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'Did You Know...?' Newsletter
Issue 6, 2017
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Welcome to the sixth edition of our
'Did You Know...?'
newsletter for 2017.
Inside this issue:
- DA's Office Summer programs wrap up
- Rapid DNA Bill passed
- Backpack Giveaway
- DA's Justice Academy cohorts graduate
- National Night Out 2017
- DA stands firm against hate speech and violence
- DA attends public safety forum
- Felony verdicts
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Over the Summer, the DA's Office saw many news faces in our hallways as we welcomed high school and college students into our various internship programs.
The
Summer Law Clerk Program is a
rigorous ten-week paid program for second-year law students that runs from May through to August. Our Summer Law Clerks are certified under the State Bar of California rules and supervised by senior prosecutors. The clerks conduct many different types of evidentiary hearings, including misdemeanor jury trials under the mentorship of experienced trial attorneys.
The 2017 class was comprised of eight law students from universities around the Bay Area. Based on their performance, each student in the Summer Law Clerk Program is considered for future employment as a Deputy District Attorney in Alameda County.
Also over the summer, the DA's Office offered paid working opportunities for almost 25 interns as part of our commitment to youth engagement. Our interns worked in various units of our office, including the HEAT (Human Exploitation and Trafficking) Unit and Truancy Unit, as well as performing various other projects.
Our summer interns were comprised of high school and college students who applied through our
youth employment programs: the Pipeline and Pathway to Justice programs, as well as our Mary Warren Fellowship and Earl Warren Fellowship. To find out more about the opportunities for summer programs in 2018, please visit our
website. We will be opening applications for Summer 2018 internships in late October.
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On August 31, 2017, DA Nancy O'Malley, Congressman Eric Swalwell, and Captain Craig Eicher of Pleasanton Police Department were invited to tour the facilities of IntegenX with President and CEO Robert Schueren in recognition of the new Rapid DNA Act that has been recently signed into law.
This bill was named for the technology developed by Pleasanton-based IntegenX that reduces the time processing DNA samples from weeks to just 90 minutes.Technology such as Rapid DNA enables law enforcement to quickly determine if the person they have in custody can be linked to other unsolved crimes, but it also speeds up the time for the innocent to be exonerated.
The group was given a tour of the IntegenX facility by Mr Schueren. He also demonstrated how Rapid DNA works and the other possible uses of technology, such as helping in identification purposes following catastrophic events.
View the slideshow...
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Starting the School Year with a Backpack Giveaway
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In late August, DA Nancy O'Malley, along with DA staff Towanda Lee, Elgin Lowe, and Cherri Allison, went to the NAACP offices in Hayward to hand out new backpacks and school supplies to Alameda County children. It is important to us at the DA's Office that children have the opportunity to start the 2017/2018 school year off on the right foot. This backpack giveaway gave local kids the supplies they need to have a happy and successful year.
Many thanks to Freddye Davis, President of the NAACP - Hayward South Alameda County Chapter, for her tireless dedication to her local community and for assisting us with this event.
View the slideshow....
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DA's Justice Academy Graduates 75 Students
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The seventh year of the
District Attorney's Justice Academy (DAJA) students graduated from the program in late July.
The award-winning DAJA program is a six-month learning and working experience for high school students (ages 16 and up) that teaches about the many facets of the justice system while encouraging critical thought and civic engagement.
The DAJA students attend twice monthly seminars in the spring, led by experts in the field. These meetings encourage students to think critically and analytically, research, ask questions, and problem-solve. During the summer, the DAJA students are placed in a paid internship with a government agency, non-profit organization, office of an elected official, or private law office.
Read more about the DAJA Program...
At the conclusion of the program, the students from the three cohorts (Tri-Valley, Eden, and North County) presented a persuasive oral argument on a topic from the seminar series. This year, the groups spoke about topics including intellectual property, immigration, and affirmative consent.
Congratulations, DAJA graduates!
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On August 2, 2017, 30 staff members teamed up to visit numerous BBQs around the county in celebration of the National Night Out. The event helps foster positive relationships between neighbors and brings together the local agencies, law enforcement, and community members to talk to community members about their work.
We met plenty of residents at their block parties and had an opportunity to talk to them about the work we do at the DA's Office, as well as how we help victimsand contribute to keeping our communities safe. It was a great evening and we enjoyed meeting everyone!
Visit our
Facebook Album to see more photos of the National Night Out events we attended.
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DA's Office Stands Firm Against Hate-Driven Speech and Violence
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In light of recent events around the nation, DA O' Malley stood firm against hate-based rhetoric and violence:
"The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office stands firmly against hate-driven speech and violence. There is no place in this county for destructive conduct or violence driven by racism, anti-Semitism, or hatred.
"The DA's Office has a Hate Crime Hotline (510-208-4824) and we follow up on all calls. Hate driven violence is a violation of California law, and those responsible will be prosecuted to the full extent of those laws."
-- Nancy O'Malley, Alameda County District Attorney
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DA O'Malley Attends Public Safety Forum
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On 6 September. 2017, DA Nancy O'Malley attended the Public Safety Town Hall meeting organized by Abel Guillen, Councilmember at Roosevelt Middle School in Oakland. DA O'Malley was joined by Oakland Police Department PD Chief Anne Kirkpatrick, and Venus Johnson, Public Safety Advisor to Mayor Schaaf.
It was a great opportunity to speak to community members and address the concerns they have with public safety in their neighborhood.
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2017 Oakland Street Fest
Recently, eight volunteers from the our office attended the 2017 Oakland Street Fest. It was a fantastic event with over 50,000 people attending the two-day event.
Many people stopped by the District Attorney's Office booth to speak to our Cantonese and Mandarin speakers about the role of the DA's Office and how we help victims of crime. We handed out materials translated into Chinese and also had some fun games with great prizes to entertain visitors to our booth.
Many thanks to Rebecca Tse, our Community Outreach Coordinator, for all her effort in assembling a great team and preparing the materials and prizes for the event.
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People v Hassan Lee Bratcher
Recently, a jury found Defendant
Hassan Lee Bratcher guilty of kidnapping and forcible rape as well as additional kidnap allegations against Jane Doe.
Read the summary of the case...
Defendant Hassan Lee Bratcher is scheduled to be sentenced on November 17, 2017.
The case was prosecuted by DDA Natasha Jontulovich with assistance from DA Inspector Kevin Wiley and Victim-Witness Advocate Lillian Rogers.
People v Hasson William Hedgepeth
Recently, a jury found Defendant
Hasson William Hedgepeth guilty of first degree murder with an enhancement for the personal an intentional use of a firearm causing great bodily injury, as well as attempted voluntary manslaughter with an enhancement for use of a firearm.
Read the summary of the case...
Defendant Hasson William Hedgepeth is scheduled to be sentenced in October 2017.
The case was prosecuted by DDA Butch Ford with assistance from DA Inspector Cesar Basa and Victim-Witness Advocate Maria Suniga.
People v Aaron K Tingle
Defendant Aaron K Tingle is scheduled to be sentenced in November 2017.
The case was prosecuted by DDA Nick Homer with assistance from DA Inspector Gus Galindo and Victim-Witness Advocate Elena Langer.
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Do you have a question for the District Attorney?
If you would like to see a particular question answered in our next newsletter, please email us at
[email protected].
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HEAT Watch
: HEAT Watch is the anti-human trafficking program run by the DA's Office. It coordinates the response to help fight trafficking in the Bay Area and beyond.
DA Speakers Bureau
: We provide speakers for your next school or community meeting who come to you with decades of expertise about the law, the criminal justice system and how we at the DA's Office can help you if you have been the victim of a crime.
Point of View
: The well-known legal educational tool written and published by the DA's Office.
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