Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe One of the many far-reaching reforms L.A. District Attorney George Gascón has implemented affects the little-known world of parole hearings. In a reversal from previous DA's, Gascón has ordered his prosecutors to support parole in most cases. Historically, prosecutors have generally opposed parole. Gascón has also prohibited deputy DA’s from attending Board of Parole hearings. He says for decades, prosecutors have too often argued to keep people locked up based on their original crime. Most of those seeking parole are known as lifers — murderers, rapists and other violent offenders serving an open-ended sentence.