LOS ANGELES - Jonathan Hatami, the Los Angeles deputy district attorney known for convicting child killers in high-profile cases, including those of Gabriel Fernandez and Anthony Avalos, announced . 996 Following. Between 2013 and 2018 Hatami was the lead prosecutor for one of the most infamous child abuse cases in Los Angeles history, the torture and murder of Gabriel Fernandez. Hatami's father called the police and the FBI longing to find his sons. Social workers cited Dixons assessment that Anthony could continue to live at home. Striking hotel workers want her to stay away, City Section football: Schedule for season-opening games Aug. 17-18, Our family of four shared a cramped studio for 25 years. In 2013, the contractor earned $45.1 million from county taxpayers. I think that causes a major problem in a lot of these cases, Hatami said. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Both my kids know who he is and they're young.. Why couldn't he stay with them?. Meantime, four social welfare workers face charges for alleged failures to protect Gabriel. The world fell in love with Gabriel as their own. Thats a personnel issue, he said, and I wouldnt be at liberty to discuss that.. I'm not. Lomeli recited trial evidence that stuck with him the defendants bashing Gabriels teeth out with a bat and shooting BB pellets at him. While prosecuting Gabriels killers was emotionally draining for Hatami, knowing that hed successfully spoken for Gabriel and obtained some measure of justice for him was gratifying. Yet, his heart's desire was to be closer to his father. I hope you think about the pain you caused this child and that it tortures you, Lomeli said. Dark details of Gabriel's story come to light as a shadowy source from inside the DCFS suggests that his case wasn't handled properly. Four Things the Leftists Hope You Missed This Week, California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information, DA Who Prosecuted 8-Year-Old Gabriel Fernandez's Killers Tearfully Refuses to Comply With Gascon's Directives. Curing Burnout, Hustle Culture, and Toxic Productivity: Deep dive with lead prosecutor from Gabriel Hernandez case Jonathan Hatami SuperCharged Life with Dr. Judy Mental Health In this episode, Dr. Judy sat down with Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Jonathan Hatami, a remarkable man who inarguably has one of the most stressful and impactful . Jonathan Hatami gained national prominence as a prosecutor who worked on murder trials in connection with the killings of 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez and 10-year-old Anthony Avalos. Los Angeles County prosecutors argue Gabriel Fernandez was the victim of an eight-month . Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, $600,000 in stolen wine: Inside one of Californias biggest high-end alcohol heists, Anchorage mayor proposes sending homeless people to Los Angeles this winter, Commentary: George Kliavkoff and the new Pac-9 learn a hard lesson. Cousin, Gabriel Fernandez. Legal Statement. At the time she was assigned to Gabriel, she was approved by the board as a marriage and family therapist intern. 2:45 p.m.: This article was updated with additional comments from Garcia and details from the court hearing. Grisly child abuse case leads prosecutor to reveal he too was abused He died two days later.Meet the man who got justice for Gabriel (Jonathan Hatami) and the men who brought the story to our attention (Brian Knappenberger and Garrett Therolf). New District Attorney George Gascon is facing backlash for his extreme liberal policies, including ending cash bail andthe death penalty, as well as lessening charges against those accused of violent crimes-- includingchild rapists and murderers. Make snippets of Gabriel talking to create audio highlights to share with your friends or embed in related blog posts. Jennifer Garcia, left, Gabriels teacher who repeatedly reported signs of abuse, comforts Deputy Dist. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. I rarely say that.. Aguirre, said Hatami, was nothing more than a bully., 5. Here are five things to know about the disturbing case: 1. LA County Deputy DA Jonathan Hatami announces bid to unseat DA George He makes no apology for his emotion. Focus shifts to Gabriel's mother, Pearl, and the role she may have played in his death. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, $600,000 in stolen wine: Inside one of Californias biggest high-end alcohol heists, Anchorage mayor proposes sending homeless people to Los Angeles this winter, Commentary: George Kliavkoff and the new Pac-9 learn a hard lesson. Dixon testified that Hathaway Sycamores trainers instructed her that she could not make a call to the child abuse hotline without the authorization of a supervisor. She said she regularly witnessed the beatings and that her brother was forced to wear pink leggings and a pink shirt to school. DCFS released a statement after the documentary came out, saying theyve made major changes to their organization since Gabriels death, including hiring more than 3,500 workers and implementing a five-to-one ratio of supervisors to social workers. According to Ezequiels testimony, Gabriel was beaten daily and was forced to eat cat feces and cat litter. Veteran LA County prosecutor sues, says he was retaliated against for Instead of facing 62 years to life in prison without the possibility of parole, Smith would face a fraction of that time and could potentially be paroled. He told the jury that his mother and Aguirre allegedly focused their wrath on Gabriel and didnt abuse him, his brother or sister. Dixons counseling visits in Anthonys home began in February 2015 and ended in January 2016, according to case records. Pearl Fernandez was "violent, abusive and neglected her children even before she met Isauro. Since Gabriel died, there have been more casesof children who had cases open with DCFS when they were killed at their hands of their parents. The judge who rarely expresses opinions during sentencing hearings said such a gruesome case almost demands a comment.. Deputy District Attorney Jonathan Hatami began his closing argument for the penalty phase of trial by showing the jury panel autopsy photos of Gabriel's "head-to-toe" injuries, which a doctor, a nurse, a social worker, a sheriff's deputy and others working with child abuse victims had testified were the worst they had ever seen. Gabriels teacher said it was obvious to her as well as other school staffers the boy was allegedly living in an abusive home. Dixon testified that she did report an earlier allegation of possible sexual abuse by a person outside the home, and the investigation of that information was still pending when Gabriel was killed. L.A. housing costs nearly kept us there forever, L.A. looks to tighten rules for single-family homes in part of Santa Monica Mountains, Healing a shattered community: Monterey Park shooting survivors return to dance, Colorado River losing vast amounts of water due to warming climate, study finds, Bear takes a dip in Burbank backyard as Californias heat wave continues. Where is Jon Hatami Now? Prosecutor in Gabriel Fernandez Case Today Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. The sentencing phase is now underway. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Atty. Atty. on the case of 4-year-old Noah Cuatro, another Palmdale boy, who spent eight months before his death in the custody of his parents where he allegedly suffered abuse. Pearl Fernandez, 34, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in a Los Angeles courtroom, admitting that Gabriels death was intentional and involved torture, according to a release by the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office. He objected to any characterization of Aguirre as a victim, calling him "a bully and a coward" and argued that the "severity of the injuries, the enormity of the crime" outweighed any mitigating factors. The Tragic Case of Gabriel Fernandez. Hatami still keeps in contact with many of Gabriels family members, and as he continues to try these types of cases, Gabriel remains with him. Child Abuse Prosecutor Dedicated Child Victim Advocate. The Los Angeles Times reported in 2014 that according to grand jury testimony, Gabriels siblings said that Aguirre and Fernandez called Gabriel gay, punished him for playing with dolls and made him wear girls clothing to school. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. . Prosecutor on Gabriel Fernandez's Case, Jon Hatami, Says He Thinks of Hatami was one of two prosecutors in the trial of Isauro Aguirre and Pearl Fernandez, who were sentenced to death and life in prison without parole, respectively, for her 8-year-old son Gabriel . When Emily Carranza, Gabriels cousin, stood at the podium, Fernandez locked eyes with her. Jonathan Hatami gained national prominence as a prosecutor who worked on murder trials in connection with the killings of 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez and 10-year-old Anthony Avalos. Los Angeles County officials continued to enlist Hathaway Sycamores and Dixon for counseling services, according to DCFS records. "The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez" is Directed by award-winning documentarian Brian Knappenberger, the six-part documentary bares the horrific life and death of little Gabriel after repeated abuse by his mother Pearl Fernandez and her boyfriend Isauro Aguirre.The Los Angeles boy was found n. Snippets are a new As one of three members assigned to the LA County District Attorneys complex child abuse unit Deputy District Attorney Jon Hatami prosecutes the most heinous and heartbreaking cases that come into the office. And she told me to grab a rag, and we cleaned most of the blood that was on the floor.. Browse for Gabriel Fernandez interviews, guest appearances, and call-ins. According to news reports, the evidence and testimony in Aguirres trial left both court observers and jurors stunned sometimes gasping or sobbing at what they learned. When an unlikely group of misfits discovers a common enemy in the same ruthless yet superstitious politician, they plot a heist to exact revenge. . I asked him, Why did you lie? Deputy DA files lawsuit against LA DA George Gascn - FOX 11 Los Angeles "The letters he wrote, they break me because, you know, I feel that. Gabriels 34-year-old mother, Pearl Fernandez, is also charged with murder in the boys death. "I think everybody has to do their part," Hatami urged. There is growing support among the roughly 800 deputy district attorneys who work for Gascon to file a state bar complaint against him, ABC 7 reports. "Prison will never feel like home for Isauro Aguirre. So you see it and you're likeNo matter what they did to him, he wanted them to love him," Hatami said as he held back tears. I still probably think I want him to love me. Some sheriffs deputies who visited the familys home in the months before the death were also disciplined for their handling of the case. But the ongoing battle between the recently elected LA County DA George Gascn and longtime prosecutor Jonathan Hatami has taken on a . The two were subsequently indicted by a Los Angeles County grand jury. 4. Aguirre, 37, is on trial in L.A. Superior Court for murder in Gabriels May 2013 death. But after going on a walk and speaking with Gabriel, she came to doubt that account, she testified. LA DA George Gascon challenged by Jonathan Hatami - Fox News You can clip a small part of any file to share, add to playlist, and How the fallout from Gabriel Fernandez's harrowing murder inspired "And it seems like some people aren't doing their part. Why didnt you tell me? And he said, Because when I tell you, and that lady comes, I get hurt worse, Garcia said, adding it was apparent the child was referring to a social worker. L.A. housing costs nearly kept us there forever, L.A. looks to tighten rules for single-family homes in part of Santa Monica Mountains, Healing a shattered community: Monterey Park shooting survivors return to dance, Colorado River losing vast amounts of water due to warming climate, study finds, Bear takes a dip in Burbank backyard as Californias heat wave continues. In court papers filed in 2016, Deputy District Attorney Jonathan Hatami wrote of the "eight months of torture and abuse" Gabriel suffered, according to CBS News . The torture and murder of 10-year-old Anthony Avalos is heading to trial. In the highly-charged case of 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez, his mother Pearl Fernandez, and her boyfriend Isauro Aguirre could use these statements against Hatami to overturn their convictions on torture and murder . According to CBS News, Aguirres trial is expected to last between six to eight weeks. By pleading guilty, she avoided a trial in which prosecutors were expected to seek the death penalty a punishment that her defense attorney said wasnt appropriate given her low IQ. Deputy DA Jon Hatami, Credit: YouTube Screenshot. the. Market data provided by Factset. "You have a lot of these cases where I think there's a lot of tunnel vision with DCFS and they're just focused directly on reuniting the child with the abusive parents instead of looking at the child, taking every case on a case-by-case basis. At the end of the hearing Thursday, Superior Court Judge George G. Lomeli sentenced Fernandez, 34, to life in prison without parole and Aguirre, 37, to be executed for the 2013 torture killing of Fernandezs 8-year-old son abuse that the judge characterized as horrendous, inhumane and nothing short of evil. It was the worst abuse hed seen in nearly 20 years on the bench, he said, telling the defendants he hoped they woke up in the middle of the night plagued by their actions. A volunteer jail chaplain told the judge shed prayed and studied the Bible recently with Fernandez.
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