Reforming the D.A.’s Office
“In her first year in office, Dolores Carr spent $97,720 on management consulting services for the office that came up with a mission statement full of abstract words like… accountability, honesty and integrity.
“Unfortunately, her deeds have not lived up to her words. Here are the reforms I guarantee I’ll implement in my first year as your D.A.”
Jeff Rosen, Deputy District Attorney
I will reform the D.A.’s office by…
Funding the Cold Case investigations and hiring an extra investigator to probe the hundreds of unsolved rapes, robberies and murders. Often, there is evidence from old crime scenes that we can send to the Crime Lab to test for DNA and figure out who committed the crime. For instance, the cold case DNA murder case that I just prosecuted - People v. Darryl Shearer from 1994. This is a priority for victims, and the entire community.
Creating a Conviction Integrity Unit to handle requests that we look into old convictions. DNA technology has made it possible to review old cases where the conviction could have been inappropriate. These cases are very rare, but when a DNA result throws a conviction into question, I want to know. A prosecutor's job is to pursue justice, not just rack up convictions.
Opening Discovery Before trial, each prosecutor will invite the defense attorney to look through our D.A. file (minus work product) to make sure that the defense has all required discovery to represent his or her client.
Having the highest professional standards of any D.A.’s office in the state As the attorneys for the People, each prosecutor will treat everyone with respect and courtesy—witnesses, judges, defense attorneys, and victims.
Demanding transparency and openness The D.A. is the representative of the People in the criminal justice system. Therefore, I will ensure that the public understands what the District Attorney’s Office is doing to achieve justice on its behalf.
Establishing a diverse office Members of the District Attorney’s Office should reflect our diverse community. I will take proactive measures to hire outstanding individuals who represent our community’s diversity.