BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Kern County District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer on Tuesday said she supports a lawsuit filed against Los Angeles DA George Gascón for policies she said harm crime victims and will have impacts in Kern and other counties.
In a news release, Zimmer said she supports an amicus brief filed Tuesday by the California District Attorney’s Association that in turn supports a lawsuit brought against Gascón by the Los Angeles Association of Deputy District Attorneys. The suit alleges Gascón required prosecutors under his supervision to violate state law and ignore victims’ rights when he announced policies that, among other things, required prosecutors not to enforce increased penalties for career criminals and ensure immediate release of offenders without bail.
“The District Attorney’s Association investigated the policies put in place by Gascón and found them to be in direct violation of statutory, constitutional, and ethical obligations of prosecutors,” Zimmer said in the release. “Los Angeles is one of the largest District Attorney offices in the country, and when the elected District Attorney of Los Angeles refuses to do his job or let his employees do theirs, the impacts will be felt in Kern County and throughout the state. I am proud to stand with prosecutors statewide who oppose Gascon’s policies and demand that public safety and victim’s rights be valued and existing laws be enforced.”
