Jackie Lacey announces her run for LA District Attorney

The second-in-command to Los Angeles District Attorney Steve Cooley Monday announced her campaign to succeed him. Jackie Lacey would become the first woman, and first African American to serve as the county’s top prosecutor.

Lacey's biography is compelling. She is a native Angeleno who attended Dorsey High School and was the first person in her family to go to college. She graduated from U.S.C. Law School.

Her father is a lot cleaner for the city; her mother’s a garment worker.

In a video announcing her candidacy, she emphasized her quarter-century prosecuting a wide variety of cases in the DA’s office.

“Including, most notably, the first race-based hate crime murder case in Los Angeles County," she said as she stood in a courtroom with an American flag in the background.

Lacey has headed almost every significant division in the office, including hard core gangs and major narcotics.

“Under my leadership, the district attorneys office will continue to decrease violent crime by vigorously prosecuting violent criminals," she said.

She also promised to spend increased resources on cyber-crime, if elected, and expressed her support of prison diversion programs like the woman's re-entry court.

“I believe these courts will play an important role in reducing crime through these tough budgetary times.”

Lacey's big advantage in next year’s D.A.’s race is the backing of incumbent Steve Cooley, who’s retiring. Her toughest opponent may be L.A. City Attorney Carmen Trutanich, who has formed an exploratory committee and is expected to run.

Other candidates include Deputy District Attorney’s Alan Jackson, Mario Trujillo, Steve Ipsen, Bobbi Grace and Danette Myers – the last two of whom are also African American.