3-23-2023 11:35am

United States Attorney Martin Estrada Founds New Executive Position to Manage Ethics and Post-Conviction Reviews

Anita Johnson-Brown Editor

LOS ANGELES – The United States Attorney's Office of the Central District of California has announced an executive position to provide ethical oversight and review post-conviction issues. As a part of this new initiative, the office is establishing a committee to evaluate claims made by defendants already convicted in the Central District.

The Chief of Ethics and Post-Conviction Review will be responsible for managing the work of ethics and professional responsibility officers, coordinating prosecutorial misconduct investigations, leading training and development activities, and considering requests for pardons or commutations. The US Attorney will directly oversee this individual's activity. The Central District of California is setting up a Conviction Integrity Committee to review and evaluate claims of factual innocence brought by defendants who were convicted within the district.

The committee, chaired by the Chief of Ethics and Post-Conviction Review, consists of the United States Attorney, the First Assistant United States Attorney, and the Executive Assistant United States Attorney. This process has been modeled on committees that have already been set up in other prosecutorial agencies throughout the country, including the Southern District of New York's U.S. Attorney's Office.“Our foremost duty as federal prosecutors is to achieve justice. Therefore, while we will continue to do everything in our power to protect the public and uphold the rule of law, we will also do all we can to ensure the integrity of our convictions, as well as the fairness of sentences,” Mr. Estrada said. “Transparency in the criminal justice system is important.

We take seriously any claim that an individual may have been wrongfully convicted. To that end, we will thoroughly review and investigate, if necessary, each case for which such allegations are made. Our commitment is to pursue justice in every case. “The work of the Conviction Integrity Committee also will serve as an opportunity for my office to continually review our work as prosecutors and will buttress all of the policies and procedures designed to prevent wrongful convictions.” The Innocence Claim Committee has announced that an application has been made available for the submission of innocence claims.United States Attorney’s Office website.

The distinguished position of Chief of Ethics and Post-Conviction Review will be filled by Ms. Allison L. Westfahl Kong, Assistant United States Attorney for 10 years, and the chair of the Conviction Integrity Committee. Most recently serving as the Chief of Trials, Integrity, and Professionalism, this new role will expand her responsibilities to include a post-conviction review in order to ensure fair treatment at each stage of the criminal justice system.

"Allison is undoubtedly a pillar within our legal community," stated Mr. Estrada. "Her experience and attention to detail will make her an invaluable asset in ensuring success in such an important position."

By Anita Johnson-Brown