The union representing Los Angeles County deputy district attorneys is expected to ask a judge to block their new boss George Gascon from easing up on sentences; William La Jeunesse reports.
Prosecutors in Los Angeles County are asking a judge for an order that would keep them from enforcing new directives from District Attorney George Gascón that would require them to be lenient in their sentencing recommendations for specified types of offenders.
The Association of Deputy District Attorney s for Los Angeles County (ADDA) claimed in a lawsuit filed that the directives would mean violating state laws that require enhanced sentences in certain cases.
Prosecutors union files civil lawsuit over Gascón s new directives
Prosecutorsâ union files civil lawsuit over Gascónâs new directives
The union representing Los Angeles County prosecutors filed a lawsuit against District Attorney George Gascón, alleging that his special directives to get rid of sentencing enhancements and strikes are violating the state law.
LOS ANGELES - The union representing Los Angeles County prosecutors filed a lawsuit against District Attorney George Gascón, alleging that his special directives to get rid of sentencing enhancements and strikes are violating the state law.
Now, the union is asking a judge to step and put a stop to Gascón s sweeping policy changes.
In office less than a month, L.A. County District Attorney George Gascón has brought dramatic changes into the criminal courts with his progressive agenda. In his biggest move so far, he has directed prosecutors to seek shorter prison sentences for most criminal defendants by eliminating sentencing enhancements.
While winning plaudits from some quarters, the new policy has run into opposition from some of Gascón s deputy DA s and some judges. Some prosecutors reportedly are not making a forceful case to drop enhancements, and in at least a handful of cases judges have refused their requests.
Gascón says his move is designed to address two huge problems in the criminal justice system: There are too many people in prison and too many of them are Black and brown men. California s mass incarceration problem can be tied directly to enhancements and the extreme sentencing laws of the 1990s, he declared on his first day on the job.
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LA County DA Gascon backs down on some enhancements after telling murder victim’s family to ‘keep their mouth shut”
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LA County DA Gascon backs down on some enhancements after telling murder victim’s family to ‘keep their mouth shut”
John SextonPosted at 4:30 pm on December 24, 2020
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When he took office this month, DA George Gascon immediately announced he would do away with any enhancements for charges, such as those for people who commit multiple murders or hate crimes. That didn’t sit well with victim’s families or with some of Gascon’s own Deputy DAs. Yesterday Deputy DA Paul Moll became the second deputy to publicly criticize his own boss:
George Gascón facing backlash from his own deputy district attorneys
DA George Gascón facing backlash from his own deputies
Deputy DA Paul Moll says Gascón s policy changes make it feel like he s working for the defense. It’s all about the defendants, the defendants, the defendants, says Deputy District Attorney Paul Moll.
LOS ANGELES - He has been a Los Angeles County prosecutor for the last 15 years but in the last two weeks under new rules by District Attorney George Gascón, Moll says it feels more like he’s working for the defense.
He says, It’s like it’s been a hostile takeover of the DA’s office by the defense bar, the way they work together to prevent us from keeping people safe. It’s shocking!