Activism

OPINION: D.A. Candidate Outlines Plan for Implementing California’s 2020 Racial Justice Act

The new Racial Justice Act makes the new law retroactive with a phased-in timeline for prisoners to apply for relief. Prisoners sentenced to death and people facing deportation will be eligible first, beginning Jan. 1, 2023. A death sentence must be vacated if the defendant was charged or convicted of a more serious offense based on race, ethnicity or national origin, and prosecutors in the county “more frequently sought or obtained convictions for more serious offenses” against people based on their race, ethnicity, or national origin.

Published

2 years ago

October 31, 2022

Oakland Post

California State Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San Jose), author and prime legislator for the California Racial Justice Act. Photo by Davis Vanguard.

By Pamela Price | Post News Group

Candidate for Alameda County District Attorney

In 2020, California took a huge step forward to reform our criminal justice system when the Legislature passed the Racial Justice Act (RJA).

The RJA was passed based on the undeniable racial disparities that are pervasive and pronounced in the criminal justice system.

It was a good start, but there needs to be a strong follow-up to be truly effective. Below, I describe the intended impact of the Act followed by my recommendations for the present and future.

First Step – 2020

The RJA works to eliminate:

Intentional bias directed at the defendant by an attorney, judge, juror, law enforcement officer or expert witness.
Racially coded language in court.
Racial disparities in charges.
Racial disparities in convictions.
Racial disparities in sentences.

The RJA makes it illegal for a prosecutor to pursue a criminal conviction or a sentence based on an individual’s race, ethnicity or national origin.

The Court is required to (1) hold a RJA hearing in any case where the defendant exposes racial discrimination and (2) take appropriate action to address any case where there is a substantial likelihood that race discrimination infected the process.

The RJA also made major reforms to jury selection based on evidence of the pervasive exclusion of Black and Brown residents from juries by prosecutors.

My plan to implement the RJA will include close examination of the case files for current cases in order to identify and evaluate the presence of racial bias and develop an appropriate remedy considering the interests of the victims and any system-impacted people.

We will compile and review statistical data to analyze disparities that violate the RJA, assign appropriate staff to ensure enforcement and compliance with the Act and work collaboratively with other County and state offices to ensure its smooth implementation in Alameda County. We will also train deputies to follow the new rules imposed by the RJA in jury selection practices and assist the Court as needed.

Next Step – 2022

Systemic racism in our criminal justice system has devastated generations of working families and whole communities. In recognition of this impact, in 2022, the California Legislature passed the second RJA (AB256).

The new RJA makes the new law retroactive with a phased-in timeline for prisoners to apply for relief. Prisoners sentenced to death and people facing deportation will be eligible first, beginning Jan. 1, 2023. A death sentence must be vacated if the defendant was charged or convicted of a more serious offense based on race, ethnicity or national origin, and prosecutors in the county “more frequently sought or obtained convictions for more serious offenses” against people based on their race, ethnicity, or national origin.

Over the following three years, eligibility will expand to people incarcerated for felonies, people with recent convictions, and people with older convictions who are no longer incarcerated.

Responding to the volume of anticipated petitions will require my office to have a streamlined process to receive, track and adjudicate these petitions quickly.

We will assess the office’s current capacity to do so and maximize our capacity as quickly as possible. We will train deputies and staff on the fairest criteria to assess these petitions and propose and implement the resentencing that is mandated by the statute.

Civil rights attorney Pamela Price has successfully litigated cases of racial discrimination for more than 30 years, including winning a racial harassment case in the United States Supreme Court. The California Legislature has honored Attorney Price as a Social Justice Warrior and Woman of the Year for her advocacy against discrimination multiple times. When she is elected to serve as Alameda County District Attorney, she commits to root out the racial, gender and economic disparities in our criminal justice system and repair the harm caused by mass incarceration.

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Oakland Post: Week of December 18 – 24, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of December 18 – 24, 2024

Published

1 day ago

December 20, 2024

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

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‘Donald Trump Is Not a God:’ Rep. Bennie Thompson Blasts Trump’s Call to Jail Him

“Donald Trump is not a god,” U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., told The Grio during a recent interview, reacting to Trump’s unsupported claims that the congressman, along with other committee members like vice chair and former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, destroyed evidence throughout the investigation.

Published

4 days ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

Congressman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss. Courtesy photo.

By Post Staff

U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., said he not intimidated by President-elect Donald Trump, who, during an interview on “Meet the Press,” called for the congressman to be jailed for his role as chairman of the special congressional committee investigating Trump’s role in the Jan. 6, 2021, mob attack on the U.S. Capitol.

“Donald Trump is not a god,” Thompson told The Grio during a recent interview, reacting to Trump’s unsupported claims that the congressman, along with other committee members like vice chair and former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, destroyed evidence throughout the investigation.

“He can’t prove it, nor has there been any other proof offered, which tells me that he really doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” said the 76-year-old lawmaker, who maintained that he and the bipartisan Jan. 6 Select Committee – which referred Trump for criminal prosecution – were exercising their constitutional and legislative duties.

“When someone disagrees with you, that doesn’t make it illegal; that doesn’t even make it wrong,” Thompson said, “The greatness of this country is that everyone can have their own opinion about any subject, and so for an incoming president who disagrees with the work of Congress to say ‘because I disagree, I want them jailed,’ is absolutely unbelievable.”

When asked by The Grio if he is concerned about his physical safety amid continued public ridicule from Trump, whose supporters have already proven to be violent, Thompson said, “I think every member of Congress here has to have some degree of concern, because you just never know.”

This story is based on a report from The Grio.

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City of Oakland Celebrates Reopening of Main Library

“Libraries are such critical facilities for all Oaklanders, whether it’s children coming to story-time, adults reading the newspapers or borrowing the latest novels, and people engaging with a range of services and programs that the library hosts,” said Council President and District 2 Councilmember Nikki Fortunato Bas. “Such library services and programs are only possible when the facility’s electricity, heating, roof, and lighting are fixed and running efficiently. I’m proud to join this re-opening of our Main Public Library.”

Published

4 days ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

Left to Right- Jamie Turbak, Director of Library Services, LaTonda Simmons, Assistant City Administrator, Nikki Bas, President Oakland City Council, Shen Thao, Mayor of Oakland, Carroll Fife, Oakland City Councilmember District 3, Harold Duffey, Assistant City Administrator, Sean Maher, Projects Coordinator. Photo by Kevin Hicks.

The branch had been closed since May for critical infrastructure upgrades

Special to the Post

The City of Oakland leadership and community partners gathered to celebrate the reopening of the Main Library after completion of critical infrastructure upgrades to enhance the library’s facilities and provide a better experience for patrons.

Renovations include new roof installation, skylight repair, critical electrical system upgrades, new boiler control system installation, auditorium heating and cooling system installation, and improvements to lighting, flooring and ceilings throughout the building.

“This is truly something to celebrate, the reopening of our wonderful Main Library! I congratulate the staff and our partners for this important project to make the Main Library a more comfortable place for everyone for years to come, said Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. “Thank you to Oakland voters and the California State Library for making these crucial improvements possible.”

“Public libraries are a wonderful resource for our residents, offering a safe space for learning and being,” said District 3 Councilmember Carroll Fife. “It is critical to improve and modernize our libraries so more members of our community can utilize and enjoy them. I’m excited that the necessary renovations to the Main Library have been completed successfully and thank everyone involved, particularly the City team, who helped secured the necessary grant funds for this work.”

“I am proud of the City staff and project partners who kept this important project on schedule and under budget,” said Assistant City Administrator G. Harold Duffey. “The library is an incredibly important resource for our community members, and this project is an investment into the library’s future.”

“December 2nd was a momentous occasion for Oakland Public Library as we proudly reopened the doors of the Main Library following extensive infrastructure repairs,” said Director of Library Services Jamie Turbak. “Closing the Main Library for six months was no easy decision, as it serves as the central hub for our library system and is truly the heart of Oakland. Yet, this renovation was essential, representing more than just physical upgrades—it reflects our ongoing commitment to creating a safe, welcoming space for everyone.”

The City Administrator Jestin Johnson also attended the press conference and signalled his support for the completion of the record-setting completion of the renovations. Gay Plair Cobb, a newly appointed Library Commissioner said the Library represents the soul and brains of our community.

The Oakland Public Library secured funding for these crititcal repairs through a variety of sources. The California State Library’s Building Forward Library Facilities Improvement Program awarded the Main Branch $4.2 million. To comply with the grant terms, the City of Oakland provided matching funds through Measures KK, as approved by the Oakland City Council in October 2023.

The Main Library will host an Open House to celebrate the reopening on February 22, 2025, 10 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

About the Oakland Public Library

The Oakland Public Library is a part of the City of Oakland in California and has been in existence since 1878. Locations include 16 neighborhood branches, a Main Library, a Second Start Adult Literacy Program, the Oakland Tool Lending Library, and the African American Museum and Library at Oakland (AAMLO). The Oakland Public Library empowers all people to explore, connect, and grow. Oaklandlibrary.org