In a move signaling a shift towards greater accountability and reform in the judicial process, Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price has filed motions for the resentencing of three men who have long been on death row. These cases, deeply marred by instances of prosecutorial misconduct, have prompted the establishment of an Ethical Ombudsperson Office within the Alameda County District Attorney's Office (ACDAO), marking a first in California's prosecutorial history, as per the Alameda County District Attorney's Office.
The resentencing motions involve the cases of Ernest Dykes, Keith Thomas, and Gregory Tate, whose original trials in the 1990s were tainted by discrimination and improper practices, according to the Alameda County District Attorney's Office. Dykes, scheduled for a parole release in mid-June 2025, had Black and Jewish jurors excluded during his 1993 trial. A settlement has now been reached in his case. Thomas's hearing occurs today, while Tate awaits his fate on August 16.
Price acknowledged the damage inflicted by these ethical breaches, not just on the judicial process but also on the communities wronged by such discrimination. "The practice of excluding people from jury service based on their race, religion, or sexual orientation constitutes a betrayal of the public’s trust", said Price, extending her apologies to the families of the victims as well as to the Black, Jewish, and LGBTQ+ communities for the misconduct that had occurred, as cited by the Alameda County District Attorney's Office.
Adding a layer of oversight and integrity, the Ethics Ombudsperson Office seeks to prevent such miscarriages of justice. Assistant District Attorney Kwixuan Maloof has been tapped to lead the office, reporting directly to DA Price. The office, informed by the International Ombuds Association's Code of Ethics and Standards, aims to confidentially field feedback and concerns, similar to practices within the Northern District of California (NDCA) Ombudsperson Program.
