1st Black to Head O.C. Grand Jury

For the first time in county history, an African American has been selected to head the Orange County Grand Jury.

Joseph Gatlin, 67, a longtime Santa Ana resident, will head the most ethnically diverse grand jury in years. The 19-member panel, which will be impaneled in July, is about 40% minority and includes three Latinos and two Asian Americans.

Gatlin’s selection and the jury’s diversity have drawn praise from community groups who have criticized the makeup of this year’s all-white jury. Superior Court Presiding Judge Robert Jameson, who was part of the selection team, said it was important to impanel a grand jury that represents the county’s increasingly diverse population.

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Jameson cited as key qualifications Gatlin’s leadership credentials and experience on other grand juries, including a federal grand jury in Los Angeles County.

Gatlin “is a dedicated citizen and has demonstrated the necessary leadership and negotiation skills to serve as the foreperson,” Jameson said in a prepared statement.

Gatlin is not the first minority to head the grand jury: At least two Latinos have served in past years, according to court officials.

A retired U.S. Marine Corps officer, Gatlin is a veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars. He has served as president of the Orange County Black Republican Council, the Orange County Community AIDS Program, and the Orange County Sickle Cell Program.