November 9, 2026
MEDIA RELEASE: LA County Public Defender Applauds Governor Newsom's Historic Decision to Commute Death Row Sentences
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Today, we honor and thank all who have served. Our offices will be closed Wednesday, November 11, in observance of Veterans Day, and will reopen Thursday, November 12.
Veterans’ experiences with the legal system are shaped by many factors. Los Angeles County’s Veterans Court brings together the Court, the Public Defender’s Office, the Alternate Public Defender, the District Attorney, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and other community partners to connect eligible veterans with individualized treatment, case management, and support as an alternative to prison.
Learn more about the Veterans Court Program at the link in our bio.
We celebrate Native American Heritage Month by honoring the histories, cultures, and contributions of Native American and Indigenous communities. Here in Los Angeles County, we recognize the Tongva, Tataviam, Serrano, Kizh, and Chumash Peoples, whose ancestral lands we live and work on.
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We also celebrate the Los Angeles City/County Native American Indian Commission, whose five decades of advocacy and service have helped elevate Native voices across the County. As the Commission celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, learn more and explore its resources here: lanaic.lacounty.gov/resources/
Los Angeles County Public Defender Ricardo D. GarcĂa issued the following statement applauding Governor Gavin Newsom’s announcement that he will commute all death sentences in California:
“I commend Governor Newsom for this historic decision. Public defenders called for universal clemency because we see firsthand how unjust our criminal legal system is, and nowhere is that injustice more final than on death row. The death penalty is cruel, irreversible, and stained by systemic racism. It falls hardest on people of color and the poor, and has condemned innocent people. Los Angeles County has sentenced more people to death than any other county in the state, at great cost to taxpayers and with no benefit to public safety. Clemency is not leniency. This decision moves California closer to a justice system that values human dignity and recognizes that the power to punish must never come at the expense of the pursuit of justice.”
November 2026, our office will be providing record clearing services at various locations around LA County! For more information click the link in our biođź”—
Join the Nation’s first and finest indigent criminal defense agency as a Deputy Public Defender! We are looking for attorneys who are admitted with the California Bar Association to practice law in all courts in California to join our team of Public Defenders. Click the link in our bio to apply today! 🔗
The Los Angeles County SYTF Collaborative Court team welcomed attorneys from seven Southern California counties for a two-day symposium on Less Restrictive Placements (LRPs) and the role of community partnerships in youth courts. Supported by an OYCR grant, the team is sharing its collaborative, trauma-informed approach with prosecutors and defense attorneys across the state. Hosted by the Anti-Recidivism Coalition, the event featured a resource fair with 31 LRP and community-based organization partners, a dinner attended by more than 200 guests, and tours of four placement sites. The symposium closed with a healing circle. Above all, the team celebrated the young people whose voices and achievements showed the promise of community-based support.
Join us for an upcoming blood drive in partnership with Children’s Hospital Los Angeles—an opportunity to give back and support lifesaving care for patients across Los Angeles County.
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The drive will take place on Thursday, November 5 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. at the San Fernando office (1000 First St. San Fernando, CA 91340 in the Civic Center Parking Lot). Sign up for a time slot through the link in our biođź”—
Congratulations to our Training Director, La Mer Kyle, on becoming President of the National Association for Public Defense (@thenapd)! La Mer’s leadership reflects the innovation shaping the future of indigent defense. We’re proud to see Los Angeles County helping lead that vision on the national stage, advancing a model of public defense that meets the broader needs of the communities we serve.
