{"id":13190,"date":"2026-06-08T23:27:58","date_gmt":"2026-06-08T23:27:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?p=13190"},"modified":"2026-06-08T23:27:58","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T23:27:58","slug":"la-district-attorney-nathan-hochman-moves-to-disqualify-judge-yvette-verastegui-over-soft-sentences","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?p=13190","title":{"rendered":"LA District Attorney Nathan Hochman moves to disqualify Judge Yvette Verastegui over soft sentences"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <div style=\"display: grid; grid-template-columns: 300px 160px; gap: 2px; width: 460px; background: #eee; padding: 2px;\">\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u6574\u884c\u5bbd\u5e7f\u544a -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column: 1\/-1; width: 460px; height: 250px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" 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place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876680\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u53f3\u4fa7\u6469\u5929\u697c\uff08\u548c\u5de6\u4fa7\u5b8c\u5168\u5bf9\u9f50\uff09 -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-row: 3\/5; height: 750px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876678\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  \r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e6\" data-zoneid=\"5876682\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n<\/div><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman has escalated an extraordinary legal battle with a Superior Court judge his office has accused of repeatedly undermining prosecutors by slashing charges and handing down lighter sentences.<\/p>\n<p>Hochman\u2019s office has filed motions seeking to disqualify Judge Yvette Verastegui, who serves in the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center in downtown Los Angeles, from hearing certain criminal matters.<\/p>\n<p>The challenge stems from a series of cases in which prosecutors allege Verastegui reduced charges or imposed sentences far below those sought by the District Attorney\u2019s Office despite prosecutors arguing the facts did not justify the reductions.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Judge Yvette Verastegui, of the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center. <span class=\"credit\">State of CA<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cWhen a judge goes ahead and either reduces charges or orders a much more lenient sentence that is not based on the facts and the law, we will vigorously oppose that,\u201d Hochman told The Post.<\/p>\n<p>Among the cases cited by prosecutors is a high-profile animal cruelty prosecution that attracted widespread attention in 2025.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module aligncenter wp-block-nypost-editor-primary-tag\">\n<\/aside>\n<p>Joeboury Coleman and Shayla Alcala were charged after videos circulated online allegedly showing a seven-month-old puppy being kicked and thrown down a multi-story stairwell.<\/p>\n<p>According to court records, Verastegui accepted open pleas over prosecutors\u2019 objections after the District Attorney\u2019s Office indicated it was prepared to proceed to trial.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> <span class=\"credit\">Carlin Stiehl for CA Post<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Coleman was sentenced to two years in state prison and received 397 days of credit for time served.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Joeboury Coleman and Shayla Alcala charged after videos circulated allegedly showing puppy, seven months\u2019 being thrown down a multi-story stairwell. <span class=\"credit\">FOX11<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Alcala had two felony counts reduced to misdemeanors and was sentenced to one year of summary probation, along with counseling and educational programs.<\/p>\n<p>Prosecutors argue the puppy case was not an isolated incident.<\/p>\n<p>Another example cited by the District Attorney\u2019s Office involved the notorious Oceanwide Plaza towers, the graffiti-covered downtown Los Angeles skyscrapers that became a national symbol of urban blight after taggers scaled the unfinished high-rises and covered dozens of stories with graffiti.<\/p>\n<p>In February 2024, authorities arrested Don Kung, who was accused of rappelling down one of the towers while spray-painting the tag \u201cSAUT\u201d across multiple floors.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption> An aerial view of graffiti spray painted by taggers on at least 27 stories of Oceanwide Plaza towers development <span class=\"credit\">Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>According to court records, prosecutors alleged the vandalism caused more than $70,000 in damage and offered a plea deal requiring the defendant to plead guilty to a felony, complete graffiti-removal work and pay restitution before potentially earning a reduction to a misdemeanor.<\/p>\n<p>The defendant rejected the offer, court records show.<\/p>\n<p>Verastegui later indicated she would reduce the case to misdemeanors and impose probation, community service and restitution over prosecutors\u2019 objections, according to court filings.<\/p>\n<p>A third case involved Giovanni Garcia, who was facing felony charges and had three prior serious felony convictions, commonly known as strikes.<\/p>\n<div class=\"single__inline-module inline-module inline-module--newsletter aligncenter inline-module--nypostbusinessunit aligncenter wp-block-nypost-editor-newsletter\" data-source-unit=\"Inline Newsletter Module Cali - Morning Report\">\n<div class=\"inline-module__inner\">\n<div class=\"inline-module__title-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"inline-module__unsubmitted-title-wrapper\">\n<h3 class=\"inline-module__title headline headline--combo-sm-md\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSign up for the California Morning Report newsletter\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<p class=\"inline-module__cta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCalifornia&#8217;s top news, sports and entertainment delivered to your inbox every day.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><h3 class=\"inline-module__title headline headline--combo-sm-md\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tThanks for signing up!\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Court records show prosecutors argued Garcia\u2019s criminal history warranted a substantially longer prison sentence than the one ultimately contemplated by the court.<\/p>\n<p>Verastegui dismissed the prior convictions and effectively resolved the case before it had been assigned to a trial judge, court records show.<\/p>\n<p>For Hochman, the dispute extends far beyond any individual defendant.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf we give an offer and a defendant doesn\u2019t want to accept the offer, that\u2019s certainly their right,\u201d Hochman said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut when a judge, without the full review of all the facts and the law, decides a much more lenient sentence or set of charges is appropriate without conducting a full hearing, and as importantly, without hearing from the victims of the crime, then we believe that judge is acting inappropriately.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In at least one case, prosecutors asked the California Court of Appeal to intervene and prevailed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur goal is to ensure that victims receive the full measure of justice based on the facts and law of every case,\u201d Hochman said.<\/p>\n<p>According to Hochman, the department where Verastegui serves has traditionally played a largely administrative role, assigning trial-ready cases to available courtrooms rather than resolving disputed criminal matters.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAlmost never do they go beyond the ministerial role of just assigning the cases out,\u201d Hochman said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are not going to let her unilaterally come up with resolutions that we believe completely undersell a case and do additional damage to victims.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Hochman argued that reducing charges in serious criminal cases can undermine deterrence and erode public confidence in the justice system.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnother important aspect of any prosecution is the message it sends to others thinking of engaging in similar crimes, that they will be held accountable and the consequences will be significant,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen a judge countermands that message without basing her order on a full grounding of the facts and the law, it does a disservice to the entire criminal justice system.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The District Attorney\u2019s Office maintains it is not challenging a judge\u2019s authority to disagree with prosecutors after conducting a full review of the facts and legal record.<\/p>\n<p>Rather, Hochman argues the department where Verastegui sits was never intended to function as a venue for resolving contested criminal cases before they are assigned to trial courts.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ll respect a judge\u2019s decision when they\u2019ve put in the work and reviewed the record,\u201d Hochman said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat we\u2019re objecting to is when that process isn\u2019t happening and defendants are receiving substantially reduced outcomes over the objections of prosecutors and victims.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Judge Verastegui and the Los Angeles Superior Court did not immediately respond to requests for comment.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- \u603b\u5bb9\u5668\uff1a\u6700\u5927\u5bbd908px Grid\u7d27\u51d1\u5e03\u5c40 -->\r\n<div style=\"display: grid; grid-template-columns: 728px 160px; gap:2px; width:908px; background:#eee; padding:2px;\">\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u901a\u680f\u9876\u90e8\uff1a\u6700\u5927\u6a2a\u5e45 908x258 \u8de8\u6574\u884c -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column:1\/-1; height:258px; background:#ff6b6b; display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n    <!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114307\" data-width=\"908\" data-height=\"258\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114307});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n  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<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman has escalated an extraordinary legal battle with a&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13191,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[349],"tags":[4135,12150,584,12149,1597,704,3689,5957,12153,12152,12151],"class_list":["post-13190","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-attorney","tag-disqualify","tag-district","tag-hochman","tag-judge","tag-moves","tag-nathan","tag-sentences","tag-soft","tag-verastegui","tag-yvette"],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/newspress-collage-wrh2316ne-1780956898303.jpg",1200,799,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/newspress-collage-wrh2316ne-1780956898303-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/newspress-collage-wrh2316ne-1780956898303-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/newspress-collage-wrh2316ne-1780956898303-768x511.jpg",640,426,true],"large":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/newspress-collage-wrh2316ne-1780956898303-1024x682.jpg",640,426,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/newspress-collage-wrh2316ne-1780956898303.jpg",1200,799,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/newspress-collage-wrh2316ne-1780956898303.jpg",1200,799,false],"covernews-slider-full":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/newspress-collage-wrh2316ne-1780956898303-1115x715.jpg",1115,715,true],"covernews-slider-center":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/newspress-collage-wrh2316ne-1780956898303-800x500.jpg",800,500,true],"covernews-featured":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/newspress-collage-wrh2316ne-1780956898303-1024x682.jpg",1024,682,true],"covernews-medium":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/newspress-collage-wrh2316ne-1780956898303-540x340.jpg",540,340,true],"covernews-medium-square":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/newspress-collage-wrh2316ne-1780956898303-400x250.jpg",400,250,true]},"author_info":{"display_name":"admin","author_link":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?author=1"},"category_info":"<a 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