An Alameda County judge has cleared the way for high-profile police shooting case to go to trial. The case involves an officer who shot and killed a man inside a San Leandro Walmart five years ago.
A judge refused to dismiss the manslaughter case against the former San Leandro police officer, who is accused of unlawfully shooting and killing Steven Taylor inside a San Leandro Walmart in 2020.
“I was just so relieved so relieved,” said Addie Kitchen, Taylor’s grandmother. “My grandson deserves that and more. He has sons that’ll never see him. He’s got a 16-year-old son who is still hurting he has brothers that are still hurting.”
Body camera video shows Fletcher shot as Taylor swung a baseball bat at the officer and others.
Fletcher claims he feared for his life while Taylor’s family says the man was having a mental health crisis and the officer didn’t take proper steps deescalate the situation.
The case has dragged on for years.
At one point the defense filed a motion asking to dismiss the case – citing prosecutorial misconduct.
In a strange twist, the prosecutor sided with the defense agreeing that there was indeed improper and outrageous conduct by former DA employees hired by then DA Pamela Price.
“That doesn’t happen too much does it? That doesn’t happen, but in this case, you’ve got the prosecution lead by a new DA who thinks ethics really mean something instead of a DA who is trying to put on a case to fulfill a campaign promise to convict this police officer by any means necessary,” said Michael Rains, a defense attorney.
“In the 20 years I’ve been doing this work and as many courtrooms, as I have sat, and I have never in my life seen such blatant collusion between the defense and prosecution ever,” said Cat Brooks with the Anti Police-Terror Project.
Judge Thomas Reardon rejected the argument and refused to dismiss the case. Now, a trial is set to begin in January.
Source: NBC Bay Area
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