Terrorism on the Carousel
A Hollywood Nightmare
The Full Story
For Condensed Version Click Here
CRIME IN HOLLYWOOD
An Ongoing Situation, May 15th, 2005
On April 17th, 2005 convicted stalker Ronald Dean Strickland breaks into Hollywood newspaper editor's home in the middle of the night and Tries to Kill him, and then gets released from jail with only probation! . . (LAPD case #050613538)
Condensed Version Here
Despite his previous conviction for stalking and assault in Texas, and despite his recent arrest for vandalism of editor's property in Hollywood, and despite numerous other complaints made to the L.A.P.D. before the attack.
CONVICTED STALKER TERRORIZES HOLLYWOOD
5/15/05 - By Ruben MacBlue
Publisher/Editor Rock City News
The nightmare began at the 10th Annual Rock City Awards Show, Dec. 3rd, 2004. Texas stalker Ronald Dean Strickland and his boy friend Alan Norsworthy, AKA Rocket Ride, had recently bonded as a two piece band called "VICTIMS OF THE CAROUSEL." They said they were meant for each other because they both had brothers that committed suicide. They had just gotten back from a so-called "SMASH AND BURN" tour, where they stayed together in hotels and played a few bars and smashed stuff to get their thrills. Alan appeared to be a speed freak, and Dean Stickland was really creepy and liked to smash things. Dean was recently expelled from Musician's Institute in Hollywood for smashing guitars on stage.
Upon getting expelled from M. I., Ronald Dean Strickland formed the band "4Givness," a name which seemed to sickly "forgive" his stalking victims, (as if they were guilty and not him). His songs were about his victims as well. He began purchasing small ads for his band, and soon hooked up with a scary character named Alan Norsworthy, forming a new band called VICTIMS OF THE CAROUSEL, a name which appeared to be named after their victims. It also appeared that Ronald Dean was the mastermind and songwriter of this sick relationship, and that his partner Alan Norsworthy was his pitbull.
FIRST INCIDENT -
MALICIOUS VANDALISM AT AWARDS SHOW
Dean and Alan paid to get the opening slot at the 2004 Rock City Awards Show. When it was their turn to play, Alan turned his back to the audience showing his silly little leather jacket that said "Victims of the Carousel" on the back while Dean screamed off key, as loud as he could, "You're Almost Dead," about 50 times. It wasn't even music, it was intended only to offend and threaten. After finishing, they both began horrifically and maliciously smashing the trophies and stage in full view of everyone. Dean Strickland later boasted about it in his own words . . .
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" . . . Dean finished his song, and then like a mad men he and Rocket began to level the stage with their guitars. Strickland on the stage in front of him. Rocket focused on the castle to the far right of the stage smashing his guitar several times into the plywood structure with intention to take the tower castle down. After smashing the trophies, Strickland wildly threw the Rock City podium off the stage, and down on top of the busted awards. He then threw the microphone stand into the backdrop of the stage castle wall striking the drums as he walked off the stage. Rocket exited the stage throwing his guitar into the drum set. . . "
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The audience was in awe, not realizing what they were doing at first, but later wanting to kill them for smashing the trophies. Dean and Alan tried to make a break for the door, but were detained by security. The club patrons practically emptied into the parking lot to get them, but when the police arrived everyone went back inside. Dean and Alan were arrested for vandalism and taken to jail. Dean Strickland and Alan said they did it because they didn't win the award they wanted to win.
The Awards Show suffered great damage from this maliciousness. Because of the smashed trophies at the beginning of the show, many L.A. musicians were not able to receive their award, the stage was trashed, the podium cracked and the wood split, damaged mics and stands, pieces of broken plexiglass, metal, and plastic littered the stage and first few rows of tables. Numerous guests were hit with flying shrapnel, and worst of all, the show's reputation was damaged.
Photo of smashed trophies on stage
POLICE CHARGES DISMISSED -
STALKING STARTS
The following week I called the Hollywood Police to see what I needed to do. They said they would call me when I was needed.
A week or so later a detective knocked on our door, saying they were investigating a supposed death threat comlaint against Victims of the Carousel by a Rock City News writer, Mojo. It was a bogus complaint and shows the callousness of Dean Strickland and Alan Norsworthy, who, after smashing our trophies and stage, call police with bogus complaints to further harass their victims and to shield themselves from retribution. I told the Detectives the whole story, and they left.
Sometime after, I called the Police Department again to see when the court date would be, and learned that the District Attorney had dropped the case for lack of evidence. LACK OF EVIDENCE?!? There were about 300 eye witnesses, broken trophy remains everywhere, and afterwards, their own boasting admissions. What else did they need? I complained long and hard to Officer McCain, who was handling the case then, on numerous occasions, but to no avail.
The detectives eventually told me they needed video footage to prove they did it premeditated. I told them they called their shows the "Smash and Burn" tour, and that paticular show, the "Jonesing for the Smash" show, but they said that wasn't enough proof for intent. I spent two weeks looking for video footage but couldn't find any. I did collect pictures of the broken trophies and smashed stage, along with signed statements, a list of about 300 eye witnesses testifying as to the maliciousness of the act, and also submitted copies of Dean Strickland's numerous emails boasting about it. The detectives said they would look into it. I waited but nothing happened.
SECOND INCIDENT -
ATTEMPTED ASSAULT ON SUNSET STRIP
Video still of Dean & Alan attempting an assault on Sunset Blvd
On January 30th, Dean Strickland and Alan came to a show at the Whisky where Rock City News writer, Mojo, was the announcer, and tried to start a fight (Mojo is not a big fellow). The band roadies pushed Dean and Alan away from the Whisky and up Sunset Blvd as they screamed obscenities the whole way. We have video footage of this incident.
STALKING CONTINUES
Meanwhile, Dean Strickland was harassing myself and our writers with his postings on various Yahoo groups, still boasting about smashing the trophies. One night his logo threatenly appeared on the sidewalk directly in front of our house. I had also noticed it sprayed in front of Guitar Center and Sam Ash on Sunset Blvd, and around Musician's Institute (where he'd been expelled). I took photos of the graffiti and emails to the detectives and again asked for them to re-open the vandalism case. I talked to Detective Placentia and later to Detective Scott.
Soon after we found more of their graffiti sprayed on the sidewalk in front of our house, this time stronger and clearer to leave a more threatening message. I took new pictures and brought them to the detectives, again, along with more of Dean Strickland's taunting emails. We also brought copies of Victims's of the Carousel's promos in Debi Stocker's copycat magazine, billed as "The band that smashed the Rock City trophies!" Dean Strickland was doing everything possible to make us mad, including hooking up with people that we've had lots of trouble with, like Debi Stocker and Perry Caravello, AKA Scary Perry . Dean was trying to create a fight or riot at the Whisky, assuming the Whisky security would protect him. I told the Detectives that Dean was emailing us, stalking us, intimidating us, and spraying graffiti in front of our house almost every week, and that he was a psycho with a suicide deathwish. Below is their song list for that Whisky show, as per their website:
Dean was now sending me more taunting emails, asking if we were coming down to the Whisky show. I called Gena at the Whisky and told her about their smashing incident, and she said they were canceled, but that they had threatened the Whisky, and were re-instated. Dean Strickland was now sending out mass emails bragging how the Whisky can't shut them down. When the L.A. Weekly came out the following week, his emails boasted on Yahoo bulletins for everyone to see his ad in the L.A. Weekly. (it was actually the Whisky's ad) He then emailed me about the ad, asking if Rock City News was going to feature his upcoming show.
THIRD INCIDENT -
NIGHT BREAK-IN AND ASSAULT
On Saturday night, or actually 3 AM Sunday morning, Dean Strickland suddenly forced his way into our house and tried to kill me by suprising me and ramming his fingers into my eyes. He forced our front door open and rushed me across the room trying to gouge my eye out. I was taken off guard, but after finally getting his finger out of my eye, I fought him to the ground and yelled for my wife, who was sleeping, to call 911. I soon got the better of Dean by beating him, and then held him till police arrived. If his eye poking assault on me had not failed, he would most likely have "Smashed and Burned" everything in our house.
The Police called the Paramedics, who took him to jail. My wife drove me to Kaiser Emergency, where the doctors said my eye socket and cornea was scratched. They put some drops on it to paralyze it for a day. It was very red, swollen, droopy, and hurt like hell. I kept it bandaged and was under heavy medication for two days.
FOLLOW UP
During the week after this incident, I went to the Hollywood Police station and/or called the detectives every day to follow up. They told me they didn't know whether the District Attorney or the City Attorney would handle it. I couldn't get an answer from anyone as to what the charges were. I again asked to re-instate the stalking and vandalism at our awards show, giving the detectives more statements and evidence.
I also registered with VINE, an automated program that gives info on inmates, and soon got an automated call back saying Dean Strickland would not be released until May 1st. I assumed that was his court date but couldn't get any confirmation.
DEAN'S CRIMINAL HISTORY UNCOVERED
The next weekend I was investigating the Victims of the Carousel website and found Dean Strickland's so called "book" that he wrote called "I WISH YOU WOULD KILL YOURSELF LIKE YOUR BROTHER OR LIKE KURT." (Dean's brother committed suicide, as did Kurt Cobain, who died violently) This so called "book" is currently online and can be read at: http://www.onlinerock.com/musicians/deanstricland/book.shtml
I began reading it and was stunned. It read like a bad horror movie, with Dean as the psycho. Only it was real. Dean tells in chilling detail, how he stalked and terrorized a girl named Rachael in Texas for years, and when her girlfriend, Jaimie, tried to protect her, Dean stalked her, and when he found out that she was a manager of a band, he stalked the band, and everyone had to call the authorities on him over and over and over again, till he physically assaulted a member of the band, and was finally sent to jail and convicted of stalking and assault. Unfortunately he plea bargained with the Judge to be released early if he left the state, so he came to Hollywood, and now he's stalking us.
Dean's book is sickly written by himself, about himself. He describes in cold emotionless detail his own stalking acts and how he uses the authorities to harass and intimidate his victims. And if that's not scary enough, he then writes songs about his victims, like rubbing salt on their wounds. He seems methodical and maniacal. He shows no remorse. Even after being convicted he writes songs about "I'm Innocent" and "That Booking Bitch." You can still read his horrifying details of this book and songs from Dean's own website, under "links," at http://www.victimsofthe carousel.com
In Part 2 of his book he continues with songs like "My Death Wish" and "I'm Not Ashamed," showing publically that he has no remorse, and then writes a new song, "I'm Gonna Be A Rock Star." After being found guilty of Stalking and Assault in Texas, he plea bargained with the judge for early release, and left the state. He told the judge he wanted to go to Hollywood and be a Rock Star, so he was released in 2002, moved to Hollywood, and here his book ends.
STILL NO HELP
I was horrified by Dean's pyscho-autobiography and couldn't sleep, and then that morning we get this automated phone call from the VINE prison system saying that Ronald Dean Strickland had been released from custody. This was really scary because we hadn't had time to get a restraining order. I called the Prison system and found out that due to overcrowding, the DA, or Sheriff, or someone lets criminals out to avoid jail overcrowding.
I printed out Dean Strickland's book detailing his stalking crimes, and took it down to the Police Station, but the desk officer wouldn't tell me anything, and when I told him about Dean's book describing his previous crimes in Texas, he didn't want to hear about it. When I asked what Dean was charged with, he said he didn't know anything. When I asked if there was a restraining order he didn't know, and blamed me for not getting one earlier. He said talk to the detectives, but they were all off for the weekend. I left Dean's "book" and a message for Detective Scott. I also left messages on his and Detective Placentia's answering machines.
The next week I was on round-the-clock deadline, and kept a weapon by my side in case he tried to break in again, and finally on Thursday I had time to follow up. I assumed Dean would be charged with "breaking and entering" and "agravated assault" or "attempted murder." He should also have been charged with "stalking" and "vandalism," but getting any information on the case from the Police was impossible.
TRYING TO FIND HELP AND INFORMATION
Following the assault, I went down to the Hollywood Wilcox Police Station numerous times trying to talk to the detectives regarding the case. Detective Placentia was busy, and Detective Scott, was always out. I left messages.
Finally, on Apr 28th, I finished deadline for the newspaper and was going downtown with my wife to get a restraining order, but upon checking our mail, found a letter with an automatic restraining order that was given Dean Strickland on his release from jail. So I stayed home and began calling to find out what he was charged with, how he got of jail so early, and what I should do next.
I tried calling the Detectives again first, but only got answering machines, so I left messages, and then called District Attorney Rocky Degadillo's office, the City Attorney's office, Councilman Eric Garcetti's office, County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavaki's office, all of which referred me to another office. I even called the police's Internal Affairs, and they said they only investigate police misconduct, and referred me back to the District Attorney, but when I called them I was referred to the City Attorney's office Downtown, where I was referred to the Criminal Administration Department, where the girl said I should call the Hollywood Division, but after I told her I already called them, she put me back on hold, and eventully some man with a stern voice picked up the line told me the results.
RONALD DEAN STRICKLAND GETS OFF WITH PROBATION!
The City Attorney's downtown office finally told me that Dean Strickland was charged with breaking and entering and battery, and because he pled guilty to battery, they dropped the breaking and entering. I, the victim, was not consulted, and Dean was sentenced to only probation. I asked why he got such a light sentence, especially when there was so much more to the case. The guy with the stern voice got really upset and said "talk the Sheriff's Department, they let them out as fast as we put them in." I said OK, and hung up. He sounded angry.
I then called Zev Yaroslavaki's office again, because his assistant was helpful, to find out which Sherriff's office I should call, but she was gone for the day. It was getting late so I decided to write this letter . . . so there you go . . .The story of a nightmare in Hollywood.
Ronald Dean Strickland and Alan Norsworthy continue to boast about their crimes on their website VictimsoftheCarousel.com
Ruben Lopez,
Rock City News
7030 De Longpre Ave,
Hollywood CA 90028
323-461-6600
