Personally, I’m thinking the SFPD could have done a better job with the photos they released of the two suspects in last week’s tragedy in the Sunset District. Anyway, find an effort at enhancing the photos below.
The very wide and usually quiet Moraga Street:
Here’s Polly’s versions of the SFPD-released captures:
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That’s it, there aren’t any official updates for this case.
*Moraga Avenue isn’t in the Avenues, it’s in the Presidio, for some reason.
San Francisco City Attorney Dennis J. Herrera isn’t afraid to mix it up with the notorious North Beach nogoodniks at Heaven Mini Theatre. Read all about it, below, as well as on the official website, if you’d prefer.
Does it really cost $200 to have sex in a windowless room above Broadway? Apparently.
San Francisco’s Happy Warrior:
The official press release:
Herrera Moves to Close Down ‘Heaven’
Lawless North Beach Strip Club and Prostitution Venue Has Repeatedly Defied Notices of Violation, Cease and Desist Orders
“City Attorney Dennis Herrera today moved to shutter a notorious North Beach strip club that has continued to operate in defiance of repeated City notices of violation, cease and desist orders, and police citations for prostitution dating back more than a year. In his 20-page pleading filed in San Francisco Superior Court this morning, Herrera petitioned Judge Charlotte Walter Woolard to declare the Heaven Mini Theatreat 1054 Kearny Street a public nuisance for operating in violation of state and local laws, and to issue a preliminary injunction that would close down the illicit enterprise.
Heaven Mini Theatre was also implicated in an April 9, 2009 shooting, in which a witness informed police investigators of his belief that an alleged Heaven employee was the gunman who shot two doormen at the Broadway Showgirls Nightclub in apparent retaliation for a physical altercation a week earlier. The victims, who had been shot in the thigh and neck respectively, survived.
“Naming a business ‘Heaven’ doesn’t place it beyond earthly laws and regulations, but that appears to be exactly what the operators of this illicit enterprise think,” said Herrera. “The Police and Planning Departments have been thorough and persistent in enforcing the law and doing their jobs. Yet gallingly, ‘Heaven’ sued the City because of it.
The reality is that this lawless endeavor has no intention of obeying the law in San Francisco, and the court ordered injunction I’m seeking is necessary to shut it down.”
Herrera’s motion details an improbable procedural history of the case, in which the illicit establishment — which has operated without a single City permit– preemptively sued the City for violating its federal constitutional guarantees of equal protection and due process because of what it described as “selective enforcement” of state and local laws. Yet despite being lawfully served with a Cease and Desist Order by the San Francisco Planning Department, despite numerous citations for prostitution by the Police Department, and despite repeated warnings by the City Attorney’s Office, Heaven’s operators have stubbornly remained open for business, distributing lurid flyers promoting their unlawful enterprise, and allegedly engaging in at least one act of intimidation toward a promoter of a lawful and properly permitted competing establishment.
The case is 1054 Kearny, LLC, DBA Heaven Mini Theatre v. City and County of San Francisco, San Francisco Superior Court No. CGC 08 479-624, filed Sept. 9, 2008. The complete presskit, which includes the pleadings and declarations filed with the court today, is available on the City Attorney’s Web site at the following URL: http://www.sfgov.org/cityattorney
At the site (if not the exact same address) of the former Korean-themed brothel Gabin comes Jannah. It’s at 1775 Fulton in the NOPA, just down the street from the candyBar at 1335.
And guess what, they’re hiring! Servers, apparently, atleast that’s what the signs said.
And guess what, they’re already five-star rated at the Yelp!
See you there on Wednesday, the updated forecast for opening day.
Man oh man, the oddly-named “scary,” “sketchy” nightclub Gabin (nee Daebul) at 1775 Fulton Street (or 17xx, if you prefer) near Masonic was almost famous in the North of Panhandle Area / Western Addition area back in the day. It was one of San Francisco’s San Mateo County-style private karaoke joints, oddly located right across the street from a big old Lucky / Albertsons supermarket.
Read for yourself some hilarious encounters on the Yelp. And don’t miss the contretemps of the white male “nosey parkers” of the North of Panhandle Neighborhood Association attacking “diversity and sex-positiveness” here, from way back in 2006. (And let’s not mention 2006 again, no sir.)
But now, the signs say “Jannah”, so it looks like “Middle Eastern California Cuisine” is headed our way.
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And they’ll have plenty of delicious beverages to boot.
See you there!
Illinois Sheriff Tom Dart’s ridiculous lawsuit against craigslist inspired a press release today from craigslist CEO Jim Buckmaster. Read it below.
While the the lawsuit from Thomas Dart, Esq. was getting laughed at across the country, founder Craig Newmark himself found time to note the issue on his personal blog. On it goes…
The message of day - Craig Newmark is NOT a pimp:
The press release, after the jump:
What’s the deal with Chicago lawyers filing lawsuits against the Craigslist? Sometimes it seems every problem that Cook County has can be traced to San Francisco’s famous 25-employee private corporation. For example, a few years back the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law, Inc. got slapped back by the court system. (Listen to the black box tapes of their lawsuit going down in flames here.) But today brings news of another Midwestern pettifogger going after the CL.
Comes now career politician Tom Dart, who is using his elected position as Sheriff of Cook County to file a ridiculous lawsuit against craigslist over prostitution advertising. Did Chicago prostitutes use other kinds of media before the creation of craigslist? Why yes. And as a matter of fact, the Chicago Reader newspaper (a free weekly like the Bay Guardian and SF Weekly) is making money right now today with erotic services ads (as are the aforementioned Bay Guardian and SF Weekly, of course). Let’s take a look at a few of today’s ads sitting in newsboxes right outside the Sheriff’s office:
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So what’s the difference between the Chicago Reader and craigslist?
Is Thomas Dart still promoting his craigslist boycott? Good luck with that and all. I mean, that stands a better chance of working than this lawsuit. I mean really, is Craig’s list “a source” of prostitution?
But why would this elected sheriff/lawyer want to go out of town to pick on cragslist? Perhaps he wins even if/when his lawsuit fails? Anyway, his press conference is starting now, noon Central Standard Time. Let’s give him a chance to make his case and pretend it has a ghost of a chance of succeeding.
Make sure to pay attention to him - he really enjoys all the attention.
UPDATE: Valleywag just posted a bit along the same vein.
UPDATE #2: Per Mr. Dart, craigslist is not passive, but is actually “actively involved” with prostitution.
Like this? Artist’s conception of how Mr. Dart views Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist:
How far will Mr. Dart, Esq. push this? Will he end up getting sanctioned by the courts?
Stay tuned.
Over in Sacramento, San Mateo and San Francisco Counties’ very own Senator Leland Yee, PhD has been busy, busy, busy getting new bills in before deadline. SB 557 is today’s effort, below.
If we can get this into law, will this take some of the fight out of human traffickers in California? Doing a little stretch in the hoosegow is one thing, but losing a house or the rolling stock – well, that’s a whole ‘nother ball game.
The California Senate’s Assistant President pro Tempore:
Here’s the new bill:
Yee Introduces Bill to Seize Property of Criminals Convicted of Human Trafficking
Funds would be used to assist law enforcement and victims
Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco/San Mateo) today introduced legislation to assist victims of human trafficking and support law enforcement by allowing courts to seize any personal property, such as house or automobile, of a person convicted of human trafficking.
“SB 557 will bring much-needed resources to help fight human trafficking, while also ensuring victims receive the services they need to recover from this horrific crime,” said Yee. Between 14,500 and 17,500 victims are trafficked into the United States each year and enslaved for purposes of sexual or labor exploitation, and unfortunately many of the cases occur here in California. Our state has led the way in combating human trafficking and exploitation, but we should not stop our efforts until all women, men, and children are free and safe from such an appalling offense.”
Under Yee’s legislation, funds accumulated from all property seized from those convicted of human trafficking will be split between funds to assist law enforcement in cracking down on the crime and funds dedicated to groups who work with victims.
Approximately 600,000 to 800,000 victims annually are trafficked across international borders worldwide, according to the US Department of State. Victims are generally trafficked into the US from Asia, Central and South America, and Eastern Europe. Many human trafficking victims do not understand English and are therefore isolated and often unable to communicate with service providers, law enforcement and others who might be able to help them.
Research by the Human Rights Center at the University of California found 57 forced labor operations between 1998 and 2003 throughout California. These operations – mostly in San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Jose – involved more than 500 victims from 18 countries.
The US Department of Justice recently announced that in the first 21 months of operation, the Human Trafficking Reporting System (HTRS) recorded information on more than 1,200 alleged incidents of human trafficking.
According to the Justice Department, over 90 percent of victims in both alleged and confirmed human trafficking incidents were female. Nearly 60 percent of victims in labor trafficking cases were female and almost all (99%) victims in sex trafficking cases were female.
Hispanic victims comprised the largest share (37 percent) of alleged sex trafficking victims and more than half (56 percent) of alleged labor trafficking victims. Asians made up 10 percent of alleged sex trafficking victims, compared to 31 percent of labor trafficking victims. Approximately two-thirds of victims in alleged human trafficking incidents were age 17 or younger (27 percent) or age 18 to 24 (38 percent). Sex trafficking victims tended to be younger (71 percent were under age 25) and labor trafficking victims tended to be older (almost 70 percent were age 25 or older).
Nearly eight in 10 human trafficking suspects were male. US citizens accounted for 66 percent of suspects in alleged incidents.
If you are a victim of trafficking or an organization needing assistance, please contact the Trafficking Information and Referral Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
In 2004, Senator Yee also passed legislation to combat human trafficking. Yee’s AB 3042 increased penalties to those who solicit children through prostitution.
