Defense Attorney Mark Overland, Stephanie Lazarus,
at the reading of the guilty verdict
UPDATE June 8th, 2012
Lazarus now shows up in the California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation's (CDCR) inmate locator as being currently at the Central California Women's Facility. Her CDCR number is WE4479. I will research to see if I can get a current intake photograph, but I make no promises on that.
~~~~~~~~
I just checked the Los Angeles County Sheriff's inmate information page. Lazarus is no longer listed as being in the LA Co. Sheriff's custody. Lazarus is most likely on a bus to either a California prison intake facility or directly to her new digs. As soon as I find out where she will be permanently housed, I will let T&T readers know.
The release date posted on the web site was yesterday, 8:05 AM, June 5th, 2012, exactly three years to the day of her arrest for Rasmussen's murder. Although I checked the web site all day and into the evening yesterday, the update on her status did not appear until today.
UPDATE 11:15 AM
Here is the California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation's INMATE LOCATOR. Hopefully her current location will show up in a few days.
UPDATE 5:50 PM
I should have paid more attention to the Sheriff's web site. It states that Lazarus is being sent to "Central California Women's Facility". She could be going there for permanent residence or just for intake and transferred elsewhere.
Posts
38 comments:
Thanks for the info! I was wondering when this might happen.
What are the odds, do you think, of them attempting to conceal her identity? Or will her new "life" be in protective custody? I realize there's no guarantee of her safety in that capacity. Also, apologies if this has already been addressed in a previous post somewhere.
Hope all is well with you.
Maddie:
It's a good bet that Lazarus will spend the rest of her stay in prison in protective custody. I don't know if the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation will try to protect her identity. I would think that would depend on if Lazarus' safety is threatened while she is in protective custody.
I will post any information on Lazarus as soon as I hear it.
This past weekend, Lazarus did have visitors on Saturday and (IIRC) Monday. The prior holiday weekend, she had visitors on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. I do not know who her visitors were. I only know that because her status on the Sheriff's web site on those days was changed to having a visitor.
So interesting that her "release"/transfer date to prison is exactly three years to the date of her arrest.
This from the prison's website regarding visitation rules: "Most prisoners are in the general population and may receive contact visits."
And further goes on: "Prisoners who are still in reception (recently admitted to CDCR or transferred between prisons) or who are segregated (i.e., Administrative Segregation, Security Housing Units, Adjustment Centers, pending specific rules violation report charges, or assigned to Behavior Management Units) are restricted to non-contact visits. Non-contact visits occur with a glass partition between the prisoner and his/her visitors."
Does this mean Sprocket that Lazarus may only be able to see her family through glass and never be able to hug them or be hugged?
I will ask CaliGirl9 if she knows about Lazarus' ability to see her family without a glass partition.
I do believe that eventually she will get contact visits once she's done with reception and in her "permanent" housing unit. Remember, she's AdSeg/PHU/SHU not because SHE'S a problem behavior-wise (that we know of), but because she's a target for other inmates.
What used to happen at CTF was a busload of inmates would come in, and they were put in an AdSeg unit while each was evaluated for level of custody, medical needs, type of crime (confidential between inmate and corrections), etc. Within 30 days, usually quicker, an inmate left that wing for permanent housing within the main facility, or sent to North or South facility. CTF has changed since I've been there, I think it's Level III & IV in the main facility, SUH pedophiles North and short-term non-violent white collar in South. This was over 20 years ago though.
I know of a family who has a son in SHU/PHU for child endangerment. He does get contact visits with his grown children.
Any chance we'll be able to view her prison photo/id picture?
Poor Stephanie can't hug her loved ones??? Well, neither can Sherry Rasmussen. BJ in SV
I am not familiar with some of wording used. For example:Ad/seg. I take this to be Addmission segregated section. Could someone explain to me what SHU/PHU means. I would appreciate it.
Thanks
Ad/Seg is indeed administrative segregation. It is used when an inmate has just arrived at a facility and is being evaluated or waiting for a "permanent" housing assignment. Ad/Seg can also be used a a place of "punishment" when there is a disciplinary problem, for example, if an inmate harms a staff member or attacks another inmate. At CTF Soledad, it was "O" wing.
PHU is "protective housing unit." SHU is either "Security housing unit" or "Special Housing Unit." Terms are kind of used interchangeably, but they really aren't (I do tend to mish-mash them). SHU can best be described as a "Supermax" kind of situation where the inmate is the danger and requires special handling from harming staff or other inmates. In California, Pelican Bay is an example of a SHU set-up. It is set up so corrections officers need not have any personal contact with a dangerous inmate.
PHU is where the inmates are protected from each other. This is usually accomplished by housing like-crimed inmates together (sex offenders, child molesters) or like-occupation on the outside (dirty judges, police, attorneys). It's not a good thing to house a child molester with a gang member tough-guy. Apparently they have their standards, and child molesters are the lowest of the low.
I'm guessing the options for Ms. Lazarus may be to house her with female sex offenders or child killers. I bet the number of dirty female judges, attorneys and cops in the California Corrections system are pretty few and far between, and with California's move toward moving non-violent offenders back to their home counties makes their choices for housing her kind of limited. I also bet she may have a cell to herself for awhile, too.
Sprocket, just curious if you think SL is the type of person who believes in redemption. In other words, will she put her prison time to some kind of worthwhile purpose. Sadly, I tend to believe anyone who could live 25 years with that kind of secret is beyond redemption. I hope I'm wrong.
J's Granny:
I don't know enough about Lazarus to say one way or the other.
This is just my opinion mind you. I think Lazarus went out of her way to position herself among higher command.
I think she choose the assignments at the LAPD she advanced into carefully.
If that's true, then I think she will do the same thing in prison. I think she will be a model prisoner. But being in segregation (at risk from others, not that she is a risk to others) she won't have much opportunity to mentor others.
The article in Vanity Fair about the Lazarus case is absolutely riveting. It gives great insight into what Sherry's Father knew, for example Lazarus brought a pair of water skis to the condo for John to wax and Sherry told her Dad that she didn't feel that it was about the skis at all, it was Lazarus trying to get at John. I have a subscription, so it might not be on the stands yet, but totally worth reading.
Not precisely correct. I believe the information about the skis has been in the media for some time, possibly in the "Murder One" show Bowden references.
The complete interrogation video and transcript has been available to the public since November 2010 when Judge Perry released it. The interrogation video is nothing "new".
I am anxious to see a picture of SL.. more anxious to see inyears to come, if she resurfaces in the news, perhaps on a parole hearing, to see how prison life wears on her. We musnt forget that poor Sherri Rasumeen's has been in the ground for over twenty years. SL is a narcissit, cold hearted individual. I watched a couple of her brothers youtube videos trying to claim she is innocent. its sad cause they are so pathetic. hes making it worse.
I too enjoyed the Variety article, especially the information about the alleged LAPD coverup. Sprocket, will you be covering the civil trial?
If there is a civil trial, yes.
There currently is an appeal by the family for part of the lawsuit being thrown out against the LAPD.
When there is news on the civil case, I will let everyone know.
It seems Stephanie Lazarus' associates for the rest of her life will be female sex offenders and child killers. As CaliGirl writes, compatible inmates for Lazarus are somewhat limited.
David In TN
Sprocket, is the "article" in Vanity Fair or Variety?
The article by Mark Bowden is in the current issue of Vanity Fair. The complete article is not available online yet. That may happen when the next issue of VF is on the newsstands.
I am in the process of writing a review of the article. For those of you who have read my trial coverage of the Lazarus case, for those of you who thought I did a good job covering the trial (and to those of you who thought I didn't) I submit a challenge.
Can you find anything in the article that is inconsistent with my coverage of the pretrial hearings and the trial?
As a rabid fan, Sprocket, I doubt very much whether your reporting needed any corrections. And, if it did, you would have made them.
Therefore, my guess is that there are errors in the VF article (and I believe you've alluded to a couple in a previous post). I'm waiting, anxiously, for the mag to hit the newsstands -- as of Sunday, I hadn't seen it here in the Midwest.
Sprocket, the article in Vanity Fair was excellent, but in all fairness, not any better than the notes you did for all of us that could not be there during the trial and all of the pre-trial stories you pieced together for us. Mark Bowden is a wonderful writer and Matthew will of course be doing a great book, but don't take away from yourself what you were able to put forward to the people here in Southern CA that could not be sitting in the court room during this way overdue trial.
I cannot wait for the book to come out?? who is writing it and when ?? I am going to by the Vanity fair mag.
Matthew McGough is writing the book. I speak to Matthew almost daily and the book is going well.
Matthew McGough wrote and extensive article about the case over a year ago called The Lazarus File that appeared in The Atlantic.
Please keep in mind that the complete interview with Lazarus has been in the public domain on The Atlantic's web site (separatedd into segments) since May 2011.
I uploaded the entire video on You Tube in one complete stream in February 2012.
The complete transcript (contains more than the video) has been available to the public since February 2011.
This information is not new information. A redacted version was shown to the jurors during the trial.
thanks sprocket..ur the best!! im going to check that out on youtube. cannot wati for the book!!!
Is Mark Bowden writing a book on the Lazarus case too?
I've not heard that he is.
Mark Bowden did not attend the preliminary hearing, did not attend any pretrial hearings and did not attend a single day of the trial.
Matthew McGough on the other hand, had the unusual fortune to interview Stephanie Lazarus, a year before she was arrested for murder. He has intently followed the case ever since, attending every single court proceeding.
As I write this today, I know he is conducting formal interviews with principals in the case.
I can say this about Matthew. Expect a thoroughly researched and well documented book.
One thing I know about Matthew, he is dedicated to reporting the truth.
And, I firmly believe it will be well written. I am by no means a baseball fan or a sports fan in general, but I had a difficult time putting his first book Bat Boy down. It completely engaged me.
Sprocket, I am noticing that in the Mark Bowden/Vanity Fair article, Mr. Bowden seems to be stating Stephanie's thoughts, feelings, etc. while being questioned by Jaramillo & Stearns. I am not talking about her responses, which appear in quotation marks or the italicized portions. There's not a lot of this, but it was noted by this T&T addict.
Anon @ 3:08 PM:
What do you mean, "There's not a lot of this"?? I'd recommend rereading and count the instances he does this....just like I did, lol!
One should ask themselves, How did Bowden get so deep inside Lazarus' head? How, at any point in time, did Bowden know what Lazarus was thinking or feeling?
Bowden never states he interviewed Lazarus.
Sprocket
A big thank you for yoru blogs. Without them, we would of been in the dark wtih the day to day info on the trial. Great Job! any idea, month, year, when this book may be out??? soo excited!! thanks again!!
Having read McGough's Lazarus File & Bowden's VF article I sure know who I'd sooner have write the definitive book.Although McGough's is informative & in depth,it lacks the drama,excitememnt & sheer imaginative quality of Bowden's writing.
In the VF article he analyzes & dramatizes virtually every utterance of the interview describing in detail her many facial expressions whereas McGough's is a straightforward narrative.
Bowden's opener ...a million years ago(a reference to a Lazarus quote) grabs you from the start & makes the reader want to read...& read.
His Escobar book is extremely well researched & delves into the CIA,Colombian government & the cocaine trade so he certainly knows how to get to the right people to write a Lazarus page turner.
No contest,I don't think McGough could hold a candle to Bowden on this one.
I MUST AGREE WITH "EVICT OBAMA" regarding Bowden's VF article..IT WAS RIVETING..ive read EVERYTING on this case, watched everyting and wheni read his article, it kept my interest as if it never knew about this case. His analayzing of her expressions, the tongue and cheeck comments, were s on the money, cause that is WAHT MAKES THIS CASE SOO INTERSTING..how someone can seem so normal but committ such a henious crime..In all fairness, im sure mcgough will write a good book, but the VF article was exceptional!!
I just read the July Vanity Fair article about Lazarus and there's some really shocking information in it. Apparently, all of the interview notes and tapes that mentioned Lazarus disappeared from the file over the years.
Secondly, a detective named Phil Moritt visited the coroner's office in October 1993 and SIGNED OUT ALL THE FORENSIC SAMPLES THAT MIGHT HAVE CONTAINED DNA after DNA began to be used and after Nels Rasmussen offered to pay to have the samples tested.
That evidence then disappeared.
Moritt told investigators he has no memory of signing out the samples. If it's his signature and his badge number why isn't he being investigated for obstruction of justice, and aiding and abetting after the fact?
The only reason the bite swab remained is because it was misplaced... Otherwise Stephanie Lazarus would have gotten away with murder.
Appalling.... I hope Nels ends up owning Parker Center.
Another bit of information that was in the Vanity Fair article which i found shocking and upsetting. it stated that SL had dropped off skis to Sherri and John's house AFTER they were married asking john to wax them for her. Sherri told John please dont do it..i want you to tell SL not to come aroudn here..but he gave her a hard time..telling Sherri to just go along with it. He did wax the skils and refsued to tell this crazy woman to stay out of their lives! i find this very disturbing. Maybe i shouldnt judge, but from what ive read and seen about thsi case, it seesm to me that John didnt put SL in her place. Even after sherri was murdered, years later he slept with her.???!!! THAT JUST DOESNT MAKE SENSE TO ME
@ Tina - This doesn't justify John sleeping with Stephanie years after Sherri's murder, but Stephanie was not considered a suspect (so, he was just after the sex). Plus, I hate to say this -- you know men!! However, now that Stephanie's been convicted, I hope she rots to a fine dust in that prison as she's the lowest of the low for what she did to that poor woman. There's a very, very HOT, HOT, HOT place in hell for her!
Yes thats ture. and im sure that haunts him to this very day knowing he did that. I do wonder though like many others have wrote, why she didnt puruse him more after the murder? i mean, maybe she didnt want to shine suspicion on herself but hard to believe she didnt puruse him..unless she did and we dont know that..YES i totally agree.she deserves to rot. went on with her life, married, had a child, had happiness while sherri was in the ground...!!!
SL did not "have a child", she adopted a child. Which somehow seems worse to me. You don't have to convince anyone of your desire to be a great parent when you become pregnant. But with adoption she had to convince someone of her sincerity. This deceit sickens me. Of all the people who could have adopted that little girl ...
yes my mistake..she adopted a child and that is such a great point. well hopefully her husband will go on with his life and not wait around for her..and this child could have some kind of normal life...
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