First up on Fox: a major Los Angeles Prosecutor Suing the county in a whistleblower retaliation suit is like asking a judge to compel his boss, District Attorney George Gascón, to give a statement under oath.
Jon Levin, who prosecuted real estate heir-turned-murderer Robert Durst, says that when he questioned the legality of some of his boss’s policies, he was demoted from a prestigious position prosecuting cold cases to a mere “calendar deputy.”
The motion comes after Levin’s attorneys said Gascon has refused to appear for previously scheduled depositions.
Deputy District Attorney John Levin delivers opening statements in the Robert Durst murder trial on March 4, 2020, in Los Angeles. (Etienne Laurent/Pool via Reuters)
“At the time of my demotion, no one in my chain of command was aware of this,” Levin told Fox News Digital. “This came from the highest levels of the office. I look forward to George Gascón and his administration being forced to sit under oath where they will have to answer questions.”
If ordered, it would be the first time Gascón would have to testify under oath in one of more than a dozen lawsuits filed against him by his subordinates.
According to Robert Glassman, one of Levin’s lawyers, he was ordered to sit out another trial, but the trial began before he had the chance and he decided to stand up to testify. The verdict ended with a $1.5 million fine for Deputy District Attorney Shawn Randolph.
Los Angeles County jury fines prosecutor who sued DA George Gascón for retaliation $1.5 million
Levin has filed a retaliation suit because he says he was demoted for writing to his superiors about the apparent illegality of a series of “special directives” issued by Gascón after he took office in 2020.
“This is a clear act of retaliation. You have the top prosecutor in the county, he’s indispensable to the office, and you remove him from an elite unit and put him on a satellite court running calendar,” Glassman told Fox News Digital. “And this is the same person who has been outspoken from day one about Gascón’s policies and how they’re not in the best interest of the office and how they’re illegal.”
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images/File)
Levin explained in a series of lengthy emails why he believed the instructions violated state law, and in February 2021, a Los Angeles judge agreed, and issued an injunction against the policies, which prevented deputy district attorneys from filing “strike” offenses under California’s “three strikes” law.
“John specifically requested that if his interpretation of the illegality of the policy was incorrect, he be referred to the legal authority supporting the District Attorney’s order,” his lawyers wrote. “There was no response to this email.”
A hearing on Levin’s motion is scheduled for September.
Deputy District Attorney John Levin delivers opening arguments in the murder trial of New York real estate heir Robert Durst in Los Angeles on March 5, 2020. (ROBIN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)
His attorney said it has been a struggle since his demotion, but the veteran deputy district attorney is dedicated to doing his best work for the citizens of Los Angeles County.
“They took away from him something he was very passionate about,” Glassman said. “This is his life. Like anyone in public service, they’re not doing this for the money.”
Levin, described in court documents as “one of Los Angeles’ most respected and accomplished prosecutors,” recently returned from a vacation cut short so he could prosecute a cold case murder and rape suspect. Charles Wrightwho was a teacher in Inglewood. Jury selection for the trial is still underway.
“He has a special skill set that other prosecutors obviously don’t have,” Glassman told Fox News Digital. “That’s fine, but they know their limitations, and they know they need John. So, they had to call him in from vacation to help prosecute this complex case because he’s the right person for the job.”
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Levin and another lead Los Angeles prosecutor, John McKinney, Both said they were demoted After expressing disagreement with Gascón’s policies, he was dismissed from the Major Crimes Division in September 2022. By the time Randolph won his suit in 2023, at least 17 retaliation lawsuits had been filed.
McKinney also secured a high-profile conviction by prosecuting Eric Holder, who murdered Grammy-winning rapper Nipsey Hussle.
Gascón’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the latest filing.
