Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney John Lewin – once a respected name in high-profile prosecutions – has now become a full-blown liability for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. His failed prosecution of A$AP Rocky ended in humiliating defeat, and his bizarre, aggressive behavior in court became a national scandal.
But Lewin’s troubles extend far beyond the A$AP Rocky trial. His professional conduct has been repeatedly called into question, with multiple allegations and legal challenges casting doubt on his ethics and credibility.
Personal and Professional Misconduct
Lewin has been accused of making an “outrageous misrepresentation” to a jury in a previous case, which led to a murder conviction being overturned by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. This ruling raised serious concerns about his prosecutorial integrity and the lengths he would go to secure a conviction.
In addition to this, Lewin is facing a lawsuit from two fellow Deputy District Attorneys who allege that he harassed and retaliated against them. The prosecutors claim that Lewin compared them to Nazi collaborators and sabotaged their careers after they recommended the resentencing of Erik and Lyle Menendez.
One of the most bizarre and ethically troubling allegations against Lewin involves his relationship with key figures from his previous cases. After prosecuting real estate heir Robert Durst for murder, he vacationed at – a move that Durst’s widow’s mansion in the Hamptons—a move that raised ethical concerns about his relationships with key figures in his cases.
For a prosecutor who claims to be unbiased, this revelation raises serious concerns about his impartiality and professionalism. If he was comfortable socializing with the widow of a man he just prosecuted for murder, how many other questionable relationships has he cultivated behind closed doors?
Lewin has also been accused of withholding evidence from defense attorneys until the last possible moment, a tactic that can unfairly disadvantage defendants and violate legal disclosure requirements. Such behavior further cements his reputation as a prosecutor who prioritizes winning over fairness.
Before the A$AP Rocky trial, John Lewin had already been called out by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals for making an “outrageous misrepresentation” to a jury in a separate murder case. This wasn’t a minor misstep—it was a federal court ruling that Lewin had lied in order to secure a conviction. The court ultimately overturned the conviction due to prosecutorial misconduct, a rare and serious rebuke that should have ended his career.
Despite knowing about these serious allegations and ethical violations, District Attorney Nathan Hochman still assigned Lewin to the A$AP Rocky case – and kept him on the case even as it spiraled into chaos.
Now, Lewin’s credibility is in ruins, Hochman’s judgment is under fire, and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office is facing a full-blown public relations disaster.
Accusations of Manipulating the Justice System for His Own Ego
Further complicating his legal standing, a formal complaint is pending before the California State Bar accusing Lewin of lying to a jury in an earlier case. If substantiated, this could lead to disciplinary action or even disbarment.
A pending complaint with the California State Bar accuses Lewin of habitually lying to juries and engaging in unethical trial tactics.
“I reversed a murder conviction that Mr. Lewin obtained, and the Court of Appeals was very clear that in procuring that conviction, Mr. Lewin told an untruth to the jury to try to gain an advantage.”
This was not an isolated case. Other attorneys have accused Lewin of withholding evidence from defense teams until the last possible moment, sometimes handing over crucial materials on the very day a witness was scheduled to testify—a blatant abuse of legal procedure.
One attorney called out Lewin’s real motives:
“He turns the justice system into a mockery. He perverts it just so he can win. He does not care about the pursuit of justice—only his own ego.”
Cancel Culture: Lewin Becomes a National Embarrassment
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office Instagram became a battleground of public outrage after the verdict. While many criticized the weakness of the case, the focus quickly shifted to Lewin’s erratic behavior.
• “What kind of veteran prosecutor has to be instructed to stop shouting at the judge and threatened with sanctions?”
• “This was an incredibly weak case. Lewin embarrassed this office.”
• “I can almost guarantee Lewin’s unhinged behavior played a huge part in the not guilty verdict.”
Posts on X were even more brutal:
While the public mocked Lewin’s courtroom meltdown, legal experts viewed it as a glaring red flag, exposing a deeper pattern of misconduct.
Hochman’s First Big Loss—And It’s His Own Fault
For Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman, this isn’t just a bad trial outcome—this is his first major media case, and he lost it in the worst way possible.
Despite knowing about Lewin’s long history of misconduct, lies, and ethical violations, Hochman still assigned him to prosecute A$AP Rocky, fully aware of the risks. Sources say Lewin was put on the case to reward him for his support of Hochman during the LA DA race.
Even as Lewin unraveled in court, facing mockery from legal experts and social media for his aggressive, erratic approach, Hochman refused to intervene or remove him from the case. Instead, after the not guilty verdict, Hochman publicly thanked Lewin, stating:
“I want to thank Deputy District Attorneys Paul Przelomiec and John Lewin for their dedication and tireless efforts in presenting this case.”
A tone-deaf statement, given the overwhelming professional and public backlash—and one that feels eerily reminiscent of the George Gascón playbook.
Now, Hochman is left defending a prosecutor who has been publicly discredited, is under investigation, and is being sued by his own colleagues. Instead of delivering a high-profile conviction, he’s presiding over a full-blown public relations disaster that threatens to define his tenure as DA.
Follow Us