CA ACR84 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session

California Assembly Concurrent Resolution 84, The 80th Anniversary of the Zoot Suit Riots, states in part: "WHEREAS, Citing concerns about juvenile delinquency, California Governor Culbert Olson used Díaz’s death as the impetus for a roundup by the Los Angeles Police Department of more than 600 young men and women, most of whom were Mexican American..." This statement is incorrect and misleading for the following reasons: 1) The California Governor and the LAPD did not initiate the rounding up of Sleepy Lagoon Suspects. Because the home invasion, assaults, attempted murders and murder took place OUTSIDE of the City, jurisdiction belonged to Los Angeles County Sheriff Biscailuz, a Mexican-American who took no orders from either the Governor or the LAPD. However, because many of the suspects lived INSIDE City limits, the LAPD was utilized to take in for questioning 24 male suspects (some of whom were in their 20's), 11 of their female companions (some as young as 12 or 13 years old) and a dozen "Ranch Boys" (aka the Downey Boys). Therefore, the total rounded up in connection the death of Joe Diaz was 47--NOT 600. 2) This roundup was not arbitrary or racist; rather, it was based upon information provided by the brother of victim Joe Manfredi, an Italian-American who was assaulted, stabbed and suffered a broken skull at the private party attended by Joe Diaz. Manfredi was mentally impaired and later died prematurely as a result of his injuries, making the Sleepy Lagoon Case a double murder. 3) Joe's brother Dominick told deputies that on August 2nd, after returning from the General Hospital, he passed by the Sleepy Lagoon and saw five Mexican boys in a car with license 8D7926. The driver, John Matuz (19 years old), was picked up and questioned by LASD. He admitted to being a former member of the 38th Street Gang and that he had been at the Sleepy Lagoon when the home invasion occurred. He did not participate in the fight, because he was busy with Jennie Gonzales (14 years old). He named the members of the 38th Street Gang who participated in the riot and fingered Henry Leyvas as the organizer and leader of the group that went to the Williams Ranch for revenge. Reference to Original Source Documents of 1942: 1) LASD File No. A-19138 (Sleepy Lagoon Murder Book, available on Amazon)