Hochman opposes Menendez recusal motion
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman (R) announced Friday that his office filed its opposition to the recusal motion filed by Lyle and Erik Menendez seeking to recuse the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office from the case.
“In the opposition, the District Attorney’s Office has argued that in a ‘drastic and desperate step,’ the defense has decided to ‘sidestep the central issue of resentencing’ and present an argument ‘devoid of merit’ to recuse the entire District Attorney’s Office,” said Hochman. “The entire defense argument over recusal boils down to the defense not being happy with the current District Attorney’s position on resentencing. While this desperate argument may work in a press interview, it fails in a court of law based on an adversarial system of justice.”
“Our position on resentencing is not yet, rather than never, as it depends on the Menendez brothers finally coming clean after 30 years with all the crimes, lies, deceits, and cover-up they engaged in and refuse to renounce,” District Attorney Hochman added. “From lying about their claims of self-defense to trying to get friends to lie about their father being a violent rapist of one of the brother’s girlfriends or the mother trying to poison the family, these continuous lies demonstrate that the Menendez brothers have not shown full insight into their crimes, have not been rehabilitated, and continue to constitute a risk of danger to society.”
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic has scheduled a hearing on May 9 to consider this motion.
Bass, Curan remove homeless encampment
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D) and City Councilmember Curren Price (D-South Central Los Angeles) announced last week they had cleared out a homeless encampment in South Central Los Angeles.
Dubbed Inside Safe operation, the combined effort of both offices brought more than 30 Angelenos inside and restored the public space near local businesses, a health center and a place of worship back to the South LA community.
“The homelessness crisis is a humanitarian crisis, and it affects everyone: those without a home, and those who worry about what they see outside their windows,” said Bass. “Angelenos who were living on the streets and in an illegal RV are now safely inside and we will continue these efforts across LA.”
“The latest Inside Safe operation in District 9 directly addressed a location that has been a top concern for our residents—many of whom have contacted my office over the past year,” said Price. “Real change begins block by block, and this effort underscores the power of coming together with purpose and resolve to reduce homelessness and restore safety and dignity in our neighborhoods.”
Since the beginning of this year, more than 500 Angelenos have been moved inside, providing life-saving case management and services to all who enroll. More than 90 encampments have been resolved since the beginning of the program.
Kamlager-Dove introduces Fresh Start Act
U.S. Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Culver City, View Park-Windsor Hills, parts of South LA) last week introduced the Fresh Start Act, a bipartisan bill that would support rehabilitated individuals’ access to employment, housing, and educational opportunities.
The measure comes as approximately one-third of Americans have criminal records. While many qualify for record-sealing or expungement under state laws, the process is frequently complicated, time-consuming, and costly. The Fresh Start Act would allow states that have enacted automated record-sealing or expungement laws to apply for federal infrastructure grants to help streamline the process.
“No one should be denied a job, housing, or education because of bureaucratic red tape,” said Kamlager-Dove. “Millions of Americans have arrest or conviction records that are eligible to be sealed or expunged, yet many are blocked by confusing, burdensome, and costly processes. I’m proud to cosponsor the bipartisan Fresh Start Act, which helps individuals who have been exonerated or who have paid their debts to society get a chance to contribute to their communities. This legislation will give states the resources they need to implement automatic record clearance systems that offer people a fresh start.”
Specifically, the Fresh Start Act would:
- Allow states that have record-sealing or expungement laws in place to apply for a federal grant to help improve their automated record infrastructure.
- Authorize the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP) to provide grants to states to automate their criminal records programs.
- Make clear that courts and law enforcement must retain access to cleared records.
- Prohibit states that delay record expungement or sealing due to fines or fees from receiving grant funding.
- Require states to report the number of records that have been sealed or expunged, broken down according to race, ethnicity, and gender.
