Barbara Venezia Signs In On "Wake" Cancellation

MORE OF THE STORY...
Daily Pilot columnist Barbara Venezia, who has been all over the story about Costa Mesa City Councilman Gary Monahan planning to hold a wake at his pub to "celebrate the life of Jay Pinson" - the guy who was a fugitive from two states for crimes that included penetration of a minor and who lost his life in a shoot-out with members of the Costa Mesa Police Department last month, has signed in on the story of the wake being canceled, HERE.

DETAILS AVAILABLE
I'll not go into details of the column - you can read it for yourself - except to note that she and I shared some of the same sources when I wrote about the cancellation yesterday.  She had the story before me, but is hampered by the editorial process and the timing of getting the story up on the Daily Pilot.

WAKE IS CANCELED - SO IS DEMONSTRATION
So, if what we both have reported is true, there will NOT be a wake Wednesday afternoon at Skosh Monahan's.  And, there will also NOT be a demonstration at the same time across the street according to demonstration organizer Mary Spadoni as quoted in Venzezia's article.

GARY'S CHANCE FOR REDEMPTION
I join others who have commented on Venezia's article in hoping Monahan is sincere in his offer to support a public safety appreciation event in the near future.  He has the chance to restore his legacy as the longest-serving council member by beginning to act like a statesman and not a politician.  We'll see how that goes.

Wake And Demonstration Called Off

WAKE FOR PEDOPHILE CALLED OFF
According to credible sources this afternoon, apparently due to a huge public outcry, Costa Mesa City Councilman Gary Monahan has called off the wake for his friend, Julius (Jay) Pinson -  the criminal pedophile who tried to kill two Costa Mesa police officers in December and lost his life in the process.  That event had been planned for Wednesday, January 28th in the afternoon.  The Daily Pilot wrote about the wake HERE.

LAW ENFORCEMENT APPRECIATION DEMONSTRATION ALSO RE-SCHEDULED
And, those residents who planned to hold a "Police Appreciation" demonstration near Monahan's pub on Newport Boulevard at the same time as the wake have, accordingly, decided to re-schedule the event to another time, probably in February.  In correspondence to the demonstration organizers Monahan thanked them for their support of public safety members and offered to help in support of their event.  Barbara Venezia wrote columns in the Daily Pilot HERE and HERE, and will almost certainly write again soon about it.

BAD JUDGMENT CALL NOW TEMPERED
Personally, I'm happy Monahan reconsidered his event.  I understand his decision to help the surviving girlfriend and her son because they are his friends.  However, for a long-time councilman to glorify the memory of a man who was a fugitive from justice in two states for crimes that included, according to reports, "penetration of a minor" and who chose to shoot it out with members of the Costa Mesa Police Department who were trying to serve out-of-state warrants, was a poor judgment call on Monahan's part.  And, of course, it was made even more heinous by the current relationship between the CMPD and the City Council majority.

I'LL REPORT ON THE DEMONSTRATION PLANS LATER
As stated above, the organizers of the demonstration will hold an event in support of all public safety members - police and fire - in the near future.  I'll report when more information is available.