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This race for an open seat pits a former U.S. assistant attorney who represented President Obama, the FBI and NASA against a seasoned Los Angeles County public defender who has taken more than 100 trials, some with three-strikes implications, to verdict.<\/p>\n
David DeJute, who defended Obama against the so-called birther claims, spent a decade as vice president of litigation at Sony Pictures Entertainment. He now works in litigation at a private firm.<\/p>\n
Anthony \u201cA.J.\u201d Bayne\u2019s background includes nearly two decades serving in the Compton Courthouse, where he for a time served as deputy in charge. He\u2019s now handling serious felony cases at the Torrance branch.<\/p>\n
DeJute is rated \u201cqualified\u201d to serve by the Los Angeles County Bar Assn. Bayne is rated a notch higher, \u201cwell qualified.\u201d<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s what you need to know about the candidates.<\/p>\n
Anthony \u201cA.J.\u201d Bayne, L.A. County deputy public defender<\/p>\n
Bar rating: Well qualified<\/p>\n
Bayne\u2019s 31-year legal career includes more than a quarter-century as an L.A. County deputy public defender. He has taken more than 100 jury trials to verdict, including murder, special circumstances and three-strikes cases, some of which carried sentences of death or life in prison.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven during the [election] primary period, I continued taking cases to trial rather than continuing them, because my clients should not be prejudiced by unnecessary delay,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He spent 19 years at the Compton Courthouse, where for a time he served as deputy in charge, supervising misdemeanor trial deputies. He now is stationed in the Torrance branch, where he handles serious felonies.<\/p>\n
Bayne is an inventor, with patent-pending applications for artificial intelligence tools that automate legal workflows. One helps with closing arguments; another uses court reporter transcripts to generate cross-examination questions.<\/p>\n
Using AI to address the county\u2019s heavy caseload is a priority. He argues the technology could modernize court infrastructure, aiding in case management, scheduling and document processing.<\/p>\n
Bayne, who trains in jiujitsu and Krav Maga self-defense, said extensive jury trial experience has prepared him to be an effective judge.<\/p>\n
\u201cWherever I go, people want the same things: a judge who is prepared and fair, who will listen to their side of the case, and who treats them with respect,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
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By continuing, you agree to our Terms of Service<\/a>, which include arbitration and a class action waiver. You agree that we and our third-party vendors may collect and use your information, including through cookies, pixels and similar technologies, for the purposes set forth in our Privacy Policy<\/a> such as personalizing your experience and ads. <\/p>\n David DeJute, law professor\/attorney<\/p>\n Bar rating: Qualified<\/p>\n The son of a late judge, DeJute has had a 35-year legal career. After graduating from law school, he clerked for a U.S. district judge and then worked at a boutique litigation firm. He spent nearly a decade as vice president of litigation at Sony Pictures Entertainment.<\/p>\n