Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón, whose soft-on-crime policies have been blamed for putting residents at risk, is being harshly criticized after a notorious criminal murdered two police officers this week after he was given probation instead of a jail term in 2020 over an illegal gun charge.
Justin William Flores, on parole at the time of the shooting, made a plea deal whereby he received two years probation and 20 days in jail in 2020 because of Gascón’s policy of not prosecuting three-strike cases. Prior to Gascón’s policy, Flores could have been sent back to prison for a minimum of three years, as he had already served time in prison twice for felony burglary and car theft. Flores had been barred from carrying a gun since 2011.
“Court records also showed at least a dozen other prosecutions, many resolved with no contest pleas and probationary sentences, for charges such as driving with a suspended license, being under the influence of a controlled substance, or resisting arrest,” NBC Los Angeles reported. “Law enforcement sources told the I-Team they believed at least one of the two murdered officers would have recognized Flores on sight and by name.”
On Wednesday, Gascón’s office defended the decision of the softer sentence for Flores, stating, “The sentence he received in the firearm case was consistent with case resolutions for this type of offense given his criminal history and the nature of the offense. At the time the court sentenced him, Mr. Flores did not have a documented history of violence,” The Daily Mail reported.
Gascon’s policies also suggest his office may pay for the funeral of the cop killer. When he took office, he issued a policy stating his office would pay the funeral expenses of people killed by police, “regardless of the state of the investigation or charging decision.” @FoxNews pic.twitter.com/ZLcXpI4ivX
— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) June 16, 2022
“What separates Gascón from all the rest of the elected rogue prosecutors is the breadth, scope, and immediate impact of his pro-defendant, anti-victim policies, which are contained within nine sweeping ‘special directives’ to all Los Angeles deputy district attorneys, and were published one minute after he was sworn into office,” the Heritage Foundation wrote in February 2021.
The effects of these “special directives” were explained here.
The late Corporal Michael Paredes is survived by his wife, daughter, and son, while late Officer Joseph Santana is survived by his wife, daughter, and twin sons.
El Monte interim Police Chief Ben Lowry stated, “These two men were loved. were good men. They paid the ultimate sacrifice, serving their community trying to help somebody. They were murdered by a coward and we are grieving, and that hurts.” Flores was later shot and killed during the confrontation.
If I were you I would save this tweet as a template so you could just edit the police department name if you’re going to keep dumping into our society these dangerous criminals. Sending condolences is part of the failure of your administration.
— Beatrice Cardenas (@RealBetyCardens) June 16, 2022
Officers Paredes and Santana gave their lives in the service of their fellow citizens.
It is outrageous the murderer was not in jail due to the reckless actions of George Gascon, a radical, soft-on-crime, Soros-backed DA. https://t.co/PzRdkcQVuR
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) June 15, 2022
I’d pay to have his useless carcass hauled to a garbage dump and tossed in the trash where he belongs https://t.co/pY4kKzNIN7
— Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) June 16, 2022
So basically Gascon is OK with letting out a guy who murdered two cops and he doesn’t think he did anything wrong and he’s going to do it again. Recall this piece of garbage. https://t.co/Sp8yIYjciD
— Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) June 16, 2022
In March 2021, Gascón whined when he heard a recall petition was to be filed against him, ““Here in LA, we are seeing a backlash against reform fueled by conservative media, law enforcement unions & other ‘tough-on-crime’ types. From fear mongering to scare tactics, we are watching history repeat itself. But this time, reform will prevail.”
Here in LA, we are seeing a backlash against reform fueled by conservative media, law enforcement unions & other "tough-on-crime" types.
From fear mongering to scare tactics, we are watching history repeat itself.
But this time, reform will prevail. https://t.co/wH32vnk7y8
— George Gascón (@GeorgeGascon) March 10, 2021
Last month, Gascón was slammed after a transgender convicted child molester got a light sentence, then later was charged with murder.
The Daily Wire reported in mid-May:
Hannah Tubbs, who admitted to molesting a 10-year-old girl in a Palmdale, California, Denny’s restaurant restroom in 2014 when he was 17, pleaded guilty eight years later after DNA evidence led police to him. He began identifying as a woman and was sentenced to just two years in a juvenile facility despite being 26, in a case that sparked fury at Gascón.
Gascón refused to prosecute Tubbs in adult court; his policy stated at the time that minor offenders be tried in juvenile court, as Tubbs was 17 at the time of the assault.
Tubbs later pled not guilty to the unrelated, April 21, 2019, murder of Michael Clark.
Fox News obtained a recording of Tubbs, in jail, bragging to his father about getting off easy.
“Don’t worry about it,” Tubbs said. “It’s a strike, but they’re gonna plead, I’m going to plead out to them and plead guilty.”
“You won’t have to register?” his father asked.
“I won’t have to do none of that,” Tubbs replied.
“So what are they going to do to you then?”
“Nothing,” Tubbs answered, laughing.