California Attorney General Rob Bonta said Wednesday that he had filed charges against one of LA County District Attorney George Gascon’s top officials. Her lawyer dismissed the allegations as “non-starters.”
Bonta is a Democrat who was appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, who took office in 2021 and announced 11 charges against Diana Teran. She was an assistant district prosecutor. Bonta’s Office alleges that she accessed police files in 2018 while she was working for the LA County Sheriff’s Department, and then improperly used this data when she joined the DA’s Office in 2021.
Bonta stated in a press release that “no one is above the law”. “Public officials must serve their constituents and the State of California honestly and with integrity. We will continue to fight on behalf of the people of California at the California Department of Justice and hold those responsible for breaking the law accountable.
James Spertus said Teran’s lawyer, James Spertus had been secretive and believed the case is a non-starter.
He said, “The case just isn’t prosecutable.” I think this will be embarrassing for the AG’s office. They should have talked to people who knew more about the issues.
He believes that the charges stem from Teran’s duties within her scope of employment, which involved the “Brady List”, a public database containing information on allegations of police misconduct. He said, “No charges could be brought based on this conduct and was surprised at the announcement.”
“I want to let the world know that this kind of irresponsible legal theory, that an official could be prosecuted just for performing an official act, will result in a rapid and swift loss for the AG’s Office,” Spertus stated that it was something you would not expect to see in law enforcement.
Gascon’s Office issued a press release that didn’t directly address the allegations but stated it would cooperate with an investigation. It also defended how they handled records.
“When I became president, we created a protocol to ensure we met our constitutional obligations, under Brady. Brady requires that we turn over evidence that could be exculpatory to the defense. This includes prior misconduct by law enforcement, and we also had to comply with federal and state privacy laws. Gascon stated that he stands by the protocol.
We will cooperate with any investigation by the Attorney General’s Office, even though we are unable to comment on individual personnel issues. I am committed to ensuring transparency and police accountability in Los Angeles County. “These principles are crucial to the integrity and trust of the community we serve,” he said. “We will treat this matter with utmost diligence and seriousness to uphold values of justice and equity.”
Spertus predicted that there would be a race to dismiss the case.
He said, “The case is non-starter.” “I believe it will be a race to the court to have this case dismissed, and I don’t want to see the AG drag their feet or delay that doomsday.”
