Judge delays trial for San Leandro police officer charged in fatal shooting 5 years ago
OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- It has been five years since San Leandro resident Steven Taylor was shot and killed.
That man accused of killing him still hasn't gone to trial. The family is concerned that justice may be delayed because the man charged is a San Leandro police officer.
"Five years is a long time to wait just for justice. However it turns out, we just want justice. And to wait for five years is utterly ridiculous," said Addie Kitchen, Taylor's grandmother.
Kitchen was in court on Friday where a trial date was supposed to be set for San Leandro Officer Jason Fletcher. And, whether the case would be decided by the Alameda County District Attorney's Office or if the case was going to be moved and possibly tried by the state attorney general.
On April 18, 2020, San Leandro police responded to a call at a Walmart. Taylor was suspected of trying to shoplift. Police video shows Taylor carrying a baseball bat when being confronted by police.
Fletcher was accused of responding with unreasonable deadly force. He was charged with manslaughter by then District Attorney Nancy O'Malley.
The family said Taylor suffered from mental health issues and that he was known to the San Leandro Police Department.
There were delays in the trial due to COVID-19. When Pamela Price became Alameda County District Attorney, she was accused, in part, of bias toward the case. Fletcher has since been trying to get the case moved out of Alameda County. She was recused from the case.
The family wants to the case to remain in Alameda County. They are still not clear how the election of the new D.A. Ursula Jones Dickson could impact the case.
"I am always concerned. I was concerned before they recused Pamela Price. I am concerned that we will have a fair trial. And that the officer will be found guilty," Kitchen said.
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Fletcher's attorney did not respond to a request for comment.
Lisa Hill, Ph. D., professor of Criminal Justice Studies at Cal State East Bay, said there are many factors to consider before moving the trial to another jurisdiction, such impact on families and witnesses having to travel to the court case.
She added that moving a trial suggests, in an era of social media, moving the case of a white officer shooting a Black man may not be good optics and would expose inefficiencies in the system.
"If it's going to be an inconvenience, and that inconvenience is not warranted, based on the officer getting a fair trial, again, now we are talking about another inefficiency in the system, especially for a case where the family is already feeling as though they have not gotten justice," Hill said.
Joining the Taylor family on the steps of the courthouse were students from San Leandro High School, where Steven went to school. Their teacher, Erica Viray Santos, said it was to show community support and a real-life look at the criminal justice system.
"We have to take the kids over here to see it for themselves, to advocate for themselves, and to really participate in within their communities. And fighting to make our communities better," said Viray Santos.
The next court date is for July.
