How does the District Attorney handle hate crimes?
The District Attorney views hate incidents and hate crimes as very serious matters that are worthy of specialized prosecution. All potential cases are referred to a designated deputy district attorney (DDA) in the Special Prosecutions Unit. That prosecutor is an expert in this field and will vigorously prosecute all hate crimes when there is sufficient evidence to prove the legal elements of this particularly heinous crime. He or she handles the case during all stages of prosecution from filing through trial/plea and sentencing. He or she also closely coordinates these matters with the California Department of Justice and the Orange County Human Relations Commission.
