Compton Jury Finds Jason Feldman's Client, Gang Interventionist, Not Guilty of Dissuading a Witness
Compton, CA (PRWEB) July 21, 2015 -- In Compton, California, Andre Christian, a gang interventionist who was employed by the Los Angeles Police Department in the Mayor’s Gang Reduction Youth Development program in Watts, faced up to 8 years in prison after being accused of dissuading a witness in a gang shooting case. (Los Angeles Superior Court, case number TA136397.)
The People added a charge of providing false documentary evidence at trial and further accused Mr. Christian, age 47, of working in furtherance of a street gang regarding both felony charges.
The evidence revealed that Mr. Christian was a gang member in the late 1980s but had been working to end gang violence in the community since at least the early 2000s. The LAPD alleged that he was interfering with their 2014 investigation into a gang shooting when a false witness statement surfaced during the underlying trial in the shooting. Mr. Christian, through his attorney, Jason K. Feldman, maintained he was trying to help his cousin avoid being labeled a snitch and did not knowingly create any false statement.
Part of Mr. Christian’s job was to help train police officers to interact with the Watts community. According to their report, the police contended Mr. Christian should have come to them when his cousin had second thoughts on testifying. The jury, however, found Mr. Christian not guilty of both counts after 6 hours of deliberation.
Jason Feldman, Feldman & Wallach, http://www.feldmanwallach.com/, +1 310-869-8283, [email protected]
Share this article