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It’s a story you’ve read before: woke, soft-on-crime, George Soros-backed Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon lets a violent criminal back onto the streets, said criminal then goes on to commit more heinous acts. In this case, as our sister site Townhall reported, the suspect’s name is Stefen Sutherland and he was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon in 2020 after he sliced a construction worker’s neck, almost killing him. The LA County Probation Department recommended a prison stint—but Gascon instead gave him a mental health diversion.
Because that’s what progressives do.
Not surprisingly, Sutherland has now gone on to commit another horrific crime, allegedly shooting and killing his neighbor Jennifer Gomez, possibly over a noise dispute. LAPD found 19 shell casings at the scene. Fox News’ Bill Melugin reports:
Stefen Sutherland was arrested for assault w/ a deadly weapon w/ GBI in Nov. 2020, he felt the worker made too much noise. Probation Dept. recommended prison, warning in writing that he was violent and was a risk for future outbursts.
In ‘21, he received mental health diversion. pic.twitter.com/nW0gbdLXkq— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) May 30, 2023
The mourning family of the victim has set up a GoFundMe fundraising effort:
Sutherland is now charged with fatally shooting his upstairs neighbor, Jennifer Gomez, multiple times in her own apartment last Tuesday. LAPD found 19 shell casings at the scene. He previously confronted her abt noise.
Gomez’s family has set up a GoFundMe.https://t.co/FkBMiNF9UP— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) May 30, 2023
Gascon, as he so often does, defended his reckless and dangerous policies in a statement released by a spokesman:
The defendant in this case met the specific eligibility criteria for mental health diversion.
A court-appointed psychologist deemed him suitable for the treatment program, and our deputy district attorney agreed to the defense request for mental health diversion.
The court approved the treatment plan and deemed the defendant safe for community treatment. The defendant participated for nearly two years in [the] treatment program without issue. We are saddened by the most recent allegations, and our hearts go out to the victim and those who loved them.
That doesn’t explain away the fact that the Parole Department thought this perp should serve time. Sutherland is now being held on $2 million bail and is due back in court June 12—but that won’t bring Jennifer Gomez back.
This isn’t the first time that Gascon has let a violent criminal walk only to see them re-offend. In April, a dangerous felon who was also given mental health diversion killed an innocent father:
Jade Simone Brookfield, 23, was arrested in April and charged with murder after she allegedly fatally stabbed 40-year-old Dennis Banner during an argument in a street. Law enforcement sources tell Fox News that Brookfield had a lengthy criminal history for alleged assault, assault with a deadly weapon and multiple violent felonies with knives, but she had inexplicably avoided incarceration and was repeatedly given mental health diversions.
This is the second diversion gone wrong in LA story we’ve been tipped to recently. Last month, we reported on a woman w/ violent history of using knives in assaults who received multiple diversions – no prison time, then was arrested for stabbing murder. https://t.co/c7O7ozT2AX
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) May 30, 2023
In fact, Gascon has a long track record of endangering Angelenos; here’s just a partial list:
There are plenty more headlines, but that gives you the idea. The citizens of LA tried and sadly failed to recall the disastrous district attorney in 2022.
(Read: Why Did the George Gascon Recall Fail? Managing Editor Jennifer Van Laar Explains)
It’s a tragedy that he’s still in office and that his policies have helped turn the City of Angels into a haven for criminals. Just ask the Gomez and Banner families.
