D.A. Gascón Announces Conviction of
Maurice Hastings Vacated in 1986 Murder
 The 1988 murder conviction of Maurice Hastings has been vacated and Mr. Hastings has been released from prison.
“What has happened to Mr. Hastings is a terrible injustice,” District Attorney Gascón said. “The justice system is not perfect, and when we learn of new evidence which causes us to lose confidence in a conviction, it is our obligation to act swiftly.”
Hastings, 69, served more than 38 years in state prison for the 1983 murder of Roberta Wydermyer and two attempted murders. After this office refused Hastings' request for DNA testing to prove his innocence in 2000, Hastings again submitted a claim of innocence with the D.A.’s Conviction Integrity Unit last year and in June of this year, testing found that DNA on the victim’s oral swab was not from Hastings.
D.A. Gascón has made the Conviction Integrity Unit one of his top priorities since taking office and has increased its staffing. Mr. Hastings' case also underscores the inherent flaws in the death penalty and why this office now calls for its abolition: prosecutors had sought the death penalty not once, but twice in this case.
To watch the Oct. 20 court hearing, click here.
Read the press release here.
LADA, State Labor Commissioner and
Department of Insurance Celebrate Plea
Agreement, Return of Hundreds of Thousands
in Stolen Wages to L.A. Janitors
 District Attorney George Gascón, California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, California Labor Commissioner Lilia García-Brower, and advocates from the Maintenance Cooperation Trust Fund (MCTF), announced announced a long-awaited resolution of criminal charges filed against Pacific Commercial Company (PCC). Misclassified janitors received $240K in restitution and felony wage theft charges were filed against PCC.
Read the release here.
Watch the video here.
D.A. Gascón Announces Forcible Rape Charges Against TV Producer Eric Weinberg
 Eric Weinberg was charged in an 18-count complaint for sexually assaulting five women at different times between 2014 and 2019.
After a strong request from LADA, a judge ordered in late October that Weinberg be held without bail. He will be held at Twin Towers jail pending his next court hearing scheduled for November 15.
“The defendant relied on his Hollywood credentials to lure young women for photo shoots where he allegedly sexually assaulted them,” District Attorney Gascón said. “Power and influence can corrupt some to hurt others that often leads to a lifetime of trauma for those who are victimized.
My office’s Bureau of Victim Services is here to help in the healing process to ensure all victims have the guidance and support they need on the road to recovery.”
Read more about the case here.
Watch the LADA news conference here.
D.A. Gascón discusses LADA’s request to a judge to detain Eric Weinberg without bail because he is a threat to public safety, underscoring the two-tiered system of justice under the cash bail system. Watch the video here.
D.A. Gascón Announces Charges Filed Against Trainer at Los Angeles Schools
 Richard Turner was charged for sexually assaulting 10 girls while he worked at two schools in Los Angeles.
“A school is a place where our children should feel safe and protected by those who we are supposed to trust,” District Attorney Gascón said. “It is crushing for the victims’ families and our education system when someone takes advantage of a youth.
I am grateful for the young women who stepped forward in this case to recount what happened to them. My office’s Bureau of Victim Services will provide any needed services or resources to help them on the path from being a victim to becoming a survivor.”
Read more about the case here.
Watch the LADA news conference here.
D.A. Gascón Announces Head of Election Worker Arrest in Connection With Personal Data Theft
 Konnech Corporation Chief Executive Officer Eugene Yu was arrested as part of an investigation into the possible theft of personal identifying information of election workers.
The District Attorney’s Office Bureau of Investigation is leading the investigation with assistance from the Meridian Township Police Department in Michigan.
“I want to thank my prosecutors and investigators for their commitment to eliminating cyber intrusions against government entities and local businesses,” District Attorney Gascón said.
“Data breaches are an ongoing threat to our digital way of life. When we entrust a company to hold our confidential data, they must be willing and able to protect our personal identifying information from theft. Otherwise, we are all victims.”
Read more about the case here.
Watch the LADA news conference here.
D.A. Gascón Speaks on Gun Violence Prevention
 D.A. Gascón delivers opening remarks on the importance of gun violence prevention and intervention at the Preventing, Interrupting and Healing from Gun Violence training and conference hosted by the Prosecutors Alliance.
To learn more about the work of the Prosecutors Alliance, click here.
D.A. Gascón at Loyola Law School
 D.A. Gascón speaks to students and faculty at Loyola Law School about his work in the criminal legal system as a police officer and district attorney, and addresses reforms.
Watch the video here.
Mass Incarceration Awareness
 D.A. Gascón discusses the biggest myth surrounding criminal justice reform during an event sponsored by the Mass Incarceration Awareness Law and Criminal Law Societies at Southwestern Law School.
Watch it on TikTok.
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D.A. and Chief of Staff Visit Civil Grand Jury
 D.A. Gascón and Chief of Staff Joseph Iniguez were invited to visit with the L.A. County Civil Grand Jury to provide an overview of the administration’s priorities and accomplishments, and answer questions.
D.A. Gascón and Executive Management
Meet With Law Clerks
 D.A. Gascón, Chief Deputy D.A. Sharon Woo and Chief of Staff Joseph Iniguez met and spoke with LADA law clerks and volunteers during a Brown Bag Lunch in a roundtable discussion.
For information on how to volunteer with LADA click here!
LADA Earns Special Merit Award
 Congratulations to our LADA team for earning the Keeping County Employees Safe During Covid 19 Special Merit Plaque Award at the 2022 County of Los Angeles Quality and Productivity Awards Program! We also were recognized for our Electronic Charge Evaluation Request system, used by law enforcement to present cases to us!
Watch it on TikTok.
 LADA recognizes and honors, from left: April L. Sebastian, Melanie K. Buccat, Jennifer Fortuny, Captain Carlos Villamayor and Coraline Ladao Capelouto, just a few in our team of Filipino descent.
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
 LADA recognizes and honors, from left: Cecilia Zamora, Vanessa Alfaro Zuniga, Tony Miranda, Maria Guerrero and Stephanie Chávez, just a few in our team of Hispanic descent. LADA’s Bureau of Investigation also celebrated!
 On World Day Against the Death Penalty, we continue to call for its abolition.
 D.A. meets with LADA law clerks and volunteers at the Hall of Justice and expresses his gratitude during the office’s virtual Volunteer Appreciation Ceremony.
For information on how to volunteer with LADA click here!
LADA Welcomes Sr. Investigator De Shon Andrews
 We’re happy to welcome Sr. Investigator De Shon Andrews to the LADA family! We wish him the best of luck in his new role!
   Thank you, Governor Gavin Newsom for signing into law SB 731 — a historic move breaking barriers to a better life and allowing people a fresh start.
D.A. Thanks President Biden for Cannabis Pardon
 Last year, D.A. Gascón dismissed nearly 60,000 cannabis convictions in L.A. County, and began what has become a national movement for marijuana expungements while serving as San Francisco D.A. in 2019. We are grateful for President Biden's leadership on this issue!
Read the press release here.
Celebrating National Police Woman Day
 LADA celebrated its female investigators when D.A. Gascón and Bureau of Investigation Chief Robert Arcos held a luncheon on National Police Woman Day.
Nationally, women make up 12 percent of law enforcement and three percent of leadership but at LADA, 30 percent of investigators are female.
  Fourth District Commissioners' Reception
 Thanks, Supervisor Janice Hahn for inviting D.A. Gascón to the 4th District Commissioners’ Reception in the South Bay. The D.A. thanked all commissioners for their tireless efforts on behalf of the 4th District communities and all of L.A. County. Your contributions are invaluable!
Coro Southern California Awards, Downtown L.A.
 D.A. Gascón attends Coro Southern California for another successful Crystal Eagle Awards event. Coro has been training people across career fields and sectors on effective and ethical leadership for over 75 years, including our own D.A. Gascón, a proud alumnus of the program.
Watch it on TikTok.
National Asian Pacific Islander Prosecutors Association Awards in Newport Beach
 LADA was thrilled to celebrate the efforts of the NAPIPA, a professional organization dedicated to promoting justice and to advancing the interests of prosecutors of Asian and Pacific Islander heritage.
At the event, prosecutors and other law enforcement officials received LADA awards of recognition for their continued dedication to the pursuit of justice for everyone.
Southern California Chinese Lawyers
Association's 47th Anniversary Installation and Awards Banquet and Conference
 D.A. attends the event in downtown L.A., which this year honored the Hon. Robert Kwan, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the Central District of California; the Hon. Eric C. Taylor, Presiding Judge of the Los Angeles Superior Court; and Jennifer Lum, General Counsel of Caltech.
The Return of Taste of Soul!
 Hundreds of people stopped by the LADA table for information and friendly chats during the 2022 Taste of Soul festival, featuring all things soulful, from local and international cuisine, to your favorite eats that reflect a Black cultural experience, fused with diverse cultures and traditions.
Asian American and Pacific Islander
Hate Crime Symposium
 Thank you, LAPD for hosting us at your event where we all united against hate and denounced hate incidents and crimes against the AAPI community.
Eagle Rock High School's Career Day
 LADA DDAs spend time with students talking about a possible career as a prosecutor, what that means today and how to get there.
LADA Reaches Out to Deaf Community in Whittier
 DDA Alice Kurs and LADA’s Bureau of Victim Services share important information about how LADA supports victims of crime, the criminal court process and types of crimes to beware of during a Deaf Awareness event at the S.T.A.R.S. Center.
Watch it onTikTok.
Bureau of Investigation's Tip-A-Cop
Supports Special Olympics
 Bureau of Investigation Chief Robert N. Arcos attends the event at El Compadre in downtown L.A., which raised funds and awareness to support the Special Olympics.
Bureau of Victim Services and a Survivor's Story
 LADA’s Bureau of Victim Services hosted a forum, “How Domestic Violence Victims are Supported by Community and Victim Services.”
Tunisia Offray of Shepherd’s Door discusses her experience as a victim of domestic violence and her journey to becoming a survivor.
Watch it on TikTok.
LGBTQ+ Advisory Board on Knowing Your Rights
 LADA’s LGBTQ+ Advisory Board held a free LGBTQ+ focused webinar on Zoom, “The Legal Impact of State Bans on Rights of LGBTQ+ Individuals.”
The event was hosted in partnership with the Los Angeles Daily Journal and the San Francisco Daily Journal.
Welcome LADA's Newest DDAs!
 D.A. meets and welcomes LADA’s newest DDAs. The prosecutors are in training before taking on their first assignments. Welcome to the LADA family!
Fighting Against Breast Cancer
 We are elated to be a participating agency of the Pink Patch Project, a collaborative effort by public safety to combat breast cancer.
LADA Law Enforcement Liaison Tony Miranda helped found the campaign while serving as Irwindale Police Chief. He organized a countywide launch to raise funds to help fight the disease.
Our Bureau of Investigation sold items at the Hall of Justice to benefit the cause during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The Pink Patch Project is global, spanning 756 agencies and raising more than $1.5 million for cancer research.
Watch it on TikTok.
Learn more and join the fight to end breast cancer here.
   A man charged with murdering Los Angeles County Probation Officer Paula Lind at her Lancaster home.
 A father and his 17-year-old son charged with killing rapper PnB Rock at a South Los Angeles restaurant.
 Steven Magdaleno charged with attempting to sexually assault a 16-year-old girl at a grocery store bathroom in Whittier.
 Two 17-year-olds charged with murder in the Oct. 1 stabbing death of 56-year-old Fashion District vendor Du Young Lee.
 A man charged with three counts of arson in connection with the fire that destroyed the Victory Baptist Church in South Los Angeles.
 Man convicted of killing Pomona woman and her dog.
 Two men charged for breaking into the home of U.S. Congresswoman and Los Angeles mayoral candidate Karen Bass and stealing guns.
 A man was charged in the alleged abduction and sexual assault of a 14-year-old boy in El Sereno.
  D.A. Gascón on Inside the Issues With Alex Cohen
Addresses L.A. City Council Scandal
 Op-Ed: D.A. Gascón: Yes, I'm 'with the Blacks'
 After 24 Years in Prison, 'Q Ball' Inmate Earns Freedom on Juneteeth
 We must do more to help victims of crime:
George Gascón and Cristine Soto DeBerry
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