John Van de Kamp (February 7, 1936 - March 14, 2017) is an American politician. He served as Los Angeles County District Attorney from 1975 to 1981, and then as the 28th General Attorney from California from 1983 to 1991.
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John Kalar Van de Kamp was born on February 7, 1936. He graduated from Dartmouth College and from Stanford Law School in 1959. He served as assistant US Attorney and later became the first federal public defender in Los Angeles. He was appointed District Attorney after a former petahana died at the office.
Maps John Van de Kamp
Los Angeles County District Attorney
During his tenure as Los Angeles County District Attorney, Van de Kamp dramatically increased the number of female prosecutors in the office. He also created a special unit to focus on gangs, sexual violence, domestic violence, child abuse, and career criminals, and units to monitor crime in the entertainment industry. He arranged a program to help victims and witnesses, as well as rapid response teams in shootings involving police officers.
Van de Kamp was criticized for handling the Hillside Strangler case in his office. In particular, the case against defendant Angelo Buono was largely based on the testimony of the accused together, Kenneth Bianchi, who became uncooperative and unreliable, claiming to have multiple personalities and repeatedly changing his story. Van de Kamp was convinced by the prosecutor that because of Bianchi's behavior, Buono's beliefs could not be secured. Van de Kamp accepts their judgment and allows the prosecutor, Roger Kelly, to move to dismiss all 10 counts of murder against Buono and release him with the intention of trying him to be an accomplice.
The judge in this case, Ronald M. George, however, felt enough evidence existed against Buono to justify proceeding to the court, and George took the unconventional step of denying the movement to dismiss. Van de Kamp then declared a conflict of interest in relation to his office continuing the prosecution, because his office had come to the conclusion that they could not win the case. Judge George accepted the conflict and handed back the case, transferring it to the California Attorney General's office under George Deukmejian. Prosecutors from the Attorney General's Office were able to resolve the issue with Bianchi's behavior, and proceeded to secure confidence in nine out of 10 lifelong allegations and sentences against Buono.
The trial was so long before it finally ended, Deukmejian had left his post (elected as Governor of California), and had been replaced as the California Attorney General by Van de Kamp himself. Thus, ironically, it was an office led by Van de Kamp who had declared the case against Buono unbreakable, and another office led by Van de Kamp who completed the victory of the case. The first decision, succumbing to the assassination on Buono's allegations, was used against Van de Kamp in later political campaigns to describe it as "malleable to crime".
California Attorney General
During Van de Kamp's reign as California Attorney General, he helped create the Public Rights Division, which focused on enforcing environmental protection, consumer protection, anti-trust, and civil rights. He also helped to modernize the Justice Department by initiating support for DNA forensic investigations. He was re-elected in 1986.
In 1987, Van De Kamp did not succeed in leading the State's accusation against pornography by defending the pandering beliefs of adult filmmaker Harold Freeman. In the end, the California State Supreme Court overruled Freeman's conviction. Van De Kamp appealed to the United States Supreme Court, which refused to hear the case, thus effectively legalizing adult film production.
In 1989, George Deukmejian announced that he would not seek a third term as Governor of California. Van de Kamp ran for office in 1990, hoping to replace Deukmejian for the second time, but he lost the Democratic primary election to Dianne Feinstein.
Post-politics
After losing to Feinstein, Van de Kamp retired from politics and with his wife back to his hometown in Pasadena, California, where they stayed until his death in March 2017. After leaving public office, Van de Kamp enters into private law practice and remains active in the cause environment.
Van de Kamp was elected the 80th president of the State Bar of California for 2004-2005. He also serves as president of the board of directors for the League of Planning and Conservation.
At the age of 81, Van de Kamp died at Pasadena's home on March 14, 2017.
Personal life
Van de Kamp graduated from John Muir High School in Pasadena, California.
The Van de Kamp family is also famous for its bakery and Lawry Restaurant in Southern California.
References
External links
- The Attorney General's Office
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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