Local Leaders, Condemning the Practice of Excluding Black and Jewish Jurors, Push for Re-sentencing in All Alameda County Death Penalty Cases. League Members Encouraged to Support the Rally on June 18 to Advocate that the Alameda County DA Help Confront the Legacy of Illegally Excluding Potential Jurors from Capital Trials.

OAKLAND, CA — Reacting to recent revelations that Black and Jewish residents have been routinely and illegally excluded from serving on capital juries in Alameda County for many decades, local Black and Jewish leaders announced they would be rallying to support Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price in her effort to confront this harmful legacy and push for resentencing in all death penalty cases.

After a deputy district attorney in Price’s office uncovered evidence of the illegal practice of excluding jurors on the basis of race or their Jewish faith, she shared the information with the defense attorneys in the case and with the judge. As a result, U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria instructed the District Attorney’s office to begin a review of every capital case from Alameda County to determine whether all of the death sentences, 35 in total, should be thrown out. The news followed on the heels of an announcement by Santa Clara County District Attorney, Jeff Rosen, that he planned to seek re-sentencing for everyone on death row from his county due to racial bias in the administration of the death penalty and the risk of executing innocent persons. DA Price was elected in 2022 after promising not to seek the death penalty. The illegal practice of excluding jurors predates DA Price’s time in office.

Community leaders are coming together to support DA Price’s investigation, and to support  accountability and re-sentencing in all death penalty cases:

What: Press Conference and Rally with Black and Jewish Leaders from Alameda County
Who: Brent Turner, San Francisco Bay Area Black and Jewish Unity Coalition; [insert other confirmed speakers here]
When: Tuesday, June 18, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. local time
Where: In front of the Alameda County Courthouse, 1225 Fallon St. Oakland, CA