.
Donna and Joey Acevedo in happier times.
One of the more reasonable ideas that’s been suggested – most recently by Renee Balenti at the last Anaheim Council meeting – regarding the various Anaheim police officers who have shot young Latino men in the back of their heads these past few years – if they’re indeed never going to be punished or fired – is to at least transfer them to a new beat, Anaheim Hills or something.
After all, the sight of these cops patrolling the same neighborhoods where they killed people is traumatic to the surviving relatives and friends, and at least two of these officers have routinely behaved in a taunting manner since their kills:
- Officer Dan Hurtado, since being absolved by the DA of wrongdoing in last March’s execution of Martin Hernandez, has been strutting around the same Ponderosa neighborhood, boasting that “I ONLY shoot gangbangers,” “I shot ‘Tripps’,” and (to another mother) “You’re lucky I didn’t shoot YOUR son in the head.”
- Officer Kelly Phillips, known to be not only the shooter of Joel Acevedo last July but one of the five cops who pumped Caesar Cruz with bullets in 2009, continues to act like the cock of the walk in the Güinida neighborhood, taunting and harassing Joel’s grieving mother Donna.
- (Officer Nick “Buckshot” Bennalack, who killed Manuel Diaz on Anna Drive the day before Acevedo’s death, as well as Bernie Villegas six months earlier – seems to have disappeared quietly.) UPDATE 2023 – Sadly, no. Sadly for Steen Thomas Parker (2014) and Daniel Ramirez (2019). Apparently he really IS gone NOW.
Kelly Phillips – these days, patrolling without a name tag.
Well, this idea – that cops who have killed be at least moved out of the neighborhoods where they killed, hopefully far away to the Hills – may get some new traction, after the events of Saturday night, May 18, on Güinida Lane.
FIRST – around 8pm, as Donna drove her two teenage kids through their neighborhood in her well-known SUV sporting the words “FTP: Film the Police” on the back window, she was pulled over and ticketed by Kelly Phillips and his partner Officer Browning, for “impeding traffic.”
Witnesses in the neighborhood – a neighborhood preternaturally aware of police activity – saw Phillips, on spotting Donna, speed dangerously in reverse down a dusky alley to get into a position to get ahead of Donna on the street, endangering neighborhood children. Then, as she slowly drove past him, she looked out her car window asked “Why are you still here? Why aren’t you working somewhere else?” Phillips pulled a fast U-turn, flashed his lights and pulled her over, and his partner Browning stepped up to inform her that she was being ticketed for impeding traffic. Meanwhile Phillips called for backup to witness and assist with this terrible security threat, and soon seven police cars were clogging up Güinida Lane – talk about impeding traffic! Soon multiple neighbors filed out of their homes to “Film The Police” – something you’d think the cops would welcome but they seem to hate! (None of the videos look that good, or I’d share them, and they don’t show much misconduct – but then, that’s really the point of Filming The Police, isn’t it?)
Still, ticketing the police-filming, grieving mother wasn’t enough – the seven police cars then circled back through the alleys, passed by the memorial neighborhood kids had made for Joey, and the cops from one car pulled over to desecrate and vandalize it. Remember, Donna had permission from the building owner to keep this “Yogi Memorial” there. (“Yogi” was Joey’s nickname due to a baseball cap he used to wear.) According to the child witnesses below – some of the same children who witnessed Joey’s killing ten months ago – these cops kicked over and broke parts of the memorial, and took away several “posters” and pictures of Joey – that’s VANDALISM and THEFT, marked by added malicious cruelty. Here are the neighborhood girls (and later a boy) interviewed by investigator and ex-LA Ramparts cop Alex Salazar Sunday morning. (Yes, we have the parents’ permission.) Find them believable? I do….
I think Donna should go to court and fight this ticket, go with a lot of witnesses and media, and use this as a catalyst to at least get Officers Phillips and Hurtado assigned elsewhere.
You might be wondering what’s going on with the investigation of Joel’s murder, and Donna’s case against the City. Quick updates – she’s still waiting for the DA’s report, but given Tony Rackauckas’ record of believing cops’ stories no matter how farfetched, contradictory, or disputed by witnesses, and routinely granting the self-defense argument for the shooting of fleeing unarmed youths, she’s not really expecting much. On her civil suit, she’s still awaiting a response from the City of Anaheim. And the reason she’s filing a civil suit is not so much for the money as because that has to be done before she can file a criminal suit.
Donna at last Tuesday’s Gardenwalk Giveaway, Anaheim Council meeting. Picture by Gabriel San Roman.
Many of us have come to especially admire Donna for her fearlessness, her indestructible sense of humor, and the fact that she’s come to see her family tragedy in a larger social and political framework. Here she is at the last Anaheim Council meeting, preparing to speak out against the $158 million Gardenwalk Giveaway – this is a couple months after being scolded by Councilwoman Gail Eastman that “YOU PEOPLE” just don’t understand that the City CAN’T AFFORD to provide the park spaces and community centers that Anaheim’s poor neighborhoods have been asking for for decades.
Within the next week or two, Donna will be organizing an Anaheim Copwatch in the Güinida neighborhood, with civil rights activists to inform people of their rights, and with our videographer Sinnah Back instructing people on the use of UStream – as long as you have a smart phone, the video you take goes straight to your account on the internet, and can’t be destroyed by your phone being confiscated! Keep your eyes on this blog…
As well Officer Hurtado has boasted numerous times saying to ponderosa neighborhood residents ” I Shot Tripps” referring to my son Martin A Hernandez… Or like he told one mother about her 17 yr old son ” You are lucky I didn’t shoot him in the head”!!!! The harassment and boasting needs to stop!!! These rogue cops have no remorse!
Thanks, added that in, I knew I had heard more about Hurtado.
Not to diminish what happened to the boy, but, has anyone considered that putting memorial candles in front of the gas main may not be the smartest thing to do? if I lived in that building and saw an open flame 2 feet from my gas line, I’d call the cops myself.
Good point except … I don’t really think they keep those candles lit at all. This is like a ten-month memorial at this point.
The inspector actually came out and checked the memorial. There are certain things the members of the community who use/visit the memorial are aware to do to make sure the area is safe.
Message to Mrs. Acevedo:
I’ve personally witnessed these cops in Orange County, CA commit every crime from harassment and intimidation to attempted murder. I’ve personally witnessed these “men of law” entrap young Hispanic men into committing crimes for them. Trust me: you are the one in a position of moral superiority – not them. Never forget that and do not be intimidated.
Message to the Anaheim police department:
Why are you so brave with the verbal abuse of Hispanic women (children present) in these neighborhoods but run and hide in Downtown Anaheim when you see me coming? Please start verbally abusing me and leave them alone over there.
Oh wait a minute I forgot, it’s because of what I mentioned above.
Regards,
German Santos
The Hispanic man who can also design police surveillance systems for food
And for all my “quasi-fancy” talk at the Garden Grove/Anaheim city councils since September, 2011 nothing sums it up better than this child who says to the Anaheim PD: “please don’t come here anymore”.
“Do you hear what these children are saying?” AMDG
Everyone says film the police, and everyone is always filming the police, and they claim to be doing it all the time now, but no one has any audio or video of all these cops doing all these things they are claiming? Not even one thing? Come on. Bring forward some video or audio of these claims and you will get support. Until then, you are just whining and crying and lying and making up stories to garner attention for your cause. Show me proof, and then I will say sorry and be on your bandwagon. Anything. Something. Go ahead.
Do you understand the effing concept, Nick Ceci? If they know they’re being filmed – ESPECIALLY now in the age of U-stream when they can’t grab and smash the evidence – they are NOT going to do anything too fucked up. Sounds like a win-win to me. Not to you, knee-jerk cop apologist?
Yikes. Touched a hot nerve there huh?
Yes I understand clearly. So you are saying all cops act bad all the time except when the cameras go on? Really?
The main issue is the cop was cleared at all levels so far except the civil case. He has every right to patrol that area and he will continue to patrol that area. Just because some lying activists that lost their gang banging criminal son, brother, friend make demands, doesn’t mean it’s going to happen. Usually the opposite will occur.
A birdy told me the whole traffic stop was recorded by the police as well. It shows these people are lying from the start. Maybe go compare videos since you are so sure as to what occurred?
Nick,
You need to apply the same standards for fact finding to yourself that you demand of others.
No one is saying that cops behave badly all the time. Don’t be obtuse.
The main issue here isn’t that an officer was cleared of anything at any level. It’s that the area he or she patrols isn’t comfortable with that individual.
The officer’s right to patrol derives from the consent of the law abiding citizens who live in the district. They have every right to demand that those carrying a badge and a gun near their homes is someone they trust. They’re not asking for some corrupt lacky to come patrol their street– they just want ANYBODY else in the APD to do it.
That’s a reasonable request, unless you enjoy licking boots.
If the officers involved took video of a public event, it ought to be available with a FoIA request. You got $20 bucks that says I get it if I file a form? Something tells me your mysterious video either doesn’t exist or that they sure as hell won’t turn it over.
This is about bad cops escalating a bad issue because their pride is bigger than their civic duty. Defusing this time bomb has simple and logical solutions that are only being obstructed by boot lickers and appologists like yourself.
“So you are saying all cops act bad all the time except when the cameras go on? Really?”
Ah, the Straw Man argument – the last refuge of the dipshit.
Also, Officer Phillips has NOT been cleared by the DA – the investigation is still ongoing. Much as I know all these young Latino men look the same to you. Actually this harassment of the neighborhood constitutes intimidation of witnesses to this case.
Tell your birdy to go film worms. The police dept is not disputing Donna’s account of the traffic stop. Read the Voice of OC’s new piece. Kneejerk cop apologist. 🙂
🙂
Love messing with you activist types that only see things one way no matter what facts are put in front of your face.
Keep believing the press and the criminals families. That will take you a long ways, and you will end up with crap all over your face like now.
🙂
You haven’t presented any facts you little tiny tool man.
You have a preference? Timberlands or Red Wings?
If I’m a cop licking bootlicker then you are an anti police activist lying bootlicker? Or is that copsucker?
Keep listening to the lies. Then open your eyes.
Indeed, rubber and glue. That’s all people of your intellect understand.
If you want to continue commenting here, add value. If not, take your love of dirty leather somewhere else.
Vern, you’re wasting your time engaging the loser Sgt. Patrick O’Malley of the Pomona PD.
Didn’t waste too much time. Did start deleting his comments though. (Until, as Ryan put it, if and when he “adds something of value.”)
Hey I was rapped but this cop in 2011 asshole this fine cop Kelly took me unconscious after being rooftie home and when I came to he was zipping up his zipper with a big wet spot in my couch saying he had to go feed his dog and because the guys in blue stuck with guys in blue I was scared but that all changed after meeting 2 other girls that he tried to raped but lucky they got away so u don’t have a clue what your talking about and you looking like a truck and time will time just wait and see
There were approximately 20 witnesses to begin with when Kelly Phillips flipped on his cop car lights. Within 15 minutes, there were approximately 100 people on Guinida Lane only asking officers to show their badges, give their names, tell who they were, and begging them to make sure Kelly Phillips is not allowed to be on Guinida Lane anymore.
Adults do not feel safe with their children there and as you can see, children do not feel safe knowing the officer who murdered Joel Acevedo has the right to harass to such an extreme extent the mother and siblings of Joey aka “Yogi.”
To stop this mother on the small road of Guinida Lane for “impeding traffic” when she was the ONLY vehicle on the road besides the APD vehicle Kelly Phillips was driving and to follow that up with at least 10 more APD vehicles and 17 more APD officers is egregious. Who’s “impeding traffic” now?
Are you stupid fuck cause that’s what you are we don’t go around with body cameras or cameras on our dash and if we are filming cops, which you can’t do if your in handcuffs idiot, but they make you turn them off or take any recording equipment out of your hands because they know that we will obtain incriminating evidence , you are the most ignorant and stupid man ever but keep having your faith I. The biggest gang organization in the world until it affects you or your loved ones and trust me it will it’s a matter of time . You are a jack ass and a fool
Wow, fascinating story.
What’ with this city of Anaheim?
Disney Corp. wants to purchase and trademark “Dia de Los Muertos” or “Day of the Dead” and steal an ethnic/cultural tradition right out from under a population all the while their city paid cops go around purposely desecrating and insulting the memorials of deceased victims. Can’t they get their Anaheim PR straight?
Well, maybe you put your finger on it – that was not a Disney-approved memorial, even if Donna did get the property owner’s permission. And only half a mile from the Magic Kingdom!
(Half kidding.)
Excellent investigative journalism Vern. Now if I can just get my smart arse iPhone to ustream I’ll F.T.P.
“They started throwing eggs, apples and bottles at the police cars,” Dunn said.
Why leave that part out of the story? Of course police will call for backup when dealing with residents from this neighborhood. All the kids have been taught by their mothers to hate the police. This brings me to another point. Where are all the fathers? That is the root problem for all this. These kids are being raised by gangsters, not parents. The mothers only show up after their kids already fucked up. Didnt Donna realize Joey was heading the wrong way in life when he has gang tattoos on his neck? Where was she then? Why was Joey stealing a car? Why did Joey shoot at officers? Isn’t that kind of a big deal?
No, the residents started throwing shit at the cops AFTER the word got out that they’d been picking on Donna, who is beloved and respected in the neighborhood. Nobody remembers that happening there before. And it started after Donna left, she didn’t see it. The various witnesses who told me the story mentioned a bit of egg throwing, but it didn’t seem like a big enough deal to put in the story at the time. Not compared to the police harassment of Donna and the police desecration of the memorial.
Let’s see. I’ll respond to SOME of the rest of this BS. Where were the fathers? They were there, a lot of them. Plenty of fathers, protesting along with the mothers and the kids. In point of fact Joey was not stealing a car. In point of fact Joey was not shooting at officers. But you just go ahead and believe anything that killing cops say, and embroider it while you’re at it. You don’t deserve to know any more about Joey.
Learn to spell and write clown.
Is this the clown who wrote, just below here, memorably, “n” ?
The police were not calling for backup. There was a 9-1-1 call placed by a resident that Kelly Phillips was harassing Joey Acevedo’s mother and the response was more cops, more cop cars and officers treating citizens using freedom of speech as their only recourse to what was happening as though the residents were a “hostile crowd.” After the police – at least 7 cars – began to leave the area, some children threw eggs. You can hear this on the video.
Compared to shooting people in the back for driving “suspiciously slowly” and smashing their skull so their brain matter is left behind on concrete for children to see on their way to school in the morning, I’d say a few eggs – though not condoned – is not the “root” of any problem and therefore you cannot dig for any other “roots” such as absent fathers or impoverished mothers – the “root” – the “infestation” – the “manifestation of the disease” so to speak – is the initiator of the violence a.k.a. KELLY PHILLIPS.
I wish someone would call me anti-police or cop hater because I have the world’s best reply!
Hey German. You’re a cop hater!! …. ???
There’s a whole CA Penal code for vandalizing law enforcement and firefighter’s memorials–621.
Has the APD arrested the vandal/cop? They have a description and multiple witnesses. Were the witnesses statements taken by police?
n
Joey Acevedo was a dirt bag gang member who pulled a gun on the wrong cop. Joey Acevedo is right where he needed to be for a long time.
Keep up the good work Anaheim Police, we do not want a bunch of dirt bag gang baning families taking control of the streets of Anaheim. Gang members who pull guns on the police will be shot immediately!!!! Enough said!!!!
Let me guess: APD Community Relations Task Force? Am I right?
(Just kidding APD. But seriously, you guys could use a better set of online friends.)
Douche bag not all families are gang-affiliated.