Candidate for
District Attorney; County of Orange

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

District Attorney, County of Orange Elected by Orange County voters, June, 1998. Began serving as District Attorney, January, 1999. Since taking office, violent crimes are down. Gang crimes are at a five- year low. Gang murders are down 50%, 33 gangs have been eliminated, and there are 2,000 fewer gang members roaming the streets. Child support collections have increased over 60% while caseloads are down. Have allocated resources to aggressively prosecute polluters of our environment. Currently prosecuting the largest case ever of groundwater contamination caused by leaking oil and chemical companies' underground storage tanks.

Presiding Judge, Appellate Department of the Superior Court, County of Orange Appointed by the Chief Justice of California, January 1996 to January 1999. Appointed to sit as the presiding judge of a Department which consists of four Superior Court Judges who hear and decide all appeals from the Orange County Municipal Courts.

Judge, Superior Court, County of Orange Appointed by Governor Wilson, March, 1993. Presided over complex criminal court and jury trials until January 1999. Previously assigned to Juvenile Court presiding over juvenile criminal and child dependency matters.

Judge, Municipal Court, North Orange County Judicial District Appointed by Governor Deukmejian, January 1990. Presided over felony preliminary hearings, misdemeanor court and jury trials, civil court and jury trials, small claims hearings and traffic trials until March 1993.

Attorney, Private Practice Practiced in civil litigation with a special emphaisis in business litigation from October 1988 to January 1990. Associated with attorney Richard S. Rockwell.

Deputy District Attorney, Orange County District Attorney's Office Deputy District Attorney from September 1972 to October 1988. Homicide Deputy from July 1976 to October 1988. Handled hundreds of homicide cases, including prosecuting over 40 homicide jury trials including seven capital cases. Previously assigned to the Special Assignments Unit advising the Grand Jury and handled felony extradition matters. Prosecuted felony court and jury trials including rape, robbery, arson, assault, burglary, fraud, narcotics and child molestation while assigned to the felony panel from July 1974 to January 1976. Assigned to the Municipal Court prosecuting various misdemeanors including vice crimes from September 1972 to July 1974. Honored by fellow deputy district attorneys as Outstanding Prosecutor in 1986.

Social Worker, Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services From July 1968 to January 1972 provided social services to families who received AFDC from Los Angeles County. Selected as one of four social workers to implement and run a successful pilot program which assisted unemployed fathers of AFDC families gain employment. The program was renamed the WIN program and has continued to be successful and is currently utilized on a statewide basis.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORMS

Authored Proposition 115 Adopted by the voters in November 1990. Principal author of the Crime Victims' Justice Reform Act in 1987. This broad court reform measure was introduced to the California State Senate in 1989 by Senator Edward Royce as SCA 1 and introduced to the Assembly by Assemblyman Ross Johnson. It was enacted as Proposition 115 in 1990.

Authored Torture Statute This statute was in response to the 1979 Larry Singleton case. After brutally raping and cutting off his victim's arm, Singleton served only eight years in prison. The torture statute that I authored now mandates a life sentence for such offenses.

California for a Responsible Supreme Court Founding member and Chairman, 1980 to 1982. Established a statewide group in order to successfully recall California Chief Justice Rose Bird.

Recall Rose Bird Alliance Founder and Executive Director, 1981 to 1983. Established a statewide group in order to successfully recall California Chief Justice Rose Bird.

Crime Victims for Court Reform Founding member. Organization established to educate the public and campaigned to improve the California Supreme Court. Resulted in the ultimate removal California Chief Justice Rose Bird and Justices Reynoso and Grodin from the California State Court in 1986.

EDUCATION

Loyola University School of Law, Los Angeles Juris Doctorate, 1971

California State University at Long Beach Bachelor of Arts Degree, Political Science, 1968

MILITARY SERVICE

United States Army Served as a paratrooper in the 101st Airborne from 1962-1964. Active Reservist from 1964-1968

PERSONAL

Married to Wife Kay. Have five children. Youngest Zack was born last Valentine's Day.