In 2015, Fridoon Nehad was killed by a police officer in San Diego’s Midway District.
Nehad was shot just moments after a police cruiser pulled up on him. The officer didn’t turn on his lights or offer any warnings. Since that night, the case has been marked by secrecy and misinformation. VOSD hosts Scott Lewis, Andrew Keatts and Sara Libby have been following it since the beginning.
Now, six years later, we think we have the full story. And Nehad’s family has announced they’ll settle a lawsuit over the case.
This week on the VOSD Podcast, our hosts offer a comprehensive look at this case and what it meant for justice, journalism and transparency in San Diego.
Public Comments Gone Wild
On Monday, the county issued a recommendation that local businesses require vaccinations or regular testing for their employees.
The next day, scores of residents showed up at a public meeting to lambast the supervisors and decry “tyranny and oppression” for their efforts to curb COVID-19 and protect public health.
Lewis, Keatts and Libby in this week’s podcast sift through the dynamics between these residents’ views and the county’s efforts to keep everyone safe.
Also this week, VOSD reporter Kayla Jimenez documented the scramble in local schools. Educators are trying to keep students safe as the new school year begins and COVID-19 cases are cropping up in classrooms.
And Finally …
After nine years as VOSD’s managing editor — several as co-host of your favorite local public affairs podcast — Libby is leaving. This is her final episode as a co-host.
Lewis laid out her impact on the region and our team in this piece you should read.
Producer’s note: As the person who listens to this show more than anyone — and spends hours recording and editing these discussions every week — it feels like a personal loss to not have Sara on the show anymore. Since I took over producing in December 2018, it’s been a pleasure to get to know Sara from the producer’s chair and watch her evolve into a very legit and charismatic podcast talent. It wasn’t long ago she became my favorite host. (Ya, I have favorites.) Now there will be a void in my oversized headphones. I’m going to miss her seemingly effortless ability to unpack a story, distill complicated ideas, slam Scott and to remind her to use a pillow as a sound buffer.