The Abridged version:
- The Yolo County Board of Supervisors appointed a new district attorney.
- The appointment of Melinda Aiello comes more than a month after former longtime District Attorney Jeff Reisig abruptly announced his retirement.
- Aiello will serve the remainder of the current term, which runs through 2028.
Yolo County has a new district attorney.
More than a month after longtime District Attorney Jeff Reisig retired with short notice, the Yolo County Board of Supervisors selected current interim District Attorney Melinda Aiello to finish the term.
“I think that she is the right candidate in this moment to take on the position for the next two years” said supervisor Mary Vixie Sandy.
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Aiello was appointed after supervisors publicly interviewed two other candidates for the position, including Cynthia Rodriguez, a former public defender who ran to lead the office in 2022, and Sacramento County deputy district attorney Ron Linthicum.
Choosing a replacement
Supervisors stressed the importance of continuity and stability in the office, especially with the ongoing fallout from last summer’s deadly fireworks explosion near Esparto.
Supervisor Sheila Allen said she is not a fan of the previous district attorney, but she has “comfort and confidence” that will be different with Aiello.
“I want to make sure there is continuity in the office while we are dealing with the big thing we are now,” Allen said.
Aiello has been a prosecutor in the Yolo County District Attorney’s office since 2015, most recently serving as acting district attorney and chief deputy before that.
“I’ve dedicated my professional career to that of being a prosecutor,” she said.
Aiello said addressing budget challenges and maintaining staffing and continuity are priorities for her.
“I want to make sure that the people that we have feel supported,” she said.
Aiello also stressed the importance of restorative justice in Yolo County.
“Restorative justice is an outstanding program in Yolo County,” she said. “We can’t incarcerate our way out of a problem.”
Other applicants considered
Rodriguez, an attorney who challenged Reisig during the election in 2022, said she would prioritize rightsizing the office’s budget if appointed to finish the term.
“Those two years could be spent taking a hard look at the budget,” she said, pointing to her management experience in multiple state agencies including CalPERS and the California Department of State Hospitals. “We should be making our budget fit our group here.”
She also differentiated herself from Reisig by saying that she would take a different approach to law and order.
“Law and order is not just about strong-arming people,” she said. “What makes our community safest? Sometimes it’s about finding a place for people who just don’t quite belong.”
Linthicum said he would lean on his prosecutorial experience in Sacramento and Tulare counties to finish out the unfinished term in his home county.
“I don’t consider myself to be a politician, I consider myself a career prosecutor,” he said, adding that he wouldn’t run for reelection in 2028.
Linthicum said he would work on building trust in the district attorney’s office, while providing the resources and support that current prosecutors need to carry out the cases related to last summer’s explosion in Esparto.
Split support
People who spoke at the meeting were split between Aiello and Rodriguez.
Current members of the office showed support for Aiello, citing her qualifications and capability.
“Our ship is not off course, it is not sinking,” said Deanna Hays, a Yolo County deputy district attorney. “Criminals do not want to appoint Melinda Aiello. Appoint someone else and criminals will win.”
Others stressed the need for change in the office.
“Continuity is not what we’re going for, we need new leadership,” said Davis resident Juliette Beck.
Aiello will finish Reisig’s term, which ends at the beginning of 2029. She will be eligible to run for the office again.
Daniel Hennessy joins Abridged from the California Local News Fellowship. He’s a reporter covering Yolo County.