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[LSNN] Interview with District Attorney Melanie Cromwell


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Interview with District Attorney Melanie Cromwell

 

BY SIMON CAHILL

 

 

Los Santos, SA - On 28th September 2021, Simon Cahill conducted an interview with District Attorney Melanie Cromwell. This is the written version of the interview which was held on air, in the LSNN studio.

 

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Simon Cahill and Melanie Cromwell in the studio

 

 

Simon Cahill: Ms. Cromwell, good evening and welcome to the studio.

 

Melanie Cromwell: Good evening; thank you for having me here tonight, Mr. Cahill.

 

Simon Cahill: It's a pleasure, Ms. Cromwell. Now, tonight is the first time you are our guest in the studio. However, there is a certain topic regarding your work, so I suggest to go straight for it, discuss it live on TV. Discuss is the wrong word, I am not really capable to discuss your work with you, but I hope you will tell your side of the story to our audience. The petition advocating for your resignation from your position of District Attorney. To shortly remind the citizens - LSPD GED officer behind the petition on District Attorney Melanie Cromwell; "There are 118 signatures so far, we want State-wide elections for the DA position", officer says. Let's hear it from you, what is this all about?

 

Melanie Cromwell: Well, to address the petition - let me just state that I don't hold any grudges against any person, who decided to sign it. People have the right to want change, I'm just disappointed in the fact that the information within that petition is false. Although officer Videla stated he didn't launch that petition in association with his employer, LSPD, we can see that most signatures are from police officers. In the past weeks or months, we've noticed a large amount of cases that were simply illegal, or unconstitutional - and I'm not talking about perpetrators, I'm talking about peace officers responsible for those cases. In fact, I had to release a memo to both the Police Department and the Sheriff's Department to address those issues. I've never dismissed a case to go easy on someone. Behind every dismissal, there was a reason. Either lack of evidence, or simply unconstitutional actions that led to the arrest. Another main issue in that petition is the case against V.B, who was a police officer. Obviously, I am not going back home, happy that I'm prosecuting a police officer who served our community for a long period of time. But I can't not charge him, just because he's a police officer. Everyone is treated equally. If that was any civilian who did that, and not a police officer, they'd have him in cuffs within seconds. So why the double standards? As the chief law enforcement officer in our county it's my job to ensure that everyone is treated fairly, no matter their place of employment or status. And although an appeal was filed, the Court agreed with me - he was found guilty on two out of the three charges. Another issue is the case of - if I remember correctly - Mr. Pisano, which supposedly also sparked that petition. I can't prosecute someone, if there's a section in the penal code literally shielding them from criminal liability in such a situation. Did I want to charge him for that murder? Of course. But I can't, if there's law saying I can't. The law in place is not my fault, it's been there since before I became the District Attorney. He was even found not guilty of leaving the scene of the self-defense shooting, which means he wouldn't have been found guilty on that murder, and I'm sure of that - you could even ask the judge, who presided over the case, if he'd find him guilty. I bet the answer is no. 

 

Simon Cahill: You are sometimes perceived as a prosecutor who is not particularly interested in maintaining a friendly relationship with LEOs. Based on your approach, strictly following certain ways and so on. I suppose it can be said that you come off and is considered as a strict prosecutor. Strict on law enforcement, that is, because you do not mind releasing well-known criminals back on the street. Don't get me wrong, I'm not commenting on your work, but I want to ask, isn't it better to be on the law enforcement side, instead of allowing people who have committed crimes back on the streets? 

 

Melanie Cromwell: It doesn't matter if you're a well-known criminal or not - the law guarantees you get a fair trial, no matter what. If I have close to zero evidence, then sure - I'll release them. It's not my job to collect the evidence, it's the job of law enforcement agencies like LSPD, LSSD. And I'm not here to be friends with officers, I'm here to make sure everyone is treated fairly. I don't want people to think I'm not prosecuting officers, because I'm friends with them. The only reason they don't like me, is because I won't prosecute cases that are bad. If I can't see someone's guilt from the case file I get, nor will the judge. And I won't pretend like I don't see illegal activity of officers. If they want to hate me for it, then so be it.

 

Simon Cahill: Now when all the attention and fingers are pointed at you, do you still feel like you've been doing the right thing?

 

Melanie Cromwell: I feel like I've been doing a good job, but people don't know about it, because of the misinformation around me. Nothing in that petition is true, it's as simple as that, but people believe it, because cancel culture is common nowadays. People hear one side, and they believe it. And I don't blame them for it, the cancel culture happens everywhere and people are used to it. As the District Attorney, I can't be fired, unless I engaged in corruption. Well, there are other reasons, but they do not apply, which means that petition will work, if I resign myself. But I won't do it, if people who signed it weren't given truthful information. Tonight, I will release my statement addressing all of those issues. I am not going to resign because of pressure that's put on me, that resulted from completely false accusations. 

 

Simon Cahill: How do you comment that some people from your office have signed the petition too? As per officer Vidala's words.

 

Melanie Cromwell: I don't really engage with employees in my office; they have their own supervisors. I feel like any signature on that petition that stemmed from the text behind it doesn't mean anything, as it consisted of false information. I obviously don't hold it against anyone, including my employees. I hope to get to know their names to ask them about their reasons behind signing it, but there will be no retaliation for signing it whatsoever. They have the right to sign anything they want, just like any other person.

 

Simon Cahill: If the information is false as you say, I suppose you feel even higher motivation to continue the good work you've spoken about? Do you feel personally affected by this, would you change something from tomorrow on, or maybe become even more strict?

 

Melanie Cromwell: I am obviously personally affected by this situation - it's not easy to deal with the pressure of people doing anything they can against you, based on something that is not even true. I've never taken a sick day, my social life is non-existent, and my life is my job. And for that to be put at risk because of false information and rumors, it just makes me sad. Especially since I informed both PD and SD that they can come to me, if they feel like my decisions are not fair. None of them came to me, none of them raised any issues. They don't want to resolve those issues, they just want to keep the drama train chugging, by attempting to destroy my career in the process. I'm fair to everyone and I wholeheartedly believe that what I'm doing is right. I won't change anything, unless someone actually comes to me and talks to me, wanting to make a change in what I do. It's not that hard, you don't need me to resign, you need to speak up, come to me, and talk the issues out with me. I'm open to having a conversation with anyone, about any issues.

 

Simon Cahill: I believe we have spoken about everything there is to be spoken about regarding the petition. Now can you tell us, who is Melanie Cromwell privately, away of work responsibilities?

 

Melanie Cromwell: Well, as I said - I sacrificed my social life for this job. I wake up, I go to work for the entire day, then I come back home. And right now, on top of that, I'm dealing with all the issues related to that petition. It's hard to describe your private life, if it's close to non-existent. My life is my work.

 

Simon Cahill: What motivated you to become a prosecutor, and what are the things you had to give up, if any, in order to achieve such a high position in the DA's Office?

 

Melanie Cromwell: It's hard to say what motivated me, really. For some people it's their parents, they're friends, and so on... But for me, it's really hard to say what pushed me there. I've wanted to be a prosecutor for as long as I remember, but I don't actually remember why. I was prosecutor in New York, then I was offered a position as Deputy District Attorney here, in Los Santos. I worked every single day, and eventually I became the District Attorney. Hard work is how I achieved that. 

 

Simon Cahill: You got held in contempt of court yesterday. Together with attorney C.R. You got escorted out of the court room, but then an intervention from a "powerful judge" came in, sources say. And then you got released. 

 

Melanie Cromwell: Correct. I was hold in contempt, because I defended the rights of the defendant. I know, it's ironic. Despite the fact that I did want the defendant, V. B, to be found guilty, I didn't want for that to happen because the judge violated his rights. It's all about fairness. The presiding magistrate wanted to disallow a crucial part of the trial to happen, and I spoke up about it - it wouldn't have been fair to V.B. As a result, I was arrested for contempt. Now, /the powerful judge/ didn't magically toss the contempt charge. He only got us released, which I can imagine happened because he saw what an enormous error the presiding magistrate did. I am currently appealing that contempt charge. In the previous interview with officer Videla mentioned that I'm suing the Court - that's nowhere near true. I'm appealing the decision in the court of appeals, it's not a lawsuit. 

 

Simon Cahill: What will happen if your petition gets denied? You will have the charge on your record?

 

Melanie Cromwell: Probably, yes. Well, it's a contempt of court charge, so it doesn't impact my duties. Nevertheless, I am more than confident that the charge will not stay on my record. Nor on C.R's record. 

 

Simon Cahill: Do you have something to add as we're approaching the end of this interview?

 

Melanie Cromwell: I just want to make one thing clear. Just because I mentioned unconstitutional arrests, or me prosecuting officers - it doesn't mean that I'm anti-LSPD, or anti-LSSD. I appreciate every officer out there, who's serving our community and even though you may have an opinion about me, it doesn't change the fact that I appreciate you. Even if you signed the petition, it doesn't impact my respect towards you. That's all I had to say, thank you.

 

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> Comments are enabled

 

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Username: APatriot4America

Comment: ''None of them came to me, none of them raised any issues. They don't want to resolve those issues, they just want to keep the drama train chugging, by attempting to destroy my career in the process. ''

 

This is a response from our DA? That they want to get a ''drama train chugging''? Do you know who wanted to keep the drama train chugging? The DA herself when she sued the Sheriff over a social media ordeal!!

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Username: womanlover17

Comment: i love her I wish she'd be my wife i spend every second of every day thinking about Cromwell god i wish she was mine i love women so much i love their smell, their voices and their sexy bodies please if you see this in the thousands of comments miss Cromwell let me be your man i love you so much i just want to nut all over my computer screen please i'd give you that private life you never knew you wanted please god

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