NAPIPA’S RESPONSE TO DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRICE’S EMAIL WRITTEN “TO THE CHINESE COMMUNITIES”

The National Asian Pacific Islander Prosecutors Association (“NAPIPA”) denounces Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price’s recent e-mail addressed “[t]o the Chinese communities,” and invites D.A. Price to meet with NAPIPA to discuss the e-mail and how we can work together to ensure justice for all communities. In that email, she alleged that “vocal members of the local Chinese community and media” were misinformed and spreading misinformation about the murder of 23-month-old Jasper Wu, who was killed in the crossfire of a gang shootout on the highway in Oakland, California. NAPIPA calls on D.A. Price to apologize and take responsibility for the misleading and condescending statements she made in her e-mail. We urge District Attorney Price to be transparent with the public, especially crime victims and their families, and to vigorously prosecute violent criminals, including those who commit crimes against the Asian American and Pacific Islander (“AAPI”) community. While it is unclear to whom D.A. Price sent this e-mail or who it intended to address, the salutation is “[t]o the Chinese communities.” This purposeful othering of people of Chinese descent, coupled with a vague allegation that “certain vocal members of the local Chinese community and media” were misleading the public, are divisive and particularly dangerous coming from the top prosecutor in a county made up of over 33% AAPI residents. Additionally, D.A. Price made no mention of who she was accusing, nor does she state how they were misleading the public. Instead of expressing sympathy for Jasper Wu’s family, D.A. Price condescendingly commented that defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty and that “[s]ome people don’t know about the basic principles of constitutional law that govern our office and the justice system.” Again, it is unclear who she was referencing or why. Based on prior statements in the e-mail, she was insinuating that she did not believe the Chinese community was aware of the very basic tenets of the American criminal justice system. The members of NAPIPA, comprised mostly of federal, state, and local prosecutors, are intimately familiar with all aspects of criminal law, including the basic principles of constitutional law as well as the prosecution of gang homicides and gun enhancements. In the e-mail, D.A. Price attempted to show an alliance with the AAPI community by claiming her office was “currently working on a partnership with the Asian Law Caucus to support AAPI victims of violence.” However, when ABC reporter Dan Noyes asked the executive director of the Asian Law Caucus about this claim, she said that their meeting was merely introductory, had nothing to do with Jasper Wu, and that she was “very confused about this.” Without explanation, D.A. Price ended her e-mail “[t]o the Chinese communities” with a comment about “the need to root out racism in our criminal justice system, starting in [her] office.” While we applaud D.A. Price’s goal to eliminate racism in our criminal justice system and in her office, it is again unclear why racism, or race, is relevant when discussing a 23-month-old’s brutal murder. In addition to correcting her misleading statements and apologizing for her condescending email, NAPIPA calls on D.A. Price to prosecute defendants with transparency to restore public faith in the criminal justice system in Alameda County. While we fully understand that not all the information in an active case can be discussed with the public, the California Constitution, Article I, section 28(b) states that victims should be “treated with fairness and respect,” “to reasonably confer with the prosecuting agency,” including “to be notified of and informed before any pretrial disposition of the case.” We expect your office to meet with Jasper Wu’s family and attorney, if requested, and to provide a Mandarin interpreter when doing so. NAPIPA implores D.A. Price to vigorously prosecute violent crimes, including those with AAPI victims, like Jasper Wu. His family, through their attorney Norbert Chu said, “The family of Jasper Wu appreciates all the support from NAPIPA. It is their most fervent desire that Jasper’s case is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” While D.A. Price states that her office has not yet “removed” the sentencing enhancements “charged by [her] predecessor,” her statements and actions indicate it is only a matter of time before she does so. In her memo to her office in March 2023, she wrote that barring “extraordinary circumstances,” the penalty for most crimes in Alameda County will be restricted to probation or the lowest-level prison term. Per her memo, “[t]his directive reduces reliance on sentencing enhancements and allegations as an effort to bring balance back to sentencing and to reduce recidivism.” Furthermore, in the e-mail addressing the murder of Jasper Wu, she mentioned supporting AAPI victims of violence in ways that “open up broader possibilities for healing and non-carceral forms of accountability.” Noncarceral means non-custodial. It is astounding that the top law enforcement official in Alameda County mentioned “non-carceral” alternatives while she discussed the murder of a 23-month-old baby. NAPIPA stands by victims of violent crime, including Jasper Wu’s family. We will continue to advocate for fairness, equality, and justice. We encourage D.A. Price to do the same.