Burke won't face charges

Los Angeles County prosecutors said Tuesday that they have decided against filing criminal charges against Supervisor Yvonne B. Burke after investigating allegations that she was living in a gated Brentwood home last year rather than in her predominantly South Los Angeles district.

Head Deputy Dist. Atty. Dave Demerjian said his office could not determine whether Burke intended to abandon the Mar Vista town house she owns in the 2nd Supervisorial District when she registered to vote there in 2006. A successful prosecution would have had to prove that Burke intended to move to Brentwood at the time she registered, he said.

"It's not really about residency; it's about whether or not they lied on any particular documents," said Demerjian, who oversees the office's public corruption division.

Burke, 76, declined to talk to district attorney's investigators about the matter, according to a memo Demerjian wrote last month outlining his reasons against filing charges.

--Jack Leonard

Photo: Brian VanderBrug/Los Angeles Times