TORRANCE — The City of Torrance issued the following “Hostile Encounter Update” on July 2.
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On July 2, the Torrance City Attorney’s Office filed a criminal complaint charging Lena Hernandez, with battery, a violation of California Penal Code Section 242.
The incident occurred on Oct. 11, 2019 and was reported to the Torrance Police Department on the same day. On Oct. 14, 2019, a formal crime report was taken by the police.
On June 18, the completed investigation was presented to the Torrance City Attorney’s Office for filing consideration. On July 2, a judge of the Los Angeles Superior Court issued an arrest warrant for Hernandez, 54, of Long Beach, a retired social worker, in the amount of $1, based on the Torrance City Attorney’s filing of the criminal complaint.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Los Angeles County Courts have set bail for most misdemeanors at $0.00. Hernandez has not been apprehended at this time. Once she is apprehended, a date for her arraignment will be determined.
Additionally, on June 16, the Torrance Police Department presented the Torrance City Attorney’s Office with completed investigations into two incidents that occurred at Wilson Park on June 10. After a careful review of all the evidence available at this time, there is insufficient evidence to support filing any criminal charges against Hernandez.
A prosecutor in a criminal case shall not institute a charge that the prosecutor knows is not supported by probable cause. Currently, there are critical gaps in the evidence regarding how each incident unfolded that result in the lack of necessary certainty required to initiate criminal prosecution against any suspect. If anyone has additional information related to either of these incidents, they are urged to contact the Torrance Police Department.
It is a prosecutor’s solemn duty to analyze a case based on the evidence and triability and not based on politics or public sentiment unrelated to the likelihood of prevailing before a jury.
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UPDATE: Hernandez was arrested on a misdemeanor charge on July 3 around 1 p.m. by Torrance police, according to L.A. County jail records. She posted bail and was released about 4:10 p.m. She is scheduled to head to Torrance Superior Court on Monday at 8:30 a.m., according to jail records.