One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Big Oops: Suspected Murderer Released Due to Clerical Error, Manhunt Underway
Courtesy LASD
Talk about a major oops: A "clerical error" resulted in the release of a dangerous felon, and a manhunt is now underway in Los Angeles to find the suspected murderer.Johnny Mata, 32, is "suspected of firing a handgun into a crowd and killing a 34-year-old father in Baldwin Park more than two years ago," notes L.A. Now.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department explains how Mata was set free a month ago:
On April 4, 2013, Inmate Johnny Mata was released from the Sheriff’s Inmate processing unit (IRC) Inmate Reception Center, in downtown Los Angeles. Mata’s release should not have occurred because a murder charge had been filed by the District Attorney and a processing clerk had not yet entered it as a “hold” on inmate Mata.
Err, so why are we just hearing about this in May? "The delay in reporting the mistaken release was not due to embarrassment over the error," says the LASD, according to MyFoxLA. Apparently, detectives were conducting an active search for Mata, and only now have turned to the public to seek help in locating the suspect.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
