91-year-old screenwriter beheaded

[guy incognito]

His neighbor was stabbed to death as well. Sick, sick, sick.

Story (http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2004-06-15-hollywood-murders_x.htm)

[Oyama]

This is very sad news. :shake:

[Michael]

...poor fellow. It's amazing how anyone can do us harm no matter how rich or poor...very scary indeed. Sick!

[pdenny]

Kinda ironic the killer was apprehended in front of Paramount Studios on Melrose. Only in Hollywood....thank goodness they nabbed this psycho.

[JohnG]

my first reaction when I read the thread title was Al-Queda had struck again.

lucky that psycho is off the streets!

[Director]

Kinda ironic the killer was apprehended in front of Paramount Studios on Melrose. Only in Hollywood....thank goodness they nabbed this psycho.
Tell me about it. I was around the corner doing a show at the Cast Theatre when it happened! We hang out outside all the time. Eeeek.

[Evan L]

I just watched A&C Meet Frankenstein the other night...! :realmad:

I didn't know Robert Lees was still alive....this is just plain sickness. A pox on that person!

Evan

[Tony Plachy]

This is horrible. I have never been to LA except to pass through the airport so I have no idea if the homeless people in LA are like the ones we see in NYC. Every time I go to NYC I see at least 6 or 8 homeless people who are deranged (I think the combination of poor food, sometimes too much to drink and no shelter takes its toll on them) and at least 1 or 2 who are not only deranged but have also become hostile. It is very sad but also very scary. :shake:

[guy incognito]

Every time I go to NYC I see at least 6 or 8 homeless people who are deranged (I think the combination of poor food, sometimes too much to drink and no shelter takes its toll on them)

I think in many cases it's also a legacy of the government's disastrous deinstitutionalization campaign (http://www.psych-health.com/madness1.htm) of the '60s and '70s.

[Captain Groovy]

I think in many cases it's also a legacy of the government's disastrous deinstitutionalization campaign (http://www.psych-health.com/madness1.htm) of the '60s and '70s.

Uh, oh! That sounds political! I don't want to voice my opinion - so let's just blame the person who ultimately did this heinous crime.

May Lees Rest In Peace.

JEFF!

[GabeG]

This is horrible. I have never been to LA except to pass through the airport so I have no idea if the homeless people in LA are like the ones we see in NYC. Every time I go to NYC I see at least 6 or 8 homeless people who are deranged (I think the combination of poor food, sometimes too much to drink and no shelter takes its toll on them) and at least 1 or 2 who are not only deranged but have also become hostile. It is very sad but also very scary. :shake:

Funny. I grew up in NYC and still live here and while I've seen plenty of homeless here, I've never seen anyone hostile. Some are out of it, some are drunks and some are normal people who've had bad luck. I've never feared anyone.

It's always the visitors who have the bad luck.

[poweragemk]

Funny. I grew up in NYC and still live here and while I've seen plenty of homeless here, I've never seen anyone hostile. Some are out of it, some are drunks and some are normal people who've had bad luck. I've never feared anyone.

It's always the visitors who have the bad luck.

I agree, Gabe, though I've lived here for quite a bit less time. I've seen agitated, but not necessarily hostile. Maybe New Yorkers' trademark no-eye-contact-with-strangers routine explains why visitors have bad luck? :D

[Tony Plachy]

It only seems to get worse. WNBC in NYC just reported that two 15 year olds beat a homeless 40 year old man to death with bricks in front of a statue of the Virgin Mary in the church yard of the church where he usually slept on the steps. What is happening to out society? :cry:

[John Oteri]

As with Jason, this happened not very far from me. It's very unsettling, because at first it did sound like some disgruntled industry employee thing...but it was nothing of the kind. The guy was just a nut. You certainly can't blame the "homeless." The guy was from a decent family in Orange County (you know, the OC---about 30 miles south). He was just a wacko.
I used to live in NYC too. I think the homeless situation was much tougher for people out there, mostly because in the winter there was nowhere else to go but the Armory. Here, they can pretty much hang out all year long. Most of the "real" homeless in LA live either downtown, where there are many missions...and in Santa Monica where there are so many parks, and of course the long stretches of beaches.
But in Hollywood, from my experience anyway, many of the homeless are runaways. Kids who want to make it or tried to make it in music or the movies, and things didn't work out or whatever. The most homeless in Hollywood hang out around Sunset and Vine. And a block over at Ameaba Records...the younger ones at least. They are usually very laid back (hey, it's LA, dude). Again...the guy who did this hideous thing was just a psycho. Period.

[rmos]

But in Hollywood, from my experience anyway, many of the homeless are runaways. Kids who want to make it or tried to make it in music or the movies, and things didn't work out or whatever. The most homeless in Hollywood hang out around Sunset and Vine. And a block over at Ameaba Records...the younger ones at least. They are usually very laid back (hey, it's LA, dude). Again...the guy who did this hideous thing was just a psycho. Period.


:help:

I'm visiting L.A. the last week in June on a mini-vacation and was planning to stop at Amoeba. Do these homeless people hassle you when you're entering the store?

[John Oteri]

:help:

I'm visiting L.A. the last week in June on a mini-vacation and was planning to stop at Amoeba. Do these homeless people hassle you when you're entering the store?


No. They just camp out at the side on Ivar Street, and ask for spare change. They're usually polite. Lots of suburban kids out on their own, struggling with their bands or acting careers. If you want to avoid them completely, come in on Sunset Blvd. East of Ivar.
Have fun in LA

[rmos]

Have fun in LA


Thanks .... I will!

[John Oteri]

Here's some free advice---and you know what that's worth!
Enter Amoeba south of Sunset on Cauhunga, they have a parking garage there that validates, otherwise to park around there can get expensive!
If it's your first trip to LA let me know...I can tell you want to see---and what to avoid!

[rmos]

Here's some free advice---and you know what that's worth!
Enter Amoeba south of Sunset on Cauhunga, they have a parking garage there that validates, otherwise to park around there can get expensive!
If it's your first trip to LA let me know...I can tell you want to see---and what to avoid!


Thanks for the tip. Sent you a PM.

[RetroSmith]

It is sad. I had a friend whom I made listen to the stereo verison of "Wolly Bully" 25 times in a row with that .5 sec delay on the backing track. I think thats what caused him to become deranged.