How George Gascón went from cop to one of the most progressive DAs in the country

As George Gascón’s ascended to leader of the nation’s progressive prosecutors movement he has faced fierce backlash from his own frontline prosecutors to his policies. We cover his rise and that backlash in the second episode of this season of Imperfect Paradise our podcast covering the messy realities of life in Southern California.

From cop to DA

Gascón immigrated with his family to the U.S. from Cuba when he was 13. He later joined the LAPD and rose to assistant chief. Gascón told LAist his thinking about the criminal justice system evolved over time, beginning with the Rodney King beating. He was San Francisco's district attorney, succeeding Vice President Kamala Harris, before he was elected L.A.'s D.A. in a campaign that made him a darling of the progressive prosecutors movement.

What his frontline prosecutors have to say

Gascón generally is not well-liked by his own prosecutors. Many oppose his more lenient approach to people who commit crimes. Others are unhappy with his management style. He imposed a series of sweeping reforms on his first day in office without first consulting frontline prosecutors, and has faced numerous accusations that he’s retaliated against employees who oppose his policies. Gascón has denied this, but told LAist that he should have a right to implement his agenda: “I felt a sense of urgency.”

A public defender's perspective

This episode features an interview with Public Defender Ricardo Garcia, who said he was elated at Gascón’s election — especially his decision to no longer seek the death penalty and to no longer prosecute juveniles as adults. “These were, in my mind, radical changes for the criminal legal process here in Los Angeles,” Garcia told LAist. “They were exciting to me. And earth-moving.”

About this upcoming election

Gascón faces Nathan Hochman, who has more traditional views on prosecuting crime, on the Nov. 5 ballot. You can learn more about each candidate's positions through LAist's Voter Game Plan:

• Los Angeles District Attorney: Who's running and why it matters

A case study

If you've listed to the first episode, you've already heard a little about Jose Santana's story. Santana was sentenced to 22 years in prison when he was 15 years old for stealing two cell phones. His story continues in this episode with his wife lobbying Gascón’s office to consider Santana for early release under the DA’s resentencing policy.

Listen now to Episode 2

Listen • 41:41

Listen • 41:41

District Attorney Gascón: Part 2

LAist Correspondent Frank Stoltze speaks with George Gascón about his journey from hard-nosed LAPD cop to one of the most progressive prosecutors in the country. Stoltze also reports on the rebellion inside Gascón’s own DA’s office that began brewing within hours of him taking office.