Josh Klinghoffer, ex-Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist, takes plea deal in fatal collision
Josh Klinghoffer, the former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist, accepted a plea deal after facing a vehicular manslaughter charge.
Klinghoffer, 45, was charged in the death of Israel Sanchez in March after a collision last year in Alhambra. Klinghoffer was driving a black GMC Yukon at the corner of West Main Street and South Meridian Avenue when he turned left at the intersection while 47-year-old Sanchez was walking in a marked crosswalk. Klinghoffer then struck and killed Sanchez.
On Wednesday in court in Alhambra, Klinghoffer pleaded no contest to misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence. He was sentenced to 60 days of community labor and one year of informal probation. He will also have to take a driver safety course and pay restitution.
During the hearing, the prosecutor told Klinghoffer, 'If you continue to drive while distracted, and as a result of your driving someone is killed, you can be charged with murder.'
Sanchez's family sued Klinghoffer for wrongful death after the incident, alleging that Klinghoffer was on his phone at the time of the collision. 'Video of the incident shows that defendant Josh Adam Klinghoffer made no braking or slowing motion until after he fatally struck Israel Sanchez, indicating that Defendant was likely driving while distracted.'
'This horrible outcome was foreseeable and demonstrates a willful disregard for the rights and safety of others,' the suit continued.
Klinghoffer's attorney in the civil suit, Andrew Brettler, said in a statement to The Times last year, 'After Josh struck this pedestrian in the intersection, he immediately pulled over, stopped the car, called 911 and waited until police and the ambulance arrived. Obviously, he's cooperating with the police throughout the traffic investigation. This was purely a tragic accident.'
Klinghoffer played guitar with the Red Hot Chili Peppers from 2009 to 2019, when longtime guitarist John Frusciante returned. Klinghoffer was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with the band in 2012. He has since performed as a member of Jane's Addiction and Pearl Jam.
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Yahoo
40 minutes ago
- Yahoo
'A night of tragedy': 2 dead in Baldwin Park shootout, including young officer
A young Baldwin Park police officer who loved the Dodgers and was an avid snowboarder was killed in a shooting late Saturday that also left a civilian dead and another officer injured. Officer Samuel Riveros, 35, was identified Sunday as the officer who died, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. He had been rushed to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center but was pronounced dead at the hospital, according to medical examiner's records. The injured officer, Anthony Pimentel, was released from the hospital Sunday. The identities of the male suspect accused of firing at the officers and the civilian man found shot to death near the shooting were not released as of Sunday afternoon. Juan Ruvalcaba, 81, lives across the street from where the shooting began Saturday night. He told The Times on Sunday that he initially thought he was hearing firecrackers but then saw his neighbor shooting what appeared to be a long gun. He said the young man was in his own front yard and seemed to be shooting into the air and in the direction of a different nearby street — but he didn't see the man aiming at anyone or anything in particular. Still, he said, he called the man's grandmother, who lived with him, and warned her to hide under a bed and not let her grandson inside. 'Don't open it, not even to him," Ruvalcaba told the grandmother before going inside his own home. He said he couldn't see any other part of what happened next but was shaken by the two deaths. "Thank God that I'm still here," Ruvalcaba said. At a Sunday news conference, Baldwin Park Police Chief Robert A. López fought back tears. 'It's extremely tragic to have to deal with this,' he said. López said Riveros loved to travel to Dodgers games and watch the team play at different stadiums. "Officer Riveros gave his life in service to others, a profound testament to his unwavering dedication to duty and selfless courage," the Sheriff's Department wrote in a statement. "His loss is profoundly felt—not only by his family and colleagues, but by the entire Baldwin Park community and law enforcement family. The death of an innocent civilian only deepens this tragedy. Our hearts and prayers go out to the victim's loved ones as they endure unimaginable grief." He had been an officer at the Baldwin Park Police Department since 2016, officials said. According to a LinkedIn profile that matched Riveros' information, he became a law enforcement officer after studying criminology, law and society at UC Irvine. There he had played lacrosse and mentored youth in Orange County as part of the Criminology Outreach Program. He is survived by his mother and sister. 'When danger erupted last night and the call went out for help, it was our Baldwin Park police officers who responded without hesitation, reflecting the best of bravery and conviction to serve," Baldwin Park Mayor Alejandra Avila said in a statement Sunday. "On behalf of our council and city hall staff, I offer our sincerest condolences to the victims, our Baldwin Park police department community and the families of those affected by this violence. Last night was a night of tragedy for our community." Read more: Police officer, civilian killed, another officer hurt as violence erupts in Baldwin Park Baldwin Park police officers initially responded to a call around 7:12 p.m. about a person shooting rounds with a rifle near 4200 Filhurst Ave. and a possible body on the sidewalk, officials said. When they arrived in the area, they were 'met by gunfire,' Sheriff Robert Luna said. In the shootout that followed, two officers were shot. The wounded officers were rushed to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center — one by air and one by ground transport. Officers at the scene also found the civilian man dead in the frontyard of the home where they encountered the suspect, according to Baldwin Park officials. He was also taken to the hospital but died there of his injuries, sheriff's officials said. The suspect was also wounded but was listed as stable Sunday afternoon. Luna said investigators had recovered the weapon. Luna said it was unclear how many shots were fired. His agency is leading the investigation into the shooting. On Sunday morning, the area around 13500 Palm Ave. remained an active crime scene. The entire block was still cordoned off as emergency vehicles and investigators flooded the area. But by the afternoon, the street had reopened. Several residents were hosing away what appeared to be bloodstains from a few spots on the street, sidewalks and nearby lawns. Damage from bullet holes was obvious on windows of both a home and a police cruiser. Joe Rya, who lives about a block from where the shooting occurred, said he was still in shock. 'You could hear the bullets flying,' Rya recalled. 'Shots were banging off things, I told the children to get down.' He said he'd lived in the neighborhood for 34 years and considered it relatively quiet, though he said they hear occasional gunshots. The majority-Latino community is made up of modest single-family homes, most with fences around their frontyards. Beginning at 7:16 p.m. Saturday, 11 shots rang out on Palm Avenue, according to video footage reviewed by The Times. A homeowner whose Ring camera captured the shooting, who declined to give his name, said he initially thought the gunshots were fireworks. Only later did he look outside and see police cars flooding the street. He also considered the neighborhood usually 'pretty calm,' he said from his frontyard Saturday night, just steps from police tape that cordoned off the next block. Until Saturday, he couldn't recall any shootings in his nine years living on Palm Avenue, he said. According to another video reviewed by The Times, six additional shots were fired at 7:26 p.m. near the corner of Palm and Filhurst avenues as helicopters circled overhead. By 9 p.m. Saturday, multiple law enforcement agencies had descended on the neighborhood and were going door to door around the area. Police cars from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and West Covina and El Monte police departments were stationed in the neighborhood. 'I extend my sincerest condolences to the family, friends, colleagues and community members affected by the shooting of police officers in Baldwin Park yesterday,' Assemblywoman Blanca Rubio (D-Baldwin Park) said in a statement. 'I also want to express condolences to the fallen officer and his family. Thank you for the courage you held and the deeply humble decision you made to protect and serve the people of Baldwin Park, may you rest easy.' Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell also extended his condolences to the community on behalf of his agency. "This heartbreaking loss is a solemn reminder of the risk officers take every day when protecting their community," McDonnell said in a statement. "Our hearts are with Baldwin Park PD as they mourn a beloved colleague, and prayers for his wounded colleague." Times staff photographer Luke Johnson and Rebecca Ellis contributed to this report. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
an hour ago
- Los Angeles Times
‘A night of tragedy': 2 dead in Baldwin Park shootout, including young officer
A young Baldwin Park police officer who loved the Dodgers and was an avid snowboarder was killed in a shooting late Saturday that also left a civilian dead and another officer injured. Officer Samuel Riveros, 35, was identified Sunday as the officer who died, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. He had been rushed to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center but was pronounced dead at the hospital, according to medical examiner's records. The injured officer, Anthony Pimentel, was released from the hospital Sunday. The identities of the male suspect accused of firing at the officers and the civilian man found shot to death near the shooting were not released as of Sunday afternoon. Juan Ruvalcaba, 81, lives across the street from where the shooting began Saturday night. He told The Times on Sunday that he initially thought he was hearing firecrackers but then saw his neighbor shooting what appeared to be a long gun. He said the young man was in his own front yard and seemed to be shooting into the air and in the direction of a different nearby street — but he didn't see the man aiming at anyone or anything in particular. Still, he said, he called the man's grandmother, who lived with him, and warned her to hide under a bed and not let her grandson inside. 'Don't open it, not even to him,' Ruvalcaba told the grandmother before going inside his own home. He said he couldn't see any other part of what happened next but was shaken by the two deaths. 'Thank God that I'm still here,' Ruvalcaba said. At a Sunday news conference, Baldwin Park Police Chief Robert A. López fought back tears. 'It's extremely tragic to have to deal with this,' he said. López said Riveros loved to travel to Dodgers games and watch the team play at different stadiums. 'Officer Riveros gave his life in service to others, a profound testament to his unwavering dedication to duty and selfless courage,' the Sheriff's Department wrote in a statement. 'His loss is profoundly felt—not only by his family and colleagues, but by the entire Baldwin Park community and law enforcement family. The death of an innocent civilian only deepens this tragedy. Our hearts and prayers go out to the victim's loved ones as they endure unimaginable grief.' He had been an officer at the Baldwin Park Police Department since 2016, officials said. According to a LinkedIn profile that matched Riveros' information, he became a law enforcement officer after studying criminology, law and society at UC Irvine. There he had played lacrosse and mentored youth in Orange County as part of the Criminology Outreach Program. He is survived by his mother and sister. 'When danger erupted last night and the call went out for help, it was our Baldwin Park police officers who responded without hesitation, reflecting the best of bravery and conviction to serve,' Baldwin Park Mayor Alejandra Avila said in a statement Sunday. 'On behalf of our council and city hall staff, I offer our sincerest condolences to the victims, our Baldwin Park police department community and the families of those affected by this violence. Last night was a night of tragedy for our community.' Baldwin Park police officers initially responded to a call around 7:12 p.m. about a person shooting rounds with a rifle near 4200 Filhurst Ave. and a possible body on the sidewalk, officials said. When they arrived in the area, they were 'met by gunfire,' Sheriff Robert Luna said. In the shootout that followed, two officers were shot. The wounded officers were rushed to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center — one by air and one by ground transport. Officers at the scene also found the civilian man dead in the frontyard of the home where they encountered the suspect, according to Baldwin Park officials. He was also taken to the hospital but died there of his injuries, sheriff's officials said. The suspect was also wounded but was listed as stable Sunday afternoon. Luna said investigators had recovered the weapon. Luna said it was unclear how many shots were fired. His agency is leading the investigation into the shooting. On Sunday morning, the area around 13500 Palm Ave. remained an active crime scene. The entire block was still cordoned off as emergency vehicles and investigators flooded the area. But by the afternoon, the street had reopened. Several residents were hosing away what appeared to be bloodstains from a few spots on the street, sidewalks and nearby lawns. Damage from bullet holes was obvious on windows of both a home and a police cruiser. Joe Rya, who lives about a block from where the shooting occurred, said he was still in shock. 'You could hear the bullets flying,' Rya recalled. 'Shots were banging off things, I told the children to get down.' He said he'd lived in the neighborhood for 34 years and considered it relatively quiet, though he said they hear occasional gunshots. The majority-Latino community is made up of modest single-family homes, most with fences around their frontyards. Beginning at 7:16 p.m. Saturday, 11 shots rang out on Palm Avenue, according to video footage reviewed by The Times. A homeowner whose Ring camera captured the shooting, who declined to give his name, said he initially thought the gunshots were fireworks. Only later did he look outside and see police cars flooding the street. He also considered the neighborhood usually 'pretty calm,' he said from his frontyard Saturday night, just steps from police tape that cordoned off the next block. Until Saturday, he couldn't recall any shootings in his nine years living on Palm Avenue, he said. According to another video reviewed by The Times, six additional shots were fired at 7:26 p.m. near the corner of Palm and Filhurst avenues as helicopters circled overhead. By 9 p.m. Saturday, multiple law enforcement agencies had descended on the neighborhood and were going door to door around the area. Police cars from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and West Covina and El Monte police departments were stationed in the neighborhood. 'I extend my sincerest condolences to the family, friends, colleagues and community members affected by the shooting of police officers in Baldwin Park yesterday,' Assemblywoman Blanca Rubio (D-Baldwin Park) said in a statement. 'I also want to express condolences to the fallen officer and his family. Thank you for the courage you held and the deeply humble decision you made to protect and serve the people of Baldwin Park, may you rest easy.' Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell also extended his condolences to the community on behalf of his agency. 'This heartbreaking loss is a solemn reminder of the risk officers take every day when protecting their community,' McDonnell said in a statement. 'Our hearts are with Baldwin Park PD as they mourn a beloved colleague, and prayers for his wounded colleague.' Times staff photographer Luke Johnson and Rebecca Ellis contributed to this report.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Trump pardons drive a big, burgeoning business for lobbyists
Seeking a pardon from President Donald Trump has become big business for lobbying and consulting firms close to the administration, with wealthy hopefuls willing to spend millions of dollars for help getting their case in front of the right people. 'From a lobbying perspective, pardons have gotten profitable,' said one lobbyist whose firm has received such calls. There's no set rate for pardon help. But two people directly familiar with proposals to lobbying firms said they knew of a client's offer of $5 million to help get a case to Trump. These people, like others, were granted anonymity to speak candidly. And while such high numbers do not seem to be standard, they speak to a burgeoning pardon economy. A $5 million figure is higher than numbers The New York Times reported Trump allies receiving for pardon help in his first term. In 2021, the outlet reported that Brett Tolman, a former federal prosecutor who advised the White House on pardons, was receiving five-figure amounts for the work, according to filings and a client. The Times also reported that John Kiriakou, a former CIA officer convicted of disclosing classified information, was told that former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a Trump ally, could help secure him a pardon for $2 million; Giuliani disputed that account. Cozying up to a president's allies or hiring lobbyists to gain access to clemency isn't new. But along with the price spike, what's different now is that Trump is issuing pardons on a rolling basis — rather than most coming at the end of the administration. 'It's like the Wild West,' a Trump ally and lobbyist said. 'You can basically charge whatever you want.' The increased use of the pardon power has some familiar with the process concerned about the appearance of financial and political favoritism that can erode confidence in the clemency process. 'This is very destructive to our justice system. It delegitimizes the pardon power,' said Elizabeth Oyer, who served as pardon attorney for the Department of Justice during President Joe Biden's administration. 'It entrenches a two-tier system of justice in which wealth really can be a get-out-of-jail-free card.' 'All pardon and commutation decisions are solely made by President Trump, who is always willing to give well-deserving Americans a second chance — especially those who have been unfairly targeted by a corrupt justice system,' White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said. Since Trump took office in January, he has pardoned or granted executive clemency to more than 1,500 people, most related to the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. It's a significant uptick from a similar time frame during his first term in office. Even without the Jan. 6 defendants, Trump has pardoned 58 people; in his previous administration, Trump had pardoned just one person in his first year. In the past week alone, Trump has pardoned or commuted the sentences of 27 people. Many clemency recipients have been people with the means to elevate their case — allies, donors, celebrities and former politicians. There is a process for vetting pardon applications through the Justice Department's Office of the Pardon Attorney, but presidents have not always followed it. Some of the pardons Trump is granting, involving people currently incarcerated, would not be able to make it through the typical process. Unless the Justice Department grants a waiver, the regulations say that petitioners need to wait until five years after either the conviction or the end of their sentence, and they place a premium on acceptance of responsibility. As of this week, there are 6,394 applications for commutations and 1,529 applications for pardons. Not every Trump-aligned lobbyist is eager to take pardon work; some who have turned down offers said they have passed them along to a small handful of Trump supporters who then help the pardon-seeker get on the president's radar. In some cases, referral fees are paid to the lobbying firms even if they are not directly engaged to do the work, according to three people familiar with the process. 'There are others, like us, who have turned down a bunch of that work, but generally the way that works is that they get referred to others who are helping,' said a Washington-based lobbyist whose firm has been approached by people seeking a pardon. The person said that roughly half their client inquiries in recent months have been for pardon help. In the past, it was roughly 1 in 50 client solicitations. The Trump ally who is also a lobbyist said their firm is not taking pardon clients out of concern that they could face blowback when the political winds inevitably change. Another lobbyist said they turn down pardon work because it feels 'sketchy.' In a case that drew significant attention this week, Trump pardoned reality-TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley, who were convicted in 2022 on fraud and tax evasion-related charges. The two built a national following through their reality show 'Chrisley Knows Best.' The pardons came after a public pressure campaign led by their daughter Savannah, a prominent Trump supporter with nearly 3 million followers on Instagram. Key to reaching Trump is pushing a message that will appeal to the president, particularly one around a politicization of justice by Democrats or overzealous prosecutors. 'Weaponization is real,' said Tolman, who is now a Fox News contributor and the executive director of the conservative-leaning criminal justice reform group Right on Crime. 'If you are in power and you are willing to use the power of the prosecution to go after your political adversaries, how do we fix it?' His comments came during a 2024 panel at the Conservative Political Action Conference focused on the 'weaponization' of the justice system. The panel also included now-Attorney General Pam Bondi and Savannah Chrisley, who used the platform to talk about her parents' case. Tolman has become one of the go-tos for help when people are seeking Trump pardons. He helped the Chrisleys, as well as Charles Kushner, the father of Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner. At the end of Trump's first term, he also lobbied Trump to pardon Ross Ulbricht, who in 2015 was sentenced to life in prison on narcotics and money-laundering charges related to his dark web marketplace Silk Road. Getting Ulbricht out of prison became a cause célèbre to many on the political right who thought he was unjustly targeted by the justice system. During the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump promised to pardon Ulbricht, and he did so as one of his first acts after taking office. Tolman did not respond to a request seeking comment. Other Trump allies who have played influential roles in the pardon process over the past few weeks include Washington attorney Adam Katz, who previously represented Giuliani and helped secure a sentence commutation for a California businesswoman in Trump's first term. Katz did not return a request seeking comment, but lobbyists interviewed by NBC News named him, along with Tolman, as two of the people to whom they refer pardon work. Corcoran Partners, a Florida-based lobbying firm whose managing partner includes Matt Blair, the brother of Trump deputy chief of staff James Blair, has also registered to lobby on federal pardon issues for the first time. In March, Matt Blair's firm registered to lobby on 'pardon' issues for Juno Empire Inc., a Miami-based company that is identified in federal lobbying records as a 'medical billing advocate.' It's not clear what this company does or what its issue is, and there was no contact information available for Juno. Corcoran Partners did not return a request for comment. Longtime Trump confidant Roger Stone also registered in February to lobby for Roger Ver, who is nicknamed 'Bitcoin Jesus' and, if extradited from Spain, faces up to 109 years in prison for, among other things, allegations that he tried to evade nearly $50 million in tax payments. It's the first time Stone's firm, Drake Ventures, formally registered to lobby on pardon issues, records show. An attorney for Ver did not return a request for comment. Some lawyers also see new hope for their clients in Trump's willingness to issue pardons. Tim Parlatore, a former member of Trump's legal team, represented Adm. Robert Burke, who was convicted in May of bribery. Parlatore told NBC News that he had unsuccessfully attempted to get Justice Department leadership to reconsider the Burke case before it went to trial, and that he'd try to secure a pardon now that Burke has been convicted. 'I think I have a great appeal for Burke, but will I go and ask for a pardon? Absolutely! You'd be crazy not to,' he said. 'The way that that case was investigated and presented, I believe, was fundamentally unfair.' Parlatore said he wanted to 'pursue all possible remedies' for his client. 'I'll go to call people and try to figure this thing out, whether it's Ed Martin, Alice Johnson,' he said, referring to Trump's pardon attorney and his more informal 'pardon czar.' 'I just want to make sure that that gets in front of the right people to make a decision.' The president's pardon power, a vestige of the British monarchy, is largely unchecked. Trump isn't the first person to face criticism for controversial pardons. But the perception that Trump is leaning into rewarding supporters was boosted last week when Martin, Trump's current pardon attorney, openly signaled the political motivations for the pardon given to Scott Jenkins. The former Virginia sheriff was facing 10 years in prison after a federal jury found him guilty of taking $75,000 in return for doling out law enforcement authority to local businessmen, as well as two undercover FBI special agents. 'No MAGA left behind,' Martin posted on X after the pardon was announced. One staffer familiar with the pardon process said Martin and the administration were trying to 'undo the damage from weaponization,' often choosing to pardon people they felt were unfairly targeted. 'You have a president who's going to exercise his presidential powers that he has from the Constitution, whether or not there's some guidebook,' they said. 'He does it on trade, he does it on immigration, and he does it everywhere.' That staffer and other Trump allies argue that it was Biden's use of the power that has set the precedent under which they are currently operating. Biden pardoned or commuted the sentences of more than 8,000 people, including to his son Hunter, who was set to be sentenced on federal gun charges just weeks before the pardon was issued. On the way out of office, he also issued pre-emptive pardons for some members of his family, worried Trump would try to prosecute them. An administration official called Biden's pardon decisions an 'absolutely earth-shattering departure from presidential norms.' Trump supporters argue the potential hit to a president's reputation that previously existed for the perception of politicizing the clemency process is no longer there. 'It's become easier after Hunter's pardon. Long gone are the days of an eleventh-hour pardon. It has become more transactional,' the Trump ally and lobbyist said. Beyond increased payments to lobbying firms to help secure pardons, family members of those seeking pardons have also found it useful to amplify their platform by going on conservative media outlets that Trump is known to watch or appear in MAGA-friendly spaces. Savannah Chrisley, for example, spoke at the Republican National Convention and suggested her parents were targeted for being conservative. During a press conference Friday, she said it was a 'misconception' that she 'either paid for a pardon or slept for a pardon' for her parents. She said she simply went to Washington and made sure she was in 'the right room at the right time' and 'begged for meetings.' 'Many people have come on my OAN program to make their case for pardons,' former Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, who became a news anchor for One America News Network after Trump unsuccessfully tried to install him as attorney general, told NBC News. 'Some have not. Some might get granted in the future. I trust President Trump's judgment.' Gaetz says he himself has not officially focused on pardon work but said his show, like others, can help amplify a pardon-seeker's case. 'I've covered pardons as a journalist,' he said. 'One way people get on the pardon radar is coming on my show and making their case on other media President Trump is known to watch.' This article was originally published on
