Los Angeles, Ca
Will Smith would face little more than a slap on the wrist if charged
Will Smith’s slap seen ’around the world on the Oscars was clearly a criminal offense, authorized specialists say, however the possibilities of prosecution are slim and even when convicted he’d doubtless face little greater than a slap of his personal — on the wrist.
Smith left hundreds of thousands of witnesses shocked Sunday when he marched onto the stage of the Dolby Theatre and smacked Chris Rock within the face after the comic made a joke about his spouse, Jada Pinkett Smith, who was sitting with the actor within the entrance row.
The Los Angeles Police Division has stated it was conscious of the incident however was not investigating as a result of Rock declined to file a police report.
Whereas police may technically open an investigation primarily based on the Academy Awards broadcast, they wouldn’t accomplish that with out Rock’s participation, stated protection lawyer Alan Jackson, a former Los Angeles County prosecutor who oversaw high-profile instances.
“Would they ever in a sensible world do this when Chris Rock is saying, ’I gained’t cooperate with a legal investigation?’ Not in one million years,” Jackson stated. “LAPD might be respiration a relative sigh of reduction that they don’t must get entangled with two high-profile actors duking it out on a world stage.”
The Los Angeles metropolis legal professional’s workplace, which prosecutes misdemeanor crimes, declined to remark, however stated it couldn’t deliver expenses and not using a police referral.
“If he’s going to be charged, I can’t communicate to what the cost can be,” spokesman Rob Wilcox stated.
Information of celebrities in bother has been a fixture in LA since Hollywood’s early days, and questions incessantly come up about whether or not the wealthy and highly effective obtain a distinct model of justice.
“The celeb factor is coming into play, sadly,” stated former LA District Legal professional Steve Cooley. “If some Joe Blow dedicated this act in entrance a police officer, would he would be capable to stroll away from it? Most likely not.”
If Smith isn’t charged, it may imperil the justice system’s credibility, stated Jody Armour, a regulation professor on the College of Southern California.
“How can what seems to be an apparent legal act dedicated within the open publicly not end in any legal penalties?” Armour requested. “Do completely different requirements apply to celebrities and noncelebrities? Apparently, we appear to all acknowledge that’s the case. However what does that recognition say to us in regards to the legitimacy and credibility of our legal justice system?”
Whereas the well-known can use their standing to affect decision-makers, their fame can work in opposition to them if the prosecutor decides to make an instance of a criminal offense by somebody well-known.
“I might shocked if the town legal professional doesn’t significantly take into account it as a result of it was so public,” stated Alison Triessl, a legal protection lawyer who has dealt with many misdemeanor battery instances. “Are they sending the improper message in the event that they don’t prosecute him?”
Triessl stated there’s no query a criminal offense was dedicated, and there’s no want for the sufferer to file a report. Prices are routinely introduced in home violence instances with out cooperation from the sufferer as a result of the crime is in opposition to the state for violating its penal code.
“It sends a message that you could commit a criminal offense and also you gained’t be punished,” she stated. “This was a really improper message.”
Protection legal professional Adam Braun stated it’s unrealistic Smith would face expenses within the absence of great accidents and with out assist from Rock.
“Though a prosecution isn’t doubtless, the wild card right here is that the proof is overwhelming and the incident was witnessed stay by hundreds of thousands,” Braun stated. “Prosecutors may really feel compelled to prosecute Will Smith, no matter Chris Rock’s desire, to keep away from creating the impression {that a} rich actor is above the regulation.”
If Smith have been charged, he would face a misdemeanor battery depend, which carries a penalty of as much as six months in jail. Even when prosecuted and convicted, it’s unlikely he would face incarceration and there are options to going to court docket that would result in a penalty as gentle as having to attend anger administration courses.
Cooley stated if he have been advising Smith, he’d have him voluntarily enroll in anger courses after which attempt to persuade prosecutors to not deliver expenses within the curiosity of justice as a result of he had acknowledged his downside and was coping with it.
Cooley stated he’d need extra info on the case as a prosecutor earlier than making any selections. He stated stated LAPD was untimely in asserting they weren’t getting concerned.
Stephen Downing, a retired LAPD deputy chief, stated a case might be introduced. However he stated it was cheap to not waste assets when Rock apparently wasn’t injured or ruffled sufficient to file a criticism.
“Rock carried on as if nothing occurred to him,” Downing stated. “He didn’t even put a hand to his cheek. There didn’t seem like an damage. If he had knocked him to the ground and rendered him unconscious, I believe motion would have been taken.”
The future of voice to text is here.
I’ve been testing a variety of tools that make taking notes, transcribing audio, and even voice typing faster and easier than ever.
If you have a smartphone, you’re already halfway there!
Google’s Pixel Recorder app is free and built into their smartphone. It’s excellent for transcribing meetings, lectures, and conversations – all in real time.
Apple’s Voice Memos App recently added transcriptions if you’re upgraded to iOS 18.
Samsung’s Voice recorder app now offers transcripts too – as long as you’re on their latest One UI 7 software. (Check Settings > About Phone > Software Information)
Got an older phone? Try Otter.AI. It works great for transcriptions across devices and you get 300 minutes a month free.
Don’t want to tie up your phone?
I’ve been testing AI-powered digital audio recorders from a startup named Plaud.
The Plaud Note is thin, records for hours, and can even clip to the back of your phone to record calls. Just make sure you know your local laws before using that feature.
The Plaud Pin can be clipped to your shirt or worn on your wrist for hands-free recording.
Both devices sync audio to a companion app that auto transcribes and summarizes.
You get five hours of transcription a month included, with options to pay for more.
Pricing for each gadget starts around $160 dollars.
Want to transcribe audio files on your computer?
My favorite Mac app is MacWhisper. You can even get it completely free – although paid versions are avaialble with more features and options.
On Windows, check out Vibe Transcribe, also free.
And for a web-based option, Whisper Web gets the job done.
Finally, if you want to type less and talk more… there’s an excellent AI voice-to-text app called Wispr Flow. It was previously Mac only but just became avaialble for Windows, too.
One you install it, you pick a hotkey. Then, instead of typing just press and hold down that key and dictate what you want to write.
Since it uses the power of AI, you can even stumble or ramble and it will clean up your words and get the punctionation right.
It’s a gamechanger for responding to emails fast! You get 2,000 words free each week with options to pay for more.
Enjoy your newfound time!
An alleged attack on a state prison officer by a 43-year-old inmate transferred from Los Angeles County is being investigated as attempted homicide, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation officials announced Tuesday.
The March 18 incident at Salinas Valley State Prison in Soledad reportedly unfolded just before 9 a.m. on what authorities describe as a “dayroom floor.”
The inmate, Anthony G. Ramirez, is believed to have pulled an improvised weapon from his waistband before attempting to attack custody staff member, according to a CDCR news release.
“Staff immediately responded, disarming Ramirez and placing him in handcuffs without incident,” the release detailed.
The 43-year-old, who was transferred to SVSP in 2008 after being sentenced to life with the possibility of parole for second-degree murder, with enhancements for the use of a firearm and causing great bodily injury or death, was placed in restrictive housing pending the investigation and possible felony prosecution by the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office.
Both Ramirez and the custody staff member were examined by medical personnel who noted no serious injuries.
Officials said that the California Correctional Peace Officers Association was notified of the incident and prison staff were offered peer support services and employee assistance programs.
Salinas Valley State Prison, opened in 1996, houses more than 2,400 minimum, medium, maximum and high-security inmates. The facility also offers vocational programs and academic classes and employs some 1,800 people.
A toxic algal bloom leaving an increasing number of marine mammals stranded along Southern California beaches shows no signs of subsiding and “will only get worse,” officials said Monday.
“This week, we saw more stranded dolphins (both alive and deceased) than we saw during the major domoic acid (DA) bloom in 2023,” Marine Mammal Care Center (MMCC) Los Angeles posted on Facebook.
Recent tests showed DA-producing algae levels have increased, and officials believe that trend will continue in the coming weeks. “We anticipate that it will only get worse,” the post read.
MMCC asked the public not to approach sick dolphins or sea lions on the beach because they can become aggressive upon awakening from a seizure.
“This is a safety issue for people and their pets as much as it is for the marine mammals,” officials said.
Beachgoers were also urged not to push stranded dolphins back into the water, saying it can reduce their chances of survival.
More information about domoic-acid poisoning can be found at https://marinemammalcare.org/domoic-acid/.
The volume of sick marine mammals has also had a financial impact on the MMCC.
“Our team is working heroically to respond to every call and to rescue every animal they can. Please share this post and give now at marinemammalcare.org/donate to give these marine mammals a second chance at life!” the MMCC stated.
Anyone who encounters a sick or stranded marine mammal can alert the nearest lifeguard and call 1-800-39-WHALE to make a report.
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