LANCASTER – The majority of residents who addressed the Lancaster City Council Tuesday evening on items not on the agenda had the same message: Bring televised comments back!
Earlier this month, Mayor R. Rex Parris made the decision to stop televising the portion of City Council meetings that allowed residents to comment on items not on the City Council’s agenda. Parris reportedly said he came to this decision after a resident made a racial slur, which was televised.
Parris was not at the City Council meeting Tuesday; still, residents appealed to the remaining members of the Council in Parris’ absence. Lancaster resident David Abber suggested the matter be brought before the Council for a vote so the public could see where each individual councilmember stood on the matter.
“I believe this is something that should be put on the agenda; I’m petitioning for redress,” Abber told the Council. “I’m requesting the four of you that are here tonight to step up and put this on the agenda… I have faith in you that you would turn the cameras back on because we have a right to see this meeting.”
Darleen Peterson admonished the Council, saying “a wakeup call is needed.” She said the move to stop televising the public comments portion of City Council meetings was one in a series of actions that were hindering the rights of residents to participate freely in city business.
“There used to be a dialogue between the council and the citizen at the podium, then it became downgraded to citizens now commenting on the consent calendar items only; in other words he’s talking to himself,” said Peterson. “Then we got downgraded to one three minute session per citizen, no matter how many consent calendar items they wished to comment about… Another rule implemented was to interrupt a citizen when not on point. That rule is another gimmick in my opinion used to squeeze the citizen out and direct them what to say.”
Another speaker, David Paul, said televising public comments again would continue to give citizens a voice.
“I know this is the mayor’s decision, but I ask him for me, for the budding Human Relations Commission we are putting together to promote diversity and give people a voice that don’t have a voice, restore the public comments portion on video,” said Paul.
One of the most vocal residents at City Council meetings, David Grajeda, was not at the City Council meeting Tuesday. Grajeda was arrested as he was attempting to enter the City Council Meeting, according to his family members. We will have more information on this situation as it becomes available.
Updated at 5 p.m., 10/26/11: According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Inmate Information Center, David Grajeda was arrested Tuesday at 5:03 p.m. on a Misdemeanor charge.
He was booked at 5:12 p.m. at the Lancaster Station with bail set at $5,000. His court date was set for 8 a.m., Wednesday at the Antelope Valley Courthouse.
Late Wednesday afternoon, calls to the Lancaster Sheriff’s station requesting the exact nature of Grajeda’s charges were referred to the jail, where a representative said Grajeda had already left the premises. A call to family member Maria Grajeda was not immediately returned Wednesday.
According to the Antelope Valley Report, Grajeda was arrested Tuesday for disrupting a public meeting, in connection with an outburst involving Grajeda at a Criminal Justice Commission meeting two weeks ago. Read the entire report here.
— Update by M. Dilworth
UPDATED 10/28/11:
Maria Grajeda reached out to The AV Times Thursday regarding David Grajeda’s arrest. Maria Grajeda says David was arrested for disrupting a public meeting based on his actions at an October 12th Criminal Justice Commission meeting. Maria Grajeda says during that meeting, David was speaking out against Public Safety Officer Lee D’Errico. Maria Grajeda claims D’Errico, acting under the command of Mayor R. Rex Parris, assaulted David at a prior City Council meeting. She says David filed charges against D’Errico but nothing came of the charges. When David came to the Criminal Justice Commission meeting to complain about the assault, he was thrown out of the meeting for disruption, Maria claims. David was formally arrested for the disruption as he attempted to enter Tuesday’s City Council meeting.
Maria Grajeda says David’s bail was increased from $5,000 to $25,000 for the misdemeanor, with the District Attorney arguing that David should do jail time.
Maria Grajeda says she believes that David is being railroaded, and offers the video below as proof of an assault on David Grajeda by Lee D’Errico.
WARNING: This video contains expletives.
–Update by K. Enrique
HHdz says
Here is the tape of the assualt on Grajeda by D’errico.
Gianna says
This is the reason Mr. Grajeda went to the Justice meeting to ask them if anything else was done about the charges he had filed against this man, Mr. Grajeda was arrested 2 weeks afeter the insident while he was attending a Lancaster City Council Meeting; what kind of massage do you think it send to those in attandance attendance?
Eric Moore says
The Sherrifs have to be in this I saw a video where the watch commander is refusing to take the report??? and if there was a sherrif present why did he do nothing when David Grajeda was being assualted by The Goon
BIG BURD says
YOU PIGS GOT 24 HOURS. TIME STARTS NOW 10:58AM SAT. MORNING OR MY WITNESS TESTIMONY AND MY VIDEO OF THE INCIDENT WILL BE ON EVERY SENATOR, MEDIA PERSONNEL, ATTORNEY AND JUDGE IN THIS DAMN STATE! GOT IT! YEAH, YOU FRIKKIN’ BETTER! TRY ME, THERE’S 10 COPIES OUT THERE TO BACK MY BUTT UP!
BIG BURD says
TO LET HIM GO ON HIS OWN PERSONAL RECOG. TO BE CLEAR!
BIG BURD says
I WITNESSED THIS ASSAULT HAPPEN! THE ONLY OTHERS WHO DID ARE D’ERRICO, THE OFFICER NEXT TO HIM, (I THINK IT WAS WAGNER), DAVID, AND THE CITY CAMERA THE CITY IS CLAIMING THAT THE FOOTAGE CANNOT BE FOUND! THAT’S FUNNY, THE HAD IT A FEW HOURS BEFORE WHEN THEY EXAMINED THE TAPES TO SEE WHO LEFT THE BRIEFCASES OUTSIDE CITY HALL THAT THEY CALLED A BOMB THREAT! I GOT IT ON VIDEO TOO! D’ERRICO PUSHED DAVID SEVERAL TIMES WITHOUT PROVOCATION, HE DID THIS WITH THE FULL INTENT TO HARM, HARASS, AND INTIMIDATE. THIS IS CLEAR BATTERY FROM A PUBLIC OFFICIAL D’ERRICO NEEDS TO BE IN PRISON! NOT DAVID! WHAT HAPPENED OFFICER DONELL? YOU GOT MY REPORT, WHY HAS THE D.A. NOT PROSECUTED LEE YET? I HAVE SEVERAL COPIES I CAN MAKE AND PASS OUT IF THEY REALLY WANNA TAKE IT THERE! HOWS THIS PIGS! I KNOW YOU’R READING THIS! I WILL NOT PASS OUT MY WITNESS TESTIMONY TO EVERYONE I POSSIBLY CAN IF YOU LET HIM GO NOW! YOU LIKE CUTTING DEALS LASD RIGHT? WELL LET’S MAKE A DEAL, AND HE BETTER BE LET GO NOW! YOU KNOW HOW TO GET A HOLD OF ME!
Eric Moore says
The officer’s name is Hawthorn, you can hear David calling him Hawthorn I wonder what the officer Howthorn put in his report? is he willing to lie for these people??
Eric Moore says
WOW D’ERRICO A REAL GOON, why is the AV press not reporting any of this?? This guy D’errico is a real GOON, WOW, Lancaster Christian town???? is this guy realy a city official like he bosts in the video??? WOW
joe star says
if you compare the two videos, the criminal justice meeting and the assault on David, the question I have is why is Mr. D’errico free and David Grajeda is sitting in jail with a $25,000.00 bail? I just does not make sense… does it? What happened to the BROWN ACT in all of this? aren’t citizens supposet to have the right to questions and offer ideas, solutions etc.. to City’s affairs? there are other videos, one starring Captain Bob Jonsen bribing David with not pressing charges on the Red Carpet event where he was first arrested, the Mayor verbaly assualted David calling him garbage and then had him arrested, after David called him a crook, all captsure by Time Warner camaras, and LA chanel 2. the charges were never filed…. hummmm
Tony says
David G. did have an loud outburst at the criminal justice meeting. Here is the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CZCTWKjY_o&feature=related
Stinger says
Although David did, indeed, engage in an aggressive questioning of the commission and its ancillary membership (i.e.: Captain Jonsen), such was said during his allotted 3 minutes at the podium and not a single offensive word was uttered. So, one must ask the following questions:
1) Was the person speaking truly out of line, or merely exercising his freedom of speech during his allotted time at a publicly held meeting?
2) Was this person’s actions worthy of an arrest, 2 weeks later, with bail set at $25,000?
3) Does this person have a reasonable civil rights violation case against the City of Lancaster?
joe star says
David has been arrested twice now, assualted verbaly and fisicaly, now they had started with his family, the guy was emotional, but 30 days in jail, $25,000.00 bail for disturbin a public meeting??? Mr. D’errico a City Official at a City Council meeting in City Hall assualts a citizen and keeps him from attending the meeting is free.. all because he wants to bring attention to the Redevelopement money that is being spend, Kitty Zseto nomination comflict of interest (she works for the Mayor)and now the University of AV, and all the monies they are recieving from the Redevelopment funds, if we are careful we are going to be the next Bell City, oh most people don’t know this, but we are not getting just one Round About on 10th st west and Lancaster BLVD., but several thru out the City of Lancaster…. have fun you guys trying to figure out where you are supposed to get off.
joe star says
there is a video of Mr. Derrico assulting the same guy that was send to jail, why is Derrico not in jail? what happened there?
Stinger says
That is a very good question. Perhaps it would be best directed to the DA’s office or, since we all know that they are in Parris’ pocket, perhaps the US DoJ that is in town right now investigating all the funky failures in justice since Parris & Co. took over.
Parris & cronies = Libety & justice for some (if we like them).
Matt Keltner says
The video you’re looking for is here:
http://www.youtube.com/user/americaspolitics#p/u/6/dfWLe_okHJk
But, before you jump to conclusions, do yourself a favour and watch all of his videos. His name is listed as “americaspolitics” on YouTube.
Eric Moore says
visited the web site and all I can say is WOW, why is the AV press not reporting any of this?
Eric Moore says
The Sherrif Dept. refused to take David Grajeda’s report of the assualt? are they in on this D’errico/city council business? I watch it on the video, the watch commander refused to take his complaint.. what came of this? was he able to file a complain after all? what camo of Mr. D’errico?
Jo says
One of the things David G was pointing out was the thousands of dollars a month paid to D’errico. He was a sheriffs at one time. Anyone know what happened to that career?
jpsephine says
Now we see what Mr. Perris has brought us from China, Censorship, and political emprisoment… way to go…
William says
So, in Lancaster, some citizens have to listen to unwanted prayers, Parris and Marquez but their own opinions and comments cannot be televised. Can Parris get any more disgusting? I’ll have to wait for Matt’s reply defending Lancaster against all criticism.
Matt Keltner says
Not really, William. I think you are going quite a bit overboard with what you expect from me. I don’t approve of what’s going on anymore than you do. Allegedly, Rex wanted this done because someone made a “racist remark”, which I don’t think is a credible enough reason to cut the camera during this period of the meeting. It’s not a good reason and it isn’t as though every single person who speaks during that period will use racist language.
joe star says
you should watch the video of the meeting and find for yourself is it was a racist remark, the guy is in jail right now, he was assualted by D’rrico you can see the video on you tube and AV connections on Facebook, D’rrico who actually did something to a citizen is not in jail, go figure that…
William says
Oh, but Matt, I’m one of the ‘haters’ as you called us for criticizing Parris. Golly, make uppa you mind.
Doc Rivers says
The city is now a coward to it’s own people rights.
Angel says
When I went into a YMCA yesterday, there was an engraving on the wall that read, “Above all nations comes humanity.” I agree with that statement because some public officials such as Mr. Perris puts his reputation before his people which is total bulls—!!! When grants were offerred to help the town of Lancaster, he rejected them just to look like he is taking care of the town. I give this guy two middle fingers up!!
Maria Grajeda says
David’s bail was raised from $5,000.00 to $25,000.00 by judge Carol Koppel they have a special DA for David all of this on a misdemeanor, he will be in jail for 30 days they realy don’t want David talking about the Redevelopment funds, Kitty Zseto and the University of AV. they seem to have planned this very carefully, they arrested him from a meeting that happened two weeks ago, he left the meeting with no incident and did not know they had a warrant for his arrest, they arrested him outside of City Hall just when the meeting was about to start two people did not speak because of the arrest, they were intimidated this send a clear massage to anyone that tries to speak up, you can go to AV connections on Facebook and look at the video of the assualt from M. D’rrico on David, you can also find it on YouTube. Now I am afraid of what is going to happened to him inside, I guess we can no longer speak at the City Council meetings, who wants to go to jail and be asaulted by the likes of M. D’rrico, make no mistake, David is not the first one this happenes to.
S. Parker says
So sad. I hope everything works out for this young man. I would hate for something crazy to happen to him behind bars… I must admit, I did find his rants at previous City Council meetings to be a little too over the top; still, I find him to be harmless… Ranting at Council meetings is not worthy of 30 days in the slammer. Perhaps there is more to this story?
Jo says
His bail was raised today to $25,000, with a court date set 30 days from now. Think they got plans for him at Men’s jail in LA? I don’t care what side you’re on. This sends a clear message. DON’T COMPLAIN ABOUT REX AT COUNCIL MEETINGS!
Stinger says
“Grajeda was arrested as he was attempting to enter the City Council Meeting…”
So now it is ILLEGAL to publicly disagree with king Rex and his cronies and to legitimately file a criminal complaint with the Sheriff’s Department when one of Rex’s cronies physically attacks you!
Parris is truly scum, and his cronies will be joining him in prison soon…