Gil Garcetti
Encyclopedia
Gilbert Salvadore Iberri "Gil" Garcetti (born August 5, 1941) is an American
politician
. He served as Los Angeles County's 40th District Attorney
for two terms, from 1992 until November 7, 2000.
in Management from the University of Southern California
and a Juris Doctor
from the University of California, Los Angeles
.
Before becoming District Attorney, Garcetti served within the office for over twenty years, from trial prosecutor
to managerial positions and eventually becoming chief deputy district attorney for his predecessor, Ira Reiner
(District Attorney from 1984 – 1992). Reiner decided not to run for a third term, and Garcetti won the 1992 election.
beating at the hands of the Los Angeles Police Department
(LAPD) and the massive unrest of the 1992 LA Riots
.
Garcetti's first term was dominated by his office's prosecution of the O.J. Simpson double-murder trial. The long, costly criminal trial
ended with a "not guilty" verdict on October 3, 1995. Despite the setback, Garcetti was able to win re-election in 1996, narrowly defeating challenger John Lynch.
, hate crimes, welfare fraud
and combating LA's street gangs.
In the late 1990s, Garcetti's use of default judgment
s in child support cases were considered by many to be particularly heinous. Garcetti openly refused to rescind judgments against men who later proved through DNA
evidence that they were not the fathers in question. By 2000, 79% of paternity judgements in Los Angeles County were assigned by default.
However, it was the fight against gangs that became his undoing in late-1999, when the LAPD's Rampart CRASH Scandal erupted with allegations of extreme police misconduct
from the city's Rampart Division
. Garcetti was drawn into a public dispute with LAPD Chief Bernard Parks over access to records on the charged officers.
The resulting squabbling and negative press reminded citizens of LA County of the troubles associated with the Rodney King riots, and the resulting sentiment led to Garcetti's defeat in the 2000 election. He was succeeded by one of his deputies, Steve Cooley
, who was serving as head of the city's Welfare Fraud Division, a division created by Garcetti.
President Alex Padilla
appointed Garcetti to the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission for a five-year term. In the fall of 2002, Garcetti was a Fellow at the Institute of Politics at the John F. Kennedy School of Government
at Harvard University
. He has been developing a foundation to help Latino and African-American students complete their high school education.
. During his time as District Attorney he would carry a small camera with him at all times. After leaving the DA's office, Garcetti focused on art photography, initially producing two collections on the Walt Disney Concert Hall
: Iron: Erecting the Walt Disney Concert Hall (Balcony Press 2002) Balcony Press
, focusing on the ironworker
s who constructed the landmark, and Frozen Music (Balcony Press 2003), focusing on the finished building itself. Photos from these works were featured in an exhibit at the Smithsonian Institution
's National Building Museum
in Washington, D.C.
and at the Pasadena Museum of California Art
. His most recent exhibition, Dance in Cuba: Photographs by Gil Garcetti(Balcony Press 2005) Balcony Press
, was featured at the UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History in Spring 2006. "Water is Key: A Better Future for Africa" (Balcony Press 2007)Balcony Press
was published via a grant from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation http://www.hiltonfoundation.org to the Pacific Institute as a benefit to NGOs supporting clean water projects in Africa.
since its debut in 2005. Executive producer James Duff credits Garcetti with asking questions and bringing to light the issues that both lend accuracy to each episode and result in more powerful episode endings.
, was elected to the LA City Council in 2001, re-elected in 2005 and 2009 and is currently serving as Council President.
Balcony Press Balcony Press
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He served as Los Angeles County's 40th District Attorney
Los Angeles County District Attorney
The District Attorney of Los Angeles County prosecutes felony and misdemeanor crimes that occur within the jurisdiction of Los Angeles County, California....
for two terms, from 1992 until November 7, 2000.
Background
Gil Garcetti received a bachelor's degreeBachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in Management from the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
and a Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from the University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
.
Before becoming District Attorney, Garcetti served within the office for over twenty years, from trial prosecutor
Prosecutor
The prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
to managerial positions and eventually becoming chief deputy district attorney for his predecessor, Ira Reiner
Ira Reiner
Ira Kenneth Reiner is an American politician. He was the Los Angeles City Controller from 1977 to 1981, and was the Los Angeles City Attorney from 1981 to 1984, both times being succeeded by James Hahn. He is the Los Angeles County District Attorney from 1984 to 1992...
(District Attorney from 1984 – 1992). Reiner decided not to run for a third term, and Garcetti won the 1992 election.
First term
Entering the 1992 elections, LA County was still recovering from the aftermath of the highly publicized 1991 Rodney KingRodney King
Rodney Glen King is an American best known for his involvement in a police brutality case involving the Los Angeles Police Department on March 3, 1991...
beating at the hands of the Los Angeles Police Department
Los Angeles Police Department
The Los Angeles Police Department is the police department of the city of Los Angeles, California. With just under 10,000 officers and more than 3,000 civilian staff, covering an area of with a population of more than 4.1 million people, it is the third largest local law enforcement agency in...
(LAPD) and the massive unrest of the 1992 LA Riots
1992 Los Angeles riots
The 1992 Los Angeles Riots or South Central Riots, also known as the 1992 Los Angeles Civil Unrest were sparked on April 29, 1992, when a jury acquitted three white and one hispanic Los Angeles Police Department officers accused in the videotaped beating of black motorist Rodney King following a...
.
Garcetti's first term was dominated by his office's prosecution of the O.J. Simpson double-murder trial. The long, costly criminal trial
Criminal law
Criminal law, is the body of law that relates to crime. It might be defined as the body of rules that defines conduct that is not allowed because it is held to threaten, harm or endanger the safety and welfare of people, and that sets out the punishment to be imposed on people who do not obey...
ended with a "not guilty" verdict on October 3, 1995. Despite the setback, Garcetti was able to win re-election in 1996, narrowly defeating challenger John Lynch.
Second term
Garcetti focused both his terms working to solve a number of issues including domestic violenceDomestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
, hate crimes, welfare fraud
Fraud
In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...
and combating LA's street gangs.
In the late 1990s, Garcetti's use of default judgment
Default judgment
Default judgment is a binding judgment in favor of either party based on some failure to take action by the other party. Most often, it is a judgment in favor of a plaintiff when the defendant has not responded to a summons or has failed to appear before a court of law...
s in child support cases were considered by many to be particularly heinous. Garcetti openly refused to rescind judgments against men who later proved through DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
evidence that they were not the fathers in question. By 2000, 79% of paternity judgements in Los Angeles County were assigned by default.
However, it was the fight against gangs that became his undoing in late-1999, when the LAPD's Rampart CRASH Scandal erupted with allegations of extreme police misconduct
Police brutality
Police brutality is the intentional use of excessive force, usually physical, but potentially also in the form of verbal attacks and psychological intimidation, by a police officer....
from the city's Rampart Division
LAPD Rampart Division
The Rampart Division of the Los Angeles Police Department serves communities to the west and northwest of Downtown Los Angeles including Echo Park, Pico-Union and Westlake, all together designated as the Rampart patrol area. Its name is derived from Rampart Boulevard, one of the principal...
. Garcetti was drawn into a public dispute with LAPD Chief Bernard Parks over access to records on the charged officers.
The resulting squabbling and negative press reminded citizens of LA County of the troubles associated with the Rodney King riots, and the resulting sentiment led to Garcetti's defeat in the 2000 election. He was succeeded by one of his deputies, Steve Cooley
Steve Cooley
Stephen Lawrence "Steve" Cooley is an American politician. As a Republican, he has been a prosecutor for 27 years and has been the Los Angeles County District Attorney since his election in 2000, in which he defeated incumbent two-term District Attorney Gil Garcetti, a Democrat...
, who was serving as head of the city's Welfare Fraud Division, a division created by Garcetti.
Politics
The 2000 election ended Garcetti's 32-year career with the LA County District Attorney's office. In 2002, Los Angeles City CouncilLos Angeles City Council
The Los Angeles City Council is the governing body of the City of Los Angeles.The Council is composed of fifteen members elected from single-member districts for four-year terms. The president of the council and the president pro tempore are chosen by the Council at the first regular meeting after...
President Alex Padilla
Alex Padilla
Alejandro "Alex" Padilla is a California State Senator. He was elected as the state senator for California's 20th State Senate district in November 2006 and was inaugurated in early December. Prior to serving in the Senate he served 7½ years on the Los Angeles City Council representing the 7th...
appointed Garcetti to the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission for a five-year term. In the fall of 2002, Garcetti was a Fellow at the Institute of Politics at the John F. Kennedy School of Government
John F. Kennedy School of Government
The John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University is a public policy and public administration school, and one of Harvard's graduate and professional schools...
at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. He has been developing a foundation to help Latino and African-American students complete their high school education.
Photography
Garcetti has always been an avid urban photographerPhotography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
. During his time as District Attorney he would carry a small camera with him at all times. After leaving the DA's office, Garcetti focused on art photography, initially producing two collections on the Walt Disney Concert Hall
Walt Disney Concert Hall
The Walt Disney Concert Hall at 111 South Grand Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles, California is the fourth hall of the Los Angeles Music Center. Bounded by Hope Street, Grand Avenue, 1st and 2nd Streets, it seats 2,265 people and serves as the home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra and the...
: Iron: Erecting the Walt Disney Concert Hall (Balcony Press 2002) Balcony Press
Balcony Press
Balcony Press is a publisher established in 1994. The press has released art, architecture and design books emphasizing the cultural and historical aspects of design particularly in the Western United States....
, focusing on the ironworker
Ironworker
Ironworker is a class of machines that can shear, notch, and punch holes in steel plate. Ironworkers generate force using mechanical advantage or hydraulic systems. Modern systems use hydraulic rams powered by a heavy alternating current electric motor. High strength carbon steel blades and dies...
s who constructed the landmark, and Frozen Music (Balcony Press 2003), focusing on the finished building itself. Photos from these works were featured in an exhibit at the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
's National Building Museum
National Building Museum
The National Builders Museum, in Washington, D.C., United States, is a museum of "architecture, design, engineering, construction, and urban planning"...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and at the Pasadena Museum of California Art
Pasadena Museum of California Art
The Pasadena Museum of California Art is an art museum located in Pasadena, California, USA, showcasing art and design that originates from California. The museum was founded by long-time Pasadena residents and art collectors Robert and Arlene Oltman...
. His most recent exhibition, Dance in Cuba: Photographs by Gil Garcetti(Balcony Press 2005) Balcony Press
Balcony Press
Balcony Press is a publisher established in 1994. The press has released art, architecture and design books emphasizing the cultural and historical aspects of design particularly in the Western United States....
, was featured at the UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History in Spring 2006. "Water is Key: A Better Future for Africa" (Balcony Press 2007)Balcony Press
Balcony Press
Balcony Press is a publisher established in 1994. The press has released art, architecture and design books emphasizing the cultural and historical aspects of design particularly in the Western United States....
was published via a grant from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation http://www.hiltonfoundation.org to the Pacific Institute as a benefit to NGOs supporting clean water projects in Africa.
The Closer
Garcetti has served as a consulting producer on the TNT series The CloserThe Closer
The Closer is an American crime drama, starring Kyra Sedgwick as Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson, a Georgia police detective who often closes her cases using sometimes-questionable methods...
since its debut in 2005. Executive producer James Duff credits Garcetti with asking questions and bringing to light the issues that both lend accuracy to each episode and result in more powerful episode endings.
Family
His son, Eric GarcettiEric Garcetti
Eric Michael Garcetti is an American municipal politician. He is a member of the Los Angeles City Council. He serves as its President and represents the 13th District. He is the son of the former Los Angeles County District Attorney Gil Garcetti. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early...
, was elected to the LA City Council in 2001, re-elected in 2005 and 2009 and is currently serving as Council President.
Quotes
- "It's like if you have a quilt and a thread is loose and they see that thread, they say, 'Forget the rest of the quilt. ... It's not guilty,'" --On the OJ Simpson verdict
- "If you cannot have faith and trust in your police officer– either as a citizen or as a juror or as a judge, as defense lawyers, as a district attorney– then we do not have an acceptable, a viable criminal justice system"
External links
Balcony Press Balcony Press
Balcony Press
Balcony Press is a publisher established in 1994. The press has released art, architecture and design books emphasizing the cultural and historical aspects of design particularly in the Western United States....