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ASA KEYES
District Attorney

1923-1928

District Attorney Asa Keyes

Asa Keyes

An influential District Attorney is a  major Los Angeles figure through much of the Roaring Twenties, until his term ends in scandal.

Asa "Ace" Keyes had been a deputy district attorney for two decades before taking over as District Attorney with the retirement of Thomas Woolwine in 1923. The descendant of a pioneer California family, Keyes's father had been a county clerk. In the five years before his conviction for bribery, in connection with the Julian Petroleum Corporation scandal, Keyes created new departments in the office, including Homicide, Special Cases, Juvenile Complaints, the Trials division and a unit specializing in the prosecution of bootleggers.

Reprinted from FOR THE PEOPLE -- Inside the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office 1850-2000 by Michael Parrish. ISBN 1-883318-15-7