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Oakland’s Flora Restaurant bartender kills homeless man for panhandling
Oakland officials have promoted economic cleansing in Oakland for many years. Official policies have resulted in never ending skyrocketing rents, mass evictions, more homelessness, and the abuse of Oakland’s homeless population as a direct result!
Oakland’s Flora Restaurant bartender kills homeless man for panhandling
By Lynda Carson - October 26, 2017
Oakland — Reportedly, Juan Espino a bartender at the Flora Restaurant and bar, an upscale restaurant / bar located downtown Oakland, owned by Dona Savitsky and Thomas Schnetz, brutally murdered an Oakland panhandler.
Juan Espino was charged on Wednesday, October 26, 2017, with the brutal murder of 42-year old Cooky York, a homeless man, for panhandling near the restaurant / bar, owned by Dona Savitsky and Thomas Schnetz.
Allegedly, Juan Espino hit Cooky York with a baseball bat in the head last Sunday for panhandling near the restaurant/bar, as Cooky York was walking away from the bar. York later died at a hospital, and Espino was arrested at the scene of the crime.
It appears that the bar tender and owners at the Flora Restaurant and bar may have sent a clear chilling message to panhandlers working the streets of downtown Oakland. It appears that the message might be: “You are at extreme risk of being brutally murdered with a baseball bat if you try panhandling near this restaurant, and disturb the Yuppies who are trying to have some fun, and get laid.”
Panhandling is a longtime tradition for poor people to earn money for food, clothing, and other necessary essentials. It has become a very dangerous position for the poor, especially since many cities have tried outlaw panhandling all across the nation. Essentially, the pigs have criminalized poverty throughout the country, and many poor people are dying on the cold mean streets of America.
Dona Savitsky and Thomas Schnetz are co-founders of several restaurants
According to the website for C Social Front, Dona Savitsky and Thomas Schnetz own several restaurant establishments in Oakland, and Berkeley.
Dona Savitsky and Thomas Schnetz are the co-owners of Flora Restaurant and bar, Flora Restaurant / Fauna Bar, Dona Thomas, Tacubaya, and Xolo restaurant.
During 2017, reportedly Oakland was listed as #7, for being one of the most dangerous cities in the United States.
Oakland officials have promoted economic cleansing in Oakland for many years. Official policies have resulted in never ending skyrocketing rents, mass evictions, more homelessness, and the abuse of Oakland’s homeless population as a direct result.
Lynda Carson may be reached at tenantsrule [at] yahoo.com
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By Lynda Carson - October 26, 2017
Oakland — Reportedly, Juan Espino a bartender at the Flora Restaurant and bar, an upscale restaurant / bar located downtown Oakland, owned by Dona Savitsky and Thomas Schnetz, brutally murdered an Oakland panhandler.
Juan Espino was charged on Wednesday, October 26, 2017, with the brutal murder of 42-year old Cooky York, a homeless man, for panhandling near the restaurant / bar, owned by Dona Savitsky and Thomas Schnetz.
Allegedly, Juan Espino hit Cooky York with a baseball bat in the head last Sunday for panhandling near the restaurant/bar, as Cooky York was walking away from the bar. York later died at a hospital, and Espino was arrested at the scene of the crime.
It appears that the bar tender and owners at the Flora Restaurant and bar may have sent a clear chilling message to panhandlers working the streets of downtown Oakland. It appears that the message might be: “You are at extreme risk of being brutally murdered with a baseball bat if you try panhandling near this restaurant, and disturb the Yuppies who are trying to have some fun, and get laid.”
Panhandling is a longtime tradition for poor people to earn money for food, clothing, and other necessary essentials. It has become a very dangerous position for the poor, especially since many cities have tried outlaw panhandling all across the nation. Essentially, the pigs have criminalized poverty throughout the country, and many poor people are dying on the cold mean streets of America.
Dona Savitsky and Thomas Schnetz are co-founders of several restaurants
According to the website for C Social Front, Dona Savitsky and Thomas Schnetz own several restaurant establishments in Oakland, and Berkeley.
Dona Savitsky and Thomas Schnetz are the co-owners of Flora Restaurant and bar, Flora Restaurant / Fauna Bar, Dona Thomas, Tacubaya, and Xolo restaurant.
During 2017, reportedly Oakland was listed as #7, for being one of the most dangerous cities in the United States.
Oakland officials have promoted economic cleansing in Oakland for many years. Official policies have resulted in never ending skyrocketing rents, mass evictions, more homelessness, and the abuse of Oakland’s homeless population as a direct result.
Lynda Carson may be reached at tenantsrule [at] yahoo.com
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Correction: Juan Espino was charged on Wednesday, October 25, 2017
(LC)
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(LC)
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Additional Correction:
Reportedly, according to the East Bay Times, Juan Espino was arrested at his home after murdering Cooky York.
(LC)
Reportedly, according to the East Bay Times, Juan Espino was arrested at his home after murdering Cooky York.
(LC)
Mug Shot of Juan Espino - Oakland bartender who murdered Cooky York
Click on the link below to see the mug shot of Juan Espino, the Oakland bartender who worked for Flora restaurant during the moment he murdered Cooky York for panhandling near the restaurant / bar.
(LC)
https://i1.wp.com/http://www.eastbaytimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/cct-espino-1026-02.jpg?w=620&crop=0%2C0px%2C100%2C9999px
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Click on the link below to see the mug shot of Juan Espino, the Oakland bartender who worked for Flora restaurant during the moment he murdered Cooky York for panhandling near the restaurant / bar.
(LC)
https://i1.wp.com/http://www.eastbaytimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/cct-espino-1026-02.jpg?w=620&crop=0%2C0px%2C100%2C9999px
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This is atrocious and tragic. I’m interested in more details. Did the attack happen during business hours? Was the bartender on the clock? Did Flora keep a bat for its employees behind the bar to use? None of these details will change what happened to Cooky. It’s sick that being homeless and/or poor is criminalized.
Let’s get some things straight, from a witness.
1. This wasn’t “a message to panhandlers”. The man was harassing Juan’s PREGNANT girlfriend. Doesn’t justify the killing at all, but let’s at least acknowledge he felt like someone he loved that is carrying his child was threatened.
2. The employees called the cops on him. Their friend, their co-worker. Guy was off the clock.
3. Why did they have a bat? Because they got robbed at gun point before. The employees wanted to feel that they at least had some protection.
Does any of this justify a killing? No. But Juan hit him once. ONCE. This wasn’t a beat down, this was fucking terrible and tragic. But intent to send a message, to kill? No.
Get your ridiculous facts straight. You call yourself a news organization; this is sad.
1. This wasn’t “a message to panhandlers”. The man was harassing Juan’s PREGNANT girlfriend. Doesn’t justify the killing at all, but let’s at least acknowledge he felt like someone he loved that is carrying his child was threatened.
2. The employees called the cops on him. Their friend, their co-worker. Guy was off the clock.
3. Why did they have a bat? Because they got robbed at gun point before. The employees wanted to feel that they at least had some protection.
Does any of this justify a killing? No. But Juan hit him once. ONCE. This wasn’t a beat down, this was fucking terrible and tragic. But intent to send a message, to kill? No.
Get your ridiculous facts straight. You call yourself a news organization; this is sad.
To: Uptown Resident
Misleading article, to say the least
by Uptown Resident
Sunday Oct 29th, 2017 1:56 AM
From: Lynda Carson
Since the so-called Uptown Resident does not want to give a real name, I can not believe anything being said to misdirect, or discredit the above story.
At best, I can only assume that this may be a message from the co-owner of Flora Restaurant, Dona Savitsky, and that she may be trying to coverup for the murder of Cooky York by her former employee/bartender, Juan Espino.
It is very much possible that the baseball bat used to kill Cooky York was actually owned by Dona Savitsky. Perhaps the truth will come out in court regarding who owned the baseball bat that was used to murder Cooky York, for panhandling.
Sincerely,
Lynda Carson
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Misleading article, to say the least
by Uptown Resident
Sunday Oct 29th, 2017 1:56 AM
From: Lynda Carson
Since the so-called Uptown Resident does not want to give a real name, I can not believe anything being said to misdirect, or discredit the above story.
At best, I can only assume that this may be a message from the co-owner of Flora Restaurant, Dona Savitsky, and that she may be trying to coverup for the murder of Cooky York by her former employee/bartender, Juan Espino.
It is very much possible that the baseball bat used to kill Cooky York was actually owned by Dona Savitsky. Perhaps the truth will come out in court regarding who owned the baseball bat that was used to murder Cooky York, for panhandling.
Sincerely,
Lynda Carson
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Haven't seen it myself, but got wind that folks are upset about this post on social media, how it ties in Flora owners with questions raised about what sort of statement the killing makes about the current war against the poor in Oakland.
Apparently, those who normally rally against capitalism's never-ending war on the poor see a carve-out for Flora owners and don't want them lumped in with the killing or whatever relation it has to the depressing gentrification onslaught, even though Flora is a bar that profits greatly from the countless apolitical (or non-radical) gentrifiers that patronize the establishment every day. Remember, it's an upscale for-profit bar, not a social service organization.
If an "off-duty" cop killed a poor person, folks would have no problem seeing the connection to their place of employment, especially if the murder happened right in front of the police station and the weapon was provided by the police department, even if it wasn't committed by direct order of the police chief. No person of conscience would fret over how the homeless person was annoying or somehow partially responsible for their own death.
Reverse the situation for a thought experiment. If a homeless person killed a bartender at a gentrifier bar, I don't think people would have such a hard time with Lynda pondering about the statement it made regarding gentrification in the area, commenting on the growing hostility to poor people and people of color on that strip of Telegraph. Perhaps it would be a poor (victim) versus working class (killer) story, but it also likely could be a "rising up against gentrification" story among radicals, not about party loyalty with bougie bar owners. Or maybe party loyalty would still trump larger anti-capitalist narratives.
Sad all around.
Apparently, those who normally rally against capitalism's never-ending war on the poor see a carve-out for Flora owners and don't want them lumped in with the killing or whatever relation it has to the depressing gentrification onslaught, even though Flora is a bar that profits greatly from the countless apolitical (or non-radical) gentrifiers that patronize the establishment every day. Remember, it's an upscale for-profit bar, not a social service organization.
If an "off-duty" cop killed a poor person, folks would have no problem seeing the connection to their place of employment, especially if the murder happened right in front of the police station and the weapon was provided by the police department, even if it wasn't committed by direct order of the police chief. No person of conscience would fret over how the homeless person was annoying or somehow partially responsible for their own death.
Reverse the situation for a thought experiment. If a homeless person killed a bartender at a gentrifier bar, I don't think people would have such a hard time with Lynda pondering about the statement it made regarding gentrification in the area, commenting on the growing hostility to poor people and people of color on that strip of Telegraph. Perhaps it would be a poor (victim) versus working class (killer) story, but it also likely could be a "rising up against gentrification" story among radicals, not about party loyalty with bougie bar owners. Or maybe party loyalty would still trump larger anti-capitalist narratives.
Sad all around.
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