City officials believe DA Gascon's actions threaten public safety
Santa Clarita Council considers no-confidence vote for George Gascón. Desiree Andrade, mother of murder victim, speaks out against the Los Angeles County district attorney's policies.
Los Angeles County District Attorney George 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.
CALIFORNIA MOTHER OF BRUTALLY BEATEN MURDER VICTIM SLAMS LEFT-WING DA GASCON AS 'PRO-CRIMINAL'
Many critics have argued the reforms prioritize criminals over their victims. But Gascón pushed back Wednesday, declaring "reform will prevail."
"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."
Gascon, who co-authored a 2014 ballot measure to reduce some nonviolent felonies to misdemeanors, has promised more reforms to keep low-level offenders, drug users and those who are mentally ill out of jail and has said he won't seek the death penalty. (Bryan Chan/County of Los Angeles via AP)
Desiree Andrade, whose son Julien was brutally murdered in California in 2018, told "Fox & Friends First" last week that she believes Gascón’s reforms are "heartless, cold" and "totally pro-criminals."
"I would love to see where he’s getting these case studies from because I haven’t met anyone that wants their loved ones’ murderer out," she said.
With Gascón’s changes, the suspects in Julien’s murder could be eligible for parole in 20 to 30 years, if convicted, rather than face life in prison with no parole.
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Jessica Corde, whose son's killer was granted parole last month, told "Justice with Judge Jeanine" last week that the district attorney "doesn’t care" about murder victims.
Murder victim's mother slams LA County's Gascon and his policies
Jessica Corde, whose son's killer was granted parole, blasts L.A. County District Attorney George Gascón and his policies, saying, 'I should not have to fight this hard for the justice that has already been given to my son.'
"I should not have to fight this hard for the justice that had already been given to my son," the mother said.
Last month, recall organizers held a "victim’s vigil" to gather the 20 signatures needed from L.A. County residents to formally launch the recall process.
The effort needs to garner just under 600,000 signatures from registered Los Angeles voters, or 10 percent of the voter roll, to force Gascón to run again.
Fox News' Talia Kaplan and Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.
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