HELP NEEDED IN IDENTIFYING SUSPECTS IN VANDALISM OF CHURCHES

 

  NEWS

                                 Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas

                                                                   L.A. County Board of Supervisors, 2^nd District

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 25, 2009                                                                                                                                             Contact:    James Bolden

                                                                                                                                                                                   213-200-5314

 

RIDLEY-THOMAS JOINS LAPD DETECTIVES IN CALL FOR HELP IDENTIFYING

SUSPECTS IN VANDALISM OFTWO SOUTH LOS ANGELES HOUSES OF WORSHIP

 

WHAT:           News conference at the site of one of two South Los Angeles houses of worship that were vandalized within the last month with similar hate messages and other graffiti.  Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas and LAPD detectives will ask for the public’s help in identifying who is responsible for these heinous crimes.

 

WHO:              L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas

Captain Robert Green, Commanding Officer, 77th Street Community Police Station

Lieutenant Tom McMullen, Officer in Charge, 77th Street Detectives

Detective Ross Nemeroff, Investigating Detective, 77th Street Burglary Section

Detective Jorge Trego, Investigating Detective, 77th Street Burglary Section

Reverend Eugenio Raphael, Senior Pastor, Saint Mark United Methodist Church

Ray Regalado, L.A. County Human Relations Commission

Bob Adams, President of the Church of Scientology International

Edward Parkin, Director of Cultural Affairs

Jeff Griffin, Citizen Commission on Human Rights

 

WHEN:           Today - Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at 3:30 p.m.

 

WHERE:         Saint Mark United Methodist Church, 8305 South Gramercy Place, Los Angeles, CA

 

BACKGROUND:
On Sunday, February 8, 2009, the Saint Mark United Methodist Church was severely vandalized and burglarized.  A stained glass window of the church was shattered, several walls and The Holy Cross were spray painted with obscenities and graffiti and chemical fire extinguishers were sprayed inside of the church.  Damages exceeded $21, 000.

 

On Saturday, March 7, 2009, The Church of Scientology Community Center located at 8039 South Vermont was vandalized with hate messages and other graffiti. 

 

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