Dear Project Supporters:

  I had hoped to raise enough funds to be able to travel to Florida and cover Marissa's trial, including having a place to stay and meals.  The fundraising work never really kicked in the way it should have, and so with about a week or so left until jury selection was scheduled to begin, I decided that it was unrealistic of me to expect to go and cancelled this fundraiser.

  I found out later, like all of you, that Marissa had accepted a plea deal: the original sentence offered to her of 3 years, before her first trial.  Marissa was granted time served and the remaining time on the 3 year sentence has her being released sometime in January 2015.  

 Again, I did not know this at the time that I had cancelled the fundraiser.  Marissa may still face some sort of penalties in January when she completes this sentence, so please continue to follow the case and support her in any way that you can.

  Meanwhile, here in L.A., the trial of LAPD Officer Margaret O'Callaghan should be starting soon next year.  O'Callaghan is the 18-year LAPD veteran who has been charged in the death of Aleasia Thomas.  O'Callaghan repeatedly kicked Thomas in her vagina - 7 times according to reports - in an attempt to "shove" Thomas into the back of a police car.  This was the case I had been hoping to cover when I was to come to Florida for Marissa's trial.