LOS ANGELES (KNX) — Two deputy district attorneys have sued Los Angeles County, alleging they were demoted from leadership positions for opposing reforms implemented by D.A. George Gascón.
Maria Ramirez and Victor Rodriguez, 30-year veterans of the D.A.’s office, filed their suit Monday in L.A. County Superior Court, seeking unspecified damages.
“Both plaintiffs were directors of bureaus and were removed from their positions in retaliation for disclosing violations of law and/or refusing to violate law concerning unlawful practices and policies of … George Gascón, and/or other high officials in the Gascón administration,” the suit stated.
Ramirez was formerly director of the D.A.’s Bureau of Specialized Prosecutions; Rodriguez, the Bureau of Branch and Area Region II and part of Area Region I. Both were demoted to head deputy positions, according to the complaint.
Upon entering office at the end of 2020, Gascón “effectively abolished the ability of prosecutors to file certain crimes against juveniles, if the crime also qualified as a strike,” the suit stated.
Ramirez reportedly told Gascón that the reform was “unlawful” and “would cause untruthful charging practices by line prosecutors, violating their ethical obligations when following the directives.”
Ramirez also said she told Gascón about an "unethical and unlawful disposition of a case through a backroom deal" that reduced a life sentence for a convicted murdered to a seven-year prison term.
Ramirez was demoted in September “because of her disclosures and refusals to violate the law,” according to the suit.
Rodriguez said Gascón invited him to a meeting in March of last year to discuss potential prosecution of local law enforcement officers involved in a shooting that left two civilians dead.
He said others in the meeting, including a law student clerk, expressed an interest in prosecuting the officers.
"Rodriguez was appalled by the discussion that was taking place since there was insufficient evidence that the officers had committed a crime," the suit stated. He told the group that while additional investigation might be warranted, there was no probable cause for a prosecution.
Rodriguez said Gascón later complained to the chief of staff for the D.A.’s office that management “followed the law too much.”
Rodriguez was demoted to a head deputy on the same day as Ramirez and transferred to the Alhambra branch.
Plaintiffs claimed their demotions caused them emotional distress and have negatively impacted their chances of being promoted to assistant D.A. positions.
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