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Bureau of Community Relations
Courageous Citizen Award Honorees
2008 Honorees
Honored in April 2008
In November 2005, David H. P. Lee witnessed an armed robbery
in progress at a Bank of America branch in Monterey Park. When
the victim called for help, Mr. Lee came to his aid. He first
used his car in an attempt to block the suspect from escaping
and then tried to wrestle the suspect off of his motorcycle.
During the struggle, the suspect threatened Mr. Lee with a knife
and subsequently stabbed and fatally wounded the robbery victim
before fleeing.
By describing the suspect’s face and attire to police,
positively identifying the suspect and ultimately testifying in
the murder trial, Mr. Lee’s awareness and concern helped send
the defendant to prison for life plus an additional 57 years to
life.
- Christopher N. Chavez [ Top ]
Christopher N. Chavez and three of his co-workers were riding
their motorcycles on Interstate 10 in the San Gabriel Valley in
July 2007 when an aggressive driver started tailgating them in a
sport utility vehicle. Mr. Chavez and a friend motioned for the
SUV to stay back. But the vehicle’s driver continued to drive in
a threatening manner and eventually veered into the riders,
leaving one of the motorcyclists injured.
The driver then fled the scene. Mr. Chavez followed
the vehicle and tracked it to a residence. Mr. Chavez summoned
police and the driver was arrested. Thanks to Mr. Chavez's
selfless acts in this case, the defendant is awaiting trial on
the charge of attempted murder.
Several weeks later, Mr. Chavez died in a separate traffic
incident.
Mireya Arias made the courageous decision in July 2007 to
come forward as a witness in defense of a childhood friend who
was sexually molested by her step-father when she was a girl.
The friend had confided in Ms. Arias about the abuse when they
were both about 11 years old. At the age of 20, Ms. Arias’
friend gained the strength to press charges. However, more than
10 years had elapsed and the only other person who knew the
extent of the abuse was the defendant, who denied everything.
Honored in May 2008
On the morning of May 3, 2006, Rickey Overton saw a man
savagely beating a woman in downtown Los Angeles. While a crowd
gathered around and watched, Mr. Overton threw himself in harm’s
way by attempting to stop the assault. While narrowly escaping
a few wild punches from the assailant, Mr. Overton was able to
wrestle the defendant to the ground and hold him until police
officers arrived to make the arrest. Although the victim later
died from the attack, Mr. Overton was instrumental in assisting
with the prosecution of the defendant. He testified not only at
one trial that ended in a hung jury but also at a second trial
where the defendant was found guilty of second-degree murder.
Federal Express driver Jirayr Setaghian was making his
deliveries in July 2007 when he heard the sound of a woman
yelling for help. Mr. Setaghian quickly recognized that the
woman was calling attention to two men speeding away on
bicycles. With no time to waste, Mr. Setaghian set out in his
FedEx truck chasing the suspects. After a pursuit through San
Fernando Valley streets, Mr. Setaghian blocked the path of one
of the suspects. He left his vehicle and successfully detained
the suspect until police arrived. The woman positively
identified the suspect as one of the men who burglarized her
boyfriend’s vehicle. One count of second-degree burglary and
two counts of receiving stolen property were filed against the
suspect. He was sentenced to 16 months in state prison.
As Marilyn Ewing drove home alone on Adams Boulevard in the
early morning hours of May 3, 2007, she noticed a school police
officer on the side of the road reaching underneath a young
woman’s skirt. Sensing impropriety, she drove by again for a
closer look. Ms. Ewing’s concern intensified when the officer
made eye contact with her and briefly stopped the assault. Ms.
Ewing recorded the Los Angeles School Police Department
officer’s license plate number and called 911. Her close
attention and quick thinking led to the arrest of the officer
when he came off of his shift that same morning. Despite her
apprehension, she testified in court against the officer. The
defendant was convicted of sexual battery by restraint,
inappropriate force by a public official and other charges.
- Deputy District Attorney Peter Bliss [ Top ]
Deputy District Attorney Peter Bliss and two Pomona police
detectives were surveying a known gang neighborhood in September
2006 when they spotted a convicted felon reaching toward his
waistband. The suspect fled and the detectives, with Mr. Bliss
in the backseat, pursued him in their police vehicle. The
detectives’ suspicions were correct. The suspect was illegally
carrying a firearm. When Mr. Bliss and Detective Greg Freeman
pulled up on the suspect in their vehicle, he charged at them
with his gun pointed at Detective Freeman. Mr. Bliss was
essentially trapped in the back of the police vehicle but
grabbed his own handgun, fired at the suspect and helped save
Detective Freeman’s life.
Honored in June 2008
- Shera Smith and Shatishe Smith [ Top ]
The screams of a neighbor’s 7-year-old daughter jarred
sisters Shera and Shatishe Smith while they were in their Los
Angeles home on April 30, 2006. The girl’s father was stabbing
her mother. Ms. Shera Smith saw the victim trying to escape
from the attacker. Both Smith sisters tried to help the victim
but they were stopped by Ms. Shera Smith’s husband and Ms.
Shatishe Smith’s boyfriend, who pleaded with them not to get
involved and blocked the exit of their home. Undeterred, the
sisters climbed out a bedroom window, aided the victim by
applying pressure to her stab wounds and comforted her until
police arrived. The victim was stabbed 23 times but survived.
The defendant was charged with attempted murder and sentenced to
life in prison.
Outwardly, Ms. Genevieve C. is a bright and successful
conservationist. However, Ms. C.’s earliest memory is of being
raped by a close family member. She endured terrible sexual
abuse, which led to physical and psychological problems. At 33,
while living alone in an apartment in Venice, Ms. C. was the
victim of a serial rapist. The aftermath of the 1996 rape in
combination with her childhood memories plunged her into a deep
and hopeless despair. She suffered through a string of
emotional, physical, financial and relationship difficulties.
DNA evidence led to the suspect’s arrest and a trial 11 years
after the attack. Despite the trauma, Ms. C. identified the
defendant and walked the jury through the brutal attack in open
court. Two other victims also came forward. The defendant was
convicted on all counts and sentenced to 50 years to life in
prison.
- Christopher Smith-Lavezzari [ Top ]
A staff sergeant in the U.S. Air Force who was about to leave
for a tour of duty in Iraq, Christopher Smith-Lavezzari was
ready to enjoy a light shopping trip at Sam’s Club in September
2006. As he entered the store, he noticed people running around
in a panic. Sgt. Smith-Lavezzari saw an employee of the store
being chased by a man, who was believed to have been
shoplifting, holding a Taser gun. That is when Sgt. Smith-Lavezzari
jumped into action. He chased the man and tackled him from
behind. After wrestling with the suspect and enduring a few
Taser strikes to the chest, face and arm, Sgt. Smith-Lavezzari
held him with the assistance of store employees until an arrest
was made. The defendant was charged with armed robbery and was
sentenced to 21 years and four months in prison.
Honored in August 2008
Mr. Jaime Corona is a clerk for Department O in Compton. In
March 2007, he heard the department’s bailiff calling for help
from the courtroom’s lockup area. Mr. Corona and a deputy
public defender went into lockup and found the defendant banging
the bailiff’s head into a locker. The defendant held a shank to
the bailiff’s throat but Mr. Corona boldly grabbed the
defendant, helped wrestled the shank away and held him in a
headlock until other bailiffs came. After the incident, Mr.
Corona received threats from the defendant’s street gang and was
forced to temporarily change work locations. Despite the
threats, Mr. Corona testified before the grand jury and at
trial. The defendant was convicted and sentenced to 103 years in
prison plus a life term.
Mr. Tony del Valle was part of an armored vehicle security
team guarding a large shipment of cash in March 2006. The team
was picking up and delivering money at a Long Beach bank. While
Mr. del Valle was preparing to leave the bank, he saw three
masked men pointing assault rifles at the other guard and
demanding money. Fearing for his colleague’s life, Mr. del
Valle fired 13 shots through a glass window of the bank and hit
two of the suspects. All three suspects were captured – one at
the scene and two after they fled. The men were convicted. One
was sentenced to 265 years in prison plus seven life sentences,
another was sentenced to 45 years to life and the third received
a 21-year sentence.
Ms. Annabella B. was sexually assaulted by a serial rapist in
2007. While driving her daughter to school several weeks after
the assault, Ms. B. saw her attacker walking with a girl near
the school. Ms. B. called police and followed the suspect.
When the man saw Ms B., he took off running. Ms. B. went into
the school and found his intended victim. Police learned that
the suspect used the girl’s cell phone and called his own
phone. The girl’s phone stored his number. This helped police
track him down. His DNA matched evidence left by Ms. B.’s
attacker. After the trial, several jurors commented on Ms. B.’s
courage. The defendant was sentenced to 127 years in prison
plus five life terms.
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