Gason will no longer allow staff notify or assist victims at parole hearings

[ripcord]

The deputy district attorneys and advocates who work in the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office and provide victims’ families with updates regarding a suspect’s possible parole were informed Tuesday that their unit would be disbanded by the end of the year.

According to officials familiar with the decision, the dissolution of the victims’ advocacy team — known as the “Lifer Unit” — represents the latest in a series of changes to the L.A. County prosecutors’ office that began upon District Attorney George Gascón assuming office in December 2020.

In the past, the deputy district attorneys assigned to the Lifer Unit were tasked with assisting high-level crime victims and/or victims’ next of kin in appearing at parole hearings and relating victim impact statements, as well as the public safety interests of L.A. County, to the parole board. They are also tasked with keeping the victims up to date on any developments or upcoming hearings as it relates to their case’s particular inmate or parolee.

For instance, the decades-long responsibility for prosecutors to attend parole hearings to argue against early release was ended by Gascón, with he and his supporters justifying the decision by saying the practice results in unjustifiably long prison sentences. Prosecutors were told they could provide their arguments via a written statement.

https://signalscv.com/2022/07/report-d-a-s-victim-advocacy-unit-to-be-disbanded/

We are going to go back to the days of a victim only knowing when their assailant is released when they come face to face with them on the street. This is why the DA's office wasn't there to oppose the Krenwinkle parole, Gascon is not letting his DDAs oppose any paroles. This is why he is being recalled if the defense if advocating for the criminal and the DA is advocating for the criminal who is advocating for the victim?

[LogicFirst]

1. "with HIM and his supporters . . ."

[Tumbulu]

2. Wow, what a jerk!

Glad these loonies are being recalled, but how did they get elected in the first place?

[ripcord]

3. People do want criminal justice reform

The problem is that the people of Los Angeles have been telling Gascon he has gone too far in soft pedaling criminal sentences and he totally ignored them. The recall turned in 715,833 signatures and while some will be disqualified they only need 566,000. He doesn't seem to understand that the same people who voted him in will vote him out again when he ignores them.

[Martin68]

4. Parole and other justice decision should not depend on the opinions of victims.

The rule of law should be the final arbiter. Why should any citizen have the power top override other considerations in such decisions? The relatives of victims are not more ethical, moral, or driven by legal considerations than anybody else. Perhaps less so because they are emotionally involved. Theocratic societies take victims' opinions into consideration far more than modern democracies do.

[ripcord]

5. Victim impact statements are part of every trial and parole hearing

The victims have a right to be heard, they are the injured party after all. Are you saying we need to worry more about the criminals than the victims? Do you really think the first a victim should hear about their release is when they meet them on the street or they return for revenge?

[Martin68]

7. I didn't say victims should not be heard. I wrote that they should not be given more

consideration than other factors.