LOS ANGELES – A protest outside Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey‘s Granada Hills home early Monday was punctuated by the appearance of Lacey’s husband, who was caught on video pointing a handgun out the front door and ordering the group to leave his property.
Los Angeles police said officers were sent to the 17900 block of Mayerling Street at 5:45 a.m. Monday, March 2. No arrests or injuries were reported.
Members of Black Lives Matter who took part in the protest immediately condemned the actions of David Lacey. Activist Jasmyne Cannick posted the video online and circulated links to it via email to local media outlets. Black Lives Matter has repeatedly protested against Jackie Lacey, criticizing her for what they see as a failure to hold law enforcement officers accountable for shootings of black suspects, and accusing her of failing to meet with them to discuss the issue.
Jackie Lacey, responding at an emotional late-morning news conference, said her husband acted out of fear and is “profoundly sorry” for his actions. But she said she has been repeatedly threatened and harassed at public appearances while serving as district attorney, and she believes Black Lives Matter is more interested in trying to embarrass her than have a productive conversation about issues.
“Up until now, I have not really wanted to share with you what it’s been like, but I think it’s time, because there’s a bigger purpose here,” Lacey said. “As district attorney of L.A. County, I have received threats, some of them death threats. I have been followed, photographed while with my family, confronted at an art museum, confronted at fundraisers and even at endorsement interviews I’ve had people crash them and videotape me. And all of this is because I chose to do my job. I’m a human being. I’m a public servant. I’ve dedicated my life to the profession that stands up for victims of violent crime and I’m not ashamed of that.
“… Believe it or not the Laceys are private people,” she said. “We expect people (to) exercise their First Amendment rights, but our home is our sanctuary, and I do not believe it is fair or right for protesters to show up at the homes of people who dedicate their lives to public service.”
Lacey said she has offered to meet with members of Black Lives Matter in the past, but “I felt it should be either one-on-one or a small group. They have rejected those offers. It seems like what they like is to embarrass me and intimidate me. My hope is that one day that might change, that maybe — just maybe — … that someone will want to sit down and have a conversation that’s productive.”
Lacey said her husband’s actions Monday morning were “in fear,” and he “wanted me to say to the protesters, the person that he showed the gun to, that he was sorry, he’s profoundly sorry, that he meant no one any harm. … We really didn’t know what was about to happen. I too am sorry if anybody was harmed. It’s never my intent to harm any protesters. I just want to live in peace and do my job.”
Cannick, who posted the video online, wrote on her Twitter page that Lacey’s husband “pulled a gun out on Black Lives Matter activists who protested his wife in front of their house.”
“For clarity for folks outside of Los Angeles who don’t know the history, @BLMLA (Black Lives Matter Los Angeles) has been trying to meet with their elected District Attorney for years. She hasn’t met with the Black community since 2016,” Cannick tweeted.
David Lacey is heard on the video ordering protesters off of his porch, as he points the gun out the front door. A protesters can be heard asking to see Jackie Lacey, prompting her husband to again order the group off of his property.
Lacey, the county’s first black and first woman district attorney, is in a tight race for reelection during Tuesday’s primary. Her main challenge is coming from former San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon.
#BREAKING This morning Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey’s husband pulled a gun out on Black Lives Matter activists who protested his wife in front of their house. @BLMLA pic.twitter.com/wnCFMMvaWV
— Jasmyne Cannick (@Jasmyne) March 2, 2020
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Protester says
Lacey’s husband pulled a gun on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) employees?
Sixto says
The conversation is of Black Lives Matter, (BLM). Get with the program Protester.
Bob says
Hubby broke the law when he brandished a weapon.
Must be a Democrat as they are the only ones who can avoid arrest by apologizing
Bob says
Oops I’m told she’s a Republican!
joe klecko says
Jackie Lacey, 55, is a Democrat and would be the first woman and first African American to hold the office. Soft-spoken and low-key, she once planned to be a grade school teacher. Yet the two sprang from similar backgrounds, raised by hardworking, blue collar parents with little formal education.
Daniel says
Maybe he thought they were homeless people that were going to rob him. Rex advises shooting homeless people if they try to rob you.
Scott says
Could be Daniel. Rex probably told her about his plan to tell people to carry guns without permits and to shoot the homelessness if they rob you at the fundraising dinner he hosted for her.
Alexis says
No, that didn’t happen Scott. You must be a family member of A.V. Observer that delights in trying to plant the seed of falsehood. It isn’t true unless facts are presented. So, once again, no to Daniel and Scott, and AV Observer. BTW Parris can endorse whomever he pleases, just like any other elected official, or any citizen. Suspicious minds think alike.
Ron says
Time For Black Life’s Matter to Splatter.
AV Observer says
She’s another one with ties to Rex. Baca, Lacey, Shepos.
Birds of a feather they say.
Alexis says
AV Observer: You can thank Jackie Lacey and her conviction review unit for getting Raymond Lee Jennings out of prison. Yes, her own words were for his release along with the judge.
AV Observer says
Alexis she had no choice. The case against him was trumped up by Rex. His manipulative power point that got the civil lawsuit conviction was used in the third criminal case. It was typical and pure Rex BS.
Alexis says
She did have a choice, and I am thankful she and her conviction review unit did what they did to get him out of prison. Someone else is being investigated and rightly so. Rex will one day answer for his part, whether in this life or beyond. Jackie Lacey did the right thing, and I know she doesn’t answer to Rex Parris.
Alexis says
She did have a choice, and she made the right choice. I am thankful she did this with integrity.
Alexis says
She’s a Democrat, and doesn’t answer to Rex like you say.
AV Observer says
Nice try Alexis. I guess you weren’t on the invite list to Rex’s fundraising bash for Lacey when she ran the first time. Money talks, BS walks. Rex owns her lock, stock, and barrel, just like he owns so many judges in this corrupt Lancaster.
Your naivete is refreshing in some ways.
Alexis says
Nice try, Observer. I am aware of the many, many donors. endorsements, including Rex Parris, That would be 2012. She does not answer to those that endorse her, she answers to those that elect her. Not every one is on the take or is Rex’s puppet like you think. Without facts it is your opinion only. I think it is shameful that you and others on here freely smear elected officials. If the voters don’t like what an official is doing for them, they can vote them out.
AV Observer says
Alexis, you are clueless of the ways of Rex. Unlike his diehard supporters, you are not culpable because you cannot comprehend his power as they do. But you are majestically clueless.
Alexis says
AV Observer: Majestically clueless; I like that! I have never voted for Parris, because I’ve known who he is for a very long time. I choose not to let him and what he does or doesn’t do invade my thought process. We are all going to have to answer to our Maker one day, whether we think so or not. I will continue to show respect for the elected politicians, even when I don’t like their methods.
AV Observer says
I cannot and will not respect an elected official who continually lies, sends out racist hit mailers calling an African American candidate a ‘gang candidate’, suggests that citizens carry guns illegally and shoot homeless people if they rob you, attempts to sneak Chinese birth tourism by the citizens, wastes tens of millions of dollars on failed pet projects that make his contributors rich, and ruins the reputations of good people with trumped up charges.
Alexis says
AV Observer: I don’t respect what he does, but I will continue to show respect to elected officials. It is beyond my comprehension, why after all he has done, voters can’t be bothered to show up to vote him out of office, which is four terms. 11.2% percent voter turnout is pathetic, so keep complaining about Rex, which isn’t going to do you any good except ruin your health. Rex could be your mayor once again if voters don’t bother to show up at the polls.
Dauntless says
I’d like to see a conversation about those child-murdering social workers in the Gabriel Fernandez case!! Those criminal workers need to be charged!! Government entities protecting other government, criminal, employees!!!
Sixto says
You’re on the wrong page, Honey.
REALITY! says
Instead of blaming social workers who are overworked, why don’t you point the finger back at these scumbag people like Pearl Fernandez who clearly had children they weren’t capable of taking care of ? Oh, wait? These scumbags have children because it means that they get more $$$ from welfare, which we all know. You wanna get mad? Look at these unfit skanks trying to have kids!
David Powell says
Good for him.
Ron says
Why didn’t they arrest them for trespassing? I would have pointed a gun at them too.
Carol Bell says
These radical protestors have no business at her home – go the office where she works and peaceably protest – quit with the threats and intimidation – her husband did the right thing and has nothing to apologize for – good for him!
It doesn’t matter what race a person is, if they commit a crime then justice must be served. These radical fools believe that no one should be punished for their criminal behavior. Too may people have suffered because prosecutors are too cowardly (like the fools in San Franfreakco) to do the job they swore to do when they took their oaf of office – now they are letting criminals back on the streets to do more harm to innocent victims or even their not so innocent rivals.
Sixto says
BLM takes away a persons “pursuit of happiness” by being a public nuisance early in the morning at their home. Any group doing this is not exercising their “freedom of speech”. They should be arrested, by force if needed.
As for Mr. Lacey, he could have thought their lives were in danger and decided to protect himself and his family. He has every right to do that. After this event, I hope the DA will favor the ” Right to Bear Arms”.