On March 31st, 2010 Bryan Stow, a 42 year old paramedic and San Francisco Giants baseball fan was severely beaten in the Dodgers Stadium parking lot following the opening day game between the Dodgers and Giants.
Stow was rushed to the emergency room with life threatening injuries and announced to be in critical condition. He is placed in a medically induced coma so the swelling in and around his brain can be controlled.
On April 1st, 2010 police released a police sketch of the two attackers. Detective Percy Morris, speaking a news conference, said the two suspects were 18-25 years old. Both had shaved heads and thin mustaches. One had a small goatee, and the other had numerous tattoos on his neck, he said.
Nearly a month and a half later, facing intense pressure from police officials, politicians and community leaders, the LAPD arrested Giovanni Ramirez on May 22nd.
SWAT officers arrest Ramirez at an East Hollywood apartment complex. LAPD Chief Charlie Beck says at a news conference that afternoon: “I believe we have the right guy. I wouldn’t be standing here in front of you, I certainly wouldn’t be booking him later on tonight. You know this is a case that needs much more work, but we have some significant, significant pieces to it that leads me to believe that we do indeed have the right individual.”
Jose Romero was hired by the family of Ramriez to help defend him against what they termed to be wrongful prosecution. Romero and his team of investigators begin to build a definitive defense for Ramirez, who claims to have NEVER attended a game at Dodger Stadium and has an alibi for his whereabouts during the game.
On May 24th Los Angeles County prosecutors determine that more investigation is needed before charges can be filed.
Romero & Associates appear on local newscasts, in print media and on radio shows like ESPN Radio’s Mason & Ireland to tout the innocence of their client. Jose Romero expresses that he is 100% sure that his client is innocent and will be exonerated.
Meanwhile, Police Chief Beck reassigns the case from the Northeast Division to an elite Robbery and Homicide Detective Unit on June 8th as the ability of the authorities to build or charge Ramirez with anything stalls.
The department states “as the demands of the case become more complex and prolonged, RHD detectives will be better equipped to conduct the investigation. Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley hails the change, adding: “The information we’ve received to date has been very, very limited.” Beck defends the Northeast Division’s handling of the case, saying it is not unusual for detectives to wait to present all of their evidence until they are ready to seek formal charges.
On July 21st 2010, nearly a two months after he was arrested in his East Hollywood apartment, two other men are arrested in connection with the beating of Bryan Stow and a woman is taken into custody as an alleged accessory to the crime.
A source tells The Times that detectives no longer believe Ramirez was involved in the Stow beating. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa defends the LAPD, saying detectives have done the best they could in a “difficult” case.
Beck confirms in a press conference that Giovanni Ramirez had been “exonerated” of all charges in the Bryan Stow beating case.
