LOS ANGELES, CA - Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón is again at the center of a firestorm of controversy over his soft-on-crime approach to justice. Two separate instances have emerged within the same week that highlight his policies of softening charges and refusing to charge violent juveniles as adults.
As reported by the Los Angeles Times Friday, Denmonne Lee, who was convicted in a robbery that resulted in the death of former Marine John Ruh in 2018, was tried as a juvenile despite facing murder charges. After two years pending trial, Gascón took office and forbade his prosecutors from charging Lee as an adult. Lee was convicted but only stayed incarcerated until the age of 25.
Fast forward to April and Lee, who had supposedly "responded very well" to rehabilitation, is now back in court on charges connected to another homicide, allegedly playing a role in the killing of 28-year-old Eric Ruffins.
The Times spoke with Kathy Cady, a victim's rights attorney who represents the fallen Marine's widow, who told reporters, "If Gascón hadn’t stopped [Lee from] being tried in adult court, he’d be in prison for life. Instead, he was freed to commit another horrific murder." Kady has reportedly led the charge to have Gascón recalled.
According to Fox News, an attack on 74-year-old Jose Juan Rangel Hernandez and 58-year-old Maria Guadalupe Vargas Luna in March- which resulted in the death of Vargas Luna- could end with the most serious charge against the suspect, Charles Green, being dropped.
Juan Rangel was attacked by Green in an altercation that left him badly injured and Luna was injured when she attempted to help him to his feet but fell to the ground during the fracas. She suffered a head injury and subsequent heart attack, later suffering complications in the hospital where was declared brain dead.
Gascón's office is reportedly planning to file a motion dismissing the felony count against Green preserving just the misdemeanor battery charge, per Fox's Los Angeles affiliate KTTV. In an email responding to the outlet, the Deputy DA claimed, "The evidence does not establish proof of an intentional act that resulted in Ms. Vargas' fall."
"They're pretty much saying that his one-on-one altercation was just with my grandpa, and they kind of made it seem like it was her fault for getting out of the car and trying to defend my grandpa," William Cantabrana, the victims' grandson, said in an interview with Fox & Friends Weekend.
Veronica Rangel, the victims' daughter, told interviewers, "I feel helpless," adding, "We have to fight with the district attorney for them to do their job, and I told them, ‘You guys can't look at it as a number, another case to just quickly get through the courts. You have to look at it with the human touch of the damages that this man has caused our family.' The worst possible scenario happened by him committing the attack that he did on my stepmother."
Nathan Hochman, who is opposing Gascón in the 2024 election for District Attorney, posted to X an endorsement from Real Estate Developer Rick Caruso, who said, "It’s one of the first times in history we have an opportunity to change the trajectory of this city. George Gascon and his policies have failed. People are worried, people are fed up, things have got to change. I am proud to stand here and endorse Nathan Hochman for district attorney. He is going to restore the safety and integrity to our streets."
Caruso added, "Crime is not a left or right issue; it impacts all of us. Nathan will be an independent prosecutor, he is supported by Democrats, Independents, and Republicans. We all want a safer Los Angeles. I’m confident with Nathan in charge we will have a very fast, very affecting, and a lasting change."
As reported by the Los Angeles Times Friday, Denmonne Lee, who was convicted in a robbery that resulted in the death of former Marine John Ruh in 2018, was tried as a juvenile despite facing murder charges. After two years pending trial, Gascón took office and forbade his prosecutors from charging Lee as an adult. Lee was convicted but only stayed incarcerated until the age of 25.
Fast forward to April and Lee, who had supposedly "responded very well" to rehabilitation, is now back in court on charges connected to another homicide, allegedly playing a role in the killing of 28-year-old Eric Ruffins.
The Times spoke with Kathy Cady, a victim's rights attorney who represents the fallen Marine's widow, who told reporters, "If Gascón hadn’t stopped [Lee from] being tried in adult court, he’d be in prison for life. Instead, he was freed to commit another horrific murder." Kady has reportedly led the charge to have Gascón recalled.
According to Fox News, an attack on 74-year-old Jose Juan Rangel Hernandez and 58-year-old Maria Guadalupe Vargas Luna in March- which resulted in the death of Vargas Luna- could end with the most serious charge against the suspect, Charles Green, being dropped.
Juan Rangel was attacked by Green in an altercation that left him badly injured and Luna was injured when she attempted to help him to his feet but fell to the ground during the fracas. She suffered a head injury and subsequent heart attack, later suffering complications in the hospital where was declared brain dead.
Gascón's office is reportedly planning to file a motion dismissing the felony count against Green preserving just the misdemeanor battery charge, per Fox's Los Angeles affiliate KTTV. In an email responding to the outlet, the Deputy DA claimed, "The evidence does not establish proof of an intentional act that resulted in Ms. Vargas' fall."
"They're pretty much saying that his one-on-one altercation was just with my grandpa, and they kind of made it seem like it was her fault for getting out of the car and trying to defend my grandpa," William Cantabrana, the victims' grandson, said in an interview with Fox & Friends Weekend.
Veronica Rangel, the victims' daughter, told interviewers, "I feel helpless," adding, "We have to fight with the district attorney for them to do their job, and I told them, ‘You guys can't look at it as a number, another case to just quickly get through the courts. You have to look at it with the human touch of the damages that this man has caused our family.' The worst possible scenario happened by him committing the attack that he did on my stepmother."
Nathan Hochman, who is opposing Gascón in the 2024 election for District Attorney, posted to X an endorsement from Real Estate Developer Rick Caruso, who said, "It’s one of the first times in history we have an opportunity to change the trajectory of this city. George Gascon and his policies have failed. People are worried, people are fed up, things have got to change. I am proud to stand here and endorse Nathan Hochman for district attorney. He is going to restore the safety and integrity to our streets."
Rick Caruso: “Crime is not a left or right issue; it impacts all of us. Nathan will be an independent prosecutor, he is supported by Democrats, Independents, and Republicans. We all want a safer Los Angeles. I’m confident with Nathan in charge we will have a very fast, very… pic.twitter.com/OeL2tNL4TL
— Nathan Hochman (@NathanHochmanDA) June 25, 2024
Caruso added, "Crime is not a left or right issue; it impacts all of us. Nathan will be an independent prosecutor, he is supported by Democrats, Independents, and Republicans. We all want a safer Los Angeles. I’m confident with Nathan in charge we will have a very fast, very affecting, and a lasting change."
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