LA County Public Defender Dies Of Coronavirus

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – A deputy public defender who worked out of West Covina has become the first employee in the the Los Angeles County justice system to die of COVID-19.

The victim, who was not named, passed away earlier this week after being diagnosed with coronavirus on May 19, The Los Angeles County Public Defender's Office confirmed to the L.A. Times Thursday.

The person was not identified.

"We are heartbroken to learn of the first death of a justice system employee related to COVID-19, a day that we feared would happen, but it doesn't make that reality any less painful. We greatly respect this wonderful Deputy Public Defender who worked tirelessly to represent their clients in L.A. County," the Association of Deputy District Attorneys said in a statement Friday.

All civil and criminal jury and non-jury trials remain suspended in L.A. County Superior Court through at least June 10.

On Thursday, the Riverside County Superior Court announced it would resume summoning jurors for trials in June in an effort to decrease the number of backlogged cases.