Latest news with #AlamedaCounty
Associated Press
4 days ago
- General
- Associated Press
New district attorney in California county withdraws from historic death penalty resentencing
Alameda County's new district attorney is rejecting her predecessor's recommendations to resentence people on death row — recommendations triggered by a historic review of systemic prosecutorial misconduct. Records obtained by CalMatters show at least four cases in which District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson has moved to withdraw resentencing motions filed under Pamela Price, who was recalled from office in November. Price launched the review roughly one year ago, after U.S. District Court Judge Vince Chhabria mandated that her office investigate 35 death penalty cases for prosecutorial misconduct dating back to the 1980s. His order cited 'strong evidence that, in prior decades, prosecutors from the office were engaged in a pattern of serious misconduct, automatically excluding Jewish and African American jurors in death penalty cases.' Price ultimately recommended resentencing 30 people, the majority people of color, after finding that their constitutional rights had been violated. Of those, 20 people have had their day in court and were resentenced to terms less than death under Alameda County Superior Court Judge Thomas Stevens. But that effort came to a halt when Price was ousted. Her resentencing team was disbanded, according to court records and interviews with former staffers. And the 10 resentencing recommendations awaiting a ruling were reassigned to Alameda County Superior Court Judge Armando Pastran, a former prosecutor. The Alameda County Board of Supervisors appointed Jones Dickson, a former judge, to her post in February. Her office began filing motions to withdraw recommendations less than two months later, contending that Price and her team made flawed legal arguments and failed to sufficiently contact victims and their family members. The 'motion is based on a substantive reevaluation of the facts of the case, legal analysis…consideration of petitioner's prior crimes, and new information about the victims' wishes,' wrote deputy district attorney Emily Tienken in one of the filings. The decision to reverse course signals one of the first major policy changes the office has adopted since Price's departure. 'It's absolutely disgraceful,' said Michael Collins, senior director at Color of Change, a racial justice organization that called on the Attorney General's Office to support Price's review and launch its own investigation. 'It's scandalous that this has happened and now they're trying to bury the cases. The people whose lives were destroyed — the people who were given unconstitutional trials are not getting any indemnification.' In an interview with CalMatters, Price said her office was looking to achieve justice and it was not driven by politics. 'It was very disturbing,' said Price. 'If this is the practice and you're doing it in these types of cases, what's to say you're not doing it in other types of cases as well? So our concern was that we had a huge task ahead of us.' The Alameda County District Attorney's Office did not respond to requests for an interview for this story. At a press conference marking her first 100 days in office, Jones Dickson on Thursday did not directly answer a question about her stance on the death penalty cases. 'I don't have a plan to specifically review any death penalty cases that are pending,' she said. 'We are already in the midst of doing that. It looks like the prior administration started that process and so there are cases that are still pending that we're reviewing and evaluating and filing motions on and doing the things that lawyers do. But I don't have a policy at this point regarding choosing cases to pull for resentencing.' Jonathan Raven, an executive at the California District Attorneys Association, said not every district attorney is going to agree on a specific case. 'Any district attorney is always going to review policies and practices, and review the decisions of the prior district attorney, which I think is what the voters would want – or certainly, the board of supervisors,' he said. Disparities in death penalty sentences Decades of research has documented racial bias in the application of the death penalty. In a brief submitted to the California Supreme Court challenging the administration of the state's death penalty scheme, legal advocacy organizations wrote that Black and Latino defendants are roughly six to nine times more likely to be sentenced to death than all other defendants. Gov. Gavin Newsom cited that legacy when he suspended the death penalty in California six years ago. But voters have consistently upheld the death penalty as a policy, and almost 600 people incarcerated in state prisons have been sentenced to death. Allegations of racially discriminatory jury selection practices in Alameda County were first raised in 2005 by a former prosecutor in a sworn declaration. Roughly 20 years later, Price announced that her office had uncovered evidence of those violations. Jury selection notes disclosed by Price's office revealed that past Alameda County prosecutors had been illegally tracking and striking potential jurors on the basis of race and religion for decades. In one instance, prosecutors described a prospective Black female juror as a 'Short, Fat, Troll.' Prosecutors wrote of another prospective juror, 'I liked him better than any other Jew but no way.' Those findings served as the basis for Judge Chhabria's order and quickly became priority for Price's team, which had already been resentencing many other types of cases. According to Price and former staffers, the office assembled a team of victim witness advocates who contacted all of the survivors they were able to identify. Appeal reached California Supreme Court The team spent months reviewing cases, including the conviction of Grayland Winbush. Winbush, a Black man, was sentenced to death in 2003 following the murder of Erika Beeson during a robbery. He was 19 at the time of the crime. In court filings, attorneys for Winbush argued that his constitutional rights were violated when prosecutors removed all Black prospective jurors and relied on racial stereotypes to characterize him as a superpredator. In January, Price's office recommended that he be resentenced to 30 years to life, acknowledging that his case had 'become a reference point in discussions of jury selection misconduct.' In return, Winbush agreed that he would no longer continue appealing his sentence. But roughly three months later, Jones Dickson withdrew the original recommendation 'based on carefully considered victim impact and up-to-date legal analysis.' Attorneys for Winbush held that the office has no factual or legal ground to revoke its recommendation, maintaining that 'withdrawing a recommendation on a whim or based on 'a change in the political winds'' is not valid. The motion 'perpetuates, rather than confronts and remedies, the widespread race-based misconduct that led a federal judge to direct the office to review its death penalty cases,' wrote appellate defense attorney Rebecca Jones. 'The original resentencing petition filed by the (Alameda County District Attorney's Office) is a piece of its attempt to redress systemic bias reflected by the jury selection in Mr. Winbush's case.' Alameda County Superior Court Judge Pastran will decide whether to grant Jones Dickson's revocation of Winbush's resentencing recommendation in the months ahead. In another case, Jones Dickson is pulling the resentencing recommendation for Giles Albert Nadey, who was convicted and sentenced to death in 2000 for murdering a young woman. The case came up for argument in the California Supreme Court last year, around the same time that Price's office had surfaced evidence of prosecutorial misconduct, but did not consider that evidence and ultimately upheld the death sentence. In a divided opinion, the court looked at a prosecutor's decision to dismiss five of six Black women from Nadey's jury pool and determined the deputy district attorney had valid reasons to strike them, such as his perceptions of their political leanings. 'We conclude in each instance the prosecutor's reasons were inherently plausible and supported,' the court ruled in a 5-2 decision, citing evidence from jury questionnaires and the prosecutor's questioning of the stricken jurors. In a dissent, Justice Goodwin Liu referred to the federal court ruling that directed Price to review death penalty cases. The 'decision is particularly jarring given what has come to light in federal court regarding capital jury selection in Alameda County around the time that Nadey was tried,' Liu wrote. ___ This story was originally published by CalMatters and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.
CBS News
4 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Bay Area resident may have exposed others to measles after travel, officials warn
Health officials in two Bay Area counties warned about a potential exposure to measles involving a resident who tested positive for the virus after traveling. According to the Santa Clara County Public Health Department and the Alameda County Public Health Department, the person had returned home from international travel and passed through a U.S. airport where they might have been exposed to measles. The airport was not named. As of Thursday, the person was not hospitalized and is isolating at home. Officials released a list of businesses in Alameda and Santa Clara Counties where the person visitied, possibly exposing others to the virus. Locations include: • May 21 between 7:15 p.m. and 9 p.m. at the H Mart on 1719 Oakland Road in San Jose • May 23 between 11:45 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the Starbucks on 34050 Newark Boulevard in Newark • May 25 between 4:45 p.m. and 8 p.m. at the Trader Joes on 1306 Great Mall Parkway in Milpitas People who visited the above locations at those times may be at risk for measles if they are not immune or unsure if they are vaccinated. Immunization records can be checked by contacting one's healthcare provider or by visiting Anyone who is pregnant, the parent of an infant, have a weakened immune system or are unimmunized should contact their healthcare provider. People potentially exposed should monitor for symptoms for seven to 21 days, which include fever, cough, runny nose, conjunctivitis and a rash that appears 10 to 21 days after exposure. Anyone with symptoms must call ahead to medical facilities before going in to protect other patients and visitors. Officials are expected to provide an update at a news conference on Friday. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. has seen 1,046 measles cases so far this year, with three deaths confirmed. Thirty percent of the cases were in children under 5 years of age.
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Travel + Leisure
4 days ago
- General
- Travel + Leisure
This City Was Just Named the Healthiest Place to Live in the U.S. for 2025
Each year, reveals the healthiest places in the nation, based on "a comprehensive assessment of the general health levels among residents in an area." The company considers key indicators of personal health, including smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, rates of obesity, and people's access and proximity to health care facilities, including gyms, doctors, and mental health practitioners. And this year, named Berkeley, California, the healthiest city in the U.S. The Alameda County city is less than half an hour from San Francisco, and boasts 256 sunny days per year and a mild Mediterranean climate. Residents don't have to travel far to enjoy time in nature and stay active—Berkeley has over 50 parks with sports facilities, trails, and playgrounds. Additionally, places like Muir Woods National Monument, Yosemite National Park, and Pinnacles National Park offer even more options for outdoor recreation. In fact, the city was named the No. 1 Healthiest Place to Live in America and the No. 1 Healthiest City, really driving home the point that this is indeed a healthy place. Berkeley also snagged an A+ rating for its schools, A+ for nightlife, and an A+ for outdoor activities, which surely helps to keep its population in tip-top shape. The only categories it falls short in are housing, where it scored a C-, crime and safety, which also nabbed it a C-, and the cost of living, where it scored a low D+. And these grades are well reflected in the local reviews. "Berkeley is a totally unique city. I have never seen another place so littered with diversity. There are all kinds of people from all walks of life, and there is no place as notorious as Berkeley for self-expression," one person shared on "Life is technically not great here, with expensive and rare housing opportunities and a struggling job market, but for all aspects of life where life is actually supposed to be fun, Berkeley thrives." But this isn't the only place people can feel that healthy buzz. Cambridge, Massachusetts, ranked second, followed by Irvine, California, Bellevue, Washington, and Seattle, Washington, rounding out the top five healthiest cities in the country. You can see where your city ranks and read the complete list at
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Bay Area health officials warn of possible measles exposures
The Brief The County of Santa Clara Public Health Department and Alameda County Public Health Department said a person tested positive for measles after returning to the Bay Area from international travel. The two public health agencies listed times and places of possible measles exposures. A press conference will be held to discuss prevention measures for measles, steps the public should take if they were exposed and information concerning measles vaccines. SAN JOSE, Calif. - Two Bay Area public health agencies on Thursday warned residents against a possible measles exposure and announced a forthcoming press conference to equip the public with preventative knowledge in the wake of a potential breakout. The County of Santa Clara Public Health Department and Alameda County Public Health Department said a person tested positive for measles after returning to the Bay Area from international travel in May. The traveler was not hospitalized and is isolating at their home, though the two public health agencies said there may have been exposures at three locations in the Bay Area. Locations of exposures The times and places of possible measles exposures listed by the County of Santa Clara Public Health Department and Alameda County Public Health Department are: H Mart located at 1710 Oakland Road in San Jose, on May 21 between 7:15 p.m. and 9 p.m. Starbucks located at 35040 Newark Blvd. in Newark, on May 23 between 11:45 a.m. and 2 p.m. Trader Joe's located at 1306 Great Mall Pkwy. in Milpitas, on May 25 between 4:45 p.m. and 8 p.m. The two public health agencies advised those who may have been exposed to monitor their own health for seven to 21 days after the day of potential exposure. Symptoms of measles include fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and a rash which usually appears 10 to 21 days after exposure. The County of Santa Clara Public Health Department and Alameda County Public Health Department said it is very important for a person who is suffering symptoms to call a medical facility before visting so that medical staff can take protective measures. Equipping the public The County of Santa Clara Public Health Department and Alameda County Public Health Department will hold a press conference on Friday to discuss prevention measures for measles, steps the public should take if they were exposed and information concerning measles vaccines. The press conference will be held at the County of Santa Clara Public Health Department office at 150 W. Tasman Dr. in San Jose at 9:30 a.m. The press conference will be attended by Acting County of Santa Clara Public Health Department Public Health Officer and Director Dr. Sarah Rudman, Alameda County Public Health Department Director of Clinical Guidance and Communicable Disease Controller Dr. Kavita Trivedi and County of Santa Clara Public Health Department Immunization Program Manager Patricia Cerrato. The Source County of Santa Clara Public Health Department, Alameda County Public Health Department
CBS News
26-05-2025
- CBS News
Man arrested following car-to-car shootout in Castro Valley
Authorities in the East Bay have arrested a man in connection with a shooting in Castro Valley last month that involved people in two vehicles. According to the Alameda County Sheriff's Office, deputies from the Eden Township substation were called to Castro Valley Boulevard and Baker Road on April 17 at 5 p.m. Witnesses said that gunfire took place between the occupants of the vehicles. Deputies who responded to the scene did not find either vehicle or any victims. Investigators said the victim had fired several rounds from a CO2-powered BB gun at a vehicle. In response, the driver of the second vehicle retrieved a firearm and fired multiple live rounds at the victim. Deputies said the victim and suspect knew each other. An arrest warrant was obtained for the suspect, identified as 28-year-old Donovan Wright of Oakland. With help from multiple units, deputies took Wright into custody at his apartment. Deputies said a search of his home yielded an illegal assault rifle, two loaded revolvers and a small quantity of cocaine. Wright was booked into the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin. According to jail records, Wright is scheduled to be arraigned on Tuesday.
