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Alameda County residents learn more about district attorney candidates during community forum

Several Alameda County DA candidates participate in community forum
Several Alameda County DA candidates participate in community forum 03:17

The Alameda County Board of Supervisors is set to appoint a new district attorney next week, following the recall of Pamela Price in November. While voters will not have a direct say in the selection of the new district attorney, a community forum provided an opportunity for residents to learn more about the candidates vying for the role.

Seven candidates are being considered for the position, with three attending a community forum on Saturday at Lakeshore Avenue Baptist Church. The event allowed attendees to hear directly from the candidates about their vision for the district attorney's office and their approach to criminal justice. Two other candidates submitted video statements for the forum.

Among the attendees was Silvia Guzman, a long-time Oakland resident and community advocate. Guzman, like many Alameda County voters, expressed limited knowledge of the candidates, as many of their names have only emerged in recent weeks.

"I'm still learning from all of them. This was my first time hearing from everyone," Guzman said.

Venus Johnson, currently the chief deputy attorney general for California, is widely viewed as the front-runner. She has earned numerous endorsements, including from California Attorney General Rob Bonta, as well as district attorneys from San Francisco and Contra Costa counties.

"I'm homegrown, born and raised in Oakland. This is my community," Johnson said at the forum. "I run a $1.3 billion prosecutor's office at the attorney general's office. And I have executive experience, but I'm also a seasoned prosecutor."

The other candidates also emphasized their experience and vision for a balanced approach to criminal justice. Yibin Shen, the city attorney for Alameda, touted his leadership of the city attorney's office for the past six years.

"I'm the only candidate who's currently the head of an office," Shen said. "I know how to run an office as a head of an organization, and I've demonstrated that to the community and to elected officials."

LaTricia Louis, a former prosecutor in the Alameda County District Attorney's Office, emphasized her readiness to step into the role without the need for additional training.

"I am, from day one, ready to jump right in type of leader. I don't have a ramp-up time that's going to be needed for me to get into the work because I've already been doing it for this county. I've been serving the county for 25 years. I'm a resident of East Oakland.  I'm raising my son here," Louis said.

Annie Esposito, a veteran prosecutor, and Ursula Jones Dickson, an Alameda County Superior Court judge, were the two candidates who submitted video statements. Both have received endorsements from the group behind the recall of Price, who was ousted by voters in November over concerns that her policies were too progressive.

The forum was organized by groups that had supported Price's approach to restorative justice. Tash Nguyen of Restore Oakland, which advocates for alternatives to mass incarceration, emphasized the need for a candidate who could move beyond punitive approaches to justice.

"We're really looking for candidates who can have a larger understanding of public safety that's not just about incarceration because we know that returning to the age of mass incarceration is not going to make anyone more safe," Nguyen said.

Tanisha Cannon at Legal Services for Prisoners with Children, also emphasized the importance of restorative justice.

"It's good to hear them give us lip service. But we really want to know what they have been doing and what they really intend to do when they get there," said Cannon. "What I'm looking for is for restorative measures. What I'm looking for is accountability and what that accountability looks like on all sides. We want accountability from our district attorney as well."

Guzman, while still undecided, expressed hope that the new district attorney will represent the diverse values of Alameda County's residents.

"I would like to see someone who is generally present with our community, who embodies the values of the people who live, work, and play in this area," she said.

Once the board of supervisors appoints the district attorney next week, the appointed individual will begin serving next month. That person will serve until 2026, at which point voters will elect a candidate to finish out the term, which ends in 2028.

"I'm very hopeful that this is a new opportunity for Oakland, for Alameda County," Guzman said.

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