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Los Santos County District Attorney's Office - Faction Overview


Quicky
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Hey everyone,

 

My name is @Quicky and I was chosen to serve as the Los Santos County District Attorney. My friend @i dont wanna od in LA and I have decided that our activities will depend on the characters we interact with, other factions and the server's ecosystem. The purpose of this thread is to receive feedback and ideas from the community to help us shape the courts and criminal prosecutions into a system that players are willing to enter and interact with.

 

Given the current state of the courts, players will be allowed to entered either a plea of Guilty or a plea of No Contest. By entering a plea of No Contest, players who are arrested by law enforcement officials will be able to enter the system and interact with its people in much greater depth. Depending on the case the charges may be dismissed or modified based on the evidence and line of defense presented when a case is reviewed. A few weeks ago, I wrote a brief description of the current criminal justice system HERE.

 

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Although the District Attorney's Office is considered by the courts to be members of the executive and not the judicial branch, we mostly interact with the judiciary of San Andreas. The DA's Office is an independent entity in-character, but due to the out-of-character limitations we're bound with JSA and its leadership. The District Attorney’s Office prosecutes felony and misdemeanor offenses throughout Los Santos County and its unincorporated areas. We strive to provide the fullest, realistic and most in-depth experience when it comes to the criminal justice system and prosecutions. Our activities include reviewing and analyzing evidence and reports, conducting legal research, interviewing witnesses and conferring with other agencies for information and opinions. Our main objective is to modify this system so that all these activities and criminal trials can take place in game.

 

This is not a faction that will only accept "experts". We understand criminal law, civil law and criminal procedure are all very complicated and we clearly do not expect anyone interested in joining to be a fully-fledged lawyer. None of the people who have contributed to the creation and development of this system are law experts. We would like to see more players getting involved with the DA's Office and the court system as a whole. This is truly a learning experience for everyone.

 

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When I found out that LSRP was starting a GTAV RP server and moved over, I was very excited to find that most of the people I had previously worked with were willing to create and maintain a similar court system here. Thanks to my dear friend @mattmocz's contribution we managed to tick a lot of boxes in the span of a few weeks. The two core values that we always consider as we begin to set the foundation of a rather complex system are the importance of allowing someone to have their day in court and either appeal their criminal charges or file a civil suit and the idea of creating a pleasant environment for legal, criminal and civilian roleplayers.  We do not intend to create a group that will over-charge and prosecute players and thus hinder their character progression. Instead we wish to develop the basic arrest system that most communities have been using to far to introduce fresh ideas like diversion programs, plea negotiations, in-game trials, interact with other factions and create more opportunities for roleplay across the board.

Edited by Quicky
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DISTRICT ATTORNEY NATHANIEL COOPER
LOS SANTOS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE"For the People"
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Lookin' good boiz also really resfreshing to see that you're keeping things open to those who are interested, but not necessarily fully-versed in the law (as we've seen countless times before, this just ends up being pretty toxic).

 

I like the direction things appear to be going in, so good luck!

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Sal 

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17 minutes ago, Allegra said:

Lookin' good boiz also really resfreshing to see that you're keeping things open to those who are interested, but not necessarily fully-versed in the law (as we've seen countless times before, this just ends up being pretty toxic).

 

I like the direction things appear to be going in, so good luck!

 

This system we are trying to create has been previously accepted by players and we expect them to like the idea again. As much as some of us may enjoy this type of RP, I like to constantly remind my peers that this is a system designed for the greater server population. This is basically a machine that cannot function without its cogs. Given the nature of the the criminal acts most players perform, I expect the vast majority of criminal cases to be straightforward.  Just like any other faction we must put effort into training and educating potential candidates. I do,  however, agree that cases taken to the Court of Appeals could be more technical than what some players are used to. I trust that JSA leadership will take the necessary steps to ensure an effective and efficient system to process those cases appropriately.

Edited by Quicky



DISTRICT ATTORNEY NATHANIEL COOPER
LOS SANTOS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE"For the People"
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35 minutes ago, Florida said:

What are the plans for reviewing probable cause arrest affidavits? Will this only be done if somebody fights their case in court?

 

Law Enforcement Agencies will be free to submit their affidavits to a judge or magistrate for review. The court officer who receives the warrant must review it for legal and factual sufficiency. There is currently no form of prosecutorial review in the issuance of an arrest/search warrant because we understand that LEO factions need this process to be effective and efficient and have their requests handled in a timely manner for a variety of reasons. If the warrant is invalid or the standard of probable cause is not discharged, the judge will most definitely deny it.

 

We are open to the idea of having prosecutors advise officers on affidavit writing, reviewing warrants before those are presented to a judge, or even filing a warrant on an officer's behalf in complex cases, but this choice rests with LEO factions. Since we don't charge with indictments, you will be allowed to argue the discharge of probable cause in preliminary hearings and present your line of defense in a proper trial.



DISTRICT ATTORNEY NATHANIEL COOPER
LOS SANTOS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE"For the People"
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4 hours ago, Quicky said:

 

Law Enforcement Agencies will be free to submit their affidavits to a judge or magistrate for review. The court officer who receives the warrant must review it for legal and factual sufficiency. There is currently no form of prosecutorial review in the issuance of an arrest/search warrant because we understand that LEO factions need this process to be effective and efficient and have their requests handled in a timely manner for a variety of reasons. If the warrant is invalid or the standard of probable cause is not discharged, the judge will most definitely deny it.

 

We are open to the idea of having prosecutors advise officers on affidavit writing, reviewing warrants before those are presented to a judge, or even filing a warrant on an officer's behalf in complex cases, but this choice rests with LEO factions. Since we don't charge with indictments, you will be allowed to argue the discharge of probable cause in preliminary hearings and present your line of defense in a proper trial.

 

So the main responsibility of the DA's office is being done by Law Enforcement groups?

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18 minutes ago, Florida said:

 

So the main responsibility of the DA's office is being done by Law Enforcement groups?

 

Not at all. What you're referring to is part of the investigation phase and we do not wish to be involved in police investigations. Prosecutors are responsible for principal proceedings before and after the commencement of trial.

 



DISTRICT ATTORNEY NATHANIEL COOPER
LOS SANTOS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE"For the People"
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8 minutes ago, Quicky said:

Not at all. What you're referring to is part of the investigation phase and we do not wish to be involved in police investigations. Prosecutors are responsible for principal proceedings before and after the commencement of trial.

 

Search warrants shouldn't be approved by Law Enforcement. If cops can just approve their own warrants then why would they even ask for one when they can just give themselves the power to do it. The point of the DA is a separate party to review the probable cause the PD has to see if it is sufficient.

 

When I say arrest affidavits I'm not talking about warrants. I'm saying if John_Doe gets arrested for assault, will the DA review the Officers probable cause at any point in the arrest process?

 

The point I'm making is the DA is supposed to help the players. But if their only interaction is after they get arrested, and now the DA's prosecutor is sided WITH the police because they're a county/state prosecutor, what is the point?

 

The DA should serve as a buffer between the players and law enforcement, so if they get arrested on bad probable cause they can get the charges dropped before it even hits a court room. This is where the DA can get creative with case law and other amendment applications.

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32 minutes ago, Florida said:

 

Search warrants shouldn't be approved by Law Enforcement. If cops can just approve their own warrants then why would they even ask for one when they can just give themselves the power to do it. The point of the DA is a separate party to review the probable cause the PD has to see if it is sufficient.

 

When I say arrest affidavits I'm not talking about warrants. I'm saying if John_Doe gets arrested for assault, will the DA review the Officers probable cause at any point in the arrest process?

 

The point I'm making is the DA is supposed to help the players. But if their only interaction is after they get arrested, and now the DA's prosecutor is sided WITH the police because they're a county/state prosecutor, what is the point?

 

The DA should serve as a buffer between the players and law enforcement, so if they get arrested on bad probable cause they can get the charges dropped before it even hits a court room. This is where the DA can get creative with case law and other amendment applications.

 

Like I explained, the DA will only be involved if you enter a plea of no contest and choose to contest your charges after Law Enforcement officials effect the arrest. It is currently impossible to review every arrest, nor is it something server administration wants. The DA will only review your charges if you decide to contest them and if those are found to be unwarranted, they will be dropped. The prosecutor assigned to your case will dissect the statutory elements of each charge and "get creative with case law".

 

I don't consider the DA to be a buffer between law enforcement and the players because I don't think those parties stand on opposing sides. However, we do intend to implement conviction integrity programs and help those who have been wrongfully convicted to file the appropriate writs in order to remedy those false charges.

 

In summary, we intend to do all of the above, but only if the defendant enters a plea of no contest or if the convicted person seeks remedy and makes solid claims of actual innocence.

Edited by Quicky



DISTRICT ATTORNEY NATHANIEL COOPER
LOS SANTOS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE"For the People"
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3 minutes ago, Florida said:

Will the DA support adding a bail system so players don't have to sit in jail indefinitely or serve their entire sentence if they plan to plea no content or not guilty?

 

We have already created internal policies for bail recommendations, pretrial release and diversion programs, but this decision can be made by JSA leadership. It is an idea I fully support, but I don't think it would make a noticeable difference. As it stands murder is the criminal offense with the most severe penalty (8 hours). It would take that much time, if not more, to receive your case, review it, file charges, recommend your pretrial release, and wait for a judge to process all that. However, I will revisit this topic and discuss this matter further with JSA leadership.



DISTRICT ATTORNEY NATHANIEL COOPER
LOS SANTOS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE"For the People"
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3 minutes ago, Quicky said:

It would take that much time, if not more, to receive your case, review it, file charges, recommend your pretrial release, and wait for a judge to process all that.

 

Yea that's my main point. The only time the DA helps the player is if they fight their case, but doing so means you are just going to sit in jail and wait way way longer.

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1 minute ago, Florida said:

 

Yea that's my main point. The only time the DA helps the player is if they fight their case, but doing so means you are just going to sit in jail and wait way way longer.

 

They wouldn't sit and wait longer because regardless of the plea one enters, the sentence remains the same and must be served. Hence, we decided to avoid a plea of not guilty which would require the defendant to stay in jail indefinitely pending the trial commencement.



DISTRICT ATTORNEY NATHANIEL COOPER
LOS SANTOS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE"For the People"
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22 hours ago, GamerX27 said:

Hope you create a Bureau of Investigation division, sworn LEOs. 

 

It sounds like a cool idea, but it could lead to jurisdictional conflicts. Moreover, I don't think the volume of work and investigative need will ever grow to the point that prosecutors cannot collect the necessary evidence either themselves (witness depositions) or with the help of peace officers (contraband, video footage, etc.). It would be more effective and efficient to use liaisons than to turn the DA's office into an investigative faction which is not what intend to do.

 

In any case, we should prioritize the server's needs and creating another LEO faction is not one of them. If the justice system is flooded with players, we could still try a different approach and ask our liaisons to help with certain cases similar to the "DA squads" police departments use by forming teams of officers to help prosecuting agencies that operate in a small geographical area.



DISTRICT ATTORNEY NATHANIEL COOPER
LOS SANTOS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE"For the People"
VVtNi9h.png

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