Don Bankhead

As hundreds of people on Saturday protested the death of a homeless man during an altercation with Fullerton police, it was looking less likely that a videotape at the center of the case would provide a full answer as to what happened. Surveillance tape shot from the Fullerton bus depot shows parts of the police altercation, but key elements are obscured, according to a law enforcement source who reviewed it. The source, who spoke to The Times on the condition of anonymity because the case is ongoing, said the tape shows six officers struggling with Kelly Thomas, a 37-year-old man who suffered from schizophrenia.

As hundreds of people on Saturday protested the death of a homeless man during an altercation with Fullerton police, it was looking less likely that a videotape at the center of the case would provide a full answer as to what happened. Surveillance tape shot from the Fullerton bus depot shows parts of the police altercation, but key elements are obscured, according to a law enforcement source who reviewed it. The source, who spoke to The Times on the condition of anonymity because the case is ongoing, said the tape shows six officers struggling with Kelly Thomas, a 37-year-old man who suffered from schizophrenia.

City Council members have chosen Don Bankhead as mayor for the coming year. It will be the first time Bankhead, 59, a retired police captain, will serve as mayor. He succeeds Chris Norby, whose one-year term has expired. Bankhead became known throughout the county in 1990 when he ran for sheriff against Brad Gates. Gates won, but Bankhead earned 45% of the vote in a campaign that started late and had few funds. He was elected to the Fullerton City Council in 1988.

Don Bankhead, who has served on the City Council for nearly a decade, will lead the city as mayor in 1998. The councilman was elected in 1988 and reelected in 1992. He was recalled in 1994 over his vote for a utility tax, but he was only out of office for three weeks. Voters put him back on the council during the November 1994 election. Bankhead, 65, is a retired Fullerton police captain. He served as mayor once before in 1992.

Fullerton homicide detectives said today they have arrested an 18-year-old transient in connection with the slaying of the wife of a Los Angeles police officer. Police arrested Scott Michael Katzin after questioning him Tuesday night about the death of Marie Andrea Malmgreen, 38, whose body was found wrapped in a blanket in her 1981 Cadillac near the Cal State Fullerton campus on April 29. Malmgreen, of Brea, was the wife of Russell Malmgreen, an aide to Police Chief Daryl F. Gates.

Re: Story on "Fullerton OK's $4.7 Million for Theater Parking." Fullerton City Council members (Don Bankhead, A.B. (Buck) Catlin, Molly McClanahan and Chris Norby) are spending $4.7 million for a parking structure for the Fox Fullerton Theatre. Forgotten is the other taxpayer garage on Wilshire--empty most of the time. I was surprised to read that $1.1 million has already been spent on the theater. This should certainly improve the market value when the theater is sold. Rather than spending money on projects the savings and loan industry wouldn't touch, the council members should find the means to improve Fullerton's street lighting and roads.

Police investigating the disappearance of a 15-year-old Fullerton girl concluded Friday that she ran away with teen-agers she met at an amusement park. Nicole Anne Francoise left a friend's house on Brookhurst Road at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday riding her friend's bicycle for the 2 1/2-mile trip to her home on Adlena Drive, Capt. Don Bankhead said.

Don Bankhead, who has served on the City Council for nearly a decade, will lead the city as mayor in 1998. The councilman was elected in 1988 and reelected in 1992. He was recalled in 1994 over his vote for a utility tax, but he was only out of office for three weeks. Voters put him back on the council during the November 1994 election. Bankhead, 65, is a retired Fullerton police captain. He served as mayor once before in 1992.

To conform with a new state law, Fullerton City Council members are scheduled today to give approval for psychological testing of new police officers. As of July 1, state law mandates that new police officers receive psychological evaluations prior to hiring, police Capt. Don Bankhead said. Currently, Fullerton police rely on polygraph tests, which Bankhead said the department will continue, in addition to the evaluations.

A city councilman and former police captain with more than 30 years of law enforcement experience said Thursday that he is considering a bid to unseat Sheriff Brad Gates in the June 5 election. Don Bankhead, who was elected to the City Council in November, 1988, said he will announce today whether he is going to run after meeting with friends. The deadline for declaring candidacy for the June election is 5 p.m.

City Council members have chosen Don Bankhead as mayor for the coming year. It will be the first time Bankhead, 59, a retired police captain, will serve as mayor. He succeeds Chris Norby, whose one-year term has expired. Bankhead became known throughout the county in 1990 when he ran for sheriff against Brad Gates. Gates won, but Bankhead earned 45% of the vote in a campaign that started late and had few funds. He was elected to the Fullerton City Council in 1988.

City Councilman Don Bankhead, who unsuccessfully challenged incumbent Orange County Sheriff Brad Gates in June, has filed a permanent disability claim against the city, accompanied by a medical report stating that he was "totally disabled" from injuries suffered while a Fullerton police officer. Bankhead, who retired in 1988 after 30 years with the department, said Monday that he did not "see anything big about this. It's just the same as any workman's compensation claim."

Fullerton City Councilman Don Bankhead says he didn't really want to challenge Sheriff Brad Gates in the June election. But when he went to a meeting a few months ago at an Irvine hotel called by longtime Gates opponents in hope of finding a candidate, the former Fullerton police captain suddenly found himself on center stage. "I really came down (to the meeting) with the thought of locating someone and helping him," Bankhead said.

Re: Story on "Fullerton OK's $4.7 Million for Theater Parking." Fullerton City Council members (Don Bankhead, A.B. (Buck) Catlin, Molly McClanahan and Chris Norby) are spending $4.7 million for a parking structure for the Fox Fullerton Theatre. Forgotten is the other taxpayer garage on Wilshire--empty most of the time. I was surprised to read that $1.1 million has already been spent on the theater. This should certainly improve the market value when the theater is sold. Rather than spending money on projects the savings and loan industry wouldn't touch, the council members should find the means to improve Fullerton's street lighting and roads.

Fullerton City Councilman Don Bankhead, who is challenging Orange County Sheriff Brad Gates in the June election, kicked off his campaign Thursday by promising to "bring integrity back" to the county's highest law enforcement post. In a brief speech to about 75 people, the retired Fullerton police captain capitalized on civil rights lawsuits filed against Gates and said that, if elected, he would establish an ethics unit and make such lawsuits unnecessary.

Two candidates, both of whom filed less than two hours before the deadline Friday, could offer serious surprise challenges to Orange County Sheriff Brad Gates and Dist. Atty. Michael R. Capizzi in the June 5 election. Capizzi is now facing challenges from three prosecutors who work for him, including the chief deputy, who filed Friday.

City Councilman Don Bankhead, who unsuccessfully challenged incumbent Orange County Sheriff Brad Gates in June, has filed a permanent disability claim against the city, accompanied by a medical report stating that he was "totally disabled" from injuries suffered while a Fullerton police officer. Bankhead, who retired in 1988 after 30 years with the department, said Monday that he did not "see anything big about this. It's just the same as any workman's compensation claim."

Fullerton City Councilman Don Bankhead, who is challenging Orange County Sheriff Brad Gates in the June election, kicked off his campaign Thursday by promising to "bring integrity back" to the county's highest law enforcement post. In a brief speech to about 75 people, the retired Fullerton police captain capitalized on civil rights lawsuits filed against Gates and said that, if elected, he would establish an ethics unit and make such lawsuits unnecessary.

A city councilman and former police captain with more than 30 years of law enforcement experience said Thursday that he is considering a bid to unseat Sheriff Brad Gates in the June 5 election. Don Bankhead, who was elected to the City Council in November, 1988, said he will announce today whether he is going to run after meeting with friends. The deadline for declaring candidacy for the June election is 5 p.m.

Police investigating the disappearance of a 15-year-old Fullerton girl concluded Friday that she ran away with teen-agers she met at an amusement park. Nicole Anne Francoise left a friend's house on Brookhurst Road at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday riding her friend's bicycle for the 2 1/2-mile trip to her home on Adlena Drive, Capt. Don Bankhead said.