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Did You Know...? Monthly Newsletter Issue 3, 2014
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From the Office of Alameda County District Attorney
Nancy E. O'Malley
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[ HOME ] [ ABOUT ] [ CONTACT ]
MISSION STATEMENT
To review and prosecute criminal violations of the laws, to protect consumers and the environment and to support and protect victims of crime within the County on behalf of the people of the State of California.
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Get Ready for Victims' Rights Week!
Events Planned to Serve & Assist Crime Victims
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  Alameda County District Attorney Nancy E. O'Malley and the Alameda County District Attorney's Office are hosting a series of public events to assist crime victims and their families. Representatives from the DA's Office and the Alameda County Family Justice Center as well as victim advocates, claim specialists and community based organizations will be present to speak with crime victims, provide resources, answer questions and educate the community about victims' rights. Victims of Crime have the right to know their rights! During these events, dedicated professionals will be available to assist with a wide variety of needs and questions. (Please see attached flyer.)These events will be held throughout Alameda County as follows. All events will take place between 2:00 and 5:00 p.m. Albany: Monday, April 7
Albany Main Library, 1247 Marin Ave, Albany
Union City: Tuesday, April 8
Kennedy Community Center, 1333 Decoto Rd., Union City
Castro Valley: Wednesday April 9
Castro Valley Library, 3600 Northbridge Ave., Castro Valley
Fremont: Thursday, April 10
Fremont Family Resource Center, Pacific Room #H800
39155 Liberty St., Fremont
Oakland: Friday, April 11
Alameda County Medical Center, Highland Hospital
Care Pavilion-Conference Center B
1411 E. 31st St., Oakland
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AB 1517 Unanimously Passes out of Assembly Public Safety Committee
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 On March 25, DA O'Malley testified in Sacramento on AB 1517 Assemblymember Skinner's DNA Backlog Legislation. Immediately after the Assembly Committee hearing, the bill unanimously passed out of the Assembly Public Safety Committee!
Introduced in January, AB 1517 would amend the Sexual Assault DNA Victims' Bill of Rights to encourage law enforcement to submit a rape kit to the crime lab within five days and for the crime lab to process the DNA evidence and submit it to CODIS, the national database of DNA profiles, within 30 days.
DA O'Malley, Assemblymember Skinner, Sandra Hendriquez from CALCASA, and Natasha Alexenko, founder of Natasha's Justice Project, held a press conference immediately after the hearing to urge continued support for AB 1517.
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DA O'Malley Teams with Congressman Honda to Reduce Backlog of Untested Rape Kits
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 On March 26, 2014, at the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies subcommittee hearing of the House Appropriations Committee in Washington D.C., Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA17) asked FBI Director James Comey to allow private labs to help process the backlog of rape kits that remain untested. It is estimated that as many as 500,000 rape kits across America are waiting to be tested.
Congressman Honda invited Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley to attend the hearing. DA O'Malley has taken the lead locally, statewide, and nationally to create protocol and policy that would work to eliminate the backlog of untested rape kits. She also created the program that determined the number of untested rape kits in Alameda County.
"The FBI created an invaluable database where profiles of known offenders can be compared to DNA evidence collected through a forensic sexual assault examination, commonly referred to as a 'rape kit,'" DA O'Malley said. "Yet, there are hundreds of thousands of rape kits that remain untested for a DNA profile of the perpetrator. Every survivor of sexual assault deserves to have her rape kit tested. Every survivor of sexual assault deserves to have the DNA profile uploaded into the national database in a timely manner. This evidence is vital to solving serial sexual assault crimes and preventing other persons from becoming more victims of a serial rapist. I am grateful to Congressman Honda for his leadership in advocating to the FBI Director that he work on solutions that allow for an efficient means of uploading offenders' DNA profiles by utilizing rapid testing technology, testing every rape kit, and uploading DNA profiles into the national database. This proposal paves the way towards the elimination of the local, state, and national backlog of rape kits."
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Community Corner: People v. Hunger Volunteer Day at Alameda County Community Food Bank
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On March 31, the District Attorney's Office participated in the 'People v. Hunger' volunteer day at the Alameda County Community Food Bank. This was the fifth year in the row that members of the DA office volunteered at the Food Bank, an organization that provides food to 1 out of 6 people in Alameda County.
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Recent Verdicts & Other Headline News
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On March 10, 2014 a jury found Byron C. Williams guilty of four counts of Willful, deliberate, and premeditated attempted murder of four CHP officers.Williams was also found guilty of using firearms during the course of the crime and various firearms related charges. In July of 2010, California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers stopped the defendant for speeding and to investigate the possibility that Williams may be driving while impaired. One officer approached the truck Williams was driving and noted a shotgun in the passenger seat. Williams then pointed a handgun at the officer. The officer retreated to cover, pulled his hand gun and a gun battle ensued between Williams, the officer and the officer's partner. Additional CHP officer's arrived on scene and the gun-battle raged on for approximately 18 minutes. During the gun-battle, two officers and the defendant received injuries. The case was prosecuted by DDA Autrey James with assistance from DDA Shara Beltramo assigned to the District Attorney's Law and Motion Unit and DA Inspector Gus Galindo. On February 27 and March 4, 2014, a jury convicted defendants Nanette Dillard and Paul Daniels of theft of federal money in excess of $200,000, and falsification of an account by a public officer. Additionally, the jury also convicted Ms. Dillard of preparing false documentary evidence. The charges stem from a fraudulent acquisition of federal grant funds on behalf of the Associated Community Action Program (ACAP) in June 2010, and Ms. Dillard's production of false and backdated documents after she was placed on administrative leave by ACAP's Governing Board in February 2011. Ms. Dillard was ACAP's Executive Director, and her husband, Mr. Daniels, was the agency's Grants Manager. Sentencing for both defendants is scheduled for April 18, 2014. The case was prosecuted by DDA Matthew Beltramo and DDA Greg Dolge with assistance from DA Inspector Jim Taranto.
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March 8, 2014
Alameda County Prosecutors Honored for Crime-Reduction Efforts
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Assistant District Attorney John Brouhard and Deputy DA Ben Beltramo, with the DA's gang unit, and Deputy DA John Creighton, who works directly with Ceasefire, were awarded the Neighborhood Champions Award by the Oakland Police Foundation for bringing down violent crime in East Oakland. The Oakland Police Foundation also honored members of the Oakland Police Department, outreach workers, citizens, and the faith-based community who actively contributed to East Oakland's 28% reduction in violent crime in 2013.
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March 6, 2014
DA O'Malley Announces $2.25 million Settlement
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Safeway, Inc., agreed to an Injunction and Payment of $2,250,000 in fees, restitution, and other Costs to settle a consumer protection action in which the company was alleged to have engaged in false advertising and unfair competition related to pricing discrepancies, among other issues.
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