Los Angeles probation did not oversee gang member previous to police deaths

The alleged shooter within the deaths of two law enforcement officials was off the radar of Los Angeles County probation officers for 16 months, although he was a violent gang member who required supervision, information present.

District Legal professional George Gascon had given Justin Flores a plea cut price final yr in a gun case that resulted in a 20-day sentence as a substitute of 18 months — which might have stored him behind bars on the day two officers have been killed at a motel within the suburb of El Monte, California. Flores was later fatally shot.

The extreme fallout led Gascon to defend his actions, saying Flores didn't have a violent previous and that the lenient gun cost was warranted. However the convicted felon had a historical past of assault, housebreaking, and drug circumstances and was assigned a probation officer.

The Los Angeles County Probation Division Oversight Fee regarded on the case and located month after month that officers had no contact with Flores, in line with a report obtained by the Washington Examiner.

LOS ANGELES DA GASCON DENIES KILLER HAD A VIOLENT PAST

“No document of assigned Probation Division workers initiating ‘desertion’ throughout 3-month interval of no contact with probationer,” the report learn for June 2021. This was adopted up with an entry for December 2021 saying, “First and solely in-person assembly with assigned Probation Division workers and probationer.”

Officer Joseph Santana and Cpl. Michael Paredes have been killed on June 14. The report be aware from that month signifies that along with the one in-person assembly, workers spoke to Flores 4 occasions on the telephone throughout the previous 16 months.

“Probation Division workers constantly left voicemails for probationer ordering him into the workplace and obtained no reply,” the report learn. “Probationer categorized by Probation Division as medium danger primarily based on related elements; unknown if gang enhancements and possession of lethal weapon was factored in.”

Flores was additionally ordered by the court docket to finish drug exams, however he apparently by no means did this, in line with the report.

“The end result on this specific case ... was applicable,” Gascon mentioned throughout a press convention following the officers’ deaths. “[Justin] Flores had no historical past of violence and little or no contact with the legal justice system for 10 years.”