Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon is pictured. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 8:02 AM PT – Friday, March 26, 2021
The district attorney of Los Angeles County, California stepped in to prevent a gang member from being tried as an adult. According to reports Thursday, Democrat George Gascon withdrew a motion to transfer the case of 20-year-old Jalen Yoakum to adult court.
Yoakum plead guilty to a murder charge arising from the 2017 shooting of 40-year-old Ontario Courtney. The move is part of Gascon’s policy of no longer trying any underage offenders as adults regardless of the severity of their crimes.
Meanwhile, prosecutors have said Yoakum has been unapologetic and has even bragged about his gang affiliation during his incarceration.
“If you want to go out there and act like a man and shoot and kill people, then you are going to be treated that way, ” stated Allyson Ostrowski, pro-bono attorney for the victim’s family.
In his first 100 days, District Attorney George Gascón has instituted a new approach to #youthjustice. Read more about his accomplishments and goals: https://t.co/nf9rO6is6V (1/2) pic.twitter.com/67cKO1Ubit
— George Gascón (@LADAOffice) March 19, 2021
Yoakum is now expected to be released by age 25 since he is being tried as a juvenile.
