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A new top prosecutor was sworn in on Tuesday in one of California’s most progressive cities, promising a “hard middle approach” as Los Angeles attempts to turn the page on rampant crime and lax prosecutorial policies.
Nathan Hochman is the new Los Angeles County District Attorney, taking office after ousting the previous district attorney, George Gascón. Hochman won against the incumbent after promising a tougher-on-crime approach, while also rejecting mass incarceration.
“District attorneys must have only two things as their North Stars: the facts and the law,” Hochman told his supporters Tuesday. “I reject blanket extreme policies on both sides of the pendulum swing – decarceration policies that predetermine that certain crimes and certain criminals are not going to be prosecuted and mass incarceration policies that also are not anchored in the facts and the law.”
Throughout his campaign, Hochman touted his “hard middle approach,” saying that “the voices of the residents of L.A. County have been heard, and they’re saying enough is enough of George Gascón’s policies, and they look forward to a safer future.”
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Nathan Hochman, and independent candidate for Los Angeles County District Attorney, talks during a news conference in Los Angeles, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)
The 61-year-old former federal prosecutor – who ran as an independent after seeking the state attorney general’s office as a Republican in 2022 – was sworn in at noon local time in a ceremony outside the Hall of Justice, with former Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger administering the oath.
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“We are here collectively as Angelenos… who are looking to live in a county where safety is prioritized,” Hochman said prior to the ceremony.
Nathan Hochman (R) greets former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger after he swore in Hochman as Los Angeles district attorney 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 policies in liberal Los Angeles. Hochman vowed to “restore the purpose of the District Attorney’s Office to fairly, effectively, and vigorously prosecute those who break laws in Los Angeles County based on the evidence and the law.”
Hochman said he would also “restore the integrity and independence of the district attorney by not making decisions based on a party affiliation or political ideology but solely on the facts and the law.”
Nathan Hochman, with his wife Vivienne Vella, is sworn in by former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger as Los Angeles district attorney outside the Hall of Justice on December 3, 2024. (Frederic J. Brown / AFP via Getty Images)
Day One Promises:
On day one, Hochman promised to hit the ground running to restore law and order.
- He promised to restore “the ability of prosecutors to pursue sentencing 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 promised to remove “Gascón’s prohibition on prosecutors attending parole hearings to advocate on behalf of rape victims and relatives of homicide victims when their assailants are seeking an early release from prison.”
- He also promised to rescind a prohibition against charging juveniles with misdemeanors for stealing merchandise valued at less than $950.
Hochman said that along with his overarching goals as the new district attorney, he plans on focusing on organizing task forces to handle top issues that are grievances for many residents. The task force will deal with homelessness, fentanyl poisoning, human trafficking, hate crimes, organized retail crime and residential burglaries.
“No longer is this can getting kicked down the road,” he said. “The D.A.’s Office will partner with federal, state and local law enforcement, government organizations, nonprofits and other groups to seek solutions to problems that have severely affected public safety and the quality of life of residents throughout the county.”
WATCH:
The new top prosecutor will begin his term with a bang – tasked with re-examining the high-profile case of Erik and Lyle Menendez. The brothers, who are serving life sentences without parole for the 1989 shotgun slayings of their parents, are awaiting a decision on their bid for release based on what their attorneys say is new evidence that they were sexually abused by their father.
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In the run-up to the election, Gascón announced that he supported the resentencing of the brothers, but a judge last week delayed a decision on the matter until January.
