INSIDE Century City/ Westwood
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CenturyCity-WestwoodNews.com
November 2024
Ex-VA Police Officer Sentenced for Civil Rights Violation in Baton Assault Man Struck 45 Times With a Baton in Assault Captured on Video The former officer of the Veterans Affairs Police Department (VAPD) who was accused of beating a man at the VA was sentenced on Monday to 12 months in federal prison. The assault was captured on video footage that was released in 2022, shortly after the incident. Juan Anthony Carrillo, 46, of Alhambra, pleaded guilty in July to one misdemeanor count of deprivation of rights under color of law. U.S. District Judge Wesley L. Hsu, who handed down the maximum sentence allowed for the
offense, emphasized the responsibility law enforcement officers have to maintain public trust. “Officers owe a special duty and have a special obligation to keep the trust of the citizens they police,” Judge Hsu said during the sentencing. The assault occurred at approximately 4:00 a.m. on January 16, 2022, at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center. The victim, identified in court documents as “R.V.,” was detained by another VAPD officer when Carrillo arrived to assist. Carrillo used a baton to strike R.V. approximately 45 times in 41 seconds, even as the victim screamed in pain. Many of the blows were delivered while the other officer, significantly larger than the victim, was restraining R.V., who was unarmed. The victim suffered cuts to both legs
and a broken bone in his right foot as a result of the attack. The case was investigated by the FBI, the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, and the VA’s
Office of Security and Law Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Susan S. Har and Michael J. Morse of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section prosecuted the case.
Brentwood’s Beloved New York Bagel Co. to Close After 21 Years at Topa Town & Country Center eviction. Patra became emotional while with a business plan, said they would Local Favorite, telling me the story because the bagel be willing to remodel their business and shop means so much to her and Ted and said, “We are willing to do whatever Designed by the friendships that they have forged you want us to do.” He responded that members of the community are so people think of New York Bagel Co. as Renowned Architect with an institution in Brentwood and that the meaningful to them. meeting ended on a positive note. There Fred Gehry, was never any mention of raising the rent. Must Vacate by However, when they had not heard back from him by August and they were December 31 renting the space on a month to month New York Bagel Co., the beloved bagel shop in Brentwood, has sadly received word from the owners of Topa Town & Country Shopping Center that they must close and vacate the premises by December 31, 2024. The current owners of New York Bagel Co., Ted and Petra Cichowski, have owned the restaurant since 2003 when they bought it from the original owner David Rosen. They have 21 years of history in Brentwood and the bagel shop is an institution and gathering place for the residents of the neighborhood, so this is a sad blow to Brentwood. The shop itself was designed by architect Fred Gehry, who was a friend of Rosen’s, so New York Bagel Co. is also a part of Los Angeles’ proud architectural history. I spoke with Patra Cichowski who told me the story behind the restaurant’s
She said, “It’s our family, our employees, like Manny, and especially the customers, They’ve all been like our family. Our kids have grown up there and we’ve watched kids grow up. We’ve seen some of them who now have kids [of their own]. We never did it to make a ton of money. We just wanted to do something that we enjoyed and to make a living.” The restaurant’s lease was up for renewal in June and Ted and Petra met with the Vice President of Anderson Real Estate, who owns the Topa Town & Country Shopping Center, and is also apparently a customer of the shop. She said that their broker told them that the VP liked them and wanted to work with them to stay. At the meeting, they presented him
basis, since the lease had not been renewed, they became concerned and reached out to their broker. By the time they heard back from Anderson Real Estate, it was August and they were told that the company was “looking into other prospects.” In mid-October, they finally received an email that they had until December 31 to vacate the property. Prior to being told that they had to
leave, Patra said that the company had told them that an insurance adjuster was going to come by to take a look at the property and she recognized the person from another restaurant company who she knew. The shop also received a visit from a couple of architects around that time as well when Ted and Patra were not there. From what she has heard, the owners of the complex want to bring in “fresh faces” to change the look of the mall. Patra said that she is not sure what the future of the New York Bagel Co. is and that so many customers have tried to help them find a new space, for which she is grateful. She mentioned that she trusts that things works out for a reason, but cannot help but be concerned, especially for some of her longtime employees.