Jagels was Kern County's longest-sitting DA. He won his first election in 1982 in a controversial race against sitting Superior Court Judge Marvin Ferguson. He was re-elected six consecutive times before announcing retirement in 2009. He remained unapologetic about false convictions throughout.
| Year | Opponent | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Judge Marvin Ferguson | Won | Controversial first election |
| 1986 | Contested | Re-elected | Witch hunt prosecutions underway |
| 1990 | Contested | Re-elected | Convictions beginning to be overturned |
| 1994 | Contested | Re-elected | Won despite mounting reversals |
| 1998 | Contested | Re-elected | Continued winning despite record |
| 2002 | Contested | Re-elected | 6th consecutive term |
| 2006 | Contested | Re-elected | 7th term; retired mid-term 2009 |
Sources: Wikipedia; Reason.com; KQED; Deseret News
Jagels led prosecutions that put at least 36 people behind bars on fabricated child sex abuse charges, including allegations of satanic ritual abuse. Cases were based solely on testimony from children who had been coached and sometimes tricked into testifying against their own parents and other adults. 34 of 36 convictions were eventually overturned on appeal. Two convicted individuals died in prison before they could prove their innocence. The scandal was documented in the KQED documentary "Witch Hunt."
Kern County had the highest rate of police killings per capita in the United States during and after Jagels' tenure. Bakersfield Police killed at least 19 people and Kern County Sheriff's deputies killed at least 10 in the years studied. Zero officers were charged for any on-duty killing.
Probation officers acted as prosecutors in the system, denying defendants their constitutional right to counsel. This assembly-line approach to justice processed cases without meaningful legal representation.
Kern County experienced chronic jail deaths with medical understaffing throughout Jagels' tenure. The DA's office failed to investigate or prosecute any of these in-custody deaths.
Kern County ranked among the highest in the nation for death sentences per capita. The Death Penalty Information Center classified Kern County as an "outlier county" for its disproportionate use of capital punishment.
Despite 34 overturned convictions, $10M+ in settlements, and two people dying in prison for crimes they did not commit, Jagels received zero State Bar discipline. He was re-elected six times and retired on his own terms in 2009. After retirement, he returned to work for the DA's office as a lobbyist in Sacramento.
Jagels remained "unapologetic about the false convictions in the 1980s sex abuse cases" throughout his career and into retirement.
Whistleblower retaliation case in Kern County, part of the systemic pattern of suppressing accountability.
The Kern County witch hunt set the template for wrongful conviction patterns seen across California.
Jagels' successors (Green, then Zimmer) continued many of his patterns. Ranked #11 on our list. Monitor Kern County DA for ongoing issues.
Some victims of the witch hunt are still fighting to clear their names. Support the Innocence Project.
The KQED documentary "Witch Hunt" details the Kern County child abuse cases. Share it widely. Public awareness prevents repetition.
A DA who wrongfully convicted 36 people faced zero discipline. Contact the State Bar and your state legislators to demand accountability reforms.