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Gascón Seeks Applications for Chief Deputy Post
By a MetNews Staff Writer
The Office of Los Angeles County District Attorney is taking the unusual if not unprecedented action of advertising for applications for the Number Two spot in the office, that of chief deputy.
District attorneys have traditionally made that choice without seeking applications. Advertising has taken place only in soliciting applications to join the department.
The Los Angeles County Department of Human Resources has announced that applications are due March 1. Its solicitation explains:
“The Chief Deputy assists the District Attorney in directing and managing the daily activities and operations of the District Attorney’s Office. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office is the largest local prosecutorial office in the United States. With a budget of nearly $454 million, the District Attorney’s Office prosecutes cases in a large geographical area covering 4,063 square miles. The District Attorney’s Office is committed to enhancing the safety and livability of Los Angeles County and bringing equal justice for all.”
District Attorney George Gascón’s choice of Joseph Inguez as his interim chief deputy has caused widespread consternation among the county’s prosecutors in light of Inguez’s lack of experience. He has been a prosecutor for only five years; is a “Grade 2” deputy with about 25 persons higher than he on the list of those seeking promotion to “Grade 3”; has tried only four cases to a jury, with a failure to gain a conviction in two of the cases; has never prosecuted a major felony; and has never worked in a specialized unit.
Inguez had declared his candidacy for district attorney but, at a press conference on Nov 21, 2019, withdrew and endorsed Gascón.
Copyright 2021, Metropolitan News Company