D. A. hopeful reverses misdemeanor stance
Civil rights attorney Pamela Price, who is challenging incumbent Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley, on Friday walked back her comments about not prosecuting misdemeanors after domestic violence victims criticized the stance.
If elected, Price said, she would continue to prosecute misdemeanors and all domestic violence cases. She said she would explore programs like San Francisco’s neighborhood courts and use discretion in sentencing recommendations.
Price’s comments Friday were a reversal from her position — that she would not pursue prosecutions of misdemeanor crimes — reported in The Chronicle and East Bay Times, which she said were inaccurate or taken out of context.
“Whether someone gets the maximum sentence is determined by the nature of the crime. And, quite frankly, we have maximum sentences that are not necessarily appropriate for the crimes that have been committed,” Price said Friday. “I don’t want this community to be manipulated by fear in any way when we talk about alternatives to incarceration or alternative dispositions.”
Price made the comments feet from a group of 20 domestic violence victims and advocates, who are supporting O’Malley and who said punishing even low- level abuse cases can prevent perpetrators from escalating their aggression.
They held a rally Friday on the steps of an Oakland courthouse to speak out against Price’s previous remarks on misdemeanors. Already, they said, the criminal justice system does not take domestic violence as seriously as it should.
Price came to the rally to try to explain what she would do as top cop — and highlighted her own experience as a domestic violence victim.
Price, who has racked up endorsements from progressives and criminal justice reformers, was the onetime attorney for the teenager who accused Oakland and other Bay Area police officers of sex crimes. The young woman later told the East Bay Express that she felt Price had exploited the situation for her own advancement.
The women who organized the Friday event said O’Malley was not involved. The district attorney couldn’t be reached for comment.
“Our ability to get a restraining order based on misdemeanor acts is absolutely crucial, because that can prevent worse acts from occurring,” said Julie, who said she was in an abusive relationship and asked to be identified by only her first name.
Another woman, Tami, said her ex- boyfriend stopped hitting her after he was convicted of a misdemeanor domestic violence charge. She said the man, who is the father of her two children, continues to “play games” emotionally and mentally.
But before his conviction, Tami said, he once broke into her home, waited for her to get in the shower and then attacked her. She said he once dragged her through the house while she held her infant child, and regularly tormented her over phone calls.
“We know from experience that all too often these crimes are connected,” she said. “Not prosecuting these misdemeanors would be a tragedy and could result in more being injured, maimed or even killed.”