L.A. Times Tells More About Hector Marroquin, Almost Two Years Later
The L.A. Times has a report about Hector Marroquin, titled Arrested L.A. activist had aroused suspicions. The deck headline reads:
NO GUNS founder faces firearms charges. Some disbelieved his claim of leaving gang life behind.
The editors should have added:
But not us! We got suckered by this guy like nobody’s business!
Yes, Hector Marroquin is the fellow about whom the L.A. Times ran a July 2005 puff piece naively portraying Marroquin as a good guy who had turned his life around. That article was titled Father, Son Turn Lives Around in Family Business. That article claimed that Marroquin “turned his life around long ago by becoming a roofer, building his own company and becoming a man of peace.” As I noted in this post from January, there were police officers a-plenty available to dispute that characterization, but none of them were quoted. They only got quoted in the L.A. Weekly.
Now, in yesterday’s article, we finally learn the details that, until now, only the L.A. Weekly had reported — like Marroquin’s alleged relationship with the Mexican Mafia. It only took the L.A. Times, what? about six months to catch up to the facts reported by the L.A. Weekly.
Better late than never, I guess.
(Thanks to nk.)
The irony of this story is so thick…
Where is the oversight for these types of programs?! Did they have to account for the money they were given? I wonder how many guns were purchased with taxpayer money that went to ‘NO GUNS’, were then sold, and later used in crimes against said taxpayers. This is another example of feel-good policy that ends up doing more harm than good. It’s like they wanted to believe it so bad that they stopped asking the tough questions.
And here I went through so much trouble to have good credit to get a loan to start my business. All I really needed to do is get arrested, then claim I’m reformed and start some BS outreach group. Then sit back and live off the taxpayer welfare! Brilliant!
fngJD (49df46) — 6/3/2007 @ 3:35 amWhere is the oversight for these types of programs?! Did they have to account for the money they were given?
Nevermind, I just finished reading the LA Weekly article. I see now that there was absolutely no oversight and they basically threw money at his ‘organization’.
fngJD (49df46) — 6/3/2007 @ 4:08 amDon’t forget, the Times has to go thru layers and layers of fact-checkers. That can take months! That subheadline is priceless though.
Clark (1c4bda) — 6/4/2007 @ 1:20 pmWOW!!! THIS IS ALL A SHOCKING NEWS TOO ME. I MEAN I DO KNOW HOW THE DAD WAS A GANG MEMBER BEFORE AND MAYBE EVEN THE SON, BUT IS NOT FARE… IS NOT FARE HOW YOUR PAST CAN JUST TURN AROUND AND BITE YOU IN THE ASS. AFTER YOU DID CHANGED “N” ALL. AND WHAT IS UP WITH ALL THIS NON-SENCE I’M READING ABOUT HOW BIG HECTOR BROUGHT UP HIS CHILFDREN TO BE LIKE HIM… I MEAN YEAH PARENT’S DO HAVE A BIG INFLUENCE ON THERE KID’S BUT SOME- TIMES, OFTEN, HAVE NO CONTROL OF WHAT THEY MAY BECOME… I MEAN THERE IS PEOPLE THAT ARE JUDGES, LAWYERS AND POLICE OFFICERS THAT HAVE MANY “OUTLAWS” IN THERE FAMILY, MANY… = ( SAD BUT TRUE… SOMETIMES… YOU KNOW, MAYBE JUST SOMETIMES, PEOPLE DO CHANGE… TAKE IT FROM MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. EVEN THOUGH THIS SUBJECT AIN’T ABOUT ME… BUT, THEM. (EXAMPLE) “I KNOW- THAT- FAMILY”… CAN’T SAY VERY WELL. BUT WELL ENOUPH TO KNOW THAT HALF OF THIS NON-SENCE OR MAYBE EVEN 75% IS ALL BULL… HAWTHORNE IS MOST DEFINATELY IN FOR BREAKING THERE BALLS ( “MARROQUIN’S” )… IS THIS EVEN LEGAL AND ABOUT “LAW” OR IS IT ALL JUST PERSONAL… HAS ANYBODY EVER HEARD SUCH THING AS “COP-BANGING,” CAUSE I HAVE… AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THERE DOING! THEY ARE GANGSTER’S WITH BATCHES… HOW SAD… DURTY DURRRTY DURRRRRTY COP’S… HOW SAD IS THAT WHEN IN THEM WE CAN’T EVEN FIND TRUST… I AM A WOMEN AND NOT TO TALK DOWN ON “THE OFFICERS” OR ANYTHING, BUT THERE HAS BEEN SITUATION’S WHERE I’VE WITNESSED DURTY TRANSACTIONS BY THEM… AND BEEN OFFERED ANYWHERE FROM MONEY TO GRUGS TO SLEEP WITH THEM… THAT IS JUST SICK. I AM A WOMEN OF RESPECT… NOT NO CHEAP PROSTITUTE… I MEAN WHO CAN WE TRUST??? CAN WE FIND TRUST IN THESE GANG MEMBER’S THAT REALLY DID MAKE A DIFFENCE, I MEAN “REALLY” WOULD YOU TRUST YOUR CHILD WITH ONE… LET’S SAY A PAROLEE! WOULD YOU GIVE THIS CONVICT THE PERMISSION TO TAKE YOUR CHILD ON A CAMPING TRIP ALONG WITH OTHER EX- FELON’S OR GANGMEMBERS… I MEAN WERE TALKING ABOUT 13-17 YRS. OF AGE. “ALL” NEW ADDITION TO THE GANG MEMBER SOCIETY… LET’S SAY, ALL THIS KID’S DIDN’T GET ALONG IN SCHOOL. AT FIRST, FOR GANG BANGING REASONS. THEN LIL. HECTOR MARROQUIN. AND, BIG HECTOR MARROQUIN. ALONG WITH OTHER EX-GANG MEMBERS COME ALONG TALK TO THE SCHOOLS, TO THE PARENT’S TAKE THESE KID’S ON THIS TRIP AND MADE A DIFFERENCE… I’M TALKING ABOUT HISPANIC’S, AFRICAN AMERICAN’S CRYP’S, BLOOD’S DIFFERENT GANGS… NONE OF THEM SPOKE ON THE WAY TO THE TRIP OR GOT ALONG… SPENT 3-4 DAY’S WITH EACH OTHER OUT IN BIG BEAR CAMPING. AND BY THE TIME THEY CAME BACK THEY ALL GOT ALONG AND BECAME FRIEND’S IN SCHOOL AND EVEYTHING… I MEAN THE VIBE AND THE HATE ON THAT TRIP WAS SOMETHING ELSE… I MEAN HOW IS IT THAT KIDS AS EARLY AS THAT AGE HAVE SO MUCH HATE WITH EACH-OTHER TO THE POINT TEY’D WANNA KILL EACH-OTHER… WHY? FOR WHAT? ONLY WITHIN THEMSELVES THEY KNOW… BUTWHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT WHEN A SIMPLE LITTLE ARGUMENT JUMPED OF ON THE WAY TO THE TRIP LIL. HECTOR STOPPED THE VEHICLE GOT THE KIDS OFF THE VAN AND REGULATED… PAY ATTENTION CLOSELY NOT IN A GANGSTER WAY EVEN THOUGH HE WAS ROUPH BUT IN A WAY WHERE HE MADE SENCE AND MADE THE LITTLE YOUNGSTERS UNDERSTAND AND HAVE A WHOLE DIFFERENT OPINION ON THERE BELIEVES… “SHITT” ME NOT, THEY ALL HAD A GREAT TIME…. WHEN TO NICE RESTAURANTS TO EAT AT. WENT TO PLACES THEY AIN’T NEVER BEEN AT BEFORE… CAUSE THERE LOW INCOME FAMILIES THAT CAN’T AFFORD IT IT… “MAN” DID THEY HAVE A GREAT TIME LOT’S OF FUN ACTIVITIES… THERE ALL FRIENDS NOW… DIFFERENT RACES AND EVERYTHING… I SEEN THE SMILE LIL. HECTORS FACE WAS AS IF HE WAS HAPPY TO KNOW THAT HE MADE A DIFFERENCE…. HOW DO I KNOW TIS YOU ASK YOUR-SELF CAUSE I WAS THERE AND SEEN FOR MY-SELF… THERE WAS NO CAMERAS OR THE NEWS OR ANYONE THERE THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO IMPRESS JUST THE KID’S AND THEM… THAT WAS NICE… HOW COME THEY CAN’T PUT THAT SHITT ON THE NEWS… AND TALK ABOUT IT… IMAGINE HOW MANY DEATHS AND KILLING THEY PROBLY PREVENTED… “DAYUUUMMMMM.” IMAGINE THAT… EACH DAY MADE A DOFFERENCE… SO THEY FOUND A GUN ON HIM AT HIS HOME… “WOW” JUST CAUSE HE CHANGED HIS LIFE AROUND DOES’NT MEAN EVERY SINGLE GANG MEMBER IN HIS AREA DID, I MEAN HE STILL HAD ENEMYS AND ALOT MORE THIS TIME CAUSE THESE GANGSTERS DID’NT UNDERSTOOD WHAT HE WAS DOING THEY FELT LIKE NAHH!!! FUCK THAT “HIS A BITCH” WHAT DOES HE THINK HE IS A PEACEMAKER… NAHH!!!!! IN THERE EYES HE WAS WRONG AND THEY FELT LIKE HE TURNES HIS BACK ON THEM… SO OF-COURSE I MEAN I DON’T BLAME HIM FOR HAVING A WEAPON IN HIS HOME… HE HAS ENEMYS THAT WAN’T REVENGE ALL OVER FROM THE MOMENT HE STEP’S OUT OF HIS HOME AND GOE’S TO WORK WITH THESE KID’S AND THE MOMENT HE COMES HOME… I MEAN DAYUUUMM HE HAS CHILDREN OF HIS OWN HE HAS TO PROTECT AT HOME… YEAH HE CHANGED HE DID… BUT HE AIN’T PERFECT AND NOT EVERYBODY AT HIS SURROUNDINGS CHANGED SO “YEAH” I DON’T BLAME HIM… HE AIN’T “GOD” HE CAN’T CHANGE EVERYBODY IN THE WORLD HE CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH… THERE FOR I RESPECT THIS MAN AND HIS FAMILY… IT TAKES TIME TO DO A CHANGE LIKE THAT… THEY DID AS MUCH AS THEY COULD… WHAT BETTER THEN TO SPEAK TO A TEENAGER THAT IS IN A GANG THEN AN EX-GANG MEMBER HIM-SELF THAT HAS BEEN THERE DONE THAT… AND ABOUT THIS CASE THAT LIL.HECTOR HAS WHICH YOU ALL ALSO, KNOW BY LIL.WEASEL IS A BULLSHITT CASE I MEAN MAN HOW MANY TIMES CAN THE STORIE CHANGE… ASK YOUR-SELF… THERE’S OBIOUSLY A GIRL THAT IS MAD ABOUT SOMETHING AND IS LYING… BUT HEY WHO ARE WE TO JUDGE… “I KNOW” HE IS INNOCENT AND NOT BECAUSE OF WHAT I’VE HEARD… BUT BECAUSE OF WHAT I’VE SEEN… AND IF YOU ASK ME… LOL… THAT IS SOMETHING LIL. HECTOR WOULD NEVER DO… HE HAS A MOTHER THAT HE LOVES DEARLY AND VERY MUCH AND IF THERE IS ANYTHING OR ANYBODY HE WOULD EVER HAVE RESPECT FOR IS A WOMEN… AND PLEASE GURL’S NEXT TIME YOUR MAD AT A MAN ABOUT SOMETHING MAKE SURE YOU GET YOUR STORY STRAIGHT… CAUSE LYING AIN’T GONNA GET YOU KNOW WHERE… THERE IS “GOD” AND ONLY HE WILL JUDGE THE DAY OF JUDGEMNT… REMEMBER THAT…
MIKAELA CARRILLO (dd6746) — 6/17/2007 @ 8:44 pm