As Los Angeles sees fewer hate crime cases in 2026, the county’s top prosecutor on Thursday touted his office’s effort to prevent hate crime suspects from opting for a mental health diversion program to avoid a trial.
District Attorney Nathan Hochman said LA County saw 66 hate crime cases this year so far, fewer than the same period in 2025, as his office and law enforcement agencies aggressively investigate and prosecute those who commit crimes based on gender, race and religion.
While detailing some of the hate crime cases that are heading to trial in the near future, Hochman said his office has successfully stopped a man, accused of committing a violent hate crime against a Black man in Santa Monica in 2023, from going into a mental health diversion program…