By Michele Hanisee

When George Gascón swept into office four years ago, he did so with community support for what he called “reforms.” Experienced prosecutors recognized them for what they were: abstract promises and untested experiments. Gascon’s “reforms” crashed and burned, in part because he refused to seek buy-in from or heed the advice of the seasoned attorneys within his office. His failures weren’t purely academic; they pushed our communities to their breaking point.   Now the dust has settled on the election, and the voters have made it clear that they prioritize public safety over misguided policy. More importantly, they have unambiguously said that they are done with George Gascón.

But what the citizens of Los Angeles will never know is how much worse it would have and could have been, but for the heroic efforts and personal sacrifices of the 700-plus career prosecutors in the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office.

When Gascón rolled into town from San Francisco in late 2019, he did so with unvarnished contempt for these attorneys. When he was taking office, he diverted resources from trial units to his pet projects, forcing already-strapped line prosecutors to do more with much, much less. He retaliated against anyone who questioned his policies or his management style. He passed qualified people over for promotion and installed political allies in positions of power.  He transferred those who questioned him to lesser assignments. The implicit and explicit messaging was clear — get with his program or get exiled.

Hobbled as they were, our DAs didn’t give up. They had cases to handle, ethical and legal obligations to uphold, and victims of crime to comfort. So they did whatever was in their power to do. They got creative. They worked nights and weekends. They threaded the loopholes of policy. They stuck their necks out, knowing (sadly) that doing the right thing and following the law could upset Gascon and hurt their careers.

They fought for justice, one case at a time, one victim at a time, one day at a time. They kept the boat afloat when Gascón was trying to sink it. For four long years.

I was in the office and court the morning after Election Day 2024. What I saw was surprising but also *not* surprising. No one was burning Gascon in effigy. I didn’t see anyone jubilantly celebrating the imminent departure of the man who had treated them with so much contempt and who had made their jobs – jobs they loved – so difficult for the last four years. Instead, I saw true professional prosecutors going to court, picking juries, conducting trials, interviewing witnesses, and diligently continuing the day-to-day work of keeping the justice system running. In a moment when they could have been popping champagne corks, these humble, stolid public servants had their shoulders to the yoke, again.

I could not have been prouder of my colleagues.

This is for them.

Michele Hanisee is President of the Association of Los Angeles Deputy District Attorneys, the collective bargaining agent representing nearly 900 Deputy District Attorneys.

November 6, 2024 – The Association of Deputy District Attorneys (ADDA) congratulates Nathan Hochman on his election as Los Angeles County District Attorney.

Hochman’s victory marks a pivotal moment in the fight to return balance and accountability to the justice system and to prioritize public safety in a county that has seen a dangerous decline under the failed leadership of George Gascón.

We look forward to working with a leader who has promised to put justice and public safety ahead of politics and partisanship, uphold the law, prioritize crime victims, treat our members with dignity and respect, and work with our union and our colleagues, constructively and in good faith, on issues related to wages, hours, and working conditions.

About the ADDA
The Association of Deputy District Attorneys (ADDA) is the collective bargaining agent representing nearly 800 Deputy District Attorneys working for the County of Los Angeles.

By Michele Hanisee

L.A. County District Attorney George Gascón has once again demonstrated his opportunism, announcing that he will decide on the potential resentencing of the Menendez brothers by the end of the week—not based on any new developments in the case, but seemingly to grab media attention. Throughout his disastrous tenure as DA, Gascón has consistently prioritized celebrity cases over the rights of crime victims, showing more interest in being in the spotlight than in upholding justice.

While Gascón claims that his office is “divided” on the possible resentencing of the Menendez brothers, the reality is that he has no real sense of how his prosecutors feel because he is woefully out of touch with them. Despite running on a platform of transparency, Gascón has repeatedly broken that promise by refusing to engage with his own deputies and failing to respond to freedom of information act requests. These actions are part of a broader pattern of secrecy and disengagement exemplified by his frequent absence from his office. Gascón seems to be more interested in maintaining appearances and making TikTok videos in front of empty bookshelves than fostering accountability or collaboration.

What’s worse, Gascón has consistently demonstrated selective compassion, displaying blatant disregard for the rights of crime victims. His lack of care for their Constitutional protections is appalling, and his focus on high-profile cases is driven by his desire for television appearances rather than justice. He has repeatedly shown that his concern lies not with the victims or the community but with the chance to score political points and raise his profile.

George Gascón’s actions make it clear that he is more interested in using his office for free media attention than in actual justice. His self-serving agenda has left victims and their families neglected while he chases the next headline.

Michele Hanisee is President of the Association of Los Angeles Deputy District Attorneys, the collective bargaining agent representing nearly 900 Deputy District Attorneys.

City of West Hollywood, City Council

George Nickle

 

City of Los Angeles, District 4

Ethan Weaver

 

Judicial Seat No. 39

Jacob Lee

Steve Napolitano

 

Judicial Seat No. 48

Renee Rose

Judicial Seat No. 93

Victor Avila (WON)

 

Judicial Seat No. 97

Sam Abourched

Sharon Ransom

 

Judicial Seat No. 115

Keith Koyano

Christmas Brookens

 

Judicial Seat No. 130

Leslie Gutierrez

 

Judicial Seat No. 135

Georgia Huerta

Steven Yee Mac

Judicial Seat No. 137

Tracey Blount

By Michele Hanisee

The release of Shanice Dyer, once charged with two brutal murders and now accused of yet another killing, is the latest and most painful chapter in Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón’s tenure. A tenure marked by the betrayal of the public trust, the abandonment of victims, and a total disregard for accountability and justice. Gascón’s policies, designed to rectify perceived systemic imbalances, have instead endangered the community by coddling violent offenders like Dyer, who should never have been given the chance to claim yet another life.

In November 2019, Shanice Dyer, then just 17, was charged with the premeditated murders of Jose Flores and Alfredo Carrera. These were not random killings. Dyer, a member of the East Coast Crips, shot these men in cold blood simply because they were in a rival gang’s territory. Flores, a PhD candidate in astrophysics at the University of California, Irvine, had just accepted a job with NASA. He was delivering a baby shower gift to his lifelong friend Carrera when Dyer drove by, opened fire, and left both men dead in the street. Flores’ promising career, his contributions to science, and his potential to inspire future generations were wiped out in an instant. Carrera, whose only crime was living in a neighborhood claimed by gang members, was gunned down before his pregnant fiancée’s eyes. Another innocent bystander, a father shielding his infant daughter from the gunfire, was shot in the back.

The case against Dyer was ironclad. She admitted to pulling the trigger. The murder weapon was linked to her, and it was clear she acted to further the interests of her gang. Under previous District Attorney Jackie Lacey, prosecutors filed a petition to try Dyer as an adult—a logical decision given the heinous nature of the crime and the fact that Dyer was nearly 18 at the time. But as the case moved through the court system, the pandemic delayed proceedings. And then George Gascón was elected District Attorney.

On his first day in office in December 2020, Gascón unleashed a series of special directives that shook the foundations of justice in Los Angeles County. One of those directives prohibited prosecutors from seeking the transfer of juveniles, no matter how violent or egregious their crimes, to adult court. Shanice Dyer’s case was immediately affected. In a meeting with the victims’ families just three days after Gascón took office, prosecutors informed them that the petition to try Dyer as an adult would be withdrawn. Flores’ and Carrera’s families were devastated. The justice they had hoped for, the accountability they deserved, was stripped away without warning or recourse.

The decision to treat Dyer as a juvenile meant that even if convicted of double murder, she could have been released from juvenile detention by age 25. This was not justice. This was an insult to the victims, their families, and the community. Attorney Kathy Cady, representing the victims’ families, filed writs and appeals to challenge Gascón’s policies,

but they were met with resistance every step of the way. Gascón, in his unwavering commitment to his ideology, refused to budge. He claimed he was motivated by the need to rectify racial imbalances in the criminal justice system, but in doing so, he completely ignored the rights and safety of the victims and their families. The people Gascón was sworn to protect.

Tragedy Strikes Another Family

Now, Shanice Dyer stands accused of murder once again. In June 2024, just four years after her involvement in the Flores and Carrera murders, Dyer is alleged to have aided and abetted two fellow East Coast Crip gang members in the murder of 21-year-old Joshua Streeter. Streeter was gunned down in a parking lot at the Indian Hill Mall Indoor Swap Meet in Pomona. Dyer, who should have been incarcerated for life, was free—thanks to Gascón’s policies—and now another family is grieving the loss of their loved one. Streeter’s death could have been prevented, but Gascón’s commitment to releasing violent criminals like Dyer back onto the streets has once again resulted in tragedy.

The failure here is not just Gascón’s policies, but his philosophy. The very foundation of justice is built upon accountability and ensuring that those who commit heinous acts are held responsible. Gascón has undermined this core principle repeatedly. By issuing blanket policies that prevent prosecutors from seeking adult trials for juveniles—no matter the crime—Gascón has effectively tied the hands of those who are supposed to ensure justice is served. He has issued directives that violate victims’ constitutional rights, stripped prosecutors of their discretion to evaluate cases based on their merits, and prioritized ideology and theory over the safety and well-being of the community.

The cost of Gascón’s ideology is measured in blood. It is measured in the lost potential of people like Jose Flores, who could have contributed to society in immeasurable ways. It is measured in the grief of families who will never see their loved ones again. And it is measured in the growing sense of fear and frustration felt by communities throughout Los Angeles County, who watch helplessly as violent criminals are released with little to no accountability.

The case of Shanice Dyer is not an isolated incident. It is part of an exceptionally large pattern of failure that has defined George Gascón’s tenure as District Attorney. Since taking office, Gascón has systematically dismantled the tools prosecutors need to hold criminals accountable. He has repealed California’s sentencing enhancement laws, issued blanket policies that prevent prosecutors from performing their duties under the law, and prioritized the rights of criminals over the rights of victims. In doing so, he has betrayed his oath of office and abandoned the people of Los Angeles.

As Shanice Dyer’s latest case moves through the court system, one can only hope that justice will finally be served. But the damage has already been done. Another life has been lost, another family shattered, and the community left wondering how many more must suffer before real change is made. George Gascón may have been motivated by a desire to “fix the system”, but in his rigid and inflexible approach, he has only made it worse. It is time for the people of Los Angeles to demand accountability—not just from those who commit violent crimes, but from those in power who enable them. Gascón must be held responsible for the harm he has caused, and his policies must be reversed before more innocent lives are lost.

Michele Hanisee is President of the Association of Los Angeles Deputy District Attorneys, the collective bargaining agent representing nearly 900 Deputy District Attorneys who work for the County of Los Angeles.

Los Angeles, September 11, 2024  –The Association of Deputy District Attorneys (ADDA) has filed a new lawsuit against Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón, accusing him of repeatedly and deliberately violating the California Public Records Act (CPRA), the state’s counterpart to the federal Freedom of Information Act. Representing over 750 Deputy District Attorneys, the ADDA asserts that Gascón’s ongoing refusal to comply with the law contradicts his public commitment to transparency.

The complaint in Los Angeles County Superior Court outlines numerous instances where CPRA requests to the Custodian of Records in Gascón’s office were either improperly rejected or completely ignored. The ADDA documents how Gascón repeatedly cited unfounded and non-existent legal justifications for evading his legal obligations and withholding critical public records.

Michele Hanisee, President of the ADDA, remarked, “It’s deeply troubling that we are once again forced to take legal action simply to obtain public documents that should be readily available.”

Ryan Erlich, Vice President of the ADDA, added, “The California Public Records Act clearly mandates that public agencies must promptly provide access to public records without unnecessary delays. Yet, George Gascón has consistently violated the law by unlawfully delaying and obstructing the process.”

This lawsuit marks yet another chapter in the ADDA’s ongoing efforts to hold DA Gascón accountable for transparency failures that undermine public trust. The ADDA is represented by Green & Shinee and The Gibbons Firm in this legal action. A copy of the lawsuit is can be downloaded here.

By Michele Hanisee

As Ryan Erlich highlighted in April, George Gascón’s administration continues to reveal a troubling double standard regarding accountability. This double standard is particularly evident in the case of Diana Teran.

Diana Teran, who was appointed by Gascón to serve as the “Ethics and Integrity Advisor” to the largest local prosecutorial office in the nation, is currently charged with six felonies. Despite a judge finding probable cause to support these charges, Teran remains on the public payroll, earning a hefty $320,000 annually—plus benefits. In fact, Teran has collected over $60,000 in pay and “flex earnings” since charges were filed. This situation demonstrates a glaring lack of judgment within Gascón’s administration and a lack of accountability when it comes to his political appointees.

The charges against Teran stem from her alleged violations of Penal Code section 502(c)(2), which involve accessing and using computer data without permission. If convicted on all six counts, she faces approximately five years in custody. Yet, despite these serious allegations, Gascón refuses to sideline Teran, and she continues to occupy a key position within the District Attorney’s Office.

Gascón has refused to provide records in response to six separate public records act requests by the Association of Deputy District Attorneys for records relating to Teran, including a request to find out whether Teran was still on salary after being charged and what privileged and private data she still has access to.

Teran’s salary records were provided to pro bono victim’s advocate Kathleen Cady, who also filed a public records request. The records reveal that Teran’s pay has not been interrupted since the charges were filed. This blatant disregard for accountability and justice stands in stark contrast to how Gascón’s administration has treated other members of the office who have dared to question or challenge the status quo.

A closer look at Gascón’s history shows a pattern of retribution against those who raise concerns. In one instance, an experienced branch court supervisor was ordered to dismiss a politically sensitive case just hours after Gascón took office in 2020. When the supervisor questioned the legal basis for the order, he was removed from his position and transferred to a dead-end assignment, ultimately leading to a lawsuit that cost the County nearly $1 million.

In another case, a group of veteran prosecutors warned Gascón about critical staffing shortages in the VIP unit, which oversees sex crimes and domestic violence cases. When their memo was leaked to the press, Gascón dissolved the unit and reassigned the authors to less prominent roles. This response demonstrates Gascón’s tendency to silence dissent rather than address legitimate concerns.

The double standard becomes even more glaring when comparing Teran’s case to other high-ranking Gascón administration officials. For instance, Chief Deputy Joseph F. Iniguez, arrested for public intoxication in December 2021, has faced no apparent consequences. In the recording of the incident, which ihas since been released, Iniguez can be seen telling the officers, “run our plates, dawg” in an attempt to make sure the officers know he works for the District Attorney and should therefore receive special treatment. He later allegedly threatened the officer with potentially career-ending placement on the “Brady” list. Yet Iniguez still serves as Gascón’s closest advisor and has received significant increases in compensation since the incident.

This pattern of leniency for Gascón’s inner circle while punishing those who challenge his authority is deeply troubling. It raises critical questions about the integrity of the District Attorney’s Office and whether Gascón is truly committed to the principles of justice and accountability.

As the case against Diana Teran progresses, it is essential to ask what Gascón knew about the investigation and when he knew it. Did he promote Teran to the Ethics and Integrity Advisor position, knowing that she was under investigation? What steps has the District Attorney’s Office taken to ensure that Teran’s alleged wrongdoing does not affect other cases under her supervision, such as People v. Rebecca Grossman?

The public deserves answers to these questions, and Gascón must address this growing crisis head-on. The stakes are too high to allow this situation to be swept under the rug. Angelenos have a right to know why their District Attorney will not hold his office leadership to the same standards he expects from his prosecutors.

The ongoing situation with Diana Teran is another test of Gascón’s leadership and commitment to justice. Thus far, he has been unwilling to hold Teran to the same standards he does others in office, and she has received the same lenient treatment as others in his inner circle. He has further eroded any pretense of accountability by refusing to comply with the Public Records Act, which is the state version of the Freedom of Information Act.

Gascón’s failure to act decisively and transparently in this matter has further eroded trust in an administration already marred by controversy. There can be no room for double standards in a system where accountability is paramount. It is time for George Gascón to show that his commitment to justice applies equally to all, regardless of their position or proximity to power.

Michele Hanisee is President of the Association of Los Angeles Deputy District Attorneys, the collective bargaining agent representing nearly 800 Deputy District Attorneys who work for the County of Los Angeles.

Deputy District Attorneys Ryan Gould and Jamie Castro have done excellent work on this challenging and heart-breaking case. And we are grateful to their supervisor, Garrett Dameron, for supporting them in that effort. We are proud to work alongside each of them.

The District Attorney’s decision to sideline these talented, dedicated, career prosecutors from this case on the eve of crucial post-trial motions undermines their efforts and those of the entire prosecution team. It is also hurtful and insensitive to the Iskander family.

The District Attorney and his Chief Deputy, Joseph F. Iniguez, made this decision only after the assigned prosecutors sought to investigate an apparent ethical conflict involving defense counsel, the defendant, and Diana Teran, a supervisor in our office.

This raises many troubling questions, beginning with why wouldn’t the District Attorney let these prosecutors file this motion? Is the District Attorney worried that Teran would be called as a witness and obligated, under oath, to answer questions about office operations? Is he afraid such testimony or questioning may lead to inquiries into other decisions and cases that Teran oversaw?

Two weeks ago, after the Attorney General charged Teran with eleven felonies, we called on the District Attorney to address questions about Teran sooner rather than later, and preferably in a live public press conference.

We’re still waiting, and so is Los Angeles.

With every passing day, it seems increasingly clear that this administration cares more about advancing and protecting their own narrow political interests than doing the right thing.

Teran Affair Raises Questions, Reveals Limited Standard of Accountability for Those in Gascon’s Inner Circle Who Commit Bad Acts

By Ryan Erlich

As you all know by now, the Attorney General of California has charged Diana Teran, George Gascón’s handpicked Assistant District Attorney for Ethics and Integrity, with 11 felony violations of Penal Code section 502(c)(2), better known as “accessing and using computer data without permission.” She faces a maximum term of more than nine years in prison if convicted on all counts.

The Attorney General’s charging decision is just the first step in what promises to be a long journey from arraignment to plea or trial. Teran’s case may not resolve until after the November 2024 general election.

The revelations in the Attorney General’s complaint are new, but not shocking. After all, the Teran Affair reminds us, once again, of an old fact that we already knew to be true.

When it comes to discipline, this District Attorney has one set of rules for line deputies and another set of rules for the most loyal sycophants in his inner circle.

We all know — too well — what that double standard looks like. Many of our fellow ADDA members (and some of our unrepresented colleagues) have suffered significant personal and professional consequences because of it.

Here are a few examples of how Gascón and his acolytes have dealt with career prosecutors who have had the guts to question them…

Within hours of taking office in 2020, Gascón ordered an experienced branch court supervisor to dismiss a politically sensitive case. When the supervisor raised questions about the legal and factual bases for that order, the District Attorney removed him from his position and transferred him to a dead-end assignment. The supervisor sued. The County settled the case for almost $1 million.

In April 2022, a group of veteran sex crimes and domestic violence prosecutors in the office’s VIP unit warned Gascón in a memo that “[c]ritical staffing shortages, combined with drastically increasing caseloads and additional work requirements” were putting the county’s most vulnerable victims in grave danger. When the memo leaked to the press in March 2023, Gascón dissolved the unit and moved many of the memo’s authors out of management altogether.

In early October 2022, a Public Integrity Division (“PID”) deputy filed a case with the express and explicit approval of Gascón’s Chief Deputy. When the case caused political problems for the District Attorney, the administration dismissed it. Then Gascón pulled the deputy out of PID and put him on administrative leave… for more than a year. The charged defendant sued the County; that lawsuit recently concluded with a $5 million settlement. The affected line deputy has also taken legal action; his claim is pending.

In October 2022, the Justice System Integrity Division (“JSID”) declined to file excessive force charges against a law enforcement officer. Teran worked to delay the public announcement of that decision because she thought clearing the officer would help her political opponent. When a JSID line deputy questioned the ethics and propriety of Teran’s decision to sit on the declination until after the 2022 general election, the deputy was removed from her assignment and transferred to another unit. A lawsuit is pending.

A veteran supervisor, a former Assistant District Attorney, and a new prosecutor with a young family all raised questions about Gascón’s inflexible juvenile policies. The former Assistant District Attorney was demoted. The veteran supervisor was transferred to a significantly diminished assignment. The new prosecutor was suspended without pay. The veteran prosecutor sued; a jury awarded her $1.5 million. Additional lawsuits are pending.

Compare those actions to how Gascón reacts when those closest to him do worse things.

In December 2021, Azusa police arrested Chief Deputy Joseph F. Iniguez for public intoxication. Iniguez allegedly threatened the arresting officer during that arrest. Iniguez also claimed that he recorded the arrest on video. But that video, if it exists at all, has never been released.

As far as we know, Iniguez has faced no consequences for his behavior. He is still Chief Deputy, the office’s highest unelected position. He remains Gascón’s closest advisor. And he has been well compensated for his loyalty. According to Transparent California, Iniguez took home more than $405,000 in total pay and benefits in 2022. In 2020, when he was a Deputy District Attorney II (before Gascón was elected), Iniguez earned less than $160,000 in salary and benefits. It pays to have friends in high places.

That brings us to Diana Teran.

Her case is in its nascent stages. But it is not too early to ask Gascón and his inner circle some key questions, beginning with “what did the District Attorney know and when did he know it?”

George Gascón claimed in an office-wide email that he learned about the Attorney General’s filing when many of us did: “late” on Wednesday afternoon. But did Gascón know about the investigation before then? If so, when? Did he know that the AG was investigating Teran when he promoted her to Assistant District Attorney of Ethics & Integrity in December 2023? Did anyone else in the “executive team” know she was under investigation? As an investigative “target,” did Teran retain counsel? Did her attorney-client relationship with that retained counsel affect any case under her supervision?

Before she was charged with 11 felonies, Teran supervised 20 or more special units, including Conviction Review, Resentencing, PID, JSID, Appellate, and Organized Crime. These units handle some of the office’s most politically charged cases. Now that Teran is facing prison time, what steps has or will the District Attorney take to ensure that her alleged wrongdoing did not infect more matters than those referenced in the AG’s complaint? Will there be a top-to-bottom review of her work? Will that review be internal or external? Who will run it?

A recent office memo (GOM 24-043) suggested that Teran has been moved out of management. Is that a temporary or permanent move? Is Teran still an active employee of the District Attorney’s Office? Did she resign? Was she asked to do so? Was she escorted from the office? Does she still have access to sensitive material or office resources? Is she on administrative leave? Can she still practice law? Is she still drawing some or all the $363,000 in pay and benefits that she earned in 2022? And who is going to pay to “defend” her?

We hope that the District Attorney will answer these and other relevant questions sooner rather than later, and preferably in a live public press conference. Angelenos have a right to know how he intends to handle this bubbling (and potentially career-ending) political crisis. Will he hold Teran accountable for her actions? Does he regret entrusting the office’s “Ethics and Integrity” to someone with apparently lax ethics and integrity? Will he take the Attorney General’s allegations seriously? Or will Teran get the same lenient special treatment that Iniguez received when he was arrested for public intoxication?

Failure to promptly address and disclose this information further undermines trust and accountability in our justice system. And in this administration, trust and accountability are always in depressingly and distressingly short supply.
—
Ryan Erlich is Vice President of the Association of Deputy District Attorneys (ADDA), the collective bargaining agent representing over 750 Deputy District Attorneys working for the County of Los Angeles.