Los Angeles prosecutor Gascón issued a directive that may have helped the man who killed 2 police officers avoid prison

A California man accused of killing two police officers may have avoided additional prison time on previous charges due to a directive issued by Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon upon taking office.

Justin William Flores is accused of killing El Monte police officers Michael Parades and Joseph Santana in a shooting Tuesday. He was shot and killed in the shootout.

This photo provided by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shows Justin William Flores, who is the suspected gunman in a Southern California shooting that killed two police officers Tuesday, June 14, 2022, in El Monte, California.
(California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation via AP)

Flores had a previous strike conviction and relived two years of probation on charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of narcotics for personal use.

Under former Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey, prosecutors requested 32 months in prison on Flores’ weapons possession charge.

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But in December 2020, Gascón took office and issued Special Directive 20-08, which states that “all previous strikes will not be used to pass sentence and will be dismissed or withdrawn … and if the crime charged is eligible for release parole, parole will be the presumption. offer.”

Sources in the Los Angeles district attorney’s office told Fox News that Flores’ offer was revised in accordance with Gascon’s directive, allowing him to plead no contest and receive a lighter sentence despite being a member of a gang and have a foul on your criminal record.

Gascón has recently been reprimanded by a state appeals court for his refusal to prosecute three-strike cases. Earlier this month, a California appeals court upheld an injunction saying Gascón cannot refuse to charge three-strike cases, which can significantly increase prison sentences.

San Francisco Police Chief George Gascon speaks during a news conference at the San Francisco Hall of Justice May 5, 2010 in San Francisco, California.
(False images)

The prosecutor’s office told Fox News that the sentence Flores received last year “was consistent with case resolutions for this type of crime given his criminal history and the nature of the crime. At the time the court sentenced him , Mr. Flores had no documented history.” history of violence”.

Flores served two terms in state prison for burglary and motor vehicle theft, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and was last released in 2012.

Gascon’s office later confirmed to the Los Angeles Times that they have restricted access to the Flores case file in an effort to prevent leaks and that special permission is now needed for prosecutors to access the file.

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The controversial district attorney is facing an impeachment effort for his policies, the second such organized effort since taking office. This week, organizers said the campaign had gathered enough signatures to put the issue before voters. San Francisco’s progressive Democratic district attorney, Chesa Boudin, was overwhelmingly remembered by voters in that city this month.

Louis Casiano of Fox News and The Associated Press contributed to this report.