Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Shea Sanna joined "Sunday Night in America" host Trey Gowdy to discuss the "deadly consequences" of Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon's "soft-on-crime" approach to criminal justice.
Gowdy highlighted the case of Stefan Sutherland, an attempted murder suspect who was arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department in November 2020. Gascon's office recommended sending him to a mental health diversion program instead of prison for the alleged stabbing. Sutherland was arrested again in May 2023 in connection to the murder of his neighbor.
"Yet another murder committed by someone who should have been in prison, and George Gascon's reaction is to blame everyone but himself," Gowdy said.
Senna added, "Mr. Sutherland was arrested for attempted murder by the LAPD for stabbing a construction worker in the neck because the construction worker was making too much noise for Sutherland's liking. Under Gascon's soft-on-crime policies, he was actually charged by Gascon's office with assault with a deadly weapon instead of attempted murder, which made him eligible for mental health diversion. Gascon has a policy of not opposing these mental health diversion motions and pretty much going along with whatever the public defender's office likes."
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Fox News national correspondent Bill Melugin previously reported on "America's Newsroom" Tuesday that sources had told him the Los Angeles County Probation Department recommended a prison sentence for Sutherland for the 2020 arrest.
However, the recommendation by the LA County Probation Department was apparently ignored.
"The prosecutor in the case did not oppose [the program], the judge granted it, and Sutherland was released back on the street after trying to kill somebody. And then when his upstairs neighbor was making too much noise for his liking, he went upstairs and shot her to death," Sanna said.
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Gowdy raised a question regarding Gascon's assertion that he had "no choice" in the case and that the court made the decision to recommend Sutherland to the mental health diversion program.
Sanna clarified that the decisions made in cases like Sutherland's start with Gascon. He claimed that Gascon "doesn't allow his prosecutors to file" certain charges.
"George Gascon requires prosecutors to give the lightest touch. So we have to file the charges that are the lightest, and this is assault with a deadly weapon," Sanna said. "Any DAs who don't fall in line with George Gascon are retaliated against, they're punished in the office for opposing motions."
Sanna added, "So when he blames everybody else, it really starts with George Gascon, and anybody who tries to do the right thing and oppose these mental health diversion policies or soft-on-crime policies, he punishes them, retaliates against them, fires them, and makes their life miserable in office."
Fox News' Michael Ruiz and Bill Melugin contributed to this report.
