PUBLIC SAFETY Arguments continue in teens’ sex...

PUBLIC SAFETY

Arguments continue

in teens’ sex case

Hearings in a rape case, in which three teenagers are accused of

raping an unconscious 16-year-old girl, continued last week to reveal

details surrounding the incident, including another camera used to

record the alleged assault.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys spent the week calling various

digital video experts who picked apart each frame -- 30 per second --

of the tape that captured defendants Gregory Haidl, Keith Spann and

Kyle Nachreiner engaging in sexual activities with the girl.

Two abnormalities were found in the tape: 21 frames of black and

another 21 frames of frozen frames, which created a fluttering image

when viewed. Experts on both sides of the argument have various

theories for what caused them.

Defense experts say the defects were the cause of tampering and

argue the tape should be excluded as evidence. Prosecution witnesses

say the black frames were made by the accidental rerecording of a San

Bernardino Sheriff deputy while viewing the copy in a camcorder; and

the flutter is a common occurrence.

Final arguments will be heard Monday in Santa Ana Superior Court.

-- Lolita Harper

COSTA MESA

Family, Latino community honor their fallen son

On the one-year anniversary of Jose Garibay’s death, family and

friends honored him by raising the flag on a flagpole donated by the

community for the family’s new home in Santa Ana. Garibay, who

attended Whittier Elementary and Ensign Intermediate School and

played football at Newport Harbor High, was the first Orange County

Marine killed in the line of duty in the war against Iraq.

* The Costa Mesa Senior Center is anticipating its second year of

being in the black. It is expecting to have a surplus of $9,000 for

the second year in a row. The nonprofit was able to overcome its

deficits in various ways, including adopting a business-like

philosophy.

* Business luminaries such as South Coast Plaza’s Werner Escher

were honored Tuesday at the 2004 Costa Mesa Hall of Fame Awards. The

luncheon, sponsored by the Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce and the

South Coast Metro Alliance, honored Escher with the Individual

Achievement award. It also recognized David Emmes and Martin Benson

of South Coast Repertory with the Leadership in the Arts award and

Orange County Market Place founder Bob Teller received the Community

Spirit award.

-- Deirdre Newman

EDUCATION

Ensign Intermediate School students think pink all week

A principal’s decision to pull students out of a class photo

because of what they were wearing drew nationwide attention after

radio and T.V. personality Ryan Seacrest talked about the incident on

the air. Ensign Middle School Principal Edward Wong removed six

students from a class photo March 18 because they were wearing pink

along with black, colors that school officials said can signify a

party crew, considered to be a precursor to a gang.

The media storm commenced after hundreds of students wore pink the

next day in protest and a newspaper story cited a student’s comment

that Seacrest likes pink. Seacrest spoke on the air about how it’s OK

to wear pink and declared “Think Pink” week, asking people to wear

pink Friday to support the color. School officials hoped the issue

would quiet down soon.

* Classes at Newport Harbor High School keep a six-period day

after teachers voted down a proposal to change to an eight-period

block schedule. If it had passed, the change would have extended the

school day by 25 minutes and allowed students to take more classes.

The school has been on a six-period block schedule Mondays through

Thursdays but, without another vote, will automatically revert to the

traditional eight-period schedule starting next year.

* About 50 fifth-graders hit Newport Dunes for a nature-themed

photo essay assignment on Thursday. The outing, part of an

environmental education program, was designed to give students a

better appreciation of the area’s natural beauty. Each student’s best

work will get blown up to an 8-by-10 glossy, mounted with a nameplate

and displayed on the walls of sponsor Fletcher Jones Motorcars in

April.

-- Marisa O’Neil

NEWPORT BEACH

Newspaper gets a little dramatic exposure

Wednesday night’s episode of the Fox soap “The O.C.” featured a

mention of the Daily Pilot and local restaurant Aubergine.

While planning a ritzy party at Kirsten and Sandy Cohen’s manse,

characters said it would be catered by a chef from Aubergine and

attended by the “owner” of the Daily Pilot. The Daily Pilot’s real

owner Tribune Co., however, didn’t make a cameo appearance at the

shindig.

* The California Department of Parks and Recreation announced

Wednesday a diver planting kelp recently found a stone pestle

underwater at Crystal Cove State Park. The pestle, thought to have

been used by native people known as the Juanenos, suggests to park

officials there might be more artifacts in the area. A state parks

dive team is expected to look for more such items in the next few

weeks.

-- Daily Pilot staff