Santa Cruz County DA Bob Lee stepping down due to cancer

Longtime Santa Cruz County District Attorney Bob Lee says he is losing his battle with cancer and will step down from his position.

Lee ran unopposed in the June election and was prepared to begin his fourth term as the county’s lead prosecutor in January.

Lee has been battling cancer for the past several months and on Wednesday, he announced that his prognosis is grim.

In a statement released Wednesday, Lee wrote:

“In recent months, I have been battling the acute ravages of an invasive and persistent cancer. I wish there was more encouraging news to report. Unfortunately, for every step forward in the last several months, there have been one or more steps backwards. I have won many battles but, quite frankly, seem to be losing the war.”

Lee said that despite every effort and desire, he’s come to the conclusion that his health challenges won’t allow him to begin his new term in January.

“There are no words capable of expressing my heartache at not being able to serve my fourth term.” he said. “The greatest privilege of my life has been to serve with my staff, and with so many members of the community, to make Santa Cruz County as safe and healthy as possible.”

Lee is a lifelong resident of Santa Cruz County; his wife, Barbara, works for the county Probation Department. Lee was elected Santa Cruz County DA in 2002, having joined the office as an assistant district attorney in 1988. He also spent a couple of years as a prosecutor with the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office.

“I wanted to become the District Attorney in order to effect a dramatic change in our local criminal justice system and to give back to the community that had given me so much,” he said. “I wanted to make sure that victims were properly treated and that perpetrators of violent crimes were being brought to justice effectively.”

Lee will be asking the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors to nominate Chief Deputy District Attorney Jeff Rosell as his successor.

“No one inside or outside of the office has a better grasp of how far we’ve come and what will be required to continue moving towards a safer Santa Cruz County,” Lee said. “Jeff has earned my complete trust and support, and I know he will be a phenomenal District Attorney.”