California Deputy District Attorneys here?

[brianlkennedy]

I was wondering if there were any Deputy District Attorneys (D.D.A.) working for any of the California counties who are members here? The reason I ask is I am a former Imperial County D.D.A. who has lived in Taiwan for the past 14 years. It looks like I will be returning to California sometime over the next year and I want to return to prosecution. Towards that end I would like to talk with some D.D.A. who are currently working to see how things have changed.

thanks much,
Brian Kennedy

[Lawson]

Welcome to the RealPolice Forums Brian. However; I do not know of any D.D.A.s here.

[brianlkennedy]

Hi Officer Lawson,
Thanks much for the welcome. And it looks like you got a great group of folks on this forum so I look forward to talking with people about how the California system is working nowadays. Anyway for getting a realistic view, LEOs are often the best source.

Take care,
Brian

[Norm357]

Hi Brian. Welcome to RP. What were you doing in Taiwan?


<----- Not a Cop.

[brianlkennedy]

Hi Norm357,

I originally came here to teach for Soo Chow Law School. I did that for my first year here. For the past 9 years I have worked as a consultant for Taiwan’s Ministry of Justice where I advise them on different aspects of American criminal law and procedure. The Taiwanese criminal law system is adding different practices and procedures from the American system. I also teach American criminal law to Taiwanese prosecutors and judges.

Also I have written three books and working on a fourth. Two of the three I have done were in Chinese (although I wrote the original in english!). One was about witness examination skills (direct exam, cross exam and objections). The other was (don’t laugh) legal ethics (don’t laugh, there is such a thing, it is just not commonly seen).

I also have a strong interest in martial arts history and wrote (along with my wife) A Historical Survey of Chinese Martial Arts Training Manuals that was published by North Atlantic Books

Taiwan has proven to be an interesting place. But for a whole variety of reasons I need to head back to California. I have an odd feeling it is a very, very different place than I left 15 years ago.

Take care,
Brian

[hitnrun]

Holy smokes. It sounds like you have accomplished a lot there.


If you do come back to CA, please...PLEASE, bring back common sense with you!:D We can't seem to find it and what little is left in supply is quickly running out!!!

I am a Deputy in Northern California and as you will come to find, there are a bunch of LEOs here from CA...as well as all over the world. If/when you get back into the game, you would be a great asset to our little community here. What was your "specialty" in terms of criminal law.

When you return to CA, are you looking to stay near Imperial County?

Welcome to ®P!

[jmac_52]

Welcome to RP from Louisiana, Brian.

[brianlkennedy]

Hi Hitnrun, Jmac52
Thanks for the welcome.
Yeah, I have had my share of adventures here and I have had a chance to do a lot of things that I otherwise would not have been able to do. So I really appreciate Taiwan in that regard. And yes, I will bring back my carefully preserved cache of common sense.

As for the where, actually Butte County would be the absolute ideal place for me. My brother and I inherited our grandparents house in Chico and I always loved Chico. Although my image of Chico is from when I went to junior high school up there and that was in 1970-72, I strongly suspect my image of Chico is somewhat dated by now!

Nonetheless the Butte County District Attorneys Office is my dream location. We shall see. I thought I remember a couple of years back that Butte County was having money problems and that the DAs Office had laid prosecutors off. Hopefully things are looking up. In any event I prefer smaller, Northern California counties. But----at 50 years old I maybe taking what I can get so to speak.

Okay then, on the topic of work, I need to get out the door for my mid-day class. Guess what---Taiwan is bringing in all the US Federal exclusionary rules! Yow, what a disaster that is turning into.

Take care,
Brian

[schrute]

Greetings from a fellow ambulance chaser.

Now please, I'm begging you, never never never mention the exclusionary rule again. You're giving me law school flashbacks.:D:p:D

[brianlkennedy]

It is scarier than that! Here in Taiwan they have a completely scrambled view of the law of search and seizure in the U.S. That came about because the Taiwanese Judicial Yuan (i.e. Judicial Council) listened to the half baked version of the American law that a couple of LLM. students brought back from their one (yes, 1) year in America.

The current state of Taiwanese criminal law reminds me of the Frankenstein monster, a horrible, demented creature sewn together from different dead body parts.

Take care,
Brian

[hitnrun]

Butte county shares a border with us! I can tell you that if you time it right, we have a judge retiring here, a DA going for the judges spot and a DDA spot opening up...you could be in! At least one of our DDAs will be gone within a couple of years....fingers crossed, praying to every god I can think of, etc!:rolleyes:

PM me if you want more details.

[brianlkennedy]

Hitnrun, this is of great interest to me. I will send along a p.m.
Super, thanks,
Brian

[kazz]

G'day from Australia and welcome to RP.