Cooley for District Attorney

Gil Garcetti has served almost eight years as Los Angeles County district attorney and is seeking a third term as chief prosecutor. We recommend instead a prosecutor who’s not only experienced but would bring to the job the coolheaded and effective professionalism much needed now: Steve Cooley.

When he ran for reelection four years ago, Garcetti was dogged by questions about his strategy and tactics in a series of stinging prosecution losses--the first Menendez trial, the O.J. Simpson trial and the Snoop Doggy Dogg trial, among others. This time around, he is facing some appropriately tough questions about what role his office played in creating an atmosphere that allowed the L.A. Police Department’s growing Rampart scandal to occur.

Garcetti has launched important initiatives against domestic violence, hate crimes, youth gangs and truancy and has moved aggressively to add women and minority prosecutors. But we remain disappointed. Garcetti’s harsh application of the “three strikes and you’re out” law has led to life terms for many third-strike defendants charged with petty offenses. His bungled management of child support collections pushed the state Legislature to take that responsibility away from district attorney offices statewide.

Garcetti’s office, in disbanding the “roll-out” unit that investigated officer-involved shootings on the spot and in failing to vigorously pursue police officers suspected of lying, clearly bears some blame for Rampart.

Garcetti’s decision last month not to oppose parole for a convicted murderer whose father is a prominent Calabasas lawyer--only the third time in seven years that his office has not opposed parole of a murderer--increases the perception that he helps his friends and campaign contributors.

That’s the record; let’s look at political realities. A district attorney’s power to bring down the weight of the criminal justice system on an individual should make voters somewhat wary of any D.A. who seeks a third term. Certainly in this case the electorate should examine the alternatives to Garcetti.

Steve Cooley is a career prosecutor who combines 26 years of courtroom and management experience with thoughtful proposals for change. He would increase the number of deputy D.A.s on the Rampart case and establish clear guidelines for deputies who suspect police officers of lying. Cooley would also inject some needed balance on three-strikes prosecutions by focusing third-strike charges on violent and serious felonies. A straight talker, he ran two branch offices, founded the major narcotics unit and now heads the welfare fraud division in the D.A.’s office. Cooley’s experience and integrity have won the admiration of many deputies.

The prosecutorial experience of the other candidate, corporate lawyer Barry Groveman, is thin, and he has a penchant for grandstanding on issues like unserved warrants, which are as much the responsibility of the sheriff and police as the D.A. Moreover, in trying to position himself as tough on crime, Groveman has taken some extreme positions--he is the only candidate in this race supporting the hard-line Proposition 21, which would try many more juveniles as adults.

The Times endorses Steve Cooley for district attorney. It’s time for a change.