Deputy D.A.s Vote ‘No Confidence’ in Reiner Action

An organization representing Los Angeles County prosecutors announced Thursday a vote of no confidence in Dist. Atty. Ira Reiner’s removal of a veteran prosecutor from the Menendez brothers murder case--an unprecedented action by the group.

The board of directors of the Assn. of Deputy District Attorneys voted unanimously to rebuke Reiner Wednesday night after both Reiner and former Menendez prosecutor, Deputy Dist. Atty. Elliott Alhadeff, appeared before the group. Five of the 18 board members were absent.

A one-sentence press release from association president David Ross said Thursday that the association “lacks confidence in the district attorney’s judgment” in pulling the prosecutor off the case that has drawn worldwide media attention.

Alhadeff, 52, a 24-year veteran of the office, earlier was selected to be honored next week as the association’s prosecutor of the year.

He was removed as lead prosecutor on Aug. 16 and replaced by Deputy Dist. Atty. Pamela Ferrero, one of the prosecutors in the second McMartin Pre-School molestation trial.

Reiner was unavailable for comment, but his spokeswoman, Sandi Gibbons, said Alhadeff was pulled from the case after several briefings with Reiner. “The district attorney has a responsibility to the people of Los Angeles County to put the best possible prosecution team on a case,” Gibbons said.

However, Gibbons would not say what Reiner’s problem was with Alhadeff.

Lyle Menendez, 22, and his brother, Erik Menendez, 19, are charged in the 1989 shotgun murders of their wealthy parents.