PAMELA PRICE DEFIES 2024 RECALL LIES AND SEEKS TO RECLAIM HER HISTORIC ROLE AS ALAMEDA COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY
Justice-driven leadership, accuracy, and accountability needed in Alameda County where survivors and law enforcement are treated equally under the law.
Oakland, CA. — Former Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price is setting the record straight regarding the false narrative that she was “soft on crime” in connection with the tragic murder of Kevin Nishita, a former police officer killed while protecting a television news crew.
As the first Black woman elected District Attorney in Alameda County history, Price faced an unprecedented recall campaign fueled in part by misrepresentation of the Nishita case. She is now running to regain her seat — poised to make history again.
The Kevin Nishita Case: The Full and Accurate Record
The unfortunate and egregious murder of Kevin Nishita happened during the 13-year administration of former DA Nancy O’Malley, who was first appointed to the position of District Attorney of Alameda County.
Under the O’Malley administration:
• Incorrect defendants were initially charged. (See Document No.-CR003194B)
• The confirmed shooter, Laron Gilbert, was released.
• Gilbert fled and remained at large for nearly two years.
These facts were largely omitted in media reporting during the recall effort.
Correcting Inherited Errors Is Justice — Not Leniency
When Pamela Price assumed office, she inherited numerous homicide cases, including Nishita’s, from an administration critics described as marked by stagnation and insularity.
Price took immediate corrective action:
✔ Reviewed and corrected flawed charging decisions.
✔ Oversaw Gilbert’s apprehension and extradition from Kansas City, Missouri.
✔ Properly charged Gilbert based on evidence.
✔ Ensured co-defendants Shadihia Mitchell and Hershel Hale were charged in accordance with provable facts.
This was not discretionary politics. It was a constitutional obligation.
Justice demands accuracy before punishment.
Prosecuted to the Fullest Extent of the Law by the Price Administration
Under Pamela Price’s administration, the Nishita defendants faced:
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First-degree murder charges
• Gang enhancements
• Firearm enhancements
• Sentencing exposure exceeding 150 years to life for Gilbert and Hale
• More than 75 years to life for Mitchell
Claims that “Price removed life without the possibility of parole off the table” are not supported by the charging record. Under the O’Malley administration, life without the possibility of parole became moot because the O’Malley administration did not file the charges. Blame repeated in the media should not have been placed on Price.
Prosecuting to the fullest extent of the law means securing lawful, durable convictions — not filing symbolic charges that jeopardize cases.
What the Public Was Not Told
The recall narrative failed to explain:
• The case originated under the prior administration.
• The wrong individuals were first charged.
• The confirmed shooter was released before Price took office and was on the run for two years.
• Price’s office corrected the O’Malley failures and ensured extradition.
Omitting that context created a misleading public narrative.
Justice Is in Her DNA
Pamela Price built her career on civil rights litigation, constitutional advocacy, and courtroom accountability. Her leadership model prioritizes victims, due process, and sustainable convictions. In the early years before contemplating a career in law, Price was part of the landmark 1977 case Alexander v. Yale, which resulted in protections against sexual harassment and sexual assaults for girls and women across the nation.
Just as Price was recalled, she was uncovering allegations of prosecutorial bias in Alameda County’s death penalty convictions under the directive of Judge Vince Chhabria of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. See KQED article by Annelise Finney: https://www.kqed.org/news/11983705/allegations-of-prosecutorial-bias-spark-review-of-death-penalty-convictions-in-alameda-county.
Under the administration of appointed DA Ursula Jones Dickson, Price’s work of exposing the corruption and errors was quickly reversed. See the May 2025 article by CalMatters reposted on Oakland Voices website, February 10, 2026: https://oaklandvoices.us/2026/02/10/alameda-county-district-attorney-death-penalty-resentencing/.
Given that the recall was fueled by among others, Phillip Dreyfuss, a billionaire who spent at least $4 million on the recall effort, 14 police unions, there is a pattern emerging when it comes to the leadership of Ursula Jones Dickson. Her allegiance to law enforcement prevents her from holding law enforcement accountable. Dickson demonstrated that allegiance by dismissing the Steven Taylor case, the Vinetta Martin case and the Maurice Monk cases.
Not only did appointed DA Dickson stop the investigations of prosecutorial misconduct in death penalty cases, she fired the lawyers and began dismissing cases where police misconduct was in question. See the article on the Ella Baker Center for Justice website calling out Dickson for reversing Price’s resentencing recommendations: “Alameda County DA Accountability Table Calls Out DA Ursula Jones Dickson for Reversing Resentencing on Death Penalty Cases” https://ellabakercenter.org/press/alamedacountyda-resentencing/.
“Alameda County deserves better than an appointed ‘caretaker DA’ who is a puppet for law enforcement that objects to accountability and forces that want to keep the corruption of the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office covered up,” said Pamela Price, Alameda County District Attorney candidate. “A justice-driven District Attorney’s Office protects victims, respects constitutional rights, and follows the law — so accountability is real, fair, and permanent. Justice is in my DNA, and I am running to ensure the people of Alameda County get a fair and just District Attorney’s Office that has been denied to them for decades.”
As Alameda County moves forward, voters deserve facts — not politically convenient distortions, according to the Price Campaign. Pamela Price is running to restore accuracy, accountability, and justice to the District Attorney’s Office.
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More information about Pamela Price’s platform and background is available at: https://www.pamelaprice4da.com.
In related news, hear Pamela Price share herstory during a Women’s Magazine Interview on KPFA with attorney and host, Vylma V:
https://archives.kpfa.org/data/20260202-Mon1300.mp3.
CSUEB Alameda County District Attorney Debate
By CSUEB Project Rebound & Sociology Department
About Committee to Re-Elect Pamela Price 2026
The Committee to Re-Elect Pamela Price 2026 (REEP) is a grassroots, corporate free campaign dedicated to the re-election of Hon. District Attorney Pamela Price. REEP is committed to preserving and advancing the achievements that promote justice, equity, and progress within our criminal justice system and protecting our democracy. We work to support leaders and policies that reflect the will and best interests of the communities they serve.
Vote to Re-Elect District Attorney Pamela Price on June 2, 2026.
Paid for by Re-Elect Pamela Price 2026, FPPC #1485362
Please note: Pamela Price does not accept any money from corporate PACs.
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