Gascón advisor, LA prosecutor Diana Teran denies felony charges as arraignment is postponed

The attorney for a lead Los Angeles County prosecutor facing 11 felony charges in connection with alleged misuse of confidential police records argued Monday that no crime has been committed.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed the charges against Diana Teran in late April, alleging she misused records she accessed while working at the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department once she was employed at the LA County District Attorney's Office. She obtained the files in 2018 while at the Sheriff's Department, where she advised department officials on personnel investigations and disciplinary actions regarding issues such as in-custody deaths and police shootings. 

Her attorney, James Spertus, denied the accusations when she was first charged. On Monday, he again refuted the state's case and said the case will end up getting dismissed as he spoke outside the Los Angeles Superior Court where she appeared. 

When reached for comment, the California Attorney General's office said it will respond to the allegations with a pleading in court to be filed July 10.

Teran's scheduled arraignment on Monday was postponed after prosecutors asked for more time to review the latest court filing from Spertus, a demurrer which asserts that the records Teran accessed were public record and she did not commit a crime.

Judge Susan J. De Witt scheduled Teran's next court appearance for July 17.

"Unfortunately, I anticipate more delay tactics between now and then," Spertus said outside the court. "The sooner the court hears the demurrer, the sooner the case will be dismissed. It doesn't charges a crime."

When Attorney General Rob Bonta first announced the charges, his office released a statement in which he said the charges were filed following an "extensive investigation." 

"No one is above the law," Bonta said in the statement.

"Public officials are called to serve the people and the State of California with integrity and honesty," Bonta said. "At the California Department of Justice, we will continue to fight for the people of California and hold those who break the law accountable."  

De Witt said the court would also have to delay a hearing in the case to allow time to review the latest filing from Spertus.