Carmen Trutanich

The race to become Los Angeles County's top prosecutor took final shape Wednesday in what promises to be an election dogfight, with one candidate announcing plans to sue to prevent L.A. City Atty. Carmen Trutanich from calling himself "chief prosecutor" on the June ballot. With Wednesday's deadline up for would-be district attorney candidates, the field is set for Trutanich and five county prosecutors to battle for the chance to run the most powerful office in the county's criminal justice system — one responsible for prosecuting roughly 60,000 felony cases a year, including murders, rapes and robberies.

The California attorney general's office announced Thursday that it would take no further action in response to a request by Los Angeles City Atty. Carmen Trutanich to investigate what he called "suspicious political activity" in the district attorney's office. Trutanich asked for an investigation last week after a Times story noted that his district attorney's personnel file from his days as a young county prosecutor during the 1980s was missing. "Our office has reviewed this matter and determined that no further action is warranted at this time," Atty.

Wading into a divisive, politically charged debate, Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck said Wednesday that California should issue driver's licenses to illegal immigrants. The chief becomes one of the most prominent local figures to support the idea that state lawmakers have battled over repeatedly in the last 15 years. And Beck's stance is certain to further inflame critics who are already angry at the chief for his efforts to liberalize rules on how his officers impound the cars of unlicensed drivers.

The allegation was serious: Someone might be playing politics with Los Angeles City Atty. Carmen Trutanich's personnel file from his days as a county prosecutor. Trutanich, who is campaigning to become the next district attorney, complained to state authorities last week that his file was missing and asked for an investigation into "suspicious political activity" in the district attorney's office. In his letter to the attorney general's office, Trutanich noted that Los Angeles County Dist.

The newest slumlord in Los Angeles is a pillar of German capitalism. Earlier this month, the city attorney's office filed suit against Deutsche Bank, the world's fourth-largest bank, for letting many of the more than 2,000 L.A. homes it has foreclosed on descend into squalor and decay. A yearlong city investigation of the properties on which Deutsche Bank foreclosed turned up tenants compelled to live in crumbling apartments the bank would not fix, houses taken over by gangs, faucets from which water either wouldn't flow or wouldn't stop, and the occasional unidentified dead body.

Los Angeles has sued nine medical marijuana dispensaries to force them to close immediately and permanently, even as more boldly open throughout the city, often in prominent locations. With hundreds of dispensaries in L.A., City Atty. Carmen Trutanich decided to target those within 600 feet of a school, a violation of state law. The city is seeking civil penalties of up to $5,000 a day if the dispensaries defy the lawsuits and remain open. "These are the ones that have been brought to our attention.

Five of six candidates running for Los Angeles County district attorney squared off Wednesday at a forum hosted by The Times, with several outlining visions for the office that go beyond imprisoning hardened criminals to include reform of the justice system. The candidates' forum - the first attended by City Atty. Carmen Trutanich, who leads the pack in fundraising - saw barbs traded over government transparency, prosecutor morale and whether California should end capital punishment.

SACRAMENTO — Politicians utter thousands of words — in speeches, debates, advertisements — but the most important may be the handful they use on the ballot to describe their day jobs. Those three or so words may never have been as critical as they are this year in California. That's especially true for candidates not as well known as, say, Jerry Brown, who ran for governor as the state's attorney general two years ago, or Arnold Schwarzenegger, whose ballot designation in the 2003 recall race was "actor/businessman.

Today, I'd like to introduce you to several citizens who could spend a year in jail, on your dime, for the crime of staging protests. But first, the back story: On Feb. 11, The Times reported that L.A. City Atty. Carmen Trutanich intended to get tough with dozens of protesters who've committed civil disobedience in the service of one cause or another and possibly lock them up. I innocently questioned the wisdom of this in a posting on The Times' website, under a headline that read: "Is Carmen Trutanich L.A.'s Hosni Mubarak?"

The allegation was serious: Someone might be playing politics with Los Angeles City Atty. Carmen Trutanich's personnel file from his days as a county prosecutor. Trutanich, who is campaigning to become the next district attorney, complained to state authorities last week that his file was missing and asked for an investigation into "suspicious political activity" in the district attorney's office. In his letter to the attorney general's office, Trutanich noted that Los Angeles County Dist.

In an office of 1,000 trial lawyers, many of whom can be temperamental and self-centered, Jackie Lacey looks and acts like the adult in the room. It's her best asset as a candidate. Is it also her worst liability? Lacey, 55, is the chief deputy to Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley , and her task in the campaign to succeed him is to demonstrate that she has an agenda, a style and a mind of her own. Like Cooley, though, she has a low-key personality. She exhibits a certain gravitas - but also a lack, on first glance, of passion.

Alan Jackson is, at 46, the youngest of the six candidates for Los Angeles County district attorney. But he's tried his share of high-profile cases, including the successful prosecution of music icon Phil Spector, and that in turn has helped to elevate his profile. For name recognition he can't match Los Angeles City Atty.  Carmen Trutanich, and some voters may still confuse him with the country music star of the same name, but Jackson has worked hard to distinguish himself from the rest of the pack.

The Los Angeles City Council voted Wednesday to seek a speed limit for skateboarders and penalize them for failing to follow a range of traffic rules, from stopping at stop signs to yielding to pedestrians. On a 12 to 0 vote, the council instructed City Atty. Carmen Trutanich to draft an ordinance that would prohibit "unsafe" skateboard activity and limit riders to a speed of 25 mph. The proposal was initiated by Councilman Joe Buscaino, who described it as a response to the death of two skateboarders over the last year.

Five of six candidates running for Los Angeles County district attorney squared off Wednesday at a forum hosted by The Times, with several outlining visions for the office that go beyond imprisoning hardened criminals to include reform of the justice system. The candidates' forum - the first attended by City Atty. Carmen Trutanich, who leads the pack in fundraising - saw barbs traded over government transparency, prosecutor morale and whether California should end capital punishment.

An initiative to ban the death penalty in California qualified for the November ballot on Monday. Organizers are now urging district attorneys not to seek the death penalty at least until the Nov. 6 vote. Meanwhile, voters can see and hear the candidates for Los Angeles County district attorney discuss the issue -- and the field is split. Candidates' made their statements  on a page unveiled Wednesday by The Times' editorial board. Bobby Grace and Danette Meyers said they would be willing to see the death penalty go, given how hard it is to actually get to an execution in California.

SACRAMENTO — Politicians utter thousands of words — in speeches, debates, advertisements — but the most important may be the handful they use on the ballot to describe their day jobs. Those three or so words may never have been as critical as they are this year in California. That's especially true for candidates not as well known as, say, Jerry Brown, who ran for governor as the state's attorney general two years ago, or Arnold Schwarzenegger, whose ballot designation in the 2003 recall race was "actor/businessman.

Just don't block traffic Re "Political protesters may face jail time in L.A. " Feb. 11 Protesters have the right to march on sidewalks and public places so long as they do not block traffic or cause a public nuisance. The protesters in your article knew they were doing something against the law. Why are they now alarmed at the consequences? I am personally irritated when protesters block traffic for hours on Wilshire Boulevard. Why can't they get a permit and do it lawfully?

Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca admitted Friday that he broke state law by making a political endorsement while in uniform for an online campaign ad touting Los Angeles City Atty. Carmen Trutanich for district attorney. Baca's acknowledgment came after inquiries from The Times about a video on Trutanich's campaign website that shows Baca wearing his badge and his department-issued sheriff's uniform. Although state law does allow sheriffs and other law enforcement officers to make political endorsements, they are not allowed to do so while in uniform.

A judge on Monday described City Atty. Carmen Trutanich's attempt to call himself "Los Angeles chief prosecutor" on the June election ballot as "misleading," ruling that he cannot use either of his favored ballot titles in his bid for district attorney. The ruling sided with one of Trutanich's main rivals in the race for district attorney, Alan Jackson, who filed a legal challenge claiming the city attorney was trying to "create confusion" with his ballot titles. "This guy is a pathological liar," said Jackson's political strategist, John Thomas, after the hearing.

In a new escalation of the controversy over Los Angeles Fire Department response times, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's top lawyer accused the city attorney's office Thursday of improperly advising fire officials to keep some performance data secret. Brian Currey, the mayor's chief counsel, accused City Atty. Carmen Trutanich's office of blocking the release of detailed data showing how quickly firefighters arrive at emergencies. Among other things, Currey complained that the city's lawyers warned fire officials that they could face criminal charges for disclosing information that has been routinely distributed in the past, including the locations of emergencies.