Date: April 4, 2018
ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY KEITH BOGARDUS PROMOTED TO SENIOR ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY
SANTA ANA, Calif. – Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas has announced the promotion of Assistant District Attorney Keith Bogardus to the position of senior assistant district attorney assigned to oversee Appellate & Training, Felony Panel, and the Public Administrator.
Senior Assistant District Attorney Keith Bogardus was born and raised in New York City. He graduated summa cum laude from Syracuse University with a bachelor of science degree in criminal justice in 1996. As an undergraduate student, Bogardus worked at the New York State Capital Defender’s Office, which was established under New York State’s death penalty statute to ensure indigent defendants in capital cases receive effective assistance of counsel.
Bogardus then attended the University of San Diego School of Law, where he was awarded multiple academic honors and graduated, cum laude, in 1999 earning a juris doctor degree. During law school he worked as a law clerk with the Yolo County and San Diego County Public Defender’s Offices and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in San Diego. Upon being admitted to the California State Bar in November of 1999, Bogardus worked as contract counsel at the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office.
Bogardus joined the Orange County District Attorney’s Office as a deputy district attorney in 2001 first assigned to branch court operations then to the Felony Panel in 2005, where he was designated the serious-complex caseload deputy. In 2007, Bogardus was assigned to the Special Prosecutions Unit where he handled high-profile cases and matters including the 2008 Special Criminal Grand Jury inquiry into the murder of inmate John Chamberlain, who was beaten to death by fellow inmates at Theo Lacy Jail. His efforts in the Special Prosecutions Unit were also recognized by the United States Department of Justice in 2009 with an award for Prosecutorial Excellence. In 2010, Bogardus was assigned to the Homicide Unit where he was promoted to the position of senior deputy district attorney.
In 2014, Bogardus was promoted to assistant head of court for Harbor Justice Center, then promoted again to the position of assistant district attorney supervising the Law & Motion Unit soon thereafter, where he acted as a principal legal advisor to the OCDA and its executive management and oversaw the OCDA’s complex motion practice, writ and appellate litigation. In 2015, Bogardus worked to co-create the Appellate and Training Unit (ATU), which continued the responsibilities of the Law & Motion Unit but added an additional fulltime training function for the benefit of the attorney, paralegal, and investigative staff of the OCDA, as well as its law enforcement partners. Bogardus co-chairs the California District Attorney’s Association’s Training, Education, and Publications Committee and is a member of the Council for Criminal Justice Integrity. He is also a certified Level III Law Enforcement Instructor by the California Commission on Peace Officer’s Standards and Training. Bogardus has served as a college professor for the past 18 years.
“Keith combines an amazing work ethic and intellect. He possesses an unflappable demeanor and ability to problem solve during difficult situations,” stated District attorney Tony Rackauckas.
“I am honored to be trusted with this privilege and I look forward to the opportunity to further support the remarkable work of the men and women of the OCDA in their noble pursuit to promote justice and protect the People of the State of California,” stated Bogardus.