OAKLAND — Alameda County Superior Courtroom Choose Ursula Jones Dickson was appointed Tuesday as Alameda County’s subsequent district legal professional, finishing an unprecedented energy shift on the coronary heart of the East Bay’s justice system that started in November with the historic recall of longtime civil rights legal professional Pamela Value.
The choice of Jones Dickson because the county’s subsequent high prosecutor got here with the assist of three of the county’s Board of Supervisors: David Haubert, Nate Miley and Elisa Marquez. The previous Alameda County prosecutor — and present decide — is predicted to serve by way of 2026, when the seat once more goes up for election.
A decade-long Alameda County Superior Courtroom decide, Jones Dickson was amongst two candidates endorsed by the marketing campaign that led the recall towards Value. She touted her candidacy as an apolitical choice given her time on the bench, telling the board Tuesday evening that “as much as we’re all talking politics, I’m not — what I’m talking about is doing the right thing for the DA’s office.”
The appointment summoned cheers from organizers of the November recall towards Value, the county’s first Black lady to function its high prosecutor. Voters opted to take away her from workplace by a virtually two-to-one margin, in a recall election by no means earlier than seen in Alameda County.
The appointment comes at a time of deep instability for the Alameda County District Legal professional’s Workplace, which can have its fourth chief in exactly greater than two years when Jones Dickson is predicted to be sworn in on Feb. 4.
Value gained election in November 2022 on a platform of reimagining the East Bay’s justice system and dealing towards the nation’s legacy of mass incarceration. To that finish, Value rapidly instituted a coverage that sought to restrict the quantity and severity of sentencing enhancements that prosecutors may file towards felony defendants. Such enhancements can considerably lengthen potential jail phrases.
Her removing from workplace through the November election marked the second time since 2022 {that a} progressive-leaning district legal professional was recalled within the Bay Space, following the ouster of first-term San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin. It got here as East Bay voters additionally struck a defiant tone — concurrently booting Oakland’s mayor in a sweeping repudiation of the world’s recently-elected leaders.
The board’s choice Tuesday signaled a shift from Value, a profession civil rights legal professional who by no means beforehand prosecuted felony circumstances.
Scores of individuals spoke throughout hours of public remark forward of the Board of Supervisors’ historic choice — a gathering so nicely attended that it reached the restrict for attendees on the county’s Zoom livestream.
Many audio system endorsed the duo of Esposito and Jones Dickson, the 2 most well-liked candidates of the recall marketing campaign Save Alameda for Everybody. A number of vowed they had been “not going anywhere,” whereas suggesting the supervisors may face challenges in upcoming elections in the event that they opted towards their endorsed candidates.
Many additionally railed towards Venus Johnson, a former Alameda County prosecutor whose shut ties to Legal professional Common Rob Bonta turned a sore spot amongst recall proponents.
“Our community doesn’t want a political outsider serving their political interests,” stated Chris Moore, who labored as SAFE’s marketing campaign supervisor, including that the supervisors’ choice wanted to “rebuild trust, restore safety and prioritize victims and their families.”
As he spoke, a number of fellow recall backers held indicators within the close by gallery depicting the faces of native murder victims.
“What the county needs, in our opinion, is a person who can step in on Day One and begin to institute positive changes,” stated Jason Wentz, who represented 8,000 members of the Bay Space’s chapter of the Peace Officers Analysis Affiliation of California, and spoke in favor of Esposito and Jones Dickson. “Voters of this county spoke very clearly when they recalled the previous district attorney for failed policies, and they want change and accountability.”
Nonetheless, a number of others spoke up in favor of present Alameda County prosecutors Elgin Lowe and Jimmy Wilson, who’ve spent a long time prosecuting circumstances within the East Bay.
Additionally receiving sturdy vocal assist was Johnson, the previous prosecutor in Alameda and Contra Costa counties who carried endorsements of the district attorneys in San Francisco and Contra Costa counties. She additionally arrived on the assembly with the backing of former Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf and quite a few different East Bay lawmakers, together with U.S. Rep. Lateefah Simon and California Assemblymember Buffy Wicks.
“At this time, what’s needed is someone who is a prosecutor, a reformer, manager and — most importantly — someone who is a proven leader,” stated Kenton Rainey, a retired chief of the Bay Space Fast Transit Police Division who spoke in favor of Johnson. “Most importantly, she will be fair and she will listen to the community and local law enforcement concerns.”
Tash Nguyen, government director of Restore Oakland, famous how Johnson’s overseen a billion-dollar price range as second-in-command on the California Division of Justice.
“People want increased public safety,” stated Nguyen, whose nonprofit not too long ago hosted a candidate discussion board. “That doesn’t mean they want to turn Alameda County back into the age of mass incarceration.”
