California mother of murder victim blasts 'coward' DA Gascón: Feels like 'nobody has our back'
Desiree Andrade says liberal prosecutor is in wrong profession
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Desiree Andrade, whose son Julien was murdered in California in 2018, told "Fox & Friends" on Monday that she thinks Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón is "in the wrong office" and "should be a public defender."
"He’d be a great public defender," Andrade told host Ainsley Earhardt. "The district attorney’s office is about protecting us victims. I feel like… nobody has our back and it’s sad."
"It’s very sad where you have criminals over victims," she continued. "I don’t understand the world we’re living in right now."
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Andrade made the comments five days after Gascón slammed what he called "conservative media" and "tough-on-crime types" for the backlash against his sweeping criminal justice reforms as he faces a recall effort from the families of victims.
Gascón took office in December and announced a slew of changes including stopping the use of sentencing enhancements, restricting when prosecutors can hold defendants without bail, ending the use of the death penalty in L.A. County and banning the practice of trying juveniles as adults.
Many critics have argued the reforms prioritize criminals over their victims. But Gascón pushed back Wednesday, declaring "reform will prevail."
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"Here in LA, we are seeing a backlash against reform fueled by conservative media, law enforcement unions & other "tough-on-crime" types," Gascón tweeted Wednesday. "From fear mongering to scare tactics, we are watching history repeat itself. But this time, reform will prevail."
Gascón’s tweet also included an article published in the Guardian, in which called the backlash "propaganda," and said the argument against his reforms was that people convicted of a crime don’t deserve a second chance.
"The implication is that there is no room for redemption or rehabilitation," he told the outlet. "But I tell people I’m not the same person I was 10, 20 or 30 years ago."
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Andrade reacted to Gascón slamming the recall campaign against him saying, "it's sickening to hear what he has to say" and that he "cannot put any blame on anyone."
"I’m fighting for my son. I am fighting for what’s right," she said.
Andrade had a message for the liberal district attorney on Monday encouraging him to listen to the families of murder victims "who are all suffering by what he’s doing to us right now."
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CALIFORNIA MOTHER OF BRUTALLY BEATEN MURDER VICTIM SLAMS LEFT-WING DA GASCON AS 'PRO-CRIMINAL'
"Give us a voice," Andrade said, noting that Gascón has not reached out to the families of murder victims, including herself.
"I find that being a coward," she said.
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She also urged him to review each case independently rather than a "blanket policy."
"Not everything is the same," Andrade said, noting that "murder is murder and he needs to take that into consideration."
Andrade told Fox News that her son was "brutally" beaten to death after he was picked up from his grandparents’ home by "supposed friends."
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In December, Andrade reportedly said she said she feels "sick" after learning that special circumstance charges against three of the men accused of murdering her 20-year-old son and throwing him off a cliff were dismissed under Gascón’s sweeping reforms. The change meant that if convicted, the suspects could be eligible for parole in 20 to 30 years rather than face life in prison, with no parole.
"They could possibly be out free which is asinine to me," Andrade said on Monday. "I’m dealing with the life of my son that will never ever be back and they [his murderers] will one day be free and be able to live their life. That’s what I am fighting for right now."
Investigators have said Julian Andrade was repeatedly beaten and stabbed until he lost consciousness. The suspects, believing he was dead, drove him to the mountains in Azusa to dispose of the body. Realizing he was still alive, the suspects allegedly stomped on his head.
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They threw his body off a cliff, according to investigators, but still heard him struggling. One suspect allegedly climbed down to attack the 20-year-old again.
Julian Andrade was the father of a 9-month-old child and had a second on the way when he was killed, according to KTLA-TV.
Last week, Andrade told "Fox & Friends First" that she believes Gascón’s reforms are "heartless, cold" and "totally pro-criminals."
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Speaking on "Fox & Friends" on Monday an emotional Andrade said she feels like she’s living in "scary times."
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A spokesperson for Gascón did not immediately respond to Fox News’ request for comment.
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Fox News’ Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.