One California mother, Florence McCrary, who tragically lost her son to a stray bullet in 2016, is at the forefront of a campaign to remove Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price from office. McCrary's son, Terrence McCrary Jr., was killed in a fatal gunfight, and she has been advocating for justice ever since.
McCrary expressed her shock and disbelief when Price's office dropped the murder charge against her son's alleged killer last year. This decision left McCrary feeling that her son's life had been diminished to nothing, causing immense trauma for her and other affected families.
Price, a Soros-funded DA, is facing a recall effort with nearly 75,000 validated signatures, prompting the Alameda County board of supervisors to consider setting an election date on May 15.
The case involving Terrence McCrary Jr. and another victim, Craig Fletcher-Cooks, saw the suspected murderer, Otis Wyatt, initially charged with both murders under the previous district attorney. However, Price's office later reached a deal with Wyatt for voluntary manslaughter in one of the killings, leading to the murder charge against McCrary's son being dropped.
McCrary highlighted that Price's leniency with criminals has had devastating consequences for many families, not just her own. She emphasized the frustration felt by those who have seen their cases minimized and criminals receiving what they perceive as lenient sentences.
Violent crime rates in Oakland have been on the rise, with an 11% increase year to date and a 34% surge in robberies in the first three months of this year compared to the previous year.
McCrary believes that residents are aware of the dangers posed by Price's leadership, as evidenced by the significant number of signatures gathered for the recall effort. She emphasized the importance of allowing the community's voice to be heard through a special election to demonstrate the need for Price's removal from office.
