News Briefs News Briefs (November 19, 2004)

Dog bite investigation to be made public

Mountain View police are concluding their investigation of a recent incident in which a police dog bit a black man who was handcuffed on the ground. Results of the investigation will be available as soon as Nov. 19, said Sgt. Derek Sousa.

The victim, Patrick Terry, filed a complaint about the incident to the NAACP's local chapter but has not pursued legal recourse.

The issues concerning the dog bite has spurred the city's human relations commission to consider creating an independent police review board. The commission will discuss an independent board at its next bimonthly meeting in January. Police chief Scott Vermeer recently presented data on racial profiling to the commission.
Driver to enter plea in cyclist killing

A man charged with murder for killing a bicyclist while driving under the influence of PCP, a hallucinogen, is scheduled to enter a plea Monday in Santa Clara County Superior Court. David Anthony Espino is accused of running down Jim Dein and Ted Aberg from behind on Highway 9 in Monte Sereno, killing Dein and maiming Aberg.

The case is notable for its rarity -- only one-third of drivers found to be at fault in cyclist and pedestrian fatalities are charged with any crime at all. A U.S. Supreme Court ruling from Nov. 9 held that causing injury or death while driving drunk is not a crime of violence. The ruling created a scare in the cycling community but is not likely to impact this case, according to prosecutor Matt Braker.
Second Mayfield meeting added

A vote by the environmental planning commission on alternative developments to be studied during for the Mayfield mall site will not take place until Dec. 1. The Nov. 17 meeting, which took place after the Voice's press time, was originally slated to include a final vote. It was moved from City Hall to Monta Loma Elementary School in order to allow for more community input regarding the controversial project.

The commission will eventually choose to study two alternatives in addition to Toll Brothers Development's proposal for high-density housing and the default option to leave the site zoned for commercial use. The options will be studied next year during an environmental impact report paid for by the developer.
Robert Reich joins local business board

Springboard Forward, a nonprofit organization that assists entry-level and low-wage workers in Silicon Valley, announced the addition of Robert Reich to its advisory board last week.

Reich, former U.S. Secretary of Labor under President Bill Clinton, supports the Mountain View company's innovative approach to work with clients after they have been hired by employers.

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