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Delonzo Logwood, an Oakland man accused of involvement in a deadly murder-for-hire plot, pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter, as reported by KTVU's Henry Lee. This development comes months after an Alameda County judge had rejected an earlier plea deal for Logwood, questioning the leniency of the proposed sentence by District Attorney Pamela Price.
UPDATE: Delonzo Logwood (pic) pleads no contest to voluntary manslaughter in slaying of Eric Ford for proposed 12-year term. With time served, he could be out in couple years. 2 other murder charges tossed by judge at request of @AlamedaCountyDA after witness refuses to testify pic.twitter.com/U4B9BuITD1
— Henry K. Lee (@henrykleeKTVU) June 15, 2023
The prosecution of Logwood took a dramatic turn when Price dismissed two of the murder charges against him and began plea deal negotiations on the remaining count. Price argued that the previous administration overcharged Logwood and mishandled the case. However, Logwood's plea deal faced strong opposition from at least one of the victim's families.
Mercury News reported that Superior Court Judge Mark McCannon approved a new plea deal for Logwood, but refused to confirm support for the proposed 12-year prison sentence. McCannon cited the prosecution's willingness to detail their reasoning for offering the deal as a key factor in his approval, contrasting with the earlier rejected proposal that left him questioning the decision-making process of the prosecutors.
Under the approved deal, Logwood pleaded no contest to a single voluntary manslaughter charge, as well as a firearm-related sentencing enhancement. Furthermore, Logwood acknowledged being on probation at the time of his arrest. However, Judge McCannon reserved judgment on Logwood's proposed 12-year prison term, stating he would make a decision after receiving an upcoming probation report. A sentencing hearing for Logwood is set for July 13, 2023.
Logwood was originally charged with the murders of Eric Ford, Zaire Washington, and Richard Carter, which took place during a series of gang-related violence in Oakland in 2008. The case has been marked by numerous twists, providing an insight into DA Price's priorities in reshaping East Bay's criminal justice system. As a long-time civil rights attorney, Price has expressed a commitment to reducing prison sentences and re-evaluating cases involving suspects aged 25 and younger. Her aim is to reverse the nation's legacy of mass incarceration and its impact on communities of color.
However, controversy surrounding Logwood's case has raised questions about Price's priorities and her approach to amending the justice system. Brenda Grisham, director of the Christopher LaVell Jones Foundation, said, "Amending the system is fine, just not this way. It's not safe for either party. It's not safe for the community; it's not safe for people she's letting out."
The dismissal of the two murder charges against Logwood and the revised plea deal has left some of the victims' families feeling devastated and concerned about the potential consequences of lenient sentencing. Logwood, now 33 years old, has been in jail on multiple murder charges since 2015, and under the current proposal, could be out in a couple of years after accounting for time served. As the case reaches its conclusion with the upcoming sentencing hearing, the public eagerly awaits the outcome and what it might signify for Price's approach to criminal justice reform in Alameda County.
