FACING TRIALS WITH EASE GANG PROSECUTOR WINS AWARD.Byline: KAREN MAESHIRO Staff Writer LANCASTER -- A Lancaster gang prosecutor who secured 11 first-degree murder convictions in seven cases since 2005 has been named Deputy District Attorney of the Year in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County. Benny Osorio prevailed in the trials while facing a relentless stream of difficulties, including witness problems and complex legal issues, said the Association of Deputy District Attorneys DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEYS. The Act of Congress of March 3, 1815, 2 Story L. U. S. 1530, authorizes and directs the district attorneys of the United States to appoint by warrant, an attorney as their substitute or deputy in all cases when necessary to sue or prosecute for the United of Los Angeles County. ``When we choose Deputy District Attorney of the Year, it's not a retirement award or an award for career achievement. It's an award for outstanding trial performance,'' said prosecutor Steven Lopez Steven Lopez (born November 9 1978) is a 2000 and 2004 Olympic gold medalist in Taekwondo at the Olympics. Personal Born November 9, 1978, Lopez is a 1997 graduate of Kempner High School in Sugar Land, Texas. , a member of the association's board. ``We look for someone who wins a big case, a Hail Mary Hail Mary: see Ave Maria. Hail Mary Latin Ave Maria Principal Roman Catholic prayer addressed to the Virgin Mary. It begins with the greetings spoken to Mary by the Archangel Gabriel and by her cousin Elizabeth in the Gospel of Luke: case that no one thought they would win, or we look at someone who does a series of difficult cases that would have wiped out a normal person. There are some people in the office who can go from tough trial to tough trial,'' Lopez said. Osorio is among about 1,000 prosecutors in Los Angeles County and is the first Lancaster prosecutor to get the award from the 700-member association. Osorio will receive the award at a dinner ceremony Oct. 19 at the Omni Hotel in Los Angeles. ``I'm delighted that I have been honored by my colleagues in this manner. However, my part of pursuing a case to justice is only part of the puzzle. The tireless efforts of the Sheriff's Department, courageous witnesses and support groups all contribute to the puzzle, and they deserve recognition every day,'' said Osorio, 40. The son of an architect and a mother who worked in a bank, Osorio was born in Barranquilla, Colombia, and immigrated with his family to Queens, N.Y., when he was 2. He obtained a bachelor's degree in political science and philosophy from Colgate University Colgate University Private university in Hamilton, N.Y. It was founded in 1819 as a Baptist-affiliated institution but became independent in 1928. It offers primarily a liberal arts curriculum for undergraduates, with some master's degree programs in arts and teaching. in Hamilton, N.Y., and his law degree from Georgetown University Law Center Also attended
He moved to Los Angeles in 1991 and was a law clerk law clerk n. A person, typically an attorney, employed as an assistant to a judge or another attorney, especially in order to gain legal experience. and studied for the bar before starting private practice in Beverly Hills Beverly Hills, city (1990 pop. 31,971), Los Angeles co., S Calif., completely surrounded by the city of Los Angeles; inc. 1914. The largely residential city is home to many motion-picture and television personalities. in late 1993. He then joined the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office in 1995. ``I had worked as a senior law clerk in the D.A.'s Office and really enjoyed working there,'' Osorio said. ``When I got the offer, I jumped at it right away.'' He joined the Hardcore Gang Division in 2002 and came to the Lancaster office in October 2004. Osorio was interested in working on gang cases after he worked as a clerk with the District Attorney's Office gang unit in Compton. ``It was challenging assignments. It had very difficult cases with complicated legal issues and also unique fact patterns involving difficult witnesses, gang witnesses,'' Osorio said. karen.maeshiro(at)dailynews.com (661) 267-5744 CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1 -- color -- ran in AV edition only) Prosecutor Benny Osorio prevailed in gang trials while facing difficulties, including witness problems and complex legal issues. (2 -- color in Verb 1. color in - add color to; "The child colored the drawings"; "Fall colored the trees"; "colorize black and white film" color, colorise, colorize, colour in, colourise, colourize, colour SAC edition only) ``My part of pursuing a case to justice is only part of the puzzle,'' Deputy District Attorney Benny Osorio says. Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer |
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