An easy, satisfying choice for Los Angeles County voters as they decide their picks for the Superior Court bench in the June 2 primary election is Ben Forer, a 20-year deputy district attorney and USC adjunct professor of law who told the editorial board in an interview with a kind of gleeful passion: “My specialty is cyber-crime.”
In fact, he’s authored two textbooks on the subject, and will regale anyone who will listen with scary, important stories about the way the internet has opened up more scamming potential for criminals worldwide than any human invention so far. He not only has a passion for the subject; he is our county’s lead prosecutor in the Cyber Crimes Division, specializing in technology-driven offenses including, his campaign says “complex fraud, intellectual property theft and child exploitation cases.”
“I have had a wonderful career,” Forer told us. “And this is arrogance and I apologize but I am well respected by the people I work with. I am very academic, and people say you should consider becoming a judge.”
The “people” he’s referring to include 51 judges already on the bench, 46 fellow prosecutors and 48 local defense attorneys as well, along with former district attorneys Steve Cooley and Jackie Lacey. That’s a strong testament to the integrity of a future judge who all sides see will be fair.
Along with teaching at the law school and prosecuting criminals, Forer is an ordained rabbi, and he brings a rabbinical kind of deep intellect and compassion to his work. He’s a prosecutor who even defense attorneys ask to speak with their clients, as one lawyer did when he had the feeling that a young man who had been arrested for carrying a gun on a bus but had no priors was actually “a good kid.” Forer spoke with the client and his partially estranged dad, “sentencing” them to must-show yoga sessions every day in an agreement that ended in probation.
Rated “Well Qualified” by the Los Angeles County Bar Association, Forer has both the experience and sensibilities one would hope a judge would have.
His opponent, Cheryl C. Turner, rated “Qualified” by the association, has run for multiple public offices over the years. This includes unsuccessful bids for State Senate and Assembly in 2021 and 2022 and a run for Board of Equalization in 2018. She boasts an extensive legal career and is clearly committed to serving the public via public office.
However, Ben Forer has our strong endorsement.