LA deputy DA slams Gascon for creating an ‘environment where crime thrives’
Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney John McKinney calls for policy changes amid the ‘heartbreaking and infuriating’ murder of UCLA graduate student Brianna Kupfer by a suspected career criminal.
A Los Angeles County deputy district attorney slammed progressive criminal justice policies as well as their architects, including his own boss, George Gascón, in the wake of a brutal stabbing that left a father grieving his daughter, a California grad student.
"We are not focused on victims, we are not focused on public safety, and in Los Angeles County you know, my boss, George Gascón, has a soft spot for criminals," John McKinney told "America’s Newsroom" co-hosts Dana Perino and Bill Hemmer.
McKinney went on to say the Gascón is on a mission to raise his "stature" nationally as a criminal reformer and is doing so by "leading in favor of criminals" rather than victims.
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"He has created an environment where crime thrives here in Los Angeles County by explicitly telling the criminal community you can commit crimes, certain crimes I will not prosecute you at all," said McKinney.
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón discusses community violence reduction efforts in Los Angeles on Wednesday, June 30, 2021. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
The LA County deputy district attorney added that Gascón has made a number of prosecutorial decisions that have made the city less safe, including, "down-charging" violent crimes, failing to prosecute theft crimes, gun crimes, and advocating for people to be released with minimal or no bail.
"It’s just a mess here in Los Angeles County and it happened so quickly," added McKinney.
After a homeless man identified as Shawn Laval Smith allegedly knifed 24-year-old Brianna Kupfer in an upscale California furniture store, longtime LA prosecutor Jon Hatami also spoke out, urging voters to pay close attention to D.A. races in their communities and choose qualified candidates.
Flowers are placed outside Croft House furniture store in memory of graduate student Brianna Kupfer on Thursday January 13th in Los Angeles. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images)
"When you say, ‘here's a list of crimes I'm not going to prosecute,’ -- Yeah, you are not a good D.A.," said Hatami. "And you are not a good prosecutor. That shouldn't be the first thing you do when you become D.A."
With the hunt for Kupfer’s killer ongoing, authorities and a group of donors are offering a $250,000 reward for information. Anyone with information is asked to call West Bureau Homicide at 213-382-9470.
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Smith is described as a thin Black man, standing more than 6 feet tall, with short dreadlocks. Surveillance images show he was wearing dark-rimmed sunglasses with orange lenses and a white face mask. He had on a black, long-sleeved shirt, dark gray pants, and a dark backpack and shoes.
McKinney said that the "very clear images" of Smith made him confident in California police’s ability to bring Smith into custody quickly.
Fox News' Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.