The LA County Board of Supervisors this week approved the hiring of a new special prosecutor to investigate police misconduct cases. Atty. Nathan Hochman moved to the fire His predecessor was the person who named the post.
Former federal prosecutor Michael Gennago, who once headed L.A. County's Office of Independent Review and oversaw troubled agencies such as the Department of Children and Family Services and the county sheriff's department, made his first appearance on behalf of the district attorney's office. Wednesday in downtown court. His contract was approved by the board on Tuesday, and Hochman announced the move on Thursday.
Michael Jenako, pictured at a 2006 news conference, will handle two high-profile cases. It is unclear whether he will review other cases or look into incoming cases of police misconduct or brutality.
(Rick Francis/Associated Press)
Gennago, formerly of Dist., replaces Lawrence Middleton. Atty. George Gascon was appointed in 2021 to review several controversial police shootings that the district attorney's office previously declined to prosecute. Middleton brought only one case to court during that time The Times reported last year He has an arrest warrant for a former LAPD officer in another case.
In an interview, Gennaco said Hochman contacted him after defeating Gescon and asked him to take over Middleton's caseload. It's unclear whether Genaco will review other cases or look at incoming cases of police misconduct or brutality, which are typically handled by the office's Justice Systems Integrity Unit.
“I have to figure out where the cases are, practically, substantively, factually, and then figure out where to go,” he said.
Middleton's contract was terminated Jan. 7, a district spokeswoman said. He declined to comment.
The move marked a shift in position for Hochman, who on the campaign trail repeatedly attacked Gascón for appointing a special prosecutor and questioned the need for such a position. Records show he billed Middleton County more than $1 million between June 2021 and October 2024, angering rank-and-file attorneys. Gennaco's contract runs for 18 months, although Hochman can extend it.
Hochman did not respond to a list of questions about Genacco's hiring, but his office released a statement Thursday saying the appointment reflects the new DA's “strong commitment to justice, accountability and the public trust.”
“Our goal is to ensure transparency and accountability while strengthening public confidence in our justice system,” Hochman said. “Michael Zenako's extensive experience and expertise in civil rights litigation will be invaluable as we reevaluate prior decisions and take a fresh look at officer-involved shooting cases.”
Miriam Krinsky — a former federal prosecutor and founder of Fair and Just Prosecution, a nonprofit that advocates for criminal justice reform — praised Genako as an important recruit for Hochman. He faced questions about his appetite to sue the police He was given wide support among law enforcement associations.
“He's determined. He's as familiar with police oversight as anybody in California. He's got tremendous integrity. He's very committed to this job,” Krinsky said. “If you look at what he's done in his career … he knows how to navigate the challenges of these cases. .”
Gennago and Hochman worked together for several years at the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles, where Gennago prosecuted several high-profile civil rights and police misconduct cases before he was named head of LA County's newly created Independent Review Office in 2001.
For more than a decade, the office has described deficiencies in the way the Sheriff's Department investigates prison violence and excessive force, the way it investigates deaths in jails, and the agency's internal disciplinary procedures. Report of the District Citizens' Commission on Jail Violence in 2012.
In recent years, Gennaco has conducted audits and reviews of used cases in Burbank and Anaheim. He also said he reviewed some force cases for Gascon.
When the FBI launched an investigation, Gennago and his former office faced some criticism for not doing enough to uncover patterns of abuse. Advice. Some members of the Board of Supervisors questioned whether Genago and the board were “compromised” and lacked independence from the Sheriff's Department.
Jenako said anyone who questions his commitment to police accountability should check his resume.
“I'm certainly not shy about criticizing police departments when criticism is due and praising them when it's not,” he said. “I try to play it down.”
