Riley Perez

Will says he never said that because why would he?

Will says he never said that because why would he?

Darnell Riley Perez. Will my family call me Riley? But I'll answer to anything.

Darnell Riley Perez. Will my family call me Riley? But I'll answer to anything.

2005, March 28th.

2005, March 28th.

I drive up my driveway as I do every day. I always carried a pistol. 38 snub nose was my go-to gun. Don't have to worry about, you know, even if you dropped it, it's not just going to fire by itself. So every day I got the same routine, get out the car, the gun's already secured in your waist. But this day, at that moment, for whatever reason, I didn't put the gun in my waist.

I drive up my driveway as I do every day. I always carried a pistol. 38 snub nose was my go-to gun. Don't have to worry about, you know, even if you dropped it, it's not just going to fire by itself. So every day I got the same routine, get out the car, the gun's already secured in your waist. But this day, at that moment, for whatever reason, I didn't put the gun in my waist.

So as I step out of my car, I see the van racing up my driveway. For a second, I thought maybe it's a hit. I was about to reach for my gun or run because I had some exit points I could have made. The van stops at a decent enough distance, and I see the passenger, older white guy. I see him draw his pistol, and then I see the driver. He looks to be Hispanic, younger guy.

So as I step out of my car, I see the van racing up my driveway. For a second, I thought maybe it's a hit. I was about to reach for my gun or run because I had some exit points I could have made. The van stops at a decent enough distance, and I see the passenger, older white guy. I see him draw his pistol, and then I see the driver. He looks to be Hispanic, younger guy.

And they're screaming something, but it's like I couldn't hear. And then as I look past them, my eyes focus past them, I see the cavalry coming up the driveway. And that's when I realize, okay, it's the cops. Then, like, my hearing restored. And I can hear them now, freeze, freeze, police, police. The younger guy, who was the driver of the minivan, he walks towards me.

And they're screaming something, but it's like I couldn't hear. And then as I look past them, my eyes focus past them, I see the cavalry coming up the driveway. And that's when I realize, okay, it's the cops. Then, like, my hearing restored. And I can hear them now, freeze, freeze, police, police. The younger guy, who was the driver of the minivan, he walks towards me.

He had never pulled his gun. The passenger, the older white guy, he kept his gun trained on me. And the younger guy said, turn around. They put me in the back of the minivan, and they start with the questions. Are you Darnell Riley? I'm just looking at him, and they kept asking. And then they show me the warrant. Are you Darnell Riley? I'm like, yeah, well, my name is Darnell Riley Perez.

He had never pulled his gun. The passenger, the older white guy, he kept his gun trained on me. And the younger guy said, turn around. They put me in the back of the minivan, and they start with the questions. Are you Darnell Riley? I'm just looking at him, and they kept asking. And then they show me the warrant. Are you Darnell Riley? I'm like, yeah, well, my name is Darnell Riley Perez.

They're like, yeah, yeah, whatever, whatever. They're like, who are you guys? We're U.S. Marshals. So I say, what is this for? We don't know. We're just body baggers. We're just here to grab you. U.S. Marshals, I guess, had teamed up with the LAPD to clear a backlog of high-value warrants they had to execute. I just happened to be one of them.

They're like, yeah, yeah, whatever, whatever. They're like, who are you guys? We're U.S. Marshals. So I say, what is this for? We don't know. We're just body baggers. We're just here to grab you. U.S. Marshals, I guess, had teamed up with the LAPD to clear a backlog of high-value warrants they had to execute. I just happened to be one of them.

My guy tells me, you know, we don't know what it's for, but, you know, we're going to work on bail.

My guy tells me, you know, we don't know what it's for, but, you know, we're going to work on bail.

I called another guy, and once again, no one knew what exactly I had been arrested for. I called my girlfriend at the time who had lived with me. I didn't know that they had brought her down as well, and she was in the interrogation room next to me. And she tells me, yeah, they say this is because you robbed Joe Francis. So now I knew what I was in for.

I called another guy, and once again, no one knew what exactly I had been arrested for. I called my girlfriend at the time who had lived with me. I didn't know that they had brought her down as well, and she was in the interrogation room next to me. And she tells me, yeah, they say this is because you robbed Joe Francis. So now I knew what I was in for.