A new top prosecutor was sworn in on Tuesday in one of California’s most progressive cities, promising a ‘hard middle approach’. Try Los Angeles to turn the page on the rampant crime and lax prosecution policies.
Nathan Hochman is the new district attorney of Los Angeles County, taking office after ousting the previous district attorney, George Gascón. Hochman won against the incumbent president after promising a tougher approach to crime while also rejecting mass incarceration.
“District attorneys should only have two things as their North Stars: the facts and the law,” Hochman told his supporters Tuesday. “I reject all the extreme policies on both sides of the pendulum – incarceration policies that predetermine that certain crimes and certain criminals will not be prosecuted, and mass incarceration policies that are also not anchored in the facts and the law.”
During his campaign, Hochman touted his “hard middle” approach, saying that “the voices of LA County residents have been heard and they are saying enough is enough.” George Gascón’s policiesand they look forward to a more secure future.”
Nathan Hochman, and independent candidate for Los Angeles County District Attorney, speaks during a press conference in Los Angeles, Monday, September 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, file)
The 61-year-old former federal prosecutor — who ran as an independent after seeking the attorney general’s office as a Republican in 2022 — was sworn in at noon local time during a ceremony outside the Hall of Justice, where the former Republican governor was present. Arnold Schwarzenegger taking the oath.
NATHAN HOCHMAN REMOVES LIBERAL PROSECUTOR GEORGE GASCON AS LA COUNTY DA AGAINST CRIME
“We are here collectively as Angelenos… who want to live in a county where safety is a priority,” Hochman said before the ceremony.
Nathan Hochman (R) greets former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger after sworn in Hochman as district attorney in Los Angeles outside the Hall of Justice on December 3, 2024. (FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)
Hochman’s victory is a promise to usher in a new era of crime policy in liberal Los Angeles. Hochman pledged to “restore the District Attorney’s Office’s purpose to fairly, effectively and vigorously prosecute those who violate the laws in Los Angeles County based on the evidence and the law.”
Hochman said he would also “restore the integrity and independence of the prosecutor by not making decisions based on party affiliation or political ideology, but solely on the facts and the law.”
Nathan Hochman, along with his wife Vivienne Vella, will be sworn in as District Attorney of Los Angeles outside the Hall of Justice by former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on December 3, 2024. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images)
Day one promises:
On the first day, Hochman promised that he would start to restore public order.
- He pledged to “restore the ability of prosecutors to pursue sentence enhancements for defendants who used firearms in the commission of their crimes, or whose crimes were committed for the benefit of criminal street gangs.”
- He pledged to “lift Gascón’s ban on prosecutors attending parole hearings to advocate for rape victims and family members of homicide victims when their attackers seek early release from prison.”
- He also promised to repeal a ban on charging juveniles with crimes for stealing merchandise valued at less than $950.
Hochman said that in addition to his overarching goals as the new district attorney, he plans to focus on organizing task forces to address key issues that are a chill to many residents. The task force will address homelessness, fentanyl poisoninghuman trafficking, hate crimes, organized retail crime and residential burglaries.
“This can no longer be kicked down the road,” he said. “The Attorney General’s Office will work with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, government organizations, nonprofits and other groups to seek solutions to problems that have seriously affected public safety and the quality of life for residents throughout the county.”
WATCH:
The new top prosecutor will start his term with a bang – tasked with re-investigating the high-profile case of Erik and Lyle Menendez. The brothers, who are serving life sentences without parole for the 1989 murders of their parents, are awaiting a decision on their bid for release based on what their lawyers say is new evidence that they were sexually abused by their father.
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Ahead of the election, Gascón announced he supported the brothers’ conviction, but a judge last week postponed a decision on the case until January.
