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Nathan Hockman began his term as Los Angeles County’s district attorney on Tuesday, promising to restore balance to a criminal justice system that he claims has been too lenient with violent criminals and repeat offenders over the past four years. .
Mr. Hockman has vowed to wipe out many of the policies enacted by his predecessor, George Gascón, and, perhaps befitting his stated intentions, Mr. Hochman, a former Cal. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger himself will administer the oath of office. of justice.
Like Mr. Schwarzenegger, who has expressed concern about politics undermining public safety and said he “doesn’t like either party right now,” Mr. Hochman ran as an independent centrist. Hochman, a former Republican, easily defied Gascón’s attempts to label him a right-wing extremist, defeating the incumbent by nearly 20 points and offering a “strong center” approach. The campaign captivated voters in deep-blue Los Angeles County. to fight crime.
Hochman said his administration has no intention of abandoning everything it has focused on criminal justice reform in Gascón for the sake of public safety, but his initial policy stance is more focused on punitive measures. It seems so.
Hochman promised to rescind Gascón’s ban on seeking the death penalty, but said the death penalty would only be used in “rare” cases, such as school shootings or “cold-blooded assassinations of police officers.” A moratorium issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2019 has prevented executions.
Hochman also plans to remove the Gascón edict, which prohibits prosecutors from charging low-level misdemeanors such as simple drug possession and trespassing, but would still allow first-time offenders to file charges for mental health or addiction issues. He said a diversion program could be offered. Hochman said that in the future, prosecutors will have more latitude to seek enhanced sentences, potentially extending sentences by several years for defendants convicted of gun or gang crimes.
“The lines will be enforced again, and they will be done in a proportionate way, a common sense way, a way that excludes extreme ideas,” Hochman said in a recent interview with the Times. “We have lived with both the extremes of incarceration, where certain crimes and certain criminals go unprosecuted, and the extremes of mass incarceration.”
Hockman said he will be announcing the creation of multiple task forces to address “homelessness, fentanyl, human trafficking, organized retail crime, and home invasions,” including local law enforcement agencies and unhoused people. The project will include collaboration with county and city agencies that support the government, he said.
The new district attorney is also expected to restructure the department’s leadership by firing some of the hand-picked advisers closest to Gascón. Last month, Hochman named Steve Katz, a 34-year veteran of the agency who most recently led the public integrity unit, to replace Joseph Yniguez as chief deputy district attorney. Hochman also intends to remove former public defenders Shelan Joseph and Tiffiny Bracknell from their positions as special counsel and chief of staff, according to a November email from Katz obtained by the Times. It is said that
Mr. Yniguez and Mr. Joseph did not respond to requests for comment. Bracknell said her dismissal was a “direct result” of her criticism of police brutality and insisted the decision was political in nature. She does not intend to leave the office, but it is not clear where she will be reassigned.
“My removal is essentially Hochman’s own campaign promise, aimed at silencing those who dare to challenge the entrenched status quo,” she said in a statement.
Mr. Hockman held a press conference outside the courthouse during the campaign, attacking Mr. Bracknell, who has been controversial in Mr. Gascon’s orbit for much of his term. The chief of staff position did not exist before Gascón’s tenure, and it was unclear whether Hochman would appoint someone to fill the role.
When Gascón took office four years ago, he blindsided many in the Oval Office with an inaugural address announcing sweeping policy changes, starting years of bitter disputes and lawsuits between him and his staff. Leaders of the union representing general public prosecutors say, “I hope they are optimistic” about improving relations with the next administration.
“We were encouraged by meeting with him two weeks ago. It was a productive and open meeting in which we discussed many of our concerns,” said Assn. Vice President Ryan Ehrlich. of the assistant district attorney.
Mr. Hockman will also get a taste on Tuesday of progressive forces determined to challenge him at every turn.
Los Angeles Black Lives Matter co-founder Melina Abdullah will lead a protest Monday outside the inauguration of the new district attorney, along with dozens of families who have had relatives killed by police in Los Angeles County. said. Mr. Gascón has been far more aggressive in prosecuting police misconduct than any other district attorney in Los Angeles County history, but Mr. Hockman’s close ties to law enforcement have led him to believe that he would have similar Some feared that the government would not pursue these cases with more energy.
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