December 2016
Volume 1, Issue 9
Dear Friends:

On Dec. 5, I began my second term as District Attorney of Los Angeles County.  The past four years were very exciting because we accomplished a great deal as an office.  I am looking forward to starting the next chapter.

To learn more, watch the video to your right and  read  my full message.
Oath of Office

District Attorney Jackie Lacey was sworn in to a second four-year term on Dec. 5. She is the first Los Angeles County District Attorney in 60 years to be elected to the post without opposition.
Helping Crime Victims During the Holidays, Every Day
The holiday season promised to be particularly tough last year for a single mother of three in the Antelope Valley. Her daughter had been raped by her stepfather and the mother and two boys had been beaten. The family had few possessions. The children were sleeping on the floor.

As part of the District Attorney’s Holiday Giving Drive, employees in the Bureau of Victim Services contacted a local retailer who donated beds and new linens to the family.

“The mom could not stop crying when she called to thank us,” said Donna Wills, the bureau’s director. “The kids were jumping up and down and whooping loudly!”

The Holiday Giving Drive is the office’s annual effort to bring holiday cheer to needy families affected by crime. The drive is in its 32nd year. Last year, District Attorney personnel delivered approximately $27,000 in toys, clothing, household goods and other gifts to more than 550 children from 235 families.

Gifts were made possible through donations from employees and others. Families are selected by employees.

If you would like to contribute to the Holiday Giving Drive,  click here to donate to the District Attorney Victim Assistance Fund, which is administered by the California Community Foundation.

The Bureau of Victim Services is the county’s workforce dedicated to assisting crime victims and protecting their rights.

Victim services representatives are assigned to courthouses and police stations. Comprehensive victim services, including victim compensation filing assistance, are provided free of charge. 

To learn more about the Bureau of Victim Services, go to http://da.lacounty.gov/victims .
Fraud Alert
    Significant Cases
Next time you plan to donate to a charity, make sure the money is going to the right cause and not into a crook’s pocket.


  • What happens when a major national insurance company advertises an accident forgiveness program that’s prohibited by law in California?  Click here to find out.

  • A 23-year-old man was sentenced to more than 12 years in prison in connection with a machete attack on his girlfriend in Agoura Hills. Discover more about this domestic violence case.

  • A Pasadena man faces murder charges in a freeway crash that killed a 4-month-old girl.  Read about the possible sentence, if he is convicted on all charges.

In Case You Missed It...

Watch this NBC4 interview with District Attorney Jackie Lacey on her new unit dedicated to prosecuting Los Angeles County’s most complex child abuse cases.
Excellence, Generosity Celebrated

The District Attorney’s Office honored a compassionate paralegal, an innovative high-tech sleuth, a mentoring prosecutor and a big-hearted investigator at its annual awards ceremony.

The Jemison Awards recognize a top investigator and support staff member every year. The award is named for a former district attorney investigator, Frank Jemison, and his wife, Jane. Awards also were given to a top prosecutor and an employee involved in humanitarian efforts.

Bertha Basulto, a paralegal in the Child Abduction Section, was lauded for her expertise in processing complex international child abduction cases. She was recognized for treating the children in her cases as if they were her own and the parties involved in the cases with respect.

Senior Investigator Clint Dragoo is a cybercrime specialist. He was instrumental in locating suspects from around the globe who hacked into Los Angeles County government resources. Dragoo also relentlessly pursued criminals who sexually exploit children over the internet.

Deputy District Attorney Danette Meyers was presented with the Ken Lamb Distinguished Achievement Award. During her 30-year career, Meyers tried nearly 200 jury trials, including 52 murders. A commanding presence in the courtroom, Meyers also serves as a respected mentor to up-and-coming  prosecutors.

Senior Investigator Britton Schaefer received the Michael P. Noyes Humanitarian Award. Schaefer underwent a painful seven-hour stem cell harvesting procedure to assist a stranger – a 66-year-old leukemia patient. Schaefer and his family actively support an orphanage for girls in Kenya and are foster parents of a Kenyan girl.

Did You Know...?
The office’s most prolific prosecutor was Ken Lamb. During his 25-year career, he tried 622 felony jury trials – a record no one has come close to matching. He died in 2008, just days after he received the award created in his honor, the Ken Lamb Distinguished Achievement Award.
Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office | (213) 974-3512  | [email protected]

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