Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Page 3
Late D.A. Race Entrant Missed Chance to Join Forum, Sponsor Says
By a MetNews Staff Writer
The newest entrant into the contest for Los Angeles district attorney got into the contest too late to participate in an all-candidate forum scheduled for tonight, an official of the sponsoring organization said yesterday.
The candidate, Deputy District Attorney Marcus Musante, did not return MetNews phone calls. But an laweekly.com blog post last week, highlighting his unorthodox campaign platform, said his late-starting effort was “focused” on trying to get into tonight’s event.
Los Angeles Assistant City Attorney Asha S. Greenberg, a member of the board of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles County, confirmed that Musante asked to participate. But the board turned him down because “all of the flyers had already been printed” with the name of the six candidates who accepted invitations, and all of the other arrangements had already been made.
The forum, which APABA is putting on with co-sponsorship from 11 other groups, is scheduled to take place from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Japanese American National Museum, 369 E. 1st Street, Los Angeles. Co-sponsors are the Black Prosecutors Association of Los Angeles, Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles, Japanese American Bar Association, John M. Langston Bar Association, Latino Prosecutors Association, Mexican American Bar Association, Muslim Public Affairs Council, Oscar Joel Bryant Foundation, South Asian Bar Association of Southern California, Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association and Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Jackie Lacey and Deputy District Attorneys Bobby Grace, Steve Ipsen, Alan Jackson, Danette Meyers and Mario Trujillo have accepted invitations to participate, Greenberg told the MetNews. She said she did not know whether City Attorney Carmen Trutanich, who has dubbed his candidacy to be “exploratory,” was invited.
According to the LA Weekly post, Musante wants to the office to stop prosecuting drug possession, and “said he would also not pursue the death penalty, and would void most prior ‘strike’ offenses, which result in lengthy prison terms.”
Musante also told the Weekly:
“I’m bringing the hot sauce to the party, and they won’t let me in the room. I would put [District Attorney Steve Cooley, who is not running for a new term] on blast!”
Musante, 33, is a graduate of Boston University and Loyola Law School, and was admitted to the State Bar in 2004. His best known case was that of Rianne Theriault-Odom, sentenced to life imprisonment last year for dousing an exotic dancer and setting her on fire outside a Tarzana bar.
Copyright 2011, Metropolitan News Company