Legal News

Father of murder victim says D.A. report politically motivated, holds none to account

By Jason Siegel

The father of a murder victim says that a 66-page report by the Los Angeles District Attorney's office, that admits that prosecutor mistakes, fails to hold anyone to account. (See earlier posting on the report here)

Monica Thomas-Harris was killed in January when her husband, who had agreed to 16 month prison sentence for kidnapping and threatening her, was allowed to go free until sentencing - despite a probation report advising otherwise and without immediate warning given to her.

A report reviewing the handling of the case was put out the day after Steve Cooley was reelected as district attorney.

Assistant District Attorney Jacquelyn Lacey told the Los Angeles Times last week that the report wasn't held back because of the election. While Cooley got a draft two weeks before the election, he wanted Thomas-Harris' family to get a copy before it was released and to vet the report beforehand, Lacey said.

The father of the murder victim read it, and was unimpressed. James Thomas said the report failed to not hold anyone accountable and believed it was delayed for political reasons, The Sun in San Bernardino reported.

Full post as published by Legal Pad | LA on June 09, 2008 (boomark / email).