The California District Attorneys Association issue a press release today outlining continued decisions from the DA’s office that puts law-abiding citizens at risk. Read it below:
Los Angeles County District Attorney Gascón Defends Law That Puts Guns in the Hands of Criminals, While Los Angeles Descends Into Gun Violence
February 26, 2021—Yesterday, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón defended a law that puts guns in the hands of criminals at the exact moment that Los Angeles County is descending into gun violence.
AB 3234, which was passed last year by the California Legislature, created a diversion program allowing criminals—including those who bring guns to schools or to the Capitol—to continue to own or possess guns.
“It’s a reckless law, but yesterday, George Gascón defended it,” said Vern Pierson, President of the California District Attorneys Association (CDAA), an organization that represents almost all of the elected district attorneys in California and is committed to reforms, but not to the decriminalization of dangerous crimes.
Meanwhile, gun violence in Los Angeles is soaring. Murders in Los Angeles County are up 136.4% and shootings are up 261.5%. Attacks on police officers are up 300% from January 1 through January 18, 2021 when compared to the same time period in 2020. The chance of becoming a victim of any firearm crime (violent or property) in Los Angeles is now 1 in 33.
On this past Wednesday, February 24, 2021, pop icon Lady Gaga’s dog walker was brutally shot in Hollywood while walking Lady Gaga’s two dogs. She is now offering a $500,000, “no questions asked” reward for their safe return. But Gascón has implemented new policies that remove long-standing deterrents to criminals for using guns during the commission of crimes. “Under Gascón’s policies, even if the assailants in this case are captured, they will face up to 20 years less time in prison for the crime than they otherwise would have,” said Pierson.
With the reckless removal of gun crime deterrents, it is no surprise that gun crimes under Gascón are soaring. Today, CDAA calls on Gascón to abandon his reckless, soft-on-gun-crime policies. “The results of the Gascón experiment are in,” said Greg Totten, CDAA’s Chief Executive Officer, “and it’s no surprise that when you remove consequences for committing crimes with guns—gun crimes soar, and that’s exactly what’s happening Los Angeles.”
The California District Attorneys Association is a statewide training and advocacy organization representing elected district attorneys, city attorneys with criminal divisions, and more than 3,500 prosecutors, including deputy district attorneys in Los Angeles County.