11. "I like to watch the news because I don't like people very much and when you watch the news, if you ever had an idea that people were really terrible, you could watch the news and know you're right." - Frank Zappa
Los Angeles Times
Deavers-Boothe sentenced to multiple life terms.
Billie Newman, Los Angeles Times
September 5, 2014 - 12:33 p.m.
Los Angeles - After a nearly-six month trial that included the revelation of a secret marriage, pro se legal defense and the attempted illegal recording of the testimony of two undercover law enforcement officials, Tina Ann Deavers-Boothe was sentenced to 26-life terms to be served consecutively for kidnapping and murder and a series of shorter sentences for identity theft, fraud and assault all to be served after the life sentences. Judge Zoey Hiller handed down a sentence with the intent that Deavers-Boothe "will never be released from incarceration during her remaining life."
Deavers-Boothe was found guilty in the kidnapping and murder of 26 men and women, including teenager Elizabeth Kelly whose identity Deavers-Boothe assumed.
The 22-week trial, where Deavers-Boothe acted as her own attorney, opened with the revelation that she married convicted murderer Sebastian Boothe two days after Boothe was released after being incarcerated for six year on theft charges. In January, Sebastian Boothe pled guilty to all charges brought against him in exchange for the death penalty being removed as a sentencing option. Boothe is serving 26-consecutive life sentences for kidnapping and murder. There were additional sentences for the attempted murder of a Los Angeles police officer, kidnapping and assaulting a federal agent. He is currently fighting extradition to North Carolina where he is a suspect in the death of a Durham woman while he attending graduate school.
In her role as defense attorney, Deavers-Boothe was allowed to cross examine the police officers, forensic specialists and federal agent behind her arrest along with the only living victim. The testimony of a 20-year old college student kidnapped and beaten by Deavers-Boothe was the centerpiece of the prosecution's case. Aggressive cross-examination earned warnings time and time again from Judge Hiller as Deavers-Boothe attempted to taunt and intimidate the victim on the witness stand.
A week after the victim's testimony, the courtroom had to be cleared when an associate of Deavers-Boothe was discovered using his telephone to record the testimony of a deep undercover LAPD detective assigned to an undisclosed federal agency. Michael Sweeney, who worked for Boothe Financial as an administrative assistant to the CEO, was discovered with the testimony of the LAPD detective and an undercover federal agent recorded with his Boothe Financial issued cellphone. Sweeney pled guilty to second degree criminal contempt and sentenced to one year in jail.
Det. Matthew C. Bernhart, who was stabbed by Boothe during the kidnapping of the undercover federal agent, was the public face of law enforcement during the trial. While several federal agencies were involved with investigation, Det. Bernhart, now on modified duty, gave detailed testimony of an investigation that targeted Sebastian Boothe in the death of a Navy officer turned film and television technical advisor only to learn of a "Bonnie and Clyde"-style crime spree spanning decades. In his victim impact statement, Det. Bernhart said that he wore the scars from his stabbing with pride because it led to the arrests of Boothe and Deavers-Boothe. He also hoped she lived "another one-hundred years locked away from good and decent people."
The 20-year old kidnapping victim addressed Deavers-Boothe during her impact statement saying, "I will celebrate every birthday, every accomplishment in my life, every good thing that happens to me knowing that I am free and you are not. I will see the sunshine for more than one hour a day. I will see my family, my real family and not a family I appropriated. I will see my friends and know that you could not and did not take these things from me." The young woman concluded her statement thanking law enforcement, especially the federal agent who found her and did not leave her side until she was reunited with her family in the hospital.
Deavers-Boothe refused to make a statement to the court before sentencing, claiming she did not want to impact her pending appeals.
Judge Hiller found that Deavers-Boothe to be a violent sexual predator and recommended segregation from the general population in the California Institution for Women.
Times staff writer Joseph Rossi contributed to this report.
Photograph Dennis Price, Los Angeles Times, September 5, 2014
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Washington Post
Rep. Teresa Miller to retire for university job.
Daughter to seek seat.
Gray Grantham, Washington Post
March 20, 2014
Upper Marlboro, MD - Rep. Teresa Miller will retire from Congress at the end of her current term to rejoin the University of Maryland system as Provost. Miller, 61, has served in Congress since 1992.
"It has been my great honor to serve the people of the 5th Congressional District. As I embark on this next phase of my life, I thank the good people of my district for their faith, trust and support during my time in the House."
Potential candidates for Miller's seat include the Representative's only child, daughter Andrea. Andrea Miller is a former FBI Assistant Director who was instrumental in the Boothe-Deavers serial killer investigation and uncovering the murder and identity theft of young Elizabeth Kelly of Haverford, PA. Former Assistant Director Miller was also a key player in several Wall Street financial investigations after working with the FBI's Behavioral Sciences Unit. While a respected member of the FBI, political insiders believe the younger Miller lacks her mother's personal touch with both voters and Hill staffers.
Rep. Miller has a long-standing association with UMD, working as a history professor from the 1980's until her successful run for the House in 1992. With her husband, longtime Washington power broker Frank, Rep. Miller endowed the Josephine Messina Scholarship fund at UMD. Named for Rep. Miller's immigrant mother, the scholarship offers financial assistance to first generation Americans attending UMD.
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Malibu Times
The Matthew C. Bernhart Beach House Opens.
Notorious houses of horror begin new mission for injured police, fire and military personnel.
Andrea Sachs, Malibu Times
May 1, 2015
Promising to let "goodness and healing" thrive in a place of death and despair, philanthropist Lillian Bernhart along with her son Matthew opened the Matthew C. Bernhart Beach House. Built on the grounds of the former homes of Sebastian Boothe and the Bianca Roman Foundation, the Bernhart Beach House will provide a comfortable rehabilitation facility for Los Angeles Police Officers and Firefighters as well as U.S. Military members injured in the line of duty.
As the properties sat unsold for nearly a year, The Bernhart Foundation approached the city with an offer to purchase the land, raze the existing structures and build a rehabilitation facility for Los Angeles police officers and firefighters as well as area military members injured in the line of duty. The 50-room facility includes a full-time staff of doctors, nurses, physical and psychological therapists, top of the line rehabilitation equipment and guest rooms for family members staying with their injured loved ones.
The $750 million state-of-the art facility joins the Frances J. Bernhart Family Apartments at Los Robles Hospital as just the latest charitable endeavors by The Bernhart Foundation to the Los Angeles medical community.
"During my son's rehabilitation, he went missing one Sunday morning. While everyone was in a panic, Matt probably did the best thing for his health. He called a fellow LAPD detective, an officer who was badly injured himself in the line of duty a year and a half earlier, and that officer smuggled Matt out of the hospital and to the beach," Lillian Bernhart explained at the ribbon cutting ceremony. "While scaring both the rehab facility staff and our family half to death, Matt told me he took off to breathe the sea air, to see the sun from something other than the window in his room, to feel the sand between his toes and to walk into the ocean. He was stronger and happier after that. There were a few other unauthorized trips to the beach and every time he returned healthier and happier. Even with the high quality of care he received during his time at the rehab facility, it made me realize the medical environment needed to offer the same restorative qualities."
Matt Bernhart joked his way through the ribbon cutting ceremony, asking his mother why he didn't get a Malibu beach house when he ran away the first time at 15. He thanked the staff of the Beverly Hills Rehabilitation Facility for their help returning him to good health and to his career with the LAPD. He apologized for the new competition. Turning serious, he thanked his family for their tireless support during his recovery and the LAPD officer who found him after the stabbing and then saved him "with contraband In 'n Out dinners and unauthorized day passes to the beach."
The Bernhart Beach House was met with some local opposition when it was initially announced. When television producer Arthur Winston mentioned in a television interview some of his Malibu neighbors were less bothered with having two serial killers living among them than recovering heroes, opinions quickly changed. Winston later put his money behind his vocal support, financing the building of a small restaurant for the facility, Janie's Kitchen, and movie theater on the premises so patients and family members could enjoy a normal evening away from their rooms and rehabilitation. Winston endowed three scholarships at the International Culinary School at the Arts Institutes to provide a rotating group of chefs to work in Janie's Kitchen.
The Bernhart Beach House will start accepting patients next week.
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Hollywood Reporter
Arthur Winston's Police Drama Earns Series Order at USA Network.
2:10PM, 4/9/14 by Megan Carter, The Hollywood Reporter
From the "The National Guard" and "U.S. Air Marshals" executive producer comes a cop-buddy drama to premiere in the fall.
Hollywood - The USA Network ordered 13-episodes of "Matthews and Martin" from longtime television producer Arthur Winston. This will be his third series with the network.
"Matthews and Martin" is about deep undercover officers working for the LAPD. Josh Duhamel returns to television as Vanderbilt "Vandy" Matthews, the scion of a wealthy East Coast family who found his own path in law enforcement. A bearded Penn Badgley plays Evan "Marty" Martin, who survived a troubled childhood to become one of Los Angeles's finest. Season one will feature a 13-episode single storyline where the pair work undercover as brothers and drug dealers. Mitch Pileggi will play Lt. Ken Norman, the leader of LAPD's Undercover Division.
The drama will be shot in Los Angeles. Real life hero cop Det. Matt Bernhart will consult on the series. Winston said he was taken by Bernhart's heroism during the Boothe-Deavers investigation and impressed with LAPD's Undercover Unit.
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Publisher's Weekly
Amazon and Barnes & Noble refuse to distribute "Hyde: A True Story," Tina Deavers-Boothe's self-published autobiography.
Staff, June 10, 2015
E-book super-retailers Amazon and Barnes & Noble confirmed that they will not distribute convicted mass murderer Tina Deavers-Boothe's self-published autobiography. The companies in separate statements sited concerns with the content of the book as well as objections from Robert Louis Stevenson's estate as contributing factors.
Well-reviewed in its self-published form, "Hyde: A True Story" presents Deaver-Boothe's 20-year descent from scholarship winner and identity thief to CEO and convicted kidnapper and killer.
Deavers-Boothe hand wrote her autobiography and mailed pages weekly to her former assistant Michael Sweeney. Sweeney, working with upstart E-Book publisher Johannes, has tirelessly promoted the book while looking without luck for a major publishing house to distribute the book as a trade paperback.
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Read The Beat Magazine
Promotions/Commendations:
Detective Matthew C. Bernhart was promoted from Detective I to Detective II retroactive to his return to modified duty on June 1, 2014. Det. Bernhart will move from LAPD's Undercover Unit to the Department's Film Unit, overseeing the issuance of film permits and working with productions to provide insight to the Department's procedures. Det. Bernhart was awarded the Medal of Valor, the Department's highest honor, for his extraordinary bravery and heroism during the Boothe-Deavers investigation.
Detective Martin A. Deeks was awarded the Police Medal of Heroism during the Boothe-Deavers investigation.
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NCIS SWFO News
Personnel Moves:
NCIS's San Diego Office is proud to announce the addition of Stephen M. Johnson as a Special Field Agent. Johnson, a ten-year veteran of the LAPD, came highly recommended to the Agency from NCIS's Office of Special Projects. His insight during the murder investigation Lt. Commander Corbert Anderson Moran III was invaluable, according to Assistant Director Owen Granger.
Johnson will work with agents investigating gang-related crimes. During this time with the LAPD, Johnson was a highly respected member of the Gang Unit. He comes to the San Diego Office after spending nearly five years in the private sector.
Johnson is married with two children. His brother, Capt. Marcus Johnson, is stationed at Camp Pendleton.
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CaliforniaFishing .Net
May 27, 2014
2014's Trout Derby at Big Bear Lake Results
Big Bear Lake's annual Trout Derby was a tremendous success on Memorial Day Weekend. For the third consecutive year, anglers did not catch the specially tagged $50,000 trout. Organizers were grateful to the participants this year. The record breaking contributions from participants and spectators will guarantee a successful restocking of the lake.
2014's winners:
Big Fish:
Adult Male - Ruben Ramos of Simi Valley, 6.01 lbs, won $1,000.
Adult Female - Patti Tucker of Loma Linda, 4.10 lbs, won $1,000.
Junior Male - Mike Hill of Glendale, 2.41 lbs, won $200, 13 years old.
Junior Female - Emily Lee of Riverside, 2.16 lbs, won $200, 12 years old.
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Thank you all for reading, reviewing and clicking favorite - it is an honor. You are all so generous. It is a joy to read your thoughts. Really, I cannot thank you enough.
Plan to be back soon - having way too much fun with the program not to play with the characters again.
Thank you again,
Tess
September 8, 2013