Deputy D.A. Named Chief Prosecutor

Stephen L. Cooley, the head deputy district attorney in the Antelope Valley, has been named the new chief prosecutor in the San Fernando Courthouse.

A spokeswoman for Dist. Atty. Gil Garcetti, who took office Dec. 7, said an official announcement is not expected until Monday. However, Cooley confirmed that he was notified Thursday night that he would be transferred.

“I’m very happy, but I have mixed emotions,” said Cooley, 45, who has been a county prosecutor for nearly 19 years since he graduated from the USC School of Law in 1973.

Cooley takes over at a time when the San Fernando Courthouse is undergoing major changes, and following a fight between prosecutors and defense attorneys over tougher-than-usual sentences.

Three new judges, including a new supervising Superior Court judge, are coming in, leading attorneys to speculate that sentencing patterns may change to become consistent with other courthouses.

Cooley, who lives in Toluca Lake with his wife and two teen-age children, said he expects an easy transition in taking over for Billy Webb, a 31-year veteran prosecutor who has headed the San Fernando office for eight years.