Good morning, I hope you had a good weekend. Onto the five USC, Los Angeles and California stories you need to know for today.

1.

Former USC gynecologist George Tyndall pleaded not guilty to sex-related charges Friday. The 76-year-old is accused of, among other things, taking unnecessary photos of patients’ genitals, barring chaperones from being present during exams and commenting on patients’ sexual history, nipples and pubic hair between 2009 and 2016. He faces 18 felony counts of sexual penetration of an unconscious person and nine felony counts of sexual battery by fraud.

2.

Freshman wideout Zachariah Branch was the star of USC’s 56-28 blowout win over San Jose State, notching 232 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns — one being an electric 96-yard kickoff return. Branch, the highest ranked receiver in his high school class, overshadowed even the Heisman-winning Caleb Williams through most of the game. The Trojans will take on the Nevada Wolf Pack on Saturday.

3.

A large brawl broke out at a Torrance mall on Sunday afternoon, involving dozens, possibly hundreds, of juveniles running around the mall fighting in groups. Police are unsure of the cause, but similar brawls broke out in movie theaters in the Bay Area, Stockton, Indiana, Boston, upstate New York and New Hampshire; the Torrance fight started near the mall’s AMC theater.

4.

Mark Ridley-Thomas, the disgraced former LA politician, will be sentenced in a federal court Monday. In March, Ridley-Thomas was convicted of seven felonies related to a scheme in which he extracted benefits from USC while sitting on the county Board of Supervisors. Prosecutors have requested a six-year prison sentence.

5.

California won the Little League World Series 6-5 over Curaco, a small island off the coast of Venezuela. The international youth baseball competition for 10- to 12-year-olds takes place annually in Pennsylvania and apparently generates enough excitement for every major news outlet in the United States to cover it. “This is a unique feeling that maybe only five or less people experience in their lifetime,” said Louis Lappe of team California, describing his walk-off homer in the championship game.

You’re all caught up. Thanks for reading Morning, Trojan, and have a good day. Anna Hsu copy edited this newsletter.

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