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# Elderly Woman's Rape by Alleged Southside Rapist Israel Hardin Revisited Before Council
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/del-pastrana-daily-press-santa-monica-firefighters-survey-the-damage-to-a-car-that-was-engulfed-in-flames-on-the-10-freeway-near-fourth-street-apparen/
- Published: 2001-12-13T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-22T22:31:36.000Z
- Author: Andrew Fixmer
- Tags: Government & Politics, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*City manager to conduct report on rape procedures*

Six years ago, an 82-year old woman was brutally raped at gun point in the back seat of her car while her husband was helplessly locked in the trunk, forced to listen to every scream.

Though her name will never be revealed, she will forever be the third victim of alleged “Southside Rapist” Israel Hardin, who is currently serving a life sentence on another crime he committed.

Her words, which were brought to the Santa Monica City Council Tuesday night pre-recorded, hid none of the pain. But each syllable was intoned with the courage of a woman who has experienced the worst in humanity, and survived.

The elderly couple was returning home from a late night of cards with friends. It would have ended with a quick block and a half trip home if it hadn’t been for the man with the gun. Maybe it would have been different if they had enough money when he robbed them, the woman suggested.

But recent evidence has come to light suggesting that her rape, and the agony of the following six years, could have been entirely avoided.

According to Karen Pomer, who was raped for six hours in Sunset Park by the same accused man, she had identified the attacker two months before the elderly woman was raped.

Pomer asked the city council to investigate what happened in her case. She wants to know why, when she identified the attacker from a police line up, the lead was never pursued.

“It was right there all the time,” she said. “I told them two months before the 82-year-old woman was raped.”

> “A lot of tragedy could have been avoided if the police had listened to the victims.” — said Pomer, addressing the city council Tuesday

> “I want somebody to take responsibility for this screw up,”

Instead, the investigation would take over four years and become one of the costliest in city history.

Ultimately Pomer said the blame rests with Santa Monica Police Chief James T. Butts, Jr., who she said has stone-walled her for the past six years.

Half way into Pomer’s address, the police chief slipped into the council meeting, but left without making a comment or giving interviews.

Repeated phone calls to Lt. Frank Fabrega, spokesman for the SMPD, for comment on Pomer’s statements went unreturned Wednesday.

Historically, the police department has not commented on the matter.

The city council responded by directing city manager Susan McCarthy to conduct a report on the police department’s rape policies and procedures, outlining how it has changed over the past six years.

“It’s my impression that the department at the time did significantly alter its procedures,” said Councilman Ken Genser, who was on the council in 1996 when Pomer first addressed the board. “I look forward to reading this report. We should circulate it. I think it will be very healthy for us.”

But for Pomer, that’s not good enough. She wants the city to implement an independent review process established to oversee the police department’s rape investigations.

“I know the department has changed its rape policies,” said Pomer. “It went from four paragraphs to an entire chapter.”

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/121301-01_01.jpg)

Santa Monica firefighters survey the damage to a car that was engulfed in flames on the 10 Freeway near Fourth Street. (Photo: Del Pastrana/Daily Press)

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on December 13, 2001.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/121301.pdf?ref=smdp.com)