Sean Erenstoft Applauds Steve Cooley for Stepping Down as District Attorney
Since May, 2008, during the primary race for district attorney, Sean Erenstoft has participated in public debate about Steven Cooley being too cozy with a handful of defense attorneys and the resulting patent dissimilarities in the handling of like cases. Despite the fact that Steve Cooley pledged to voters when he came to office that he would only serve two-terms, he ran for a third-term just as news that a federal complaint was filed against him alleging suppression of First Amendment Rights and retaliation against County employees on the basis of their union membership. (See, One Unnamed Deputy District Attorney v. County of Los Angeles; United Stated District Court, Central District of California; Case No.: CV 09-7931 ODW (SSx)).
Erenstoft enlarged the debate about Cooleys office reliably giving lenient plea-deals to the likes of Lindsay Lohan and others who had otherwise flaunted their wealth and privilege. And yet when Erenstoft had pressed for leniency in the famed Bling Ring matter in exchange for his clients participation in solving previously unsolved crime, Cooleys office was slow to respond. Indeed, Erenstoft argued, such accommodation is important to society insofar as criminal suspects can help solve a significant amount of otherwise unsolved crime. It seems that the D.A. has their priorities messed up if they are not going to reach out the defense bar to help solve crime.
The debate raged on as Erenstoft noted the vindictive behavior or Deputy District Attorney, Wendy Segall who, rather than respond to criminal discovery in a cyber-stalking matter tasked her investigator to investigate Erenstofts filing of lawful civil litigation against a corrupt government witness. Cooleys office took another shot at First Amendment Rights by criticizing Erenstoft for his settlement exchanges with a civil litigation defendant who was also serving as a witness in related criminal litigation.
Steve Cooley has served the Los Angeles District Attorney honorably indeed. However, his willingness to quell the First Amendment Rights of the attorneys who work in the criminal justice system (including his own deputies) cannot go un-noticed.
It is time for a change of guard, Erenstoft maintains. The D.A.s office needs to work to improve relations with the defense bar and find ways to provide equity in it plea-offers to ensure that the likes of Lindsay Lohan are not constantly afforded their own privileged manner of justice.
Sean Erenstoft owns his own firm advising civil and criminal litigators about the intricacies of trial strategy, press relations, and marketing. Erenstoft also appears by invitation at a number of local Bar events to speak about cyber-litigation, e-discovery, and the cross-over between civil and criminal litigation.
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