Whomever Alameda County supervisors choose Tuesday to switch recalled District Legal professional Pamela Value might be an enormous enchancment.
For starters, all seven finalists convey prosecutorial expertise, which Value lacked when she was elected in 2022 to essentially the most highly effective legislation enforcement submit within the county.
However of the seven finalists, one, Venus Johnson, additionally brings a singular administration and management background that makes her the perfect candidate to restore the badly fractured Alameda County District Legal professional’s Workplace.
The opposite finalists are Alameda Metropolis Legal professional Yibin Shen and 5 present or former prosecutors from the workplace they search to guide: Alameda County Superior Courtroom Choose Ursula Jones Dickson, Contra Costa Assistant District Legal professional Annie Esposito, Alameda County Senior Deputy District Legal professional Elgin Lowe, Alameda County Deputy District Legal professional Jimmie Wilson and Alameda County Deputy County Counsel Latricia Louis.
Whereas all have essential expertise, Johnson stands out. An Oakland native, she has been an Alameda County prosecutor, a high coverage and authorized adviser to then-Legal professional Common Kamala Harris and the chief assistant to Contra Costa District Legal professional Diana Becton. She presently serves as Legal professional Common Rob Bonta’s chief deputy, overseeing a $1.3 billion finances and greater than 5,000 staff.
The 5 members of the county Board of Supervisors are accountable for appointing a short lived alternative for Value. Their choose should stand for election on the subsequent normal election, in 2026, to maintain the submit.
Alameda County residents deserve a pacesetter like Johnson who can convey long-term stability to the workplace and a way of even-handed justice that was missing throughout Value’s tenure.
Value punished opponents, employed allies with questionable credentials, together with her personal boyfriend, insisted on leniency for violent criminals, undermined public disclosure legal guidelines, demonstrated prosecutorial bias, and allegedly made racist feedback and tried to extort cash from a political rival.
Not solely did 63% of county voters within the November election forged ballots to oust Value, 62% supported Proposition 36, which will increase punishments for some theft and drug crimes whereas additionally creating incentives for addicts to hunt drug remedy.
The outcomes point out that voters had not solely uninterested in Value’s chaotic administration and prosecutorial choices, however they have been additionally weary of the crime ranges within the county — particularly in its most populous metropolis, Oakland. In a typically liberal county, voters despatched a sign that, whereas they help cheap felony justice reform, Value was taking it too far.
Johnson understands that. If appointed district legal professional, Johnson instructed county supervisors throughout a presentation final week, “There will be a clear message from my office that the days of get-out-of-jail-free passes, or whatever it is that people feel that they have, are over.”
In deciding the severity of expenses in felony instances, prosecutors have to be conscious of mitigating circumstances reminiscent of psychological well being, substance abuse and homelessness challenges, Johnson mentioned.
Then again, she mentioned, “there are others who simply want to frankly just terrorize our businesses, and our pedestrians and our seniors, and bring drugs and firearms and trafficking into our community. Those things will certainly not be tolerated.”
Johnson guarantees to rescind charging insurance policies Value put in place that hamstrung attorneys prosecuting even a few of the most violent criminals. As a substitute, Johnson guarantees to develop insurance policies “that focus on equitably and fairly charging individuals to the fullest extent of the law.”
Johnson hopes to win again a few of the workplace’s senior-level prosecutors who left or have been pressured out when Value took over. And she or he vows to unify a workforce that features veteran prosecutors and new hires Value introduced in.
Restoring credibility to the District Legal professional’s Workplace might be a troublesome project. Whereas the six different finalists convey particular person expertise, Johnson’s distinctive expertise makes her the only option. We hope county supervisors acknowledge that.
