Latest news with #GeorgeGascón
Fox News
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
LA County DA Nathan Hochman promises crackdown on criminals: 'The fun is over'
Print Close By Stepheny Price Published May 19, 2025 Tough-on-crime Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman is doubling down on targeting criminals who cross into the county, saying they will be held "fully accountable for their illegal actions." Hochman, a Republican-turned-Independent, defeated incumbent progressive prosecutor George Gascón by a 20-point margin. Gascón was considered by many voters to be soft on crime. "I am standing at the border between LA County and San Bernardino County where criminals used to enjoy crossing in the LA direction, thinking that little to no consequences would occur if they stole, robbed and engaged in criminal conduct," Hochman shared in a video posted on his X account on Sunday. "Times have changed! The fun is over. A new DA was elected. And criminals in LA County will now be prosecuted and held fully accountable for their illegal actions," he continued." MENENDEZ BROTHERS' RESENTENCING MOVES FORWARD AS DA CALLS OUT 'DECEIT, 'NARCISSISTIC TENDENCIES' IN PRISON Hochman, a former federal prosecutor and lifelong Los Angeles resident, campaigned as a "hard middle" candidate, rejecting both mass incarceration and the "public safety failure" of Gascón's liberal policies, which Hochman said led to increased crime and a lack of consequences for juvenile offenders. MENENDEZ BROTHERS: LOS ANGELES DA NATHAN HOCHMAN ASKS TO WITHDRAW PREDECESSOR'S MOTION TO FREE KILLERS He also previously served as the president of the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission and accused Gascón of "catastrophic incompetence" on the campaign trail and vowed to restore order and common sense. While in office, Gascón survived two recall attempts as voters voiced concern over his policies. He also co-authored the infamous Proposition 47, a 2014 voter-approved measure that downgraded most thefts from felonies to misdemeanors if the amount stolen were under $950, and reclassified some felony drug offenses as misdemeanors. Despite political differences between voters, public safety is a crossover issue, said Hochman. CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "I spoke to ultra-left liberals, independents and conservative Republicans . And it turns out that even though they don't agree on much, they do agree that making sure that the district attorney prioritizes their safety and implements policies that will hold criminals accountable for their actions in a smart and proportional manner really matters," he said. Editor's note: The headline has been updated to note Hochman was referring to criminals in California, rather than migrants who cross the U.S.-Mexico border illegally. Print Close URL
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
LA County DA Nathan Hochman promises crackdown on illegal immigrants: 'The fun is over'
Tough-on-crime Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman is doubling down on border crossings and vowed that criminals will now be held "fully accountable for their illegal actions." Hochman, a Republican-turned-Independent, defeated incumbent progressive prosecutor George Gascón by a 20-point margin. Gascón was considered by many voters to be soft on crime. "I am standing at the border between LA County and San Bernardino County where criminals used to enjoy crossing in the LA direction, thinking that little to no consequences would occur if they stole, robbed and engaged in criminal conduct," Hochman shared in a video posted on his X account on Sunday. "Times have changed! The fun is over. A new DA was elected. And criminals in LA County will now be prosecuted and held fully accountable for their illegal actions," he continued." Menendez Brothers' Resentencing Moves Forward As Da Calls Out 'Deceit, 'Narcissistic Tendencies' In Prison Hochman, a former federal prosecutor and lifelong Los Angeles resident, campaigned as a "hard middle" candidate, rejecting both mass incarceration and the "public safety failure" of Gascón's liberal policies, which Hochman said led to increased crime and a lack of consequences for juvenile offenders. Read On The Fox News App Menendez Brothers: Los Angeles Da Nathan Hochman Asks To Withdraw Predecessor's Motion To Free Killers He also previously served as the president of the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission and accused Gascón of "catastrophic incompetence" on the campaign trail and vowed to restore order and common sense. While in office, Gascón survived two recall attempts as voters voiced concern over his policies. He also co-authored the infamous Proposition 47, a 2014 voter-approved measure that downgraded most thefts from felonies to misdemeanors if the amount stolen were under $950, and reclassified some felony drug offenses as misdemeanors. Despite political differences between voters, public safety is a crossover issue, said Hochman. Click To Get The Fox News App "I spoke to ultra-left liberals, independents and conservative Republicans. And it turns out that even though they don't agree on much, they do agree that making sure that the district attorney prioritizes their safety and implements policies that will hold criminals accountable for their actions in a smart and proportional manner really matters," he article source: LA County DA Nathan Hochman promises crackdown on illegal immigrants: 'The fun is over'
Fox News
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
LA County DA Nathan Hochman promises crackdown on illegal immigrants: 'The fun is over'
Tough-on-crime Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman is doubling down on border crossings and vowed that criminals will now be held "fully accountable for their illegal actions." Hochman, a Republican-turned-Independent, defeated incumbent progressive prosecutor George Gascón by a 20-point margin. Gascón was considered by many voters to be soft on crime. "I am standing at the border between LA County and San Bernardino County where criminals used to enjoy crossing in the LA direction, thinking that little to no consequences would occur if they stole, robbed and engaged in criminal conduct," Hochman shared in a video posted on his X account on Sunday. "Times have changed! The fun is over. A new DA was elected. And criminals in LA County will now be prosecuted and held fully accountable for their illegal actions," he continued." Hochman, a former federal prosecutor and lifelong Los Angeles resident, campaigned as a "hard middle" candidate, rejecting both mass incarceration and the "public safety failure" of Gascón's liberal policies, which Hochman said led to increased crime and a lack of consequences for juvenile offenders. He also previously served as the president of the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission and accused Gascón of "catastrophic incompetence" on the campaign trail and vowed to restore order and common sense. While in office, Gascón survived two recall attempts as voters voiced concern over his policies. He also co-authored the infamous Proposition 47, a 2014 voter-approved measure that downgraded most thefts from felonies to misdemeanors if the amount stolen were under $950, and reclassified some felony drug offenses as misdemeanors. Despite political differences between voters, public safety is a crossover issue, said Hochman. "I spoke to ultra-left liberals, independents and conservative Republicans. And it turns out that even though they don't agree on much, they do agree that making sure that the district attorney prioritizes their safety and implements policies that will hold criminals accountable for their actions in a smart and proportional manner really matters," he said. Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Yahoo
California police department makes retail theft policy crystal clear
Police in one Southern California city are laying down the law—literally—when it comes to retail theft. In a social media post showing a woman being arrested for allegedly stealing flowers from a Target store on Mother's Day, the Seal Beach Police Department outlined its 'zero-tolerance stance' on theft affecting businesses both large and small. 'Post-COVID, retail theft surged across California. In some jurisdictions, it's become so normalized that it's barely reported, let alone prosecuted,' the department said. 'But in Seal Beach, we made a conscious choice to take a different path.' The department explained that shoplifters in Seal Beach are not released with a ticket or warning—they are taken to jail. 'We decided that allowing criminals to steal without consequence wasn't just bad policy—it was a betrayal of the residents and businesses we swore to protect,' police said. 'This isn't about being harsh. It's about protecting a community that still believes in accountability.' Retail theft has surged across California in recent years, leading to a statewide, multi-agency crackdown and changes to the law as communities grew weary of viral videos showing smash-and-grab and flash-mob-style burglaries. In 2024, California voters essentially repealed 2014's Proposition 47, which had reclassified nonviolent offenses, such as shoplifting goods valued under $950, as misdemeanors. The overwhelming passage of Proposition 36 reinstated stiffer penalties for theft and drug crimes, and lowered the felony threshold for shoplifting back to $450. In Los Angeles County, District Attorney Nathan Hochman campaigned on a promise to work with law enforcement to curb retail theft. He soundly defeated incumbent George Gascón, whom he painted as being soft on crime. In its social media post, Seal Beach police also addressed those who defend shoplifters as victims of Southern California's high cost of living. 'Every time we make an arrest for theft, there's a corner of social media that rushes in to justify it,' the department wrote. 'They say it's 'just a big corporation,' or that the thief 'probably needed it.' But no one ever considers the cashier who had to confront the thief, or the family who pays more for groceries next month because of what walked out the door unpaid.' 'Seal Beach is not a place where crime gets a pass,' they continued, 'And that's exactly how our community wants it. Don't Steal in Seal. Sincerely -Management.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Yahoo
After a series of twists and turns, the Menendez brothers are set to face their resentencing hearing
After seven months of hearings, court filings and news conferences, Lyle and Erik Menendez face the possibility of freedom as a two-day resentencing hearing commences Tuesday, three decades after they were convicted of the 1989 murders of their parents. The brothers are serving life without parole for the murders after two sensational trials captured the attention of Americans across the country. Last fall, former Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón recommended resentencing for the brothers, but his successor, Nathan Hochman, has fought against it. The high-stakes resentencing hearing is just one of several avenues the brothers are taking in their bid for freedom. Gascon had supported resentencing the brothers to life with the possibility of parole, which could make them immediately eligible to go before the state's parole board and potentially be freed. The previous hearing in April was delayed after a judge requested access to 'comprehensive risk assessments' conducted by California's parole board, which speak to the risk of violence if they were released. Family members have argued for the brothers' release, saying they've demonstrated remorse and rehabilitation, and that the severity of the sentence should be revisited because of an evolving understanding of childhood sexual abuse. The brothers have maintained they carried out the murders in self-defense after years of abuse by their father. Meanwhile, Hochman says that claim is 'fabricated' and the murders were premeditated. He has repeatedly told the brothers to admit they have 'lied to everyone for the past 30 years.' Unlike a new trial, which would focus on the facts of the case, resentencing allows the judge to consider a variety of factors, including the brothers' rehabilitative efforts. During the hearing over the next two days, attorneys for the brothers are expected to call upon past prosecutors, former inmates and corrections personnel to testify on their rehabilitation efforts. The brothers have founded a long list of prison programs, with Erik starting at least five, including a support group for disabled and elderly inmates. Lyle founded a massive beautification program, raising more the $250,000 to install greenery to help prison life to resemble the outside world. Relatives are not expected to testify. A judge denied Hochman's second motion to cancel the resentencing in a hearing last week, after he argued the new risk assessments supported keeping the men in prison. 'They determined that each of the Menendez brothers constituted a moderate risk of violence, which was higher than the prior determinations of low risk of violence,' he said after court. Both brothers had committed cell phone violations while in prison, he said – Lyle in November 2024 and Erik in January 2025. But the judge ruled the information in these reports was not new or substantial enough to withdraw the motion for resentencing. Defense attorneys also withdrew their motion to have Hochman's office recused from the case after they previously alleged a 'conflict of interest.' Mark Geragos, the brothers' attorney, said they withdrew for 'a strategic legal reason.' The resentencing hearing is part of a three-prong effort by the brothers and their attorneys to have the case reconsidered. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has the power to commute the brothers' sentences, which would immediately free them – but he has so far refrained from doing so. The 'comprehensive risk assessments' the judge requested ahead of the resentencing hearing were commissioned by the state's Board of Parole after Newsom asked them to investigate whether the brothers would pose an 'unreasonable risk' to the public if released. The parole board is expected to have a hearing June 13 and will share its recommendation with the governor. Attorneys for the Menendez brothers are also pursuing a new trial, formally known as a habeas corpus petition. Attorneys claim to have new evidence against the brothers' father, including a 1988 letter from Erik Menendez to a relative referencing the alleged abuse. CNN's Taylor Romine, Nick Watt and Elizabeth Wolfe reported and wrote from Los Angeles, and Zoe Sottile reported from New York. CNN's Matthew J. Friedman contributed to this report.
