Newsletters

TBS Today, Sept. 20

A man with a "known history" of "severe medical conditions" who had been charged with a murder at a Berkeley halfway house died in custody this week, authorities report.

We started the day in court hearing brief arguments about whether an Alameda County judge should dismiss the manslaughter case filed by DA Pamela Price against three Alameda police officers in connection with the death of Mario Gonzalez in 2021.

Judge Scott Patton said he would issue his ruling in writing by Oct. 11.

The defense has argued that charges were filed too late because a judge didn't sign the arrest warrant before the statute of limitations ran out.

DA Nancy O'Malley reviewed the case previously and found that "the evidence does not justify criminal charges," the defense wrote.

After DA Pamela Price took office, she hired a new expert to review the matter and then filed charges April 18 — hours before the deadline.

If the case is tossed, it would be another major blow for the already embattled administration — particularly as the recall election approaches.

We'll have a longer story next week.

We were also in court this week in Santa Cruz to hear testimony about the killing of Alyx Herrmann.

On Thursday, the brother of the murder suspect took the stand, as did DNA experts and an officer who helped find Herrmann's body, which had been buried near a picnic area in Tilden park.

We'll have an update next week.