L.A. Times Earns Sigma Delta Chi Award for Excellence in Journalism
Chabria and Garrison won the award for crime reporting (print) for their investigative series examining how police interrogation tactics, widely used in California and around the country, have led to false confessions and fabricated testimony, putting the wrong people behind bars.
'Much of [what the] public understands about police work comes from TV and movies,' said the award presenter. 'This entry took readers deep into the real world. Loaded with facts and examples but structured and written in a way that never loses sight of people.'
The seven-story series included a report about how a mother of two was pressured into making a false murder confession; an article highlighting how a man on death row for murdering three teen girls may have been convicted based on false witness testimonies; and a story examining whether police should be able to lie during interrogations, among others.
To see the complete list of Sigma Delta Chi Award winners, visit spj.org.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Los Angeles Times
a day ago
- Los Angeles Times
L.A. Times Earns Sigma Delta Chi Award for Excellence in Journalism
Los Angeles Times staff writers Anita Chabria and Jessica Garrison have received a Sigma Delta Chi Award for excellence in journalism from the Society of Professional Journalists. The awards, which recognize outstanding work published or broadcast in 2024, were presented in a virtual ceremony on June 30. Chabria and Garrison won the award for crime reporting (print) for their investigative series examining how police interrogation tactics, widely used in California and around the country, have led to false confessions and fabricated testimony, putting the wrong people behind bars. 'Much of [what the] public understands about police work comes from TV and movies,' said the award presenter. 'This entry took readers deep into the real world. Loaded with facts and examples but structured and written in a way that never loses sight of people.' The seven-story series included a report about how a mother of two was pressured into making a false murder confession; an article highlighting how a man on death row for murdering three teen girls may have been convicted based on false witness testimonies; and a story examining whether police should be able to lie during interrogations, among others. To see the complete list of Sigma Delta Chi Award winners, visit
USA Today
a day ago
- USA Today
Jake Paul's apparent emoji response to opponent's ICE arrest was so gross
Either Jake Paul randomly decided to post an emoji of an American flag shortly after the Department of Homeland Security announced Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained his most recent opponent, or Paul chose the worst possible time to begin celebrating the Fourth of July early. The result is still the same, regardless. It's an awful look — for boxing, for Paul's aspirations in the sport and for his ability to negotiate future bouts. On Wednesday, DHS announced ICE detained Mexican boxer Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in the Studio City neighborhood of Los Angeles where he resides and is preparing for an "expedited" deportation process. The DHS press release purports Chavez Jr., 39, is wanted in Mexico on charges related to organized crime and trafficking firearms, ammunition and explosives. Yet the press release also noted Chavez Jr. "was determined to be in the country illegally and removable on June 27, 2025" — one day before he faced Paul at the Honda Center in Anaheim. The fight went on as scheduled with Paul earning at least $300,000 from the purse, but MMA Junkie noted that amount doesn't include pay-per-view cuts, gate cuts and discretionary bonuses that may have been paid by the promotions. Paul promoted the fight under his Most Valuable Promotions banner. It's easy to assume his true profits are much greater than the reported purse. Of course, none of those riches would've been possible without Chavez Jr., who Paul defeated by unanimous decision after 10 rounds of the night's main event. There are some very obvious questions about the timing of the ICE detention coming after the fight when DHS determined he should be deported before the bout. Which is to say Paul seemingly mocking the misfortune of his most recent opponent, when that opponent padded his bank account quite handsomely is just gross. Paul, a fervent supporter of Donald Trump, has always leaned into the villain role, but something about this feels particularly out of pocket, especially given Chavez Jr.'s recent comments about the fear spreading in Los Angeles due to ICE raids. Per USA Today: Chávez trained in Los Angeles before the fight against Paul and addressed the immigration raids that triggered protests in the city's downtown. "It even scared me, to tell you the truth, it is very ugly,' he told the Los Angeles Times for a story published June 23. 'I don't understand the situation, why so much violence. There are many good people and you are setting an example of violence to the community.' He also addressed federal agents wearing masks and not identifying themselves while targeting workers who appeared to be immigrants, according to the Los Angeles Times. 'Seeing children left alone because their parents are grabbed,'' Chávez said. '... That is common sense, we are people and we are going to feel bad when we see that situation.'' In the meantime, Paul is now angling for his next fight. Shortly after sharing his emoji post, Paul sent another tweet stating "Canelo is next". The middleweight champion just also happens to be from Mexico, which had plenty of Paul fans taking the comment to mean Canelo is next to be detained by ICE. Neither interpretation is likely to give Canelo any more incentive to fight Paul — not that Canelo had any incentive to face Paul as is. There are plenty of other legitimate contenders far more deserving of a title shot.
USA Today
a day ago
- USA Today
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. arrest: ICE detains champion boxer, who faces removal from U.S.
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., the former champion boxer from Mexico, has been arrested by ICE, the Department of Homeland Security announced Thursday. Chavez, 39, is being processed for expedited removal from the United States, according to DHS, which said Chavez has an active arrest warrant in Mexico for his involvement in organized crime and trafficking firearms, ammunition, and explosives. His arrest came four days days after Chavez Jr. lost a high-profile match to celebrity boxer Jake Paul. Chavez, the son of legendary Mexican fighter Julio Cesar Chavez Sr., lost the 10-round fight by unanimous decision at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. He was critical of immigration raids Los Angeles. In August 2023, Chavez entered the country legally with a B2 tourist visa that was valid until February 2024. In January 2024, Chavez was arrested in Los Angeles on charges of felony gun possession charges after police said they found him in possession of two AR-style ghost rifles, according to ESPN and the Los Angeles Times. He pleaded not guilty to the gun possession charges and agreed to enter a residential treatment program, according to those reports. Court records indicate Chavez was granted pretrial diversion. As of the last progress report on June 18, he was still in the program, said Greg Risling of the Los Angeles County District Attorney's June 25. "The minute order does not indicate he has to remain in California during the two-year, diversionary period," Risling said, referring to a court document. "But if he leaves the treatment program without permission or is discharged, he has been ordered to report to the court within two business days. "Generally speaking, a defendant on probation needs court permission to travel and that usually applies to diversion as well." On July 3, Risling referred questions about Chavez's case to the Los Angeles County Superior Court, which Risling said handles diversion programs and their respective conditions and terms. In its press release, DHS stated former President Joe Biden's administration allowed Chavez to reenter the country in January and paroled him into the country at the San Ysidro port of entry in California. Chavez Jr. says ICE immigration raids 'scared me' Chavez trained in Los Angeles before the fight against Paul and addressed the immigration raids that triggered protests in the city's downtown. "It even scared me, to tell you the truth, it is very ugly,' he told the Los Angeles Times for a story published June 23. 'I don't understand the situation, why so much violence. There are many good people and you are setting an example of violence to the community.' He also addressed federal agents wearing masks and not identifying themselves while targeting workers who appeared to be immigrants, according to the Los Angeles Times. 'Seeing children left alone because their parents are grabbed,'' Chavez said. '... That is common sense, we are people and we are going to feel bad when we see that situation.'' Who won Jake Paul vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.? Paul beat Chavez Jr. by unanimous decision Saturday night, and to call Chavez Jr.'s early rounds a slow start would be a gross understatement. In the first round, he threw only four punches and landed zero. Chavez Jr. landed a total of nine punches over the first five rounds. He finally came alive in the final two rounds of the fight, but Paul won the fight decisively on the judges' scorecards. The judges scored it 99-91, 97-93, 98-92 in favor of Paul as the crowd booed. Here is our round-by-round analysis of the fight. 'He's a tough, tough guy,'' Paul said after the fight. 'He's never been stopped. And he's a Mexican warrior. 'I respect Mexican warriors. I respect Mexico. But I'm also a warrior and I came out on top tonight.'' Chavez, who held the WBC middleweight world title in 2011 and 2012, has lost four of his past seven fights.
