Countywide : Deputy D.A. Assn. Supports Capizzi

Dist. Atty. Michael R. Capizzi, who has already wrapped up most of the major endorsements in his bid against three other prosecutors to retain his seat in the June 5 election, picked up another major plum Tuesday: the backing of the Deputy District Attorneys Assn.

Capizzi got more than 85% of the vote, according to several sources. Another 10% of the deputies stated that they would “take no position” in the race. The other three candidates, Chief Deputy Dist. Atty. James G. Enright, Assistant Dist. Atty. Edgar A. Freeman and Deputy Dist. Atty. Thomas Avdeef, split up the other 4% to 5%.

Although the vote totals were not released, Deputy Dist. Atty. John B. Lett, chairman of the board of trustees for the association, said that to call Capizzi the overwhelming choice of the deputies would be “a fair statement.” Deputies in the association make up more than 95% of the 185 prosecutors in the office.

Avdeef has been campaigning heavily on a theme that morale has been bad in the office in recent years under Cecil Hicks, who recently retired as district attorney, and Capizzi, Hicks’ top administrator.

“I think this shoots that theory down with about six torpedoes,” a jubilant Capizzi said Tuesday.

Capizzi already has the backing of all five members of the County Board of Supervisors and of most of the major police associations. But because of Avdeef’s allegations, Capizzi was particularly anxious to hear the news from the association of his own employees.

Lett said he would let others draw conclusions about the meaning of the deputies’ vote.

“We think our group is an important voice,” he said. “It’s his (Capizzi’s) own employees showing who they want to be district attorney.”

Capizzi was appointed by the supervisors in January to replace Hicks, who accepted a judgeship. Capizzi will complete Hicks’ term, which runs through this year, and the winner of the June 5 election--or the November general election if a runoff is required--will begin serving in January, 1991.

Lett announced that the deputies also voted to support Robert E. Thomas, a judge in Central Orange Municipal Court, for the Superior Court bench, and Donald S. Macintyre for a West Orange Municipal judgeship. Those are the only contested judicial races in June.

Meanwhile, the 1,100-member Assn. of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs last week announced a slate of candidates it intended to support in the upcoming June 5 election, including incumbent County Supervisors Don R. Roth, Thomas F. Riley and Harriett Wieder.

The association also will support incumbents Capizzi for district attorney, Brad Gates for sheriff-coroner, Brad Jacobs for county assessor and Lee A. Branch for county recorder. Robert Thomas, now a Municipal Court judge in Santa Ana, won the support of the association for election to Superior Court, along with Donald Macintyre, a Municipal Court commissioner who is running for Municipal judge.