Major ACLU report highlights injustices in the O.C. District Attorney’s office
HUNTINGTON BEACH – Yesterday, the ACLU of Southern and Northern California published a comprehensive report titled “IN(JUSTICE) in ORANGE COUNTY: A Case for Change and Accountability.” The report studied the practices of the Orange County District Attorney’s Office finding a complete lack of transparency, severe racial disparities, absent police accountability, and the continued prioritization of low-level charges. A summary of the report can be found here.
“At a time when homicides have reached a 22-year high, hate crimes are skyrocketing, and other violent crimes are up double digits, DA Spitzer continues to prioritize low-level offenses that increase recidivism and lead to stark racial disparities. The racial disparities are especially concerning considering Spitzer’s record of racism including making unsolicited, derogatory comments about Black people when discussing high-profile cases with colleagues. Spitzer’s racism undermines public trust in our criminal justice system which reduces the likelihood that crimes will be reported to law enforcement. That presents a danger to us all.”
While Todd Spitzer ran on ending the “win-at-all-costs mentality” and ensuring the fair administration of justice, the ACLU report further found that, “All available evidence suggests that the office’s policies and practices have not shifted substantially under the current OCDA.” Furthermore, in contradiction to his campaign promises to clean up the practices that led to the informant scandal, DA Spitzer’s recent “cover up” of his racist remarks showcase his inability to turn over exculpatory evidence as required by the U.S. Constitution.
Current Orange County District Attorney Republican Todd Spitzer’s tenure has been defined by scandal. Most recently, Spitzer made racist remarks when discussing whether or not to seek the death penalty against a Black man. Four women in Spitzer’s office have filed claims asserting Spitzer promoted an employee and close friend despite having been made aware of the sexual harassment complaints against him. Spitzer later allowed the employee, who was the best man at his wedding, to retire with top flight benefits. Spitzer also attempted to drop sexual assault charges against high-profile defendants, leading a judge to remove him from the case. Survivors of the sexual assault survivors were “dragged through the mud” and “grossly mistreated” by Spitzer for two and a half years, leading two of them to abandon their case. source
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IN (JUSTICE) in ORANGE COUNTY A Case for Change and Accountability ACLU REPORT or Here from GoodShepherdMedia.net
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IN (JUSTICE) in ORANGE COUNTY A Case for Change and Accountability ACLU CASE STUDY SUMMARY or Here from GoodShepherdMedia.net
Justice Department Finds Civil Rights Violations by OCDA and Sheriff’s Department – Click Here to learn more
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Information specific to the Civil Rights Division’s Police Reform Work can be found here:
Pattern and Practice Police Reform Work – 1994-Present: https://www.justice.gov. or off of our site here
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Attachment(s): https://www.justice.gov/ or here from out site here