Violent Convict Let Go by Gascón Now Arrested for Alleged Murder
A man who avoided jail time, thanks to Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón, after stabbing a construction worker in 2020 over “noise” has now been arrested for allegedly murdering his upstairs neighbor.
Stefen Sutherland, 31, was charged with assault with a deadly weapon in November 2020 after slashing a construction worker’s neck because he was making noise, according to law enforcement sources.
A Los Angeles probation official warned that there was a risk of further violence and asked a judge to put him in prison. But District Attorney George Gascon’s office sought mental health diversion instead for the crime, which critics say was under-charged to begin with as an assault rather than attempted murder.
On May 23, Sutherland allegedly shot Jennifer Gomez 19 times in her home. The two had previously clashed over noise complaints, according to sources close to the investigation.
Gascón’s term in office has coincided with — or, critics claim, exacerbated — a rise in violent crime. Two recall efforts have failed — the latter due to county officials miraculously managing to find enough signature problems to defeat petitions.