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Alameda County, Here’s Your Chance to Hear From 7 Finalists for Vacant DA Seat

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(Left to right) Ursula Jones Dickson, Alameda County Superior Court judge and former deputy district attorney in Alameda County, Latricia Louis, deputy county counsel in Alameda County and former assistant district attorney in Alameda County, Yibin Shen, city attorney in the City of Alameda, and Venus Johnson, chief deputy attorney general in the California Department of Justice and former director of public safety in Oakland, wait for the Alameda County board of supervisors meting to start at the Alameda County Administration Building, on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025.  (David M. Barreda/KQED)

Updated 4:41 p.m. Tuesday

Alameda County residents had a chance to hear from the seven finalists still in the running for the vacant district attorney seat on Tuesday, two months after progressive prosecutor Pamela Price was recalled from office.

Members of the Board of Supervisors publicly interviewed the candidates in an afternoon meeting, and will announce their selection on Jan. 28. The newly appointed district attorney is scheduled to be sworn in early next month and, according to the county charter, will serve until the next general election in 2026.

The board asked candidates about their stances on immigration, racial bias and holistic crime reduction. They were also asked about their positions on Proposition 36, a ballot measure that allows prosecutors to pursue felony charges against repeat offenders of non-violent crimes. The candidates unanimously said they voted in favor of the proposition last year.

The finalists who were interviewed include:

  • Annie Esposito, assistant district attorney in Contra Costa County and former senior assistant district attorney in Alameda County.
  • Venus Johnson, chief deputy attorney general in the California Department of Justice and former director of public safety in Oakland.
  • Ursula Jones Dickson, Alameda County Superior Court judge and former deputy district attorney in Alameda County.
  • Elgin Lowe, senior deputy district attorney in Alameda County.
  • Jimmie Wilson, deputy district attorney in Alameda County.
  • Yibin Shen, city attorney in the City of Alameda.
  • Latricia Louis, deputy county counsel in Alameda County and former assistant district attorney in Alameda County.

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Price, who was recalled by voters less than two years into her term, faced heavy criticism over rising crime rates in Alameda County and disorganization within her office. The group that led the recall campaign — Save Alameda For Everyone, or SAFE — recommended Esposito and Jones Dickson for the opening. The recommendation was also signed by law enforcement unions in Alameda County.

“We have to address the divisions in the office,” said Jones Dickson during the meeting on Tuesday. “We need to have a less politicized DA’s office and a more balanced DA’s Office.”

According to Jones Dickson, she plans on making it easier for prosecutors to charge cases and also seeks to bring Alameda County up to compliance with race-blind charging policies. Jones Dickson said she also wants to work with victims’ advocates to rebuild support systems that have been neglected by the office.

Jones Dickson said she would continue working with Esposito, who is a prosecutor in Contra Costa County, but did not elaborate on how a collaboration would work.

A middle-aged Black woman in a suit jacket speaks at a podium, with a 'Alameda County District Attorney's Office banner behind her.
Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price speaks to reporters during a briefing in Oakland on Oct. 21, 2024. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)

“My philosophy is persevere, strive for excellence and fairness and maintain your compassion,” Esposito said during the meeting. “This is the philosophy that I will bring back to the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office. It may seem very simple but we know it’s going to be a lot more work. Restore public trust. Restore public safety.”

Johnson, meanwhile, received support from several high-profile leaders with East Bay roots, including California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who previously served on the Alameda City Council and represented the area in the State Assembly; San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins, who grew up in Union City and was appointed to lead her office after Chesa Boudin’s recall in 2022; and newly elected Rep. Lateefah Simon (D–Oakland).

“My character and my credentials send a message of stability,” Johnson told KQED. “I’ve had over … 20 years of law enforcement experience at the local level and at the state level. I’m looking to bring all of my experience home in order to create a more safe and just Alameda County for everyone.”

Johnson said her priority as district attorney would be to create a system of accountability for people who commit violent offenses. However, Johnson said she also recognizes the importance of non-punitive and rehabilitative methods of reducing crime and would look to foster that as district attorney.

Alameda City Attorney Shen echoed the sentiment and said he stands behind the Care First, Jails Last policy as a guideline for taking holistic approaches to crime reduction. Shen has the support of several officials in the city of Alameda, including Mayor Marilyn Ashcraft and the Alameda City Council.

“We’re not going to rely on mass incarceration alone because history has shown that that alone does not achieve community safety,” Shen said. “My vision for Alameda County is that it’s safe but through a just and equitable enforcement of the law and with an approach that’s consistent with the county’s values of accountability and restorative justice.”

During a special Board of Supervisors meeting last week, several attendees also spoke in favor of Senior Deputy District Attorney Lowe, praising him for his decades of experience as a prosecutor and his commitment to the role.

He’s received recommendations from officials in Hayward, including Mayor Mark Salinas, and said he aims to rebuild trust between the District Attorney’s Office and the community through transparency and accountability.

“Accountability means we will take a holistic approach to determine what justice means in each individual case,” Lowe said. “Justice does not mean the same thing in every case. You have to look at the facts, the law and the defendant’s criminal history.”

Deputy District Attorney Wilson is another finalist currently serving as a prosecutor in Alameda County. Wilson said in his application to the Board of Supervisors that his goals are to work with local organizations to reduce crime, such as gang violence and human trafficking, while also creating a support system for victims.

“We need a prosecutor who’s going to address crime in our community,” Wilson said. “I come from a family of community activists so I believe in reform. I believe we can do both. I believe we can keep people safe and we can give them a second chance.”

Wilson ran unsuccessfully against Price in 2022.

Deputy County Counsel Louis, or L.D., was one of the last candidates to be selected as a finalist, in addition to Shen. She previously served on the Alameda County Mental Health Advisory Board and said she wants to address the backlog of uncharged cases and cases awaiting trial.

“Oakland is the canary in the coal mine and indicative of a systemic problem confronting the entire country,” Wilson said in her application. “The Office of the District Attorney must get back to basics and focus on the core mission of a professional prosecutors office, which is to prosecute public offenses.”

Wilson also said during the meeting that she is committed to implementing several crime reduction tactics that go beyond prosecution including mental health services and addiction recovery programs.

The seven finalists unanimously confirmed that they would also be running for district attorney in 2026.

KQED’s Alex Hall contributed to this report.

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