MEDIA ADVISORY

Date:         January 10, 2003
Contact:     Lana Wyant, Deputy District Attorney, (916) 874-5907

Appointment of Steve Grippi to Assistant Chief Deputy District Attorney

District Attorney Jan Scully has announced the promotion of veteran prosecutor Steve Grippi to the position of Assistant Chief Deputy District Attorney.

A well-respected Sacramento prosecutor for over 15 years, Mr. Grippi has distinguished himself as an outstanding trial attorney. He completed assignments in the Misdemeanor Unit, Juvenile Hall, and the Felony Bureau. Next, he served as the Environmental prosecutor in the Consumer and Environmental Protection Division. After that he was a Lead Attorney in the Felony Bureau before moving on to Homicides. In 1996 he became a Supervising Attorney in the Felony Bureau. The following year he became the Lead Principal Attorney in Felonies, a position he has held until this appointment.

Mr. Grippi has had a number of notable accomplishments during his tenure at the Sacramento District Attorney’s Office. In addition to numerous other homicide cases he prosecuted, Grippi recently convicted Arthur Lane (2002) of the videotaped hanging death of his girlfriend and Brad Odell (2000) for the "road rage" shooting of a 13 year old girl who was a passenger in her parents car. In 1995, Grippi prosecuted the capital murder trial of parolee Glen Cornwell, who shot and killed a prominent local architect during a botched robbery. The incident ultimately resulted in substantial changes in parole procedures.

Mr. Grippi received his undergraduate degree from California State University Sacramento, and his J.D. from Lincoln Law School. He joined the Sacramento District Attorney’s Office in 1987. Mr. Grippi also teaches at Linclon Law School, where he has been on the faculty since 1988.

Mr. Grippi also enjoys his family life with wife Susan, son Matthew (13) and daughter Lauren (10). When not playing softball himself, Grippi coaches Arden Little League, as he has for the past seven years, and also coaches Lauren’s soccer team.

In announcing the promotion, District Attorney Scully said, "Sacramento County is fortunate to have Mr. Grippi’s services. He will bring a breadth of talent, enthusiasm and effort to his new assignment and will be a strong addition to our management team."

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