Horribly tragic story with regard to Ken. His tragic end brought to mind the memory of this horrible case:

Plea for Forgiveness in Murder Trial

https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Plea-for-Forgiveness-in-Murder-Trial-2994076.php


UC Student's Killer Gets Life Without Parole

https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/UC-Student-s-Killer-Gets-Life-Without-Parole-2985069.php

okaydo said:

---

In 1995, Hua Hsu, an introvert, moved into Unit 3 at UC Berkeley and became fast friends with dormmate Ken, an extroverted popular frat guy.

Hsu, now a staff writer at The New Yorker and professor of English at Bard College, focuses on their friendship in his memoir Stay True, which has been named one of the best books of 2022 by The New York Times, The Washington Post, Time magazine, The Atlantic and other publications.

In July 1998, as Hua and Ken were heading into their senior year, Ken threw a housewarming party for his new apartment at Fulton and Channing Way. He disappeared from the party at 3:30 am. Hours later, Ken was discovered dead, face down in an alleyway in Vallejo with a bullet in the back of his head with no ID.

Ken was 20.

A couple (and third person) were later arrested.

---

For those who haven't read the book, here is a long article with an excerpt from the book that is interesting and well written.

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/08/22/my-dad-and-kurt-cobain

okaydo said:

---

bearister said:

---

If they killed him in Berkeley today…probation and a diversion program.

---

I know what you're getting at. But dude shot him twice in the back of the head. Got life in prison. The girlfriend who didn't fire the gun served 22 years.

---

“I am resigning because I no longer feel able to adequately & ethically protect the rights of victims under your administration,” Jill Nerone, 32-year veteran of @AlamedaCountyDA says in letter to DA @PPriceCares, adding she hopes Price’s “policies will soften” pic.twitter.com/ZOzsn2TqBi

— Henry K. Lee (@henrykleeKTVU) March 22, 2023

okaydo said:

---

bearister said:

---

If they killed him in Berkeley today…probation and a diversion program.

---

I know what you're getting at. But dude shot him twice in the back of the head. Got life in prison. The girlfriend who didn't fire the gun served 22 years.

---

A Cal Bear interviews a Cal Bear:

Alameda County DA's office sees resignations over ethical qualms


https://www.berkeleyscanner.com/2023/03/22/courts/alameda-county-district-attorney-pamela-price-prosecutors-resigns-ethical-reasons/

" Earlier this month, Price put in place a directive that effectively required bare-bones charging and probation offers in most cases whether a defendant inflicted serious injury, had a serious criminal history or used a gun during the commission of a crime other than murder.
Since issuing that directive, the Price administration has "expressly told DAs not to be honest" about charging and sentencing decisions when they explain them to victims and their families, Weissenbach said.

… The Scanner has repeatedly asked to interview Price about her vision and goals, but those requests have not been granted.
Price's office has indicated that it does not like The Scanner's reporting on its operations but has never cited errors in the articles or requested any corrections."

bearister said:

---

okaydo said:

---

bearister said:

---

If they killed him in Berkeley today…probation and a diversion program.

---

I know what you're getting at. But dude shot him twice in the back of the head. Got life in prison. The girlfriend who didn't fire the gun served 22 years.

---

A Cal Bear interviews a Cal Bear:

Alameda County DA's office sees resignations over ethical qualms


https://www.berkeleyscanner.com/2023/03/22/courts/alameda-county-district-attorney-pamela-price-prosecutors-resigns-ethical-reasons/

" Earlier this month, Price put in place a directive that effectively required bare-bones charging and probation offers in most cases whether a defendant inflicted serious injury, had a serious criminal history or used a gun during the commission of a crime other than murder.
Since issuing that directive, the Price administration has "expressly told DAs not to be honest" about charging and sentencing decisions when they explain them to victims and their families, Weissenbach said.

… The Scanner has repeatedly asked to interview Price about her vision and goals, but those requests have not been granted.
Price's office has indicated that it does not like The Scanner's reporting on its operations but has never cited errors in the articles or requested any corrections."

---

Judge rejects 15-year plea deal in case alleging 3 murders


https://www.berkeleyscanner.com/2023/03/23/courts/judge-rejects-15-year-plea-deal-logwood-alameda-county-pamela-price/

Congratulations to @huahsu, @doubledaybooks, @NewYorker and @BardCollege. #Pulitzer pic.twitter.com/QeR1zzhdbm

— The Pulitzer Prizes (@PulitzerPrizes) May 8, 2023

Congrats to Hua Hsu!

I read the memoir a few weeks ago and highly recommend it. I lived in the same dorm as Hua, but a few years apart, so all of the descriptions of the era rang true for me. I'm happy Hua is getting some well deserved recognition.

BearBoarBlarney said:

---

And for all the modern day Cal scholars, this was what a student ID card looked like at Cal in the late-'80s thru late-'90s, although I don't think my 1989 card had a walking bear in the background. I can't recall if the sticker was added to indicate academic semester or if it was for AC Transit.

---

Hua enrolled at Cal in fall 1995, which was the last year for that card.

I enrolled at Cal in fall 1996 and got the new card (below), which they used throughout the 2000s. (Do they still use it?)

When I was a student, you could tell how old somebody was based on their Cal card.

The sticker wasn't for AC Transit. I can't exactly remember, but I think it was for Fall (football) and Spring (basketball) admittance, along with using a ticket? Is that right?

Yes, those stickers were for admission to games. I recall forging them freehand on cut up candy or powerbar wrappers at the end of the 80s.

okaydo said:

---

BearBoarBlarney said:

---

And for all the modern day Cal scholars, this was what a student ID card looked like at Cal in the late-'80s thru late-'90s, although I don't think my 1989 card had a walking bear in the background. I can't recall if the sticker was added to indicate academic semester or if it was for AC Transit.

---

Hua enrolled at Cal in fall 1995, which was the last year for that card.

I enrolled at Cal in fall 1996 and got the new card (below), which they used throughout the 2000s. (Do they still use it?)

When I was a student, you could tell how old somebody was based on their Cal card.

---

They have a new design that you can opt for, or you can stick with the old design if you want.