Chahoian v Gascón

LOS ANGELES, Ca. — Dhillon Law Group Inc. has filed a whistleblower retaliation and disability discrimination lawsuit on behalf of Deputy District Attorney Tatiana Chahoian against Los Angeles County and District Attorney George Gascón. The complaint details a sustained retaliation campaign by Gascón and the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office (LADA) against Ms. Chahoian, in response to her public opposition of Gascón’s guidance that prosecutors should decline bringing charges in cases involving dangerous incidents of reckless driving and street racing.

Specifically, in early 2024, Gascón directed Los Angeles prosecutors to consider “Prefiling Deferral of Prosecution” (PDP) for cases involving reckless driving and street racing, an option that typically involves only a stern warning with minimal accountability. Ms. Chahoian publicly criticized this guidance in a Fox 11 LA interview, where she explained that Gascón’s approach undermines public safety by reducing accountability for offenses that have surged in frequency to become a dangerous nuisance that frequently results in tragic fatalities. Her statements drew attention to Gascón’s documented prioritization of leniency over public safety, a hallmark of his broader prosecutorial approach that has faced considerable backlash from both the public and his own prosecutors.

Two days later, Gascón attempted to “send a message” to Ms. Chahoian by dispatching armed investigators to her home—where she was working remotely while watching her young children—with a notice accusing her of policy violations. Of the many prosecutors to publicly oppose Gascón’s policies, only Ms. Chahoian has received such a hand-delivered notice at her residence—a move clearly intended to intimidate. But Gascón’s retaliation did not stop there. Despite Ms. Chahoian’s strong performance record, Gascón refused to promote her, making her the only eligible prosecutor in her hiring class excluded from advancement.

Moreover, Gascón and LADA failed to reasonably accommodate Ms. Chahoian’s documented health needs. After she experienced seizures and severe stress from unmanageable caseloads, she requested reasonable accommodations, including a reduced commute based on her doctor’s recommendation that she not drive more than 15 minutes to avoid the risk of suffering a seizure while driving. LADA delayed her reassignment for nearly a month, forcing her to endure a lengthy commute that worsened her condition and placed her at risk of serious injury.

The complaint seeks damages and injunctive relief to end Gascón and LADA’s intimidation and retaliation. Ms. Chahoian’s case underscores the vital role of whistleblowers in maintaining integrity within the justice system and reinforces the imperative that prosecutorial directives align with the principles of public safety and the rule of law.

Tatiana Chahoian Quote:

“For almost 4 years now, George Gascón has lied to the people he took an oath to serve. His misguided policies have resulted in increased violence, and amplified a rhetoric of ‘criminals are the victims, and victims are an inconvenience.’”

“Gascón discreetly sent a memo to a small portion of the office encouraging us to act contrary to the law, public safety, law enforcement task forces, legislative efforts, and common sense – to not prosecute street racing and street takeovers, while publicly claiming to support law enforcement and legislative efforts. Gascón punished me for telling the truth – for warning the people I took an oath to serve of societal dangers they have a right to know about. He attempted to intimidate me into silence, and sent law enforcement to the most sacred of places – my home, where my family is supposed to feel most safe.”

“When his attempts to intimidate and silence me failed, he resorted to a systematic campaign of retaliation targeting my reputation, my competence as an attorney, and my livelihood. Gascón’s unrelenting harassment still continues to this day.”