SAN DIEGO – A San Diego Superior Court jury found a member of the so-called Bird Rock Bandits guilty of second-degree murder Tuesday in the fatal beating of a professional surfer in La Jolla in a high-profile case that had attracted national attention.
Seth Cravens, 22, was convicted in the 2007 death of Emery Kauanui, 24, who died from brain injuries several days after suffering what prosecutors described as a sucker punch to the face thrown by Cravens.
Expecting a jury decision today in the murder trial of self-proclaimed gang-banger Seth Cravens in the killing of Emery Kauanui.
I constantly get anonymous emails and comments that proclaim Cravens' innocence, tell me that I don't know "the truth", and defend the behavior of those involved.
Here's the deal...NOBODY involved was "innocent" of anything. A group of thugs all got boozed up at a local bar and thought it would be a good idea to fight. Someone died as a result of this idiotic behavior. Nobody had the brains or the courage to intervene and stop this.
Was Kauanui an "innocent" victim? Probably not. He was dumb enough to go outside to confront the FIVE morons who wanted to fight him. Kauanui had a history of stupid behavior before the night of his death.
But no matter what the jury decides about Cravens, he is not "innocent". He is a punk who needs to grow up. He did throw the punch that killed Kauanui...that is not even in dispute.
His attorney claims it was in self-defense. Here's a question for her: What the hell was Cravens doing at Kauanui's house in the first place?
The father of a La Jolla surfer who was fatally beaten during a fight filed a lawsuit yesterday against five young men involved and the bar where some in the group had been drinking.
In the suit, Emery Kauanui Sr. accuses the men of battery and wrongful death, stemming from the May 2007 death of his 24-year-old son, Emery Jr. The father also points a finger at the La Jolla Brew House, which he claims served alcohol to “obviously intoxicated” minors. Kauanui, who lives in Hawaii, is seeking unspecified damages.
Named in the lawsuit are Seth Cravens, 23; Eric House, 21; Orlando Osuna, 23; Matthew Yanke, 22; and Henri “Hank” Hendricks, 23.
All five were charged with murder, but four pleaded guilty to lesser charges and were sentenced to jail as a condition of probation. Cravens was found guilty of second-degree murder and other charges and was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison.
Kauanui's mother, Cynthia Kauanui, filed a wrongful-death lawsuit in July against the five men, their parents and the bar. She and Emery Kauanui Sr. are divorced.
Claudette Mannixx, owner of the La Jolla Brew House, did not immediately return calls seeking comment. –D.L.
City taking police union to court over program
SAN DIEGO: The city is following through on a year-old plan to take its police union to court over a controversial retirement program.
The deferred retirement option program, or DROP, allows employees to collect their pensions while still employed and receiving a full salary.
The program is closed to new hires, but Mayor Jerry Sanders wants to close it to existing employees who have not signed up. The Police Officers Association says it is a vested benefit.
The mayor first tried to sue the union a year ago, but then-City Attorney Michael Aguirre stood in the way, said Scott Chadwick, the city's lead negotiator and human resources director.
Aguirre lost in the November election; his successor, Jan Goldsmith, is willing to proceed.
The city is asking a judge to declare whether DROP is a vested benefit.
The mayor estimates getting rid of DROP would reduce the city's $2 billion-plus pension deficit by $350 million.
The mayor says the union's refusal to discuss eliminating DROP has led to stalled negotiations, forcing the city to sue. The union issued a statement last night saying that talk of impasse is premature, and that the city should not have filed a complaint while bargaining sessions were scheduled on all issues, including DROP. –C.G. & P.R.
Cloudy and cool today, then sun should return
Today should be cloudy and unusually cool, but sunny skies are forecast for this weekend.
Forecasters expect temperatures to be nearly 10 degrees below normal today, reaching about 60 at the beaches and inland. Highs in the mountains should climb to the upper 40s and to the mid-60s in the deserts.
Tomorrow and Sunday are expected to be fair and warmer countywide, though the beaches could see some low clouds in the morning. –R.K.
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