Santa Cruz County Supervisors Appoint Jeff Rosell as DA

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors today appointed Jeffrey Rosell as district attorney to succeed the late Bob Lee, who died of cancer last month, prosecutors said.

Rosell was Lee’s choice to take over his position and has been discharging the duties of the office since Lee stepped down on Oct. 8, citing his battle with cancer, according to Chief Deputy District Attorney Eric Seib.

[Previous: Santa Cruz County DA Bob Lee Passes Away at 57.]

Lee, 57, ran unopposed in the June 3 election and was set to start his fourth four-year term as district attorney on Jan. 5. He passed away on Oct. 18.

The Board of Supervisors was permitted under state law to appoint someone in his place to serve until the next regularly scheduled election, which is in June 2016, Seib said.

The winner of that election for district attorney will then serve the two years remaining on Lee’s term.

During the board meeting today, Rosell “humbly accepted his appointment,” thanked Lee and pledged to carry on Lee’s pursuit of justice and advocacy for victims of crime, Seib said.

The board, which voted unanimously in favor of Rosell, desired a smooth transition in the leadership for the office and praised him as a widely respected prosecutor supported by the local bar, judiciary, the staff of the district attorney’s office and local law enforcement, Seib said.

Lee was first elected in 2002 after serving 14 years as an assistant district attorney with the office.

--Bay City News

--Image via Jeff Rosell is Chief Deputy District Attorney - Santa Cruz County on Facebook.