LA District Attorney announces legislation to reinstate ban on body armor for violent felons

Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley announced today his office has authored legislation which would reinstate California's law banning possession of body armor by violent felons.

The 2nd District Court of Appeals recently overturned the ban, saying it was unconstitutional because the definition of body armor was too vague.

Cooley claimed his proposed legislation provided a straightforward, common sense definition of "body armor" as "a bulletproof vest, meaning any bulletproof material intended to provide ballistic and trauma protection for the wearer."

The California Peace Officers Association, California Police Chiefs Association, California Narcotic Officers' Association, Los Angeles County Police Chiefs Association, California Correctional Supervisors Organization, California Association of Code Enforcement Officers and the Los Angeles Police Protective League have joined Cooley's legislative effort as co-sponsors.

John Lovell, a legislative Advocate representing a number of law enforcement agencies, praised Cooley's proposed solution as "innovative and resourceful." More law enforcement organizations are expected to join as co-sponsors, Cooley said.

"This is too important an issue to let it wind through the appellate process when there is a straightforward legislative solution readily available,'' Cooley said.

Attorney General Jerry Brown, a prospective candidate for governor, said Tuesday he will seek a state Supreme Court review of the ruling that overturned a ban on felons owning or wearing body armor, which came in the wake of a 1998 North Hollywood shootout.

Los Angeles police Chief Charlie Beck had urged Brown to appeal the decision.

A three-justice panel of the 2nd District Court of Appeal overturned the ban in a Dec. 19 ruling, finding the law was unconstitutionally vague.