Los Angeles, Calif.–District Attorney Steve Cooley announced he would not run for re-election, and instead threw his support behind his top deputy.
Cooley has been Los Angeles County District Attorney since 2000.
“When I complete this term, I will be 65 1/2-years-old,” Cooley told the Los Angeles Times. “I will have 39 years and 10 months of public service. There’s a sense of wanting to leave on top.”
Cooley said he was backing Chief Deputy District Attorney Jacquelyn Lacey’s campaign to replace him. She is one of several prosecutors in his office looking to take over the top job, including Alan Jackson, who prosecuted Phil Spector; Danette Meyers, who handled the case against Lindsay Lohan; Bobby Grace, who prosecuted serial killer Chester Turner; and Mario Trujillo, who heads the district attorney’s Bellflower office.
Los Angeles City Attorney Carmen Trutanich is also exploring a possible run for district attorney.
With Cooley making his announcement, Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich threw his support behind Jackson’s campaign, calling him “a true crime-fighter who is well-qualified to fill Steve Cooley’s shoes.”
