Page 1
Blacknell to Hop From P.D.’s Office to D.A.’s
Hiring of Her by Gascón Attracts Criticism From Former District Attorney Cooley
By a MetNews Staff Writer
Tiffiny Townend Blacknell—a member of Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón’s transition team, who has been involved in two recent controversies—as of March 1 will be handling the recruitment of prosecutors for Gascón, duplicating the function she performed at the county’s Public Defender’s Office.
This drew fire yesterday from Steve Cooley, who was district attorney from 2000-2012. He told the METNEWS:
“If she is going to be in charge of LADA Recruitment and Training, one can only speculate where things might go. With respect to training—Suffice it to say, George Gascón is an ideologue who really believes what he spews.
“He will set the tone for training topics and I expect them to be so called ‘social justice’ oriented and probably not much related to core areas of training such as changes in the law, trial tactics, prosecutorial ethics. One could expect a lot of virtue signaling topics during a ‘re education’ of current legal staff.”
Cooley continued:
“With respect to recruitment, it can be reasonably concluded based upon Gascón’s behavior over time, he will pose ideological and political litmus tests to make sure those of his ilk are the only lawyers he selects to be Los Angeles County deputy district attorneys. This would be unprecedented in that prior district attorneys sought to hire talented attorneys, capable of trial work, and most interested in representing the People of the State of California and not advance some ideological agenda.”
|
|
|
Tiffiny Townend Blacknell is seen above in a shot posted on a social media site. She will handle recruitment for the District Attorney’s Office. |
‘Snitch’ Form
Blacknell gained public attention in December by setting up an online form which she entreated members of her office and certain criminal defense lawyers to use in tattling on deputy district attorneys who did not adhere to “special directives” issued by Gascón on Dec. 7 right after being sworn in. The directives included not alleging sentence enhancements and seeking to withdraw, at the earliest opportunity, those alleged before Gascón took office.
In light of the controversy that was sparked, the form was removed from the Internet. Gascón’s office disavowed any connection with it.
Blacknell again came into public view when a deputy public defender, who had just taken over a case from her, expressed the understanding during a Dec. 15 court hearing that Blacknell and Deputy District Attorney Mario Trujillo had reached a plea bargain under which the defendant, charged with a gang-related murder and multiple attempted murders, with special circumstances, would receive a seven-year sentence.
Line Deputy
Trujillo was then a special assistant to Gascón—he’s now his community and government affairs liaison—and the deputy assigned to the case had only a vague knowledge of the arrangement, denominated by some as a “sweetheart deal.”
One seasoned prosecutor was quoted as questioning the ethics of Blacknell receiving favored treatment for a defendant from the office she was about to join.
It was widely rumored that she would come aboard as Gascón’s community relations liaison, but when that post went to Trujillo last month, it was uncertain whether Blacknell would be remaining with the Public Defender’s Office.
Copyright 2021, Metropolitan News Company