Jul 11, 2023 | Press Releases
July 11, 2023
During her historic first six months in office, District Attorney Pamela Price has hired 80 diverse individuals, including attorneys, victim/witness advocates and paraprofessionals.
OAKLAND, CA – On June 26, 2023, Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price announced the promotion of seven Inspectors including:
Kevin Wiley –Promoted to Lieutenant of Inspectors
Carl Bonner – Promoted to Lieutenant of Inspectors
Thomas Miller – Promoted to Lieutenant of Inspectors
Simon Rhee – Promoted to Inspector III
James Morris – Promoted to Inspector III
Sherlyn Padua – Promoted to Inspector III
Tracie Lui – Promoted to Inspector III
Inspectors investigate and prepare cases for criminal and civil trials in conjunction with Deputy District Attorneys. Inspectors also assist with locating and interviewing victims, witnesses and other possible sources of information in preparation for trial.
They are the largest and most diverse class of promotees in the modern history of the DA’s office. DA Price swore the newly promoted team in on July 7, 2023. Collectively, the inspectors have nearly 60 years of experience working for the Alameda County DA’s office. They are all seasoned law enforcement officers.
The District Attorney’s Inspector Division was created in 1925 by former Alameda County District Attorney Earl Warren in his early years in the office. Warren started the Inspector’s Division with two detectives, and expanded it to a total of five shortly thereafter. The Inspector’s Division in the DA’s office today includes 75 Inspectors.
This success coincides with the hiring of 80 new staff members since the beginning of DA Price’s new administration. Among those hired over the last six months are: 24 paraprofessionals, 23 attorneys, 15 victim-witness advocates and 12 law clerks.
Madam District Attorney Price with newly promoted Inspectors
## Contact: Public Information Officer Patti Lee, Patti.Lee@acgov.org // 628-249-1288
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The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office (DAO) is one of California’s largest prosecutors’ offices and is led by Alameda County’s first Black woman District Attorney Pamela Y. Price. Price brings her vision to this office to fairly administer justice in the pursuit of thriving, healthy, and safe communities for every person who steps foot in Alameda County, no matter their race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, income, or zip code. Price has been recognized as one of the most progressive prosecutors through her forward-thinking, innovative strategies to interrupt cycles of violence and crime and bring change to a criminal justice system rooted in systemic racism. Follow Madam DA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook and @AlamedaCountyda on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Jul 10, 2023 | Press Releases
July 10, 2023
During her historic first six months in office, District Attorney Pamela Price has hired 80 diverse individuals, including attorneys, victim/witness advocates and paraprofessionals.
OAKLAND, CA – On Friday, June 30, 2023, Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price administered the oath of office to the 80th new staff member to join the office since the beginning of her administration as the new DA. Among those hired over the last six months are: 24 paraprofessionals, 23 attorneys, 15 victim-witness advocates and 12 law clerks.
When DA Price assumed office on January 3, 2023, the office had a vacancy rate of more than 20%.
DA Price surveyed staff upon taking office and made it her mission to address the number of vacant positions in order to better serve the citizens of Alameda County.
“When I spoke with existing staff, the number one thing I heard was a call for help to staff up the office. Vacancies had not been filled in some time, with some positions sitting vacant for years. This has created an extreme backlog of cases and limits our ability to support victims of crime,” DA Price said.
One example of the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office’s commitment to diversity and inclusion is in the new hires to the Victim-Witness Advocate Division. Twelve new victim-witness advocates include the office’s first female transgender advocate, the first advocate who speaks and writes in both Cantonese and Mandarin, and the first advocate who speaks the indigenous Mayan language of Mam.
They are the largest and most diverse class of hires in the modern history of the DA’s office.
“Our victim-witness advocates are the heart of the District Attorney’s Office,” DA Price emphasized. “I was shocked to see the number of vacancies within this Unit.”
“I was also stunned to find that Alameda County’s 14 Collaborative Courts were virtually unstaffed. These courts focus on rehabilitation as a proven means to reduce recidivism.” DA Price said. “In six months, we haven’t just filled these positions, we’ve filled the docket of cases being heard before many of these courts.”
On June 26, 2023, DA Price announced the promotion of Kristina Molina to the Director of the Victim-Witness Assistance Division and Karla Elias-Flores to the Director of the Family Justice Center.
Madam DA Price pictured with the most recent graduating Victim Witness Advocates
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The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office (DAO) is one of California’s largest prosecutors’ offices and is led by Alameda County’s first Black woman District Attorney Pamela Y. Price. Price brings her vision to this office to fairly administer justice in the pursuit of thriving, healthy, and safe communities for every person who steps foot in Alameda County, no matter their race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, income, or zip code. Price has been recognized as one of the most progressive prosecutors through her forward-thinking, innovative strategies to interrupt cycles of violence and crime and bring change to a criminal justice system rooted in systemic racism. Follow Madam DA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook and @AlamedaCountyda on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
## Contact: Public Information Officer Patti Lee, damedia@acgov.org // 628-249-1288
Jul 7, 2023 | Press Releases
Evidence, Witness Statements Support Manslaughter Plea
May 25, 2023
Oakland CA – The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office has decided to pursue manslaughter charges against Sam Veimau of Hayward, who shot and killed two brothers on High Street in Oakland on September 26, 2021.
The shooting incident, involving the two victims, Manase Mesui and Suiti Mesui, and defendant, Sam Ikinasio Veimau, happened on September 26, 2021. The factual investigation and evidence, conducted by Oakland Police Department, involved allegations of a family dispute that got out of control between family members. After several court proceedings and settlement negotiations over several months, including the consideration of the defense theory of a self-defense claim asserted by the defendant, the prosecution team for the Alameda District Attorney’s Office and the defendant’s attorney, representing the Public Defender’s Office, reached a negotiated plea of manslaughter in this case.
The prosecution team was very responsive throughout this case in notifying the victims’ family members and representatives of the procedural status and the settlement negotiations.
Pursuant to the terms of the negotiated plea, defendant, Sam Ikinasio Veimau, entered a plea of no contest to two felony counts of manslaughter under Penal Code Section 192(a) and admitted the use of a gun enhancement as to both counts under Penal Code Section 12022.5(a). The total sentencing exposure was 18 years in prison but, under the negotiated plea, the sentencing was agreed to run concurrently for a total of 9 years state prison.
## Contact: Public Information Officer Patti Lee, Patti.Lee@acgov.org // 628-249-1288
Jul 7, 2023 | Press Releases
The Battle To End Gun Violence Takes Center Stage in Oakland
OAKLAND — Dozens of people gathered at the Alameda County Family Justice Center on Friday, June 2, 2023 to support Gun Violence Restraining Order Day. The community outreach event was just an important part of Wear Orange Weekend, which was designed to bring attention to the fight to end gun violence and to the facilities available for people in need of help.
Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price has been vocal about the fact that halting the proliferation of guns and the tragedies they cause is a top priority for her administration and for herself.
A long list of advocate groups and community-based partners, as well as employees from the District Attorney’s office turned out in force to offer assistance to the public with GVROs, mental health, housing alternatives, family counseling and support for parents. The participants included:
The Alameda City Attorney
Justice At Last
Bay Area Women Against Rape (BAWAR)
Family Violence Law Center
A Safe Place
Building Futures with Women and Children (BFWC)
S.H.A.D.E
Ruby’s Place
Narika
Victim Witness
District Attorney’s – Clean Slate Program
Be A Mentor
Mental Health Association for Chinese Community
Youth Alive!
International Institute of the Bay Area
Alameda County Public Health Department
Alameda County Family Justice Center – Trauma Recovery Center, Navigators and Empowerment Teams
## Contact: Communications Director Traci Grant, traci.grant@acgov.org // 628-249-1288
Jul 7, 2023 | Press Releases
June 15, 2023
Oakland – Delonzo Logwood entered a plea today in Alameda Superior Court of no contest to voluntary manslaughter and a firearm enhancement, for a total of 12 years in state prison. A plea of no contest still results in a guilty finding by the Judge.
Mr. Logwood also had been charged in the 2008 murders of Richard Carter and Zaire Washington but Alameda Superior Court Judge Mark McCannon granted a motion to dismiss those two counts last month. Mr. Logwood continued to face one count of the murder of Ford until today’s hearing.
Judge McCannon accepted the no contest plea but will not indicate whether he will approve the sentencing until July 13, 2023. Mr. Logwood, who has maintained his innocence since he was charged in 2015, has been incarcerated in Santa Rita County Jail for eight years.
## Contact: Communications Director Traci Grant, traci.grant@acgov.org // 628-249-1288
