San Diego Public Library Screens Presumed Guilty about Justice in Mexico
Two Young Mexican Lawyers Defend Wrongly Accused Rapper
The San Diego Public Library, in partnership with Media Arts Center San Diego and PBS’ Point-of-View (POV) series, presents a preview film screening of Presumed Guilty by filmmakers Roberto Hernández and Layda Negrete, on Monday, July 12, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. in the 3rd floor auditorium of the Central Library, located at 820 E Street in downtown San Diego. This free event is open to the public. Professor Justin Brooks will be on hand to facilitate questions and answers after the film.
Imagine being picked up off the street, told you have committed a murder you know nothing about and then finding yourself sentenced to 20 years in jail. In December 2005, this happened to Toño Zúñiga in Mexico City and, like thousands of other innocent people, he was wrongfully imprisoned. Presumed Guilty is a seat-of-your-pants telling of one miscarriage of justice and what it took to fix it. It is also a cautionary tale about what can happen when police cross the line in the name of fighting crime, when power is exercised in the shadows and when the presumption of guilt is placed on the accused rather than the accuser.
Professor Brooks is the director of California Western School of Law’s California Innocence Project, which works to free wrongfully convicted inmates by reviewing more than 1,000 claims of innocence each year. He also directs the Institute for Criminal Defense Advocacy to improve the quality of criminal defense representation.
Caricature Artist Ricardo Vasquez at the Oceanside Public Library
Learn how to draw with caricature artist Ricardo Vasquez at the Oceanside Public Library on Tuesday, July 13, at 2:00 p.m. at the Mission Branch, 3861-B Mission Avenue, or on Saturday, July 17, at 2:00 p.m. at the Civic Center Library, 330 North Coast Highway. See a live demonstration and get hands-on instruction on how to draw your own caricature. This program is free and for children ages six to twelve. For more information please call the Civic Center Library Children’s Desk at (760) 435-5600 or visit our Web site at www.oceansidepubliclibrary.org.
Parks Make Life Better
July Music and Art Festival at Buddy Todd Park!
The City of Oceanside’s Parks and Recreation Division and the Arts Commission will present a free July Music and Art Festival at Buddy Todd Park, 3000 Mesa Drive, Oceanside. The event will be held on Saturday, July 10th from 12 noon – 7:00 p.m. Recent research conducted on behalf of the California Parks and Recreation Society shows that over 95% of Californians visit a park or parks annually. Those who visit on a regular weekly basis say they do so with a partner, friend, child or pet. Events such as the July Music and Art Festival promote healthy lifestyles and increase cultural awareness.
This year marks the third consecutive year for the return of the popular “Summer Concerts in the Park” series. It was resurrected after going dark due to lack of funding. Its resurgence was a joint effort by Parks and Recreation staff and the Oceanside Arts Commission. It is estimated that more than 1500 residents enjoyed concerts provided in summer 2009. This year’s line-up has nearly doubled with acts spanning the musical genres. Attendance is expected to greatly increase as families are looking for free, or more affordable, ways to recreate in this tough economy.
Food and beverages will be sold at the event. Dogs are welcome but MUST be leashed the entire event. Carpooling is encouraged, as parking is limited. Please plan to arrive early to get a perfect spot, for a perfect day in the park. For more information, call Oceanside Parks and Recreation at (760) 435-5041. Parks Make Life Better!