jobs, committed no crime and had "no malice in their hearts."

"These peace officers were doing their jobs, operating as they were trained, no malice in their hearts, not out to get someone that night," Barnett said. "They were working."

Protesters gathered Monday night at the Fullerton Police Department where Ron Thomas spoke, saying he’s planning on using his son’s case to call on California legislators to change the police officer’s "Bill of Rights."

About a dozen demonstrators also rallied at the Fullerton Transportation Center, the site where police fought with Thomas in the summer of 2011.

People who supported Thomas' family called themselves "Kelly's Army," and many feel the DA let them down.

"What happened to that fire? He's lost it," said Joanne Sosa, a member of "Kelly's Army." "Now he doesn't want to appeal anything, doesn't  want to go after other officers? He says people had their day in court? That's a lie."

Others as far away as Oakland planned a solidarity march for Thomas.

Others, meanwhile, reacted on Twitter.

“Disturbed to hear about the outcome of the #KellyThomas case,” wrote Twitter user Kim Deniz. "Keep fighting for justice Fullerton."

Twitter user Jonathan Graves, wrote: #KellyThomas I will never be stopping in Fullerton, CA and I'm appalled by this ruling. This is not the world I want my kids growing up in.”

“If you haven't been following the story, look up #KellyThomas,” wrote Twitter user Erin Hutchinson. “Horrible abuse of power by police that lead to murder of a homeless man.”

Wastewater managers battling an avian cholera epidemic that has felled 200 birds at a popular Silicon Valley bird-watching spot have hit on a stinky solution -- draining a pond and carting away poop from the bottom.

With warm winter weather temperatures expected to be "record setting" this week in the low 70s, officials from the South Bayside System Authority, which operates the pond in Redwood City, say that the odors could be "greatly enhanced."

"To mitigate what we can, we have heavy equipment ordered and coming in to try and keep the area as fresh as possible, but it is going to smell," Authority Manager Dan Child said. Mostly, it will stink for the 50 to 100 daily bird watchers and early-morning walkers in the area, he said, as well as the nearby homeowners and office park employees.

Foul odors have been emanating from the pond since crews began suctioning out the water on Friday because of the "several inches of bird excrement" on the bottom of the pond.

Since that process began, Child said the number of visitors to the pond has "drastically dropped." Extracting the water may take about a week, but fully draining, drying and refilling the pond may take all the way through summer and into the fall at the earliest, Child said.

This is the first avian cholera outbreak at this spot. But Child suspects that the birds flew over from an East Bay Regional Park District's pond at the Hayward Regional Shoreline, which has grappled with the disease both this year and last.

State Dept. Fish and Game Lt. Patrick Foy said that avian cholera is "very common" in California and the location of where it breaks out "fluxes from year to year." He added it's not a "huge biological issue, but something we have to manage." Aside from Hayward and Redwood City, the Woodbridge  Ecological Reserve and the San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge, both in San Joaquin County, had avian cholera deaths this season in California.

A bird watcher noticed a plethora of dead ducks at the Redwood City pond at 1400 Radio Road over the winter holidays, Child said, and it wasn't until Monday that a U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service lab in Wisconsin came back with the results of avian cholera.

Avian cholera typically erupts in wild fowl living in wetlands, which often have a lot of bacteria in the soil and water during the outbreak. Once the bacteria gets introduced, infected birds will die within six to 12 hours, according to "Avian Cholera in Waterfowl," which ran in the Journal of Wildlife Diseases. Ponds are natural homes for this disease because birds live in close quarters, according to Fish and Game.

On Tuesday, wastewater management crews resumed the weeklong work of draining the man-made pond. Child said he had the choice not to drain the pond and let the ducks die, but that "wasn't an option for me."

Child could not begin to estimate how much this would cost his water authority. But he did say that draining the pond would have no real human impact - no one drinks the wastewater - other than affecting the bird watchers who will have no birds to watch for several months.

The pond was created in 1998 on the west side of the treatment plant to eliminate dust from the dry barren dirt in the area. The pond is kept fresh by a flow of recycled water from the treatment facility to replace water lost by evaporation and by allowing a certain amount to overflow back to the treatment plant.

The Chargers’ improbable playoff run has already proved beneficial for one assistant coach.

Offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt was officially named head coach of the Tennessee Titans on Monday.

He was expected to get one of the NFL’s vacant coaching gigs, also interviewing with the Lions and Browns last week, in addition to the Titans. He had been thought to be the leading candidate take over in Detroit.

The Chargers saw their season end Sunday with a 24-17  loss to the Denver Broncos. This was the first year for Whisenhunt on the Chargers staff.

He becomes the 17th head coach in Titans franchise history, which goes back to their days as the Houston Oilers.

Whisenhunt was the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals from 2007 to 2012. His record was 45-51.   But the Cardinals were 4-2 in the playoffs, including a trip to Super Bowl XLIII, where they lost to the Steelers.