Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 10/27/04

Contact person(s):

Media Coordinator, Donna Edwards - 565-3099 District Attorney Stephan Passalacqua - 565-3098 NDAA Vice President Ray Larson - (859) 246-2060

Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California

Assistant DA Jacobs Inducted Into National Home Run Hitters Club

District Attorney Stephan Passalacqua announced today that the National District Attorneys Association has inducted Assistant District Attorney Greg Jacobs into the Home Run Hitters Club. NDAA gives the Home Run Hitter award to prosecutors throughout the nation for their outstanding work in prosecuting complicated and difficult high profile cases.

Assistant District Attorney Greg Jacobs has been a prosecutor for over thirty years for the County of Sonoma. Over the course of his career Mr. Jacobs has handled many complex and notorious cases. His prosecution of the Richard Allen Davis was subject to massive national media attention. On October 1, 1993, Richard Allen Davis broke into the Petaluma, California home in which twelve year old Polly Klaas was playing with two girlfriends. He kidnapped Polly at knifepoint, tied the other girls up, and left. Sixty days later, after a national manhunt for Polly, Richard Allen Davis was arrested. Davis’ trial was moved to Santa Clara County because of the level of media attention in Sonoma County. The defendant was convicted of the kidnapping and murder of Polly Klaas, assaults on her friends, and four special circumstances. The six month trial ended when Davis received the death penalty. The tragic kidnap and murder of Polly Klaas was the catalyst for the Three Strikes law which voters passed by a 72% margin in 1994.

Last week, at a ceremony in Monterey, the Board of Directors of the National District Attorneys Association inducted Greg Jacobs into the Home Run Hitters Club. He received a plaque recognizing his career of distinction and a Louisville slugger baseball bat personalized for his outstanding efforts. “The professionalism and coolness with which Greg Jacobs prosecuted Davis serves as an example for prosecutors throughout the nation”, said Ray Larson, NDAA Board of Directors Vice President. “Sonoma County is very fortunate to have a prosecutor of Greg’s caliber”, said District Attorney Passalacqua. Also recipients of the Home Run Hitter award were Deputy District Attorney Jeff Dusek from San Diego County, Prosecutors Eleanor Hunter and Darin Levine from Los Angeles County, Prosecutor Bill Mitchell from Riverside County, and Chief Assistant George Williamson from Solano County, who successfully prosecuted the Stayner death penalty case.