A 22-year-old was booked on suspicion of felony vandalism last week after the man allegedly scratched graffiti onto an aquatic center door in Commerce, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The suspect, Joshua Vasquez of East Los Angeles, probably was unaware that there were actually 100 law enforcement officers inside the glass building that he was allegedly vandalizing.
"Looking at the door later on, it turns out we could see him, but he couldn't see us," Capt. Mike Parker told ABC News. "It would appear he picked the wrong room to vandalize."
ABC News reports that over 40 Los Angles deputies and police officers confronted Vasquez, but that the 6-foot-4-inch, 280-pound man tried to flee the scene by foot. Officers chased Vasquez down the block until he tripped over his own feet and fell down. After Vasquez was handcuffed and put in the back of a deputy vehicle, he tried to get away again. Only this time the suspect kicked out the rear window of the sheriff's cruiser before being further restrained.
Officers say that the suspect was put in jail in lieu of a $20,000 bail. Lt. Mark Richards of the East Los Angeles Station told ABC News that Vasquez could possibly be mentally ill.
Those who are suspects of a crime still have certain legal rights. The Fifth and Sixth Amendments give most criminal defendants the right to counsel, where the defendants have the right to be represented by a criminal defense attorney. FindLaw states that the government will often appoint an attorney to handle a case; if the defendant cannot afford their own lawyer. For a list of Los Angeles criminal defense attorneys, see FindLaw's directory.
Related Resources:
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The Right to Adequate Representation (FindLaw)
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Vandalism (LawBrain)
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