Man Faces Trial in Anti-Jewish Acts Aimed at Catholics

An Arleta man was ordered Monday to stand trial for allegedly terrorizing his neighbor by attempting to set fire to the man’s house, shooting out the kitchen windows and placing burning crosses on the neighbor’s lawn.

Prosecutors said Paul Myron Downing, 28, who also is accused of spray-painting swastikas on the man’s house, thought his Roman Catholic neighbor was Jewish.

Downing, charged with multiple counts of arson, making terrorist threats, shooting at an inhabited dwelling and desecrating a religious symbol, was ordered to stand trial after a two-day preliminary hearing in San Fernando Municipal Court. Judge John C. Gunn set arraignment for Downing on Sept. 24 in San Fernando Superior Court. Downing apparently mistook John J. Ruiz, 55, who lives in the 13900 block of Nordhoff Street, to be Jewish because Ruiz subscribes to the Jewish Journal, said Ruiz’s attorney, Kenneth L. Kazan. Ruiz, a purchasing agent for a wholesale company, testified last week that his mail appeared to have been opened before the attacks began in May, 1988.

No one was injured in the continuing attacks, most of which occurred late at night or early in the morning, investigators said. Ruiz was usually at home with his wife Raquel, 49, his daughter, Jennifer, 20 and his son James, 25, Kazan said.

Ruiz said that during the alleged hate campaign, members of his family took turns keeping watch at night because they feared for their lives. Ruiz has lived at the Nordhoff Street house for 14 years.

Prosecutors believe Downing left a series of crudely worded, threatening notes on Ruiz’s property. One note stated: “We who kill shall remove you from here no matter what.” It was signed “B.O.A.P.,” which prosecutors said stands for Brotherhood of Aryan People.

Prosecutors said they had not determined if Downing acted alone or is a member of an organization. Tzivia Schwartz, an attorney for the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith, said she has not heard of a group calling itself the Brotherhood of Aryan People, but said Downing may have been referring to the Aryan Brotherhood, a prison gang.

Mark D. Pearson, a Los Angeles City Fire Department arson investigator, testified Monday that Downing confessed during an interview to starting five of the fires.

The blazes charred the kitchen door of the house, burned part of the garage and an adjacent guest room and damaged a motorcycle, according to court documents.

Downing also allegedly set fire to an oleander bush on Ruiz’s property. The fires were quickly extinguished and did not spread into the house, officials said.

Defense attorney Arthur Wynn suggested during cross-examination Monday that his client may have a history of psychiatric troubles. He referred to an arson investigator’s report in which Downing is quoted as saying he received psychiatric care until 1987. Downing also reportedly told investigators that he had stopped taking medication to control his temper because “he didn’t feel he needed them anymore,” according to the report.

Ruiz said outside court Monday that he and his family will never overcome the emotional trauma caused by the attacks.

“Life is not back to normal,” Ruiz said. “We’ll always bear the emotional scars from this thing.”