Author Archives: Black Coalition

Families of Grim Sleeper’s victims pushed for action and bonded with one another

They took to the streets, passing out fliers, and showed up at City Hall to support rewards for his capture. They pressed, successfully, for a composite sketch to be released. Laverne Peters holds a photograph of daughter Janecia, a Grim Sleeper victim, at a news conference last week. Learning in 2008 that a serial killer [...]

Grim Sleeper Unearthed After Nearly 25 Years

Grim Sleeper unearthed after nearly 25 years Images of the suspected Grim Sleeper, Lonnie David Franklin Jr., were on display at a press conference held July 8 outside LAPD headquarters in downtown Los Angeles. (Photo by Leiloni De Gruy) By LEILONI DE GRUY, Staff Writer Story Published: Jul 14, 2010 at 9:10 PM PDT Story [...]

Community Member Takes Mic From LAPD Chief

“In a not widely reported incident, at the press conference called by police and elected officials to announce the arrest of the “Grim Sleeper” suspect, a reporter asked to hear from Margaret Prescod, who founded the Black Coalition Fighting Back Serial Murders in 1985, as well as to hear from some other family members. LAPD [...]

Associated Press: Man charged in L.A. ‘Grim Sleeper’ slayings has long list of arrests

Man charged in L.A. ‘Grim Sleeper’ slayings has long list of arrests Sunday, July 11, 2010 CALIFORNIA Suspect in killings has many arrests The 57-year-old man charged with murder in 10 slayings in the Los Angeles “Grim Sleeper” case was arrested at least 15 times over four decades on other charges and was in police [...]

LA Times: Victims’ families, elected officials and cops share credit in the Grim Sleeper case.

Suspect’s arrest is a milestone for the community and the police Victims’ families, elected officials and cops share credit in the Grim Sleeper case. By Cathleen Decker, Los Angeles Times July 11, 2010 The news conference called last week by the mayor, the police chief and other officials at the new Los Angeles Police Department [...]

Herald Scotland: Arrest in Grim Sleeper case leads to new row over family DNA tests

Arrest in Grim Sleeper case leads to new row over family DNA tests from Andrew Purcell in New York 11 Jul 2010 The ethical limits of DNA ­profiling are being tested in California, ­following an arrest in a ­notorious serial-killer case. The ­suspect, Lonnie David Franklin, came to the attention of police when his son [...]

ABC News: Notorious ‘Grim Sleeper’ Serial Killer Nabbed?

Notorious ‘Grim Sleeper’ Serial Killer Nabbed? Los Angeles Police Have Reportedly Made Arrest in Long-Unsolved Cold Case By LAUREN SHER, ALYSSA LITOFF and NEAL KARLINSKY July 7, 2010— The “Grim Sleeper” serial killer who has eluded Los Angeles police for more than two decades may have finally been nabbed. Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office [...]

ABC News: Videos

Familial DNA used to connect Franklin to the Grim Sleeper case. The search for the Grim Sleeper.

LA Times: Arraignment for suspected Grim Sleeper postponed until August

July 8, 2010 | 3:13 pm The suspected Grim Sleeper serial killer made his first court appearance Thursday afternoon, but an arraignment was postponed until Aug. 9. He is being held without bail. Lonnie David Franklin, Jr. was arrested Wednesday after a “familial DNA” search led police to the suspect on charges that he had [...]

CNN: Videos

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announces arrest of Lonnie David Franklin Jr. as suspect in Grim Sleeper Case. Sanjay Gupta speaks with criminologist and Margaret Prescod from BCFBSM: “Why was Grim Sleeper case so slow?”