LAPD Detective Stephanie Lazarus Chat with Homicide Detectives Fails

Los Angeles, CA— LAPD art theft detective Stephanie Lazarus has been held in jail since her arrest in June of 2009 in lieu of a $10 Million bail bond requirement. Lazarus was arrested for the murder of Van Nuys, 29 year-old nurse, Sherri Rae Rasmussen nearly a quarter century ago in 1986. Lazarus’ future looks very bleak unless the state’s DNA evidence can be discredited or otherwise somehow eliminated.

I always tell anyone and everyone I can about our birthright as Americans to remain silent and to never talk to police when they come with questions. It never ceases to amaze me how cops themselves of all people insist on having unnecessary conversations with fellow investigators targeting them.

If we allowed everyone convicted at trials for crimes to take back the words either told to police or credited by police as having been said by the defendants, our prisons would all be empty. Heck, every cop knows that!

Despite explicit Miranda warnings people insist on being chatty with the very people who are trying to jail them. Of course, the non-custodial conversations with police don’t require Miranda warnings so anything at all you say will be put before a jury should you be charged with a crime. The solution is simple golden silence. Silence may protect the guilty but more importantly it protects the innocent.

In my experience it’s the cops themselves that don’t seem to have learned anything at all from being a cop. When a fellow cop asks the simplest of questions about anything at all survival radar should kick in and the conversation should end. Cops just like every suspect blab away with denials, supposed alibis and small talk.

With Lazarus there is a huge problem that maybe impossible to get around, reported DNA evidence from a human bite left on the victim’s arm.

I see a real defense of justifiable or accidental shooting during a deadly fight between these two women involved in a love trangle. Those defenses are all but foreclosed since Lazarus freely told detectives that she was not involved in a physical fight with the dead victim.

Lazarus can try to offer that scenario at trial but to do so she’d have to admit she lied to investigators. It’s highly doubtful any jury would lend credibility to any suspect under those circumstances.

In my experience innocent people freely lie to police in effort to remove themselves from any involvement with any part of anything under police investigation. When this happens there is little defense lawyers can do but watch their client’s lives slip away.

Defense attorney, Mark Overland certainly has his hands full with his chatty client. There are the early statements memorialized in police reports and now the video from one the old Parker Center interrogation confessionals with the picturesque acoustic fiberglass wall and ceiling panels.

Lazarus actually tells the dicks with a smile during her questioning, “I know how this stuff works.” That remark will really go over big with any jury along with a little wisecrack, “Am I on Candid Camera?”

A few casual seeming sentences are now going to set the stage for whatever this accused woman has in store for the rest of her life. It is not a pretty picture

Let me say it again. When the police come calling simply tell them, I will cooperate with you in every way, but first I want a lawyer. No jury can be told that you asked for a lawyer and refused to talk. Please try and picture how my advice would look on a cell-phone text message to would read, “STFU.”

Watch lots of video of Stephanie Lazarus’ from the Parker Center Confessional right here.

Troubling Investigation Leaks Endanger LAPD Officer’s Chances For A Fair Trial

Los Angeles, CA—The L.A. Times, reporting anonymous police sources claim that Sherri Ray Rasmussen was found beaten, had been bound and executed. She suffered three .38 gunshot wounds to the chest and that a bathrobe was used to muffle the sounds of the gunfire.

The 1986 killer or killers apparently stacked up stereo equipment on the floor and also removed Rasmussen’s car creating the appearance of a burglary.

Some weeks later, Lazarus reported to Santa Monica police that her .38 snub-nosed revolver was stolen from her automobile.

These leaked reports may negate any possible self-defense claims by career police detective Stephanie Lazarus who is accused of murder and is being held without bond.

It’s beyond ugly when death investigations are made the subject gossip being leaked to reporters by cops acting well outside the integrity parameters in place to prevent these types of nefarious disclosures.

You can read the full L.A. Times report here.

Was LAPD Detective In A Cat Fight For her Life?

Los Angeles, CA—Slowly the facts are beginning to emerge in the death investigation of Sherri Rasmussen. Rasmussen was found beaten and shot to death in her Van Nuys townhouse she shared with her new husband in 1986.

Now some 23 years later a well-respected 25 year veteran policewoman, Stephanie Lazarus is being held without bond on a capital murder charge.

Police say that there was a deadly fight that included a bite mark containing the salvia of Stephanie Lazarus on the dead woman Sherri Rasmussen’s arm. We all know women resort to scratching and biting when they fight. I see nothing unusual here.

Lazarus was a sworn officer at the time and was required to carry a firearm. We are learning that Lazarus was a frequent visitor/invitee in the townhouse. Lazarus was reportedly a “former” girlfriend of the dead woman’s new husband.

I can see the potential for friction here but these kinds of cases rarely turn so violent. Lazarus has no history of violence or other criminality.

Lazarus at 5’7” was smaller and weaker than the athletic 6’ tall Rasmussen. Assuming there was a fight between the women an effort to disarm Lazarus by Rasmussen makes perfect sense. Had that occurred Lazarus’ police survival training would kick in and she’s lawfully use deadly force shooting Rasmussen until she was no longer a threat.

Lazarus had no duty under her Fifth Amendment rights to report this horrific event to anyone.

This scenario makes perfect sense. It makes more sense than a prosecution theory that Lazarus forced her way into her romantic rival’s home and simply executed her.

The most important clue I’d be looking for is evidence that when shots were fired the distance between the women was very close. That’s really easy to show.

The key element here may be people coming forward that can shed light on Rasmussen’s physical strength, temper and history of violence.

There is a lot more to be learned about this tragic case.

LAPD Detective Denied Bond—Lawyers Up

Los Angeles, CA—It’s shocking anytime I see a police officer in handcuffs. I’ve seen it before as rare as that happens but I’ve yet to see a policewoman in restraints until this morning.

The proceedings took place before a packed courtroom with most major press organizations present.

Stephanie Lazarus was brought in wearing a waist chain and handcuffs. She was also wearing a orange jumpsuit as she made her court appearance from the prisoner cage within division 30 of the Superior Court.

Lazarus a 25 year LAPD veteran is facing capital murder charges in connection with her arrest Friday at the LAPD Parker Center where she worked as a detective specializing in art thefts.

The 23 year-old cold case, culminated in Lazarus’ arrest after police say DNA linked Lazarus to the killing.

Lazarus was represented by Camarillo lawyer, Mark Pachowicz. The Commissioner, Kristi Loustau ordered that Lazarus be held without bond. Pachowicz asked to continue the current matter agreeing to waive time under the speedy trial rules. A new date July 6, 2009 at 8:30 AM was given. Lazarus was asked if she wished to waive time and she agreed. Prosecutors did little more than give their names for the record.

On Monday police revealed that there was a significant struggle that included biting. Lazarus was identified as a suspect through a DNA match of saliva taken from bite marks on Rasmussen's body. The question may be reduced to a defense of self-defense.

Outside the court a press conference held by personal injury lawyer John Taylor with the parents of the dead woman, Nels and Loretta Rasmussen who came in from Chandler, Arizona.

Taylor shed little light on the circumstances of the killing other than to say that Lazarus was a frequent visitor to the home of Sherri Rasmussen and her husband. You can see the entire conference I shot on a $200.00 hand held HD Flip Camera in two parts below:

Part One

Part Two

Accused LAPD Detective Dogged by Lawyers

Los Angeles, CA--Lawyers John C. Taylor and David M. Ring will reveal client’s claims that the dead woman Sherri Ray Rasmussen reported that she’d been threatened by a “former girlfriend of her husband who was a LAPD officer.”

The claim is that the LAPD ignored the investigative leads and that this is why the case took decades to solve.

Veteran police detective Stephanie Lazarus is expected to appear in court this morning after her arrest on charges that she murdered Sherri Rasmussen. If convicted Lazarus may face the death penalty.

These high powered litigators will be sharing that story accompanied by Nels and Loretta Rasmussen of Chandler, Arizona. These are the parents of the dead woman who will demand a separate police investigation into the handling of the homicide investigation.

I suspect that the Taylor & Ring law firm figures this event will lead to some civil litigation and perhaps a big payday. Let’s hope that this investigation and trial is not influenced by money.

Taylor & Ring are currently in litigation seeking to loot the estate of the now convicted record producer Phil Spector with the mother of Lana Clarkson.

DA Puts Death Penalty On The Table For Accused Detective

Los Angeles, CA— According to a press release the Los Angeles District Attorney has charged LAPD Detective Stephanie Lazarus with capital murder with special circumstances of burglary and personal use of a handgun.

The charges came as a result of a re-opened cold case investigation into the killing of 29 year-old Sherri Rasmussen in 1986.

The decision on seeking the death penalty is yet to be made by prosecutors. This kind of a charge will undoubtedly affect the chances Lazarus has of being released on bail pending her trial. Prosecutors will have to disclose some of their stronger evidence against Lazarus to justify a denial of bail.

The next step will either be a public preliminary hearing or a secret Grand Jury Indictment. I suspect they will opt for a Grand Jury in an effort to keep the facts of the case from public view.

I expect that Lazarus will have a lawyer fighting for bail tomorrow when she appears in court for the first time. A date will most likely be set for a preliminary hearing that will later be vacated once there is an indictment. Then there will be an arraignment and a formal plea will be entered to the charge.

This will all be followed by a one to three year period for discovery and motion practice. I suspect it will be very difficult for Lazarus and her family to pay for what they need in order to receive a fair trial.

At some point the evidence that gave rise to this arrest and prosecution will be made public. Perhaps the defense will show some of their evidence that’s needed to support various motions.

Deputy District Attorney’s Shannon Presby and Shelly Torrealba with the District Attorney’s Justice System Integrity Division filed case.

The only thing that seems certain is that this career police officer is in for a very rough ride ahead.

Update: The civil lawyers are circling this officer like the sharks they are!
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LAPD Detective Stephanie Lazarus Deserves The Benefit Of The Doubt

Los Angeles, CA—I’m dumbfounded by the arrest of LAPD Detective Stephanie Lazarus for murdering her former boyfriend’s wife, Sherri Rae Rasmussen, 29. Rasmussen was both beaten and shot to death in 1986.

LAPD boss William Bratton credits modern DNA technology advances with the solution of this cold case killing that remained unsolved for well over two decades.

There is apparently nothing in the background of Lazarus that would suggest this kind of violence. Apparently there are no witnesses to explain Rasmussen’s killing.

The big question I have is just how DNA material transferred from Lazarus to Sherri Rae Rasmussen at the time of her death. Since it’s conceivable that Lazarus may have been legitimately in the home that Rasmussen shared with her husband the presence of DNA material may not be sinister.

If the DNA material is blood transferred during a fight in which Lazarus was injured that led to the killing then that’s somewhat persuasive that Lazarus was involved.

If we are talking about a physical fight between the women we cannot discount a defense of self-defense. If it were self-defense then the killing was justified. I’m sure the public, police and prosecutors would act with disdain if Lazarus failed to report the event to police.

The fact is there are no laws that require the reporting of a justifiable homicide. Lazarus has an absolute right not to ever say a word about that to anyone.

If Lazarus was involved and simply failed to report the event she deserves no punishment.

I can’t help but notice that the LAPD arrested Lazarus on a Friday so she could be kept away from the court and a bail bond hearing for the weekend. This does not appear to be a capital case so perhaps reasonable bail can be set.

The case will be submitted to the District Attorney who may have a different view than the LAPD.

Lazarus, her LAPD officer husband and child have a nightmare before them. This will require significant financial assets to obtain the legal, investigative and forensic expert services needed to obtain a fair day in court.

I can only hope that there is a fair disposition of this remarkable case. I will be watching it closely.

Stephanie Lazarus is expected to make her first court appearance on Tuesday, June 9, 2009 @8:30 AM in Division 30 located at 210 Temple Street, Los Angeles.

There is more on this story here.

Veteran LAPD Detective Arrested For Cold Case Murder

Los Angeles, CA She’s being held at the L.A. County jail without bond at this hour. Her Name is Stephanie Lazarus, 49 and she’s a respected 26 year veteran officer. This morning at work shortly after 8:00 AM she was arrested at the LAPD Parker Center for the 1986 slaying of her former boyfriend’s wife.

Lazaruz has been investigating major art thefts since 2006 for the LAPD.

Recently police investigators surreptitiously collected DNA material from Lazarus and had it compared with DNA recovered from the dead woman, Sherri Rae Rasmussen,29 a nursing director who was beaten and shot to death in her Van Nuys condo in 1986.

Rasmussen’s body was discovered by the victim’s husband, John Ruetten who has not been arrested. Police say that Lazarus and Ruetten were involved in an affair at the time of the murder.

There were early theories that this crime was the product of a home invasion robbery gang working the area at the time.

The biggest question I’m waiting to see answered is where was the DNA material found and just how was it transferred? I guess we will have to wait and see what develops here.

Somehow I suspect that there is a lot more to be told about this case and the defense of the accused officer.

Update: June 7, 2009--The L.A. Times did an in depth follow up article that can be found here.