Local News
Closing arguments for Hancock Park furniture store killing – NBC Los Angeles
Editors’ note: The previous version noted the case has gone to a Los Angeles jury.
Jury deliberations will begin soon in the trial of a man accused of fatally stabbing a UCLA graduate student inside a Hancock Park furniture store in 2022.
Shawn Laval Smith is charged with murdering Brianna Kupfer after he allegedly stabbed her 46 times at the Croft House furniture store on La Brea Avenue near Beverly Boulevard.
During closing arguments Monday, the prosecution reiterated Smith’s hatred of women drove him to murder while the defense attorney claimed there was no premeditation.
“This man hates women,” prosecutor Habib Balian said Monday, describing how Smith visited women in several stores in Hancock Park before targeting Kupfer because she was alone. “It’s easier probably to sleep at night to think something is wrong with him rather than face the truth that this man was on a crusade to hunt, to destroy and to kill for the mere fact that she was female.”
Balian also argued that Smith pretended to be a customer when he entered the furniture store, which showed premeditation.
“That’s how good he was at hiding his true intentions in plain sight,” the prosecutor claimed. “Even Brianna – as smart. intelligent and kind she was – had no idea of the exact terror he was about to reign upon her.”
The defense attorney for Smith implied race was a factor in this case by putting up Kupfer and Smith’s photos side by side, attempting to explain the media attention for the case.
“The thing we can’t talk about, the thing we consciously notice, is why it’s attracted so many people,” Robert Haberer, Smith’s attorney, said.
The judge sustained the prosecution’s objective twice to the racial bias argument.
Smith’s attorney also claimed the killing was not premeditated.
While Smith had recorded himself saying he wanted to kill women a month before Kupfer’s death, his statements about women should not be considered motive, Haberer argued.
If convicted, Smith faces life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Local News
How to add California driver’s license to iPhone, Apple Watch – NBC Los Angeles
California driver’s license holders can now add their state ID to Apple Wallet on their IPhone and Apple Watch, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Thursday.
The digital IDs will be accepted at Transportation Security Administration (TSA) check points, including Los Angeles International Airport and San Francisco Airport, as well as select businesses.
“With this new integration, we’re working to better serve the people of California in the 21st Century,” Newsom said in a statement.
Here’s how to add your ID to Apple Wallet
- Go to Apple Wallet
- Click the + button on the top right-hand corner
- Under the “Add to Wallet” section, tap “Driver’s License or State ID” to select “California mDL Pilot.
- Scan the front and back sides of your California ID
- Scan your face
- Take a picture
- Wait for verification from the California DMV.
But there’s a catch
The mobile driver’s license (mDL) pilot program is currently only limited to 1.5 million participants.
If your license is expired or suspended, your mDL will be rejected.
Other factors that could impact your mDL applications are:
- Wearing headwear
- Not using plain background
- Lack of consistent lighting
- Other faces in the frame
- Wearing sunglasses
More tips can be found here.
Last month, the state announced the DMV addition of Google Wallet as an option to hold driver’s licenses and identification cards.
Local News
Find Riverside County Airport Fire recovery assistance – NBC Los Angeles
Residents impacted by the Airport Fire in Riverside County can visit a local assistance center in Lake Elsinore.
Residents seeking assistance with food, health care support and more are welcomed to visit the one-stop resource center located at the Lake Community Center. The center will be open from noon to 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.
The Riverside County Department of Public Social Services, Public Health, Housing & Workforce Solutions and other local agencies will be joined by representatives from the California Office of Emergency Services and several nonprofit organizations to provide information on how to get financial, medical and related aid.
Residents seeking help also can click here.
On Tuesday, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors approved an emergency declaration, enabling the county to seek state and federal allocations for infrastructure repairs or improvements and general recovery of expenses stemming from the blaze.
As of Thursday, the Airport Fire was 41% contained at more than 23,500 acres in Orange and Riverside counties.
For information about Orange County recovery resources, click here.
Local News
Find Orange County Airport Fire recovery resources – NBC Los Angeles
Orange County launched a website and plans to open an assistance center to provide residents with information about recovering from the Airport Fire.
Residents affected by the fire, which also burned in Riverside County, can click here to find information about wildfire assistance.
The county also will open a wildfire recovery assistance center at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo. The center will be open from 3 to 9 p.m. Thursday; 3 to 9 p.m. Friday; and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at 28000 Marguerite Parkway in the second-floor lounge.
The fire, which started more than a week ago, has burned 23,519 acres with containment at 39 percent. The fire destroyed 160 structures and damaged 34 others.
Below-normal temperatures are helping firefighters make progress with helicopter water drops. Crews are working to increse the perimeter with warmer weather in the forecast.
Most evacuation orders and warnings were lifted in Orange County, but many are still in effect in Riverside County. Residents can visit this page to determine if their homes are impacted by evacuation orders or warnings.
The fire was one of three major fires that started during a week of extremely warm temperatures in Southern California.
Information about Los Angeles and San Bernardino county recovery resources can be found here.
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