Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 05/30/06

Contact person(s):

Media Coordinator, Donna Edwards - 565-3099 District Attorney Stephan Passalacqua- 565-3099

Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California

ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY SCOUFOS SELECTED AS
CALIFORNIA PROSECUTOR OF THE YEAR

Sonoma County District Attorney Stephan Passalacqua announced today that the California District Attorneys Association has selected Assistant District Attorney Larry Scoufos for the 2006 Outstanding Prosecutor of the Year for medium sized counties.

"Larry is a tremendous asset to our office and is most deserving of this recognition–he is an outstanding career prosecutor who has been a dedicated public servant for twenty-six years," said DA Passalacqua.

The State Association is recognizing him, in particular, for his successful prosecution in 2005 of People v. Luke Hasler. Hasler was convicted of first degree murder and kidnapping in the tragic killing of thirty-one year old Michelle Johnson, the mother of two small children. Hasler was sentenced to 25 years to life without the possibility of parole.

David LaBahn, Executive Director of the California District Attorneys Association, said, "The Sonoma County DA’s Office is to be commended for having prosecutors receive outstanding prosecutor of the year awards in two consecutive years. This is the first time in twenty-five years that such recognition has been given to the same county."

Assistant DA Scoufos stated that he was honored to receive the award. "I plan to dedicate the award to the hundreds of hard working career prosecutors throughout the state who sacrifice their time to make our communities a safer place to live," said Scoufos. He will be honored at the annual CDAA Summer Conference for prosecutors throughout the state, to be held the last week in June in Newport Beach.