Let the D.A. Investigate Death of Deputy : * There’s No Reason State Should Take Over Inquiry Into Darryn Robins’ Killing

There is no reason to question the independence of the Orange County district attorney’s office in investigating the death of a deputy sheriff who authorities say was shot by another deputy on Christmas Day. Let Dist. Atty. Michael R. Capizzi do his work.

Sheriff Brad Gates has come under criticism from community groups, notably a coalition of black leaders, following the tragic death of Deputy Darryn Leroy Robins, an African American who, authorities say, was shot by training officer Brian Scanlan, a deputy who is white, during an informal training exercise in a parking lot behind a Lake Forest movie theater.

Gates, apparently seeking to cover his flank, wrote to state Atty. Gen. Dan Lungren seeking Lungren’s involvement in the case on the ground that the “daily working relationship” of the Sheriff’s Department with the county district attorney had prompted some “mistrust” in the community.

Asked about the request, a spokesman for Lungren stated the obvious: There is no ground for state participation at this point.

Frustrated by the state’s decision not to intervene, black leaders have called for a federal investigation into possible civil-rights violations in the shooting. The U.S. attorney’s office has said they would look at the request and determine whether a federal investigation was warranted. That’s fine, but there should be no reason on the face of it to presume at this point in the investigation that the district attorney cannot do the job adequately.

Gates recently acknowledged that the shooting probably involved a violation of departmental policy barring the use of loaded firearms during training exercises. His belated public comments on the incident certainly were welcome.

However, questions remain about a needless shooting in a very public place. Any concern about a racial component can be addressed properly within the purview of the larger inquiry. And while it is useful that the Orange County Human Relations Commission is monitoring the case, the district attorney is the right person to look into all the pertinent aspects of this inquiry.