Delonzo Logwood, 32, previously accused of committing three murders back in 2008, is now facing only one of those charges after Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price dismissed two of the murder charges last week according to KRON 4. This decision has sparked controversy and led to discussions on a new plea deal surrounding the remaining charge.
The case took a shocking turn when Judge Mark McCannon agreed to dismiss two of the three murder counts against Logwood, pegging Richard Carter and Zaire Washington's murders as dropped charges. Consequently, the only remaining charge against Logwood is the alleged murder-for-hire plot of Eric Ford, as reported by Mercury News.
Before this twist, Logwood's case became controversial when it was reported that District Attorney Price offered him a 15-year plea deal for pleading guilty to one of the murders, a deal that was ultimately rejected by an Alameda County judge. Now, with two of the murder charges dropped, Price and her spokesperson have declined to comment on the case and the new plea negotiations.
The two dropped murder charges were based on evidence that came exclusively from a cooperating witness, who was released from prison in February, according to Price. This witness previously had almost 12 years taken off his 31-year sentence in exchange for testifying against Logwood in 2018. However, he now refuses to cooperate, and Price has labeled his testimony as "problematic" for providing contradicting facts.
This series of events has raised questions about the witness's credibility and the strength of the case against Logwood. Led by new Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price, the DA's office has been re-evaluating the evidence in the case and concluded that the previous administration had overcharged and mismanaged it, which provides some context for the latest developments.
While the new plea deal's terms were not discussed in court last Thursday, it has been reported that Logwood's attorneys approached Alameda County prosecutor Nick Homer with a plea offer, and that the two parties have made progress in their recent conversations. There remains, however, a lingering issue concerning how the Ford family will receive the details of the plea deal. The prosecutors expect to meet with them soon to discuss the matter.
What makes these events particularly notable is Judge Mark McCannon's initial rejection of the 15-year plea deal, a rare move that seemingly forced the case back into the spotlight. District Attorney Price subsequently accused the judge of being biased and argued that he should no longer be allowed to preside over criminal cases, as reported by KRON 4.
