Reaction to New District Attorney Firing Prosectors

Chesa Boudin, San Francisco’s new district attorney, fired multiple longtime prosectors just 48 hours after being sworn in. (Photo credit: San Francisco Chronicle)

By Joel P. Engardio

I’m vice president of Stop Crime SF and it’s been our position to watch and see what new District Attorney Chesa Boudin actually does — and hold him to his campaign promises to focus on violent crime.

But less than 48 hours on the job, he fired some of the department’s most experienced prosecutors (news report).

We lost Tom Ostly, who prosecuted the thief who attacked and knocked unconscious the police officer trying to protect shoppers at a crowded downtown store. We lost Michael Swart, who was prosecuting the assailants who shot and killed a photographer on Twin Peaks while stealing his camera. We lost a half dozen or more seasoned prosecutors who had served for decades under multiple administrations.

What will happen to the felony cases they were in the middle of prosecuting? Tom Ostly was working on a ground-breaking prosecution of a multi-million dollar fencing ring suspected of many car break-ins.

It’s been rumored that some of the fired prosecutors will be replaced by former public defenders. But we already have a big law office funded by taxpayers to defend suspected criminals in court. We don’t need two.

Stop Crime SF has worked with many prosecutors in the district attorney’s office through our Court Watch program to hold judges accountable, support victims and show community interest in cases. We are troubled that our new DA fired some of San Francisco’s best prosecutors. They were dedicated and showed great care for crime victims and their families. We can only hope that our new DA will hire prosecutors who will represent victims and protect the safety of San Franciscans.
 
We thought it was important to give District Attorney Boudin a chance to do his job before rushing to judgment based on fears that his career as a criminal defense attorney will mean he won’t prosecute crime. It’s only day three and we’re already disappointed.