Tiffiny Blacknell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tiffiny Blacknell
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| Born |
Tiffiny Nicole Townend
November 14, 1976 Inglewood, California, U.S.
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| Education | Inglewood High School California State University, Dominguez Hills (B.A.) University of Southern California Law School (J.D.) |
| Occupation | Criminal prosecutor |
| Partner(s) | Jovan Blacknell |
Tiffiny Townend Blacknell (born November 14, 1976) is an American lawyer, community activist, and an advocate for criminal justice reform. Blacknell currently works as a Deputy District Attorney for the Los Angeles County District Attorney. In 2018, Blacknell was featured in Macy's “Find the Remarkable You” campaign which featured six women from different walks of professional life, including Becky Hammon and JoAnn Falletta.
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Legal career
Blacknell currently serves as the Community and Government Affairs Liaison Special Advisor to Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón. She previously worked as a Deputy Public Defender in the Los Angeles County Public Defender's Office since 2003 where she handled high-profile cases. In one case, she was assigned to represent a man accused of kidnapping Daisy McCrackin.
Interim public defender appointment
In 2018, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors appointed Nicole Tinkham as interim public defender. Blacknell helped organize an effort to put pressure on the Board of Supervisors to remove Tinkham because of her lack of criminal law experience. Following the protests and public criticism, the Board appointed Ricardo García (attorney) who worked for years in the San Diego County Public Defender's office.
Community activism
Bail reform
Blacknell has engaged in activism in the Los Angeles community, such as on behalf of the National Black Mama's Bail Out Day campaign. This was a part of the National Bail Out collective, a community-based movement striving to end pretrial detention and mass incarceration. Blacknell believes that the money bail system is unjust and in need of reform. At Community Coalition's People Power Convention, Blacknell said “Ninety-five percent of arrestees plead guilty.”
Girls empowerment
Blacknell was the keynote speaker at the “I Matter: Girls Empowerment Conference” at East Los Angeles College, aiming to create more female leaders in the community. In her speech, Blacknell discussed her journey to become an attorney.
