FAIRNESS, JUSTICE, EXPERIENCE, EXCELLENCE

I love L.A., and I’m heartbroken to see what’s happening to our incredible communities under George Gascon.

As an L.A. County prosecutor with 25 years of experience, I know what’s wrong, and I know how to fix it.

I promise to restore common sense to the D.A.’s office and ensure victims of crime receive justice. I will support all communities while pursuing evidence-based reforms that make our system more just for all. On my watch, the punishment will always fit the crime – no more, no less.

Whenever possible we will focus on the source of crime, such as the leaders of organized crime rings, cartels, and drug operations.

The people of Los Angeles County will always come first. I will work tirelessly to ensure your safety, your family’s safety, and your community’s safety.

Here’s how I’ll do it:

PRIORITIES: OVERVIEW

(click on priorities for more detail)

 

SPECIFIC POLICIES: OVERVIEW

(click on specific policies for more detail)

 

My Priorities

Recognize victims’ rights

Victim’s rights accrue the moment a crime is committed, and are woven into the entire process. As D.A. I will recognize and restore these rights. In particular, prosecutors will observe Marsy’s Law, which provides a victim’s bill of rights.

I also will enhance the Victims’ Services Unit within our Office. We will inform victims of services to which they are entitled, including financial assistance with things like medical bills and funeral expenses and trauma, health, and other counseling. For victims and witnesses who need to relocate as a result of a crime, we will offer help with moving expenses. And in extraordinary cases when victims or witnesses are in danger we will assist with hotel stays and necessary expenses until they can find new permanent housing.

Finally, and importantly, we will reassert our prosecutors’ constitutional duty to appear at parole hearings, and support victims at those hearings. We will ensure victims are notified of hearings and their right to attend and give testimony.

Emphasize compassion for victims’ families

While most criminals eventually will be set free, victims and their families all too often are sentenced to a life sentence of anguish, without parole. As a prosecutor I have grieved with the families of crime victims. This is personal to me.

As D.A. I will ensure that victims’ families are treated with dignity, respect, and compassion. Many of them have already been through the worst experiences imaginable. Our office will do whatever possible to ease their suffering not just by delivering justice but by supporting them along their arduous journey.

Recognize that communities are victims as well

It’s not just victims and their families. Crimes, especially violent crimes, tear at the very fabric of communities. I’ve seen terrified people traumatized by a crime in their neighborhood. I’ve spoken with them in the worst moments and assured them that justice will be served.

I believe that a prosecutor’s job does not end when a guilty verdict is rendered. We remain involved through the probation process, keeping victims and communities informed when individuals who harmed them may potentially be released. I find it unconscionable that George Gascon affirmatively prevents us from informing people. A victim should never, ever learn of their assailant’s release when they see them back out on the streets. On Day One I will rescind current directives that actually prevent prosecutors from attending to these essential duties.

Finally, I will ensure that the D.A.’s Office works collaboratively with city and county agencies, nonprofits, and community groups on community rehabilitation in the wake of violent crimes. We will not just investigate and prosecute, we will assist in the healing process as well.

In short, under my leadership our Office once again will be partners with the people.

Safeguard vulnerable groups, communities, and places

Thanks to data from law enforcement agencies we know which communities are particularly susceptible to crime. Put another way, we know where the criminals tend to show up. Without compromising balance across L.A. County, I will implement policies to make sure none of these communities slips through the cracks.

Likewise, my office will send the message that L.A. has zero tolerance for crimes committed at public events and near schools, health care facilities, places of worship, public parks, community centers, and government properties. Angelenos deserve to feel safe at home, in their neighborhoods, and in public places.

We also will have a zero-tolerance policy for hate crimes. Anyone who commits a crime based on race, identity, gender, sexual orientation, language, ethnicity, or immigration status will face the full consequences for their despicable actions. I am committed to expanding our Hates Crimes Unit to root out this cancerous behavior.

Prioritize transparency and accountability

Under my leadership, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office will follow the law and the facts in every case. For that reason we’ll practice transparency and welcome scrutiny. We will always remember that we work for the people of L.A. County. The people’s safety will be our priority.

On Day One, I will establish a professional media relations team within our Office that will work collaboratively with the press, who hold public servants like us accountable. I’ve handled high profile cases, like the trial of rapper Nipsey Hustle’s killer, and learned firsthand the value of media relationships both for our office and for the people.

I also know the importance of public transparency. That’s why I’ll ensure we fulfill public records requests as required by law. I will also enhance our Department’s collection of crime filing data and make that data available to the public.  Our filing decisions in cases of significant public interest will be articulated in writing and publicly released (or readily available to the public).

Restore morale and competent management

The Office of District Attorney is no place for on-the-job training. The stakes are too high for the 9.8 million people who call L.A. County home. As the most experienced prosecutor in this race, I will hit the ground running on day one.

Morale is essential to any organization. Over the last two and a half years my colleagues and I have lived the consequences of its absence. So have the people of Los Angeles. One of my biggest priorities will be to restore the morale that is so crucial to a successful office. Every prosecutor and staffer will know they are valued, respected, and supported.

I’ve worked for four D.A.’s, and have learned the difference between good and bad management. As a senior prosecutor in the Major Crimes Unit I’ve managed teams of lawyers and staff, and brought complex cases to successful conclusions. As Managing Attorney in the East Los Angeles Courthouse I have honed my leadership skills.

As D.A. I will apply those hard-earned lessons. I will listen. I will be responsive. And I will work tirelessly to ensure Los Angeles has the finest prosecutor’s office in the country, a place where every employee looks forward to going to work every day.

Return the D.A.’s Office to full staffing

The Los Angeles D.A.’s office has a backlog of 13,000 cases. Under George Gascon’s failed leadership we’ve been hit hard by departures and retirements and have not been able to fill those vacancies. We’re down some 200 prosecutors and a similar number of staffers.

These shortages affect our public safety. Along with that backlog our Office sometimes has to reject or dismiss cases outright because we simply don’t have enough prosecutors to handle them. That’s outrageous.

My goal will be to hire 100 new prosecutors and 100 staffers in both of my first two years. In keeping with our office’s tradition we will hire the most committed, talented, and compassionate people we can find. I will ensure that our office is the most desirable destination in the country for the best personnel.

Repair and strengthen the D.A. Office’s relationship with communities

Many cities in Los Angeles County have local elected advisory committees such as Neighborhood Councils in L.A. and Neighborhood Associations in Pasadena. Other cities, such as Long Beach and Palmdale, maintain extensive public databases of active neighborhood organizations.

I have had great experiences with Neighborhood Councils and similar bodies, and recognize the extent to which they can act as “secret weapons” in communicating directly with residents.

As District Attorney I will establish channels between our Office and these key nodes in our local democracy. I will strive to maintain the most available and transparent Office possible. We will respond to public records requests according to legal requirements, and maintain a full-time media relations team to strengthen our public accountability.

My Specific Policies

Illegal drugs: Focus on the dealers

On my watch drug dealers will quickly learn there is no place for them in L.A. Since 2017, overdose deaths in L.A. County have increased by more than 1,500%. Modern drugs like fentanyl, synthetic methamphetamines, and “tranq” pose challenges no society has faced before.

Despite the tireless work of dedicated prosecutors, under George Gascon the District Attorney’s office has failed to rise to the challenge. He has tied our hands, and the results are everywhere to be seen. It’s no exaggeration to say that Gascon’s failed policies are killing people.

I will prioritize prosecution of the criminals who sell deadly drugs and destroy lives and families through the scourge of addiction. Whenever appropriate, my office will seek rehabilitation of those we charge with possession and minor drug sale offenses.

As a youth and teenager I lived through the crack epidemic of the 1980s and 1990s. I saw all too clearly the consequences of lax enforcement in low income and communities of color. I lost neighbors and classmates. I will not allow that blight to continue to repeat itself here in L.A.

Let’s be clear: Dealers don’t care one bit about their “customers.” They care about profit. I will hold them accountable. Specifically, I support legislation like “Alexandra’s Law.” If a repeat offender sells drugs to a person who then fatally overdoses, prosecutors should have the option of charging the dealer with murder. It would be a powerful deterrent, and save countless lives. We already do this for repeat DUI offenders whose behavior leads to loss of life.

In short, under my leadership the D.A.’s office once again will hold those who harm our communities, especially our young people, accountable.

Reverse the spike in homicides

The murder rate in Los Angeles is up 50% since 2019. In 2022 homicides reached their highest levels in more than 15 years, even as our office’s clearance rate (the percentage of murders that result in prosecutions) dropped below 60%.

Victims are disproportionately young Black and Hispanic males from lower income neighborhoods. Those neighborhoods suffer along with the victims’ families.

Thanks to George Gascon’s failed leadership, the units prosecuting murders are stretched past the breaking point. Staffing shortages are forcing seasoned prosecutors to handle too many cases. Some cases are being assigned to prosecutors with inadequate training and experience. I will reverse these trends.

Murders and other violent crimes involving gangs have seen particularly troubling increases. One of my immediate priorities will be to reinstate the District Attorney’s Office Gang Unit.

Prosecute criminals from “flash mob” mass robberies

Over the last three years so-called “flash mob” smash-and-grab robberies have plagued the Southland. In response, in August 2023 Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass established a multi-agency law enforcement task force to investigate and prosecute these crimes. The Mayor declared, “Those who committed these acts and acts like it in neighboring areas must be held accountable.”

I agree wholeheartedly with Mayor Bass. Right now there are few consequences to participants in these particularly vicious and frightening crimes. I will ensure the D.A.’s Office is part of the solution, as we are uniquely positioned to bring all 88 cities in L.A. County together. I will start by assigning full-time Deputy D.A.’s to prosecute criminals who participate in flash mob robberies. They will work cooperatively and collaboratively with local law enforcement.

Another important point: We will focus on the leaders of the gangs and organized crime operations that are behind many of these robberies. They often exploit young people, knowing they won’t be prosecuted, which is particularly insidious. We’ll end this scourge by starting at the top.

Deter retail robberies and burglaries overall

As a result of catastrophically misguided policies at the state and local level shoplifting has become all but legal in much of Los Angeles County. Small businesses, particularly essential in low-income neighborhoods, are being decimated by aggressive thefts, which also frighten away customers and potential customers.

Businesses already operating on thin profit margins must either pass along the costs of thefts to customers who can least afford to pay, or shutter their businesses altogether. It is heartbreaking to see hardworking Angelenos, many who built their businesses from scratch, suffer as a result of George Gascon’s lawlessness.

L.A. deserves a District Attorney who understands that small businesses are the backbone of local communities and will fight to support them. I will protect our local businesses with a renewed focus on these crimes.

Recognize the nexus between homelessness and crime

L.A.’s homeless crisis is intolerable. Current approaches have failed, miserably. Angelenos have seen billions of their tax dollars spent even as the crisis continues to spiral. As a resident, I don’t accept this failure, nor should you. And as D.A. I will do something about it.

Here’s a hard truth: For many homeless people an encounter with law enforcement is the first step toward recovering their dignity, their sanity, their sobriety, and their lives. Under my leadership we will return to prosecuting misdemeanors like loitering, resisting arrest, open drug use, vandalism, and drug possession. When appropriate our Office will collaborate with social services agencies on diversion plans and treatment options.

Illegal homeless encampments are the scenes of countless crimes every day, from open drug use and vandalism to violent assaults, rapes, even murders. People in surrounding neighborhoods are frequently victimized. I’ve spoken with people afraid to go out after dark (sometimes even during the day), families who no longer take their kids to the local park, and workers who fear walking home after a shift. This is utterly unacceptable, a direct result of lax policies.

As D.A. I will designate prosecutors to work with the LAPD Homeless Outreach and Proactive Engagement (“HOPE”) and Sheriff’s Department Homeless Outreach Services Team (“HOST”). Officers in those units are deeply familiar with the nuances of the crisis in their communities. They know homeless people by name. They know who causes trouble and who just needs a helping hand. I will make our Office a partner in that collaborative approach.

Some people argue that it’s “humane” to allow people to languish in illegal encampments. I vehemently disagree. Homeless people themselves are particularly susceptible to violent crime. Women are particularly vulnerable. Moreover, gangs, organized crime operations, and individual criminals have learned to use homeless encampments as cover for their illegal activities. We will hold criminals who prey on homeless people accountable.

Seek diversion when appropriate

The new state Community Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment (“CARE”) Court has the potential to bridge the divide between criminal prosecution and services and treatment. A range of people, including  parents, friends, clinicians, and first responders, can petition a Superior Court judge to divert a suspect from criminal prosecution into the CARE Court program. A Superior Court judge can order a Care Plan in lieu of prosecution. The plans, which can last up to 24 months, are individualized and include temporary housing and other support.

While the CARE Courts are outside the purview of our office, as D.A. I will instruct my deputies to work with relevant agencies to seek CARE Court designation in appropriate cases. I will also assign staff to monitor these new entities and evaluate their efficiency and efficacy.

End hate crimes once and for all

I will have zero tolerance for intolerance. In 2021 and 2022 Los Angeles saw two decade highs in hate crimes, with an 18% increase in a single year. The biggest recent increases have affected our LGBTQ, Asian, Jewish, and Muslim communities. With the recent spike in anti-Semitic hate crimes it’s likely 2023 will set another deplorable record.

The situation is intolerable, yet on his first day George Gascon issued a special directive that completely prevents prosecutors from seeking hate crime enhancements in the vast majority of otherwise appropriate cases. This is, in a word, insane. It’s no surprise those who seek to divide us with hate have felt empowered under Gascon’s failed tenure. In fact, they are.

Among my first actions will be to restore hate crime enhancements, and to instruct prosecutors to seek the maximum available penalties in all but the most unusual, exceptional cases.

I also will establish a Hate Crimes Division staffed by full-time Deputy D.A.’s and support staff. We will use the full strength of our office to deter and eliminate hate crimes in our communities.

Protect Angelenos’ homes and property

There are few worse feelings than knowing a criminal has been in your home, much less when you were there. Yet under George Gascon’s version of “reform,” a criminal can break into your home, steal your belongings, terrorize you – and be back out on the street within hours. Worse, under recent L.A. County bail reform, in many cases the intruder won’t even be arrested and brought to jail. They may well be cited and released, with nothing more than a promise to appear in court at a later date as a consequence of upending your life.

I will restore prosecutors’ authority to bring all appropriate charges and enhancements in cases of residential robbery, burglary, and breaking and entering. In appropriate cases we also will charge for criminal trespass.

The message to would-be intruders will be clear: If you violate someone’s home you will face the consequences.

Combat the horrors of human trafficking

Another word for human trafficking is slavery. Every year as many as 20,000 foreign nationals are trafficked into the United States and tens of thousands more are trafficked within our borders. Nearly 90% of victims are women and nearly 90% of them are forced into sex work, including children. Others end up in unpaid and often dangerous manual labor, domestic servitude, smuggling, and other criminal activities.

California, particularly Los Angeles County, consistently has the highest numbers of trafficking victims. I will establish a dedicated trafficking unit with the District Attorney’s office that will cooperate with law enforcement offices statewide as well as relevant federal agencies.

We will not rest until the number of trafficking victims in  L.A. County is zero.

Protect our incredible L.A. environment

Every Angeleno is blessed to live in one of the most extraordinary natural places in the world. From our San Gabriel, Verdugo, and Santa Monica Mountains to our world famous beaches, we are so lucky. Criminal activities can profoundly damage those precious open spaces in a variety of ways, including illegal dumping and fires to drug manufacturing. At the industrial level oil and sewage spills, natural gas leaks, and unlicensed business activities can wreak havoc.

I will ensure that the D.A.’s office prioritizes prosecution of those whose actions harm our environment. We will enforce and apply all available laws to ensure polluters have no place in our community. Our prosecutors have proved the value of criminal action in cases such as the Aliso Canyon methane gas leaks.

Finally, soaring crime on our trains and buses is destroying efforts to encourage the use of public transportation. That will change under my leadership. L.A. will never reach its environmental goals if people view mass transit as unsafe.

End transit crimes

All crime has an impact beyond the immediate victims. Some types of crimes go further and impact entire aspects of life in Los Angeles. When people hear about an attack aboard a Metro trail or city bus, it discourages everyone from using mass transit.

Unfortunately, over the last few years violent crime aboard public transit has become a true epidemic. We cannot build a robust 21st century economy if people feel unsafe simply getting from place to place. Discouraging Angelenos from using transit also hurts our environmental and climate goals. And women are disproportionately impacted.

In fact, thanks to current policies, members of law enforcement themselves, including people in our Office, often request armed escort between work and transit. Overall, reports of serious crimes on the Metro Transit Watch App increased by 24 percent this last year, and transit operators were assaulted at the rate of 14 per month. The past President of the LA City Council, Paul Krekorian, called this rise in crime “an existential threat to the Metro System.”

As your D.A., I will make sure crimes committed on and near public transportation will be effectively prosecuted.

Protect our animal companions

Angelenos famously love our pets. Animal cruelty is an especially awful category of crimes, as the victims are creatures whose entire purpose is to be loving companions. These crimes also have broader implications, as it is well-established that those who harm are likely to do the same to other people. Crimes include abuse, maiming, killing, animal fighting, abandonment, illegal breeding, and others.

My office will have dedicated prosecutors to bring these criminals to justice and to protect our beloved companions

In particular, our Office will work with LAPD and LASD to reinstate the Animal Cruelty Task Force, a crucial component in the fight, and will re-establish designated animal abuse prosecutors in line operations throughout the county.