Candidate Profile: DA Jackie Lacey In Her Own Words

LOS ANGELES, CA — Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey is in the political fight of her career, running for re-election at a time when millions across the country are taking to the streets to demand social justice. Long before George Floyd died in police custody, Black Lives Matter demonstrations were a staple outside Los Angeles City Hall.

As Lacey battles challenger George Gascón, the Los Angeles District Attorney's race has gained national attention as a major test of the reform movement's clout.

Lacey shared with Patch her vision for the county and the personal experiences that shaped her as a prosecutor.

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Age (as of Election Day): 63

Town/City of Residence: Granada Hills, CA

Office Sought: Los Angeles District Attorney

Party affiliation: Democrat

Family: Husband: David 66; Son: Kareem 39; Daughter: April 37

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? No

Education: USC Law School

Occupation: Prosecutor with over 34 years of experience in the DAs office.

Campaign website: https://www.jackielacey.com/

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office: Los Angeles District Attorney

The single most pressing issue facing our community is: The single biggest issue facing our criminal justice system and our County is how we deal with people suffering from mental illness within the court system. Recognizing the need for the criminal justice system to better treat people living with mental illness, I founded and lead the pioneering Criminal Justice Mental Health Project in LA County, which has set priorities for a comprehensive mental health diversion plan that provides alternatives to incarceration for nonviolent offenders, using input from government agencies and community-based organizations.

And this is what I intend to do about it: If elected I plan to build on this initiative so that we are better able to tackle homelessness and all of the issues that stem from it.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I have the experience and knowledge to lead the largest proprietorial office in the nation. I have tried over 100 cases including over 11 murder cases. My opponent has never tried a single case and is completely unqualified to hold this office. I have a record of delivering critical reforms while also keeping our community safe. My opponent has offered plenty of rhetoric on how he would do the job differently, but his record shows him as a regressive and incompetent DA. As San Francisco DA he failed to prosecute a single officer for shooting a civilian. The policies that he promoted led San Francisco to lead the state with the highest level of property crime. This would be disastrous for LA County.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform: Human trafficking remains a serious issue in our communities. I established a Human Trafficking Unit which prosecutes pimps who exploit children and adults. Most of the children preyed upon are from the foster care system. By targeting pimps and not prosecuting children, we help to redirect the children out of prostitution and into a healthy supportive environment.

I am also proud to have pioneered a program that has trained over 2,000 law enforcement officers on how to deescalate situations involving people with mental illnesses or drug addictions. The program has been a major success and we have already seen a significant decrease in the number of police shootings involving a suspect with a mental illness. When my opponent was Police Chief of San Francisco he was criticized for cutting deescalation training's within the department.
In 2015 I was proud to establish the first conviction review unit within the LA DAs office. This was part of my commitment to innovate the criminal system. Although the vast majority of convictions are upheld, I know that the pursuit of justice is not always perfect. The unit has successfully overturned convictions when new evidence has become available. In my second term I plan to build on these successes and tackle more critical issues facing our community.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

In November 1995 three white supremacists set out to kill a black man. They discovered Milton Walker Jr. sleeping outside a McDonald's in Lancaster. These individuals thought that Mr. Walker would be someone that no one would care about or miss. Mr. Walker had told friends that he feared for his life after dark because a number of his friends had been attacked by skinheads in the area. The three individuals brutally beat the man to death and celebrated by getting tattoos.
As a young deputy district attorney in Lancaster raised by a family who had to flee the south because of Jim Crow, I knew I had a unique responsibility to the family of Milton Walker Jr. and all those in our city who had been victims of hate and bigotry. After a long investigation filled with hurdles, I was proud to prosecute the first hate crime conviction in LA County and finally deliver justice for Milton Walker Jnr. This case, along with all of my courtroom experience has prepared me well to manage the largest prosecutorial office in the nation.

If you win this position, what accomplishment would make your term in office as a success?

I would like to make significant inroads in addressing the homeless crisis in our county. The work my office has done on mental health reform has already helped secure $120 million in funding from the county, ensured the opening of urgent care centers as an alternative to jail for certain arrestees, and helped create a new county office of diversion and re-entry. The program has added community-based beds to house and treat individuals with mental illness, particularly those with criminal records.

Along with this, we will continue to promote the use of drug courts as an alternative to incarceration so that non-violent offenders can get the help they need instead of the vicious cycle of unemployment. I remain committed to doing my part to tackle this vitally important issue.

Why should voters trust you?

I have lived in this community my entire life and voters know where I stand. I am not a politician and will never seek to politicize an office that should be independent. I have always served with integrity and respect for the law. I firmly believe that the DA can help make our community fairer and more equitable without sacrificing public safety.

What are your views on fiscal policy, government spending and the use of taxpayer dollars in the office you are seeking?

I believe that more money must be invested in our schools, health care systems, and vital social programs. We live in a city with a budget of close to $11 billion dollars. It should be unacceptable for children in communities like the one I grew up in, to get a second rate education. By investing further in community services we can build a more equitable society and reduce the burden on our courts and criminal justice system.

Is there any reason you would not serve your full term of office, other than those of health or family?

No

The best advice ever shared with me was...: The best piece of advice shared with me is to take every case on its merits and do the hard work to ensure fair and equitable justice for all.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I grew up in a working-class home in the Crenshaw district of South LA and attended Dorsey High School. My community shaped me in every way and led me to pursue a career as a prosecutor. I was one of only four African American’s in my USC law graduating class. I went to serve over thirty years as a courtroom prosecutor in the DA’s office. I tried LA County’s first-ever hate crime prosecution along with a number of murder cases. In 2012 I was elected to be La County's first African American and first woman DA.

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