Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón has ordered deputies in his office to report any judge who will not go along with his no-enhancements policy, evoking cries by judges that he is defying the need for judicial independence and misconstruing applicable statutes.
In a directive issued late Tuesday, Gascón provided a script for deputies to use in moving to withdraw enhancements that were alleged under the prior district attorney, Jackie Lacey (defeated by Gascón in the Nov. 3 election), and to tattle on any judge who neither grants the motion nor permits an amending of the information or indictment.
The sweeping directives Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón issued on his first day in office are rankling longtime justice system officials, with the fight now playing out in some courtrooms.
Almost as soon as Gascón announced his reforms in his inaugural speech earlier this month, the powerful Association of Los Angeles Deputy District Attorneys representing hundreds of county prosecutors balked at the announcements. And several of the area’s largest police unions signaled shock and alarm at the changes, which would wipe out bail for thousands of defendants, eliminate most sentencing enhancements and end the death penalty.
Now, as the effects of Gascón’s orders ripple through the court system, a judge has pushed back, too. At least, at first.
Consternation on the part of deputy district attorneys and judges over “special directives” issued by the new and unconventional Los Angeles County district attorney, George Gascón, is mounting, with deputies balking at orders to seek dismissal of enhancement allegations and judges rankled that they are being asked to act on cases in conformity with a county official’s policies rather than exercising independent judgment.
