Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price Files Motion to Disqualify Defense Law Firm in Steven Taylor Case
October 30. 2023
Oakland – Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price filed a motion to disqualify Michael Rains and his firm, Rains, Lucia, Stern, St. Phalle & Silver from continued representation of San Leandro Police Officer Jason Fletcher. Fletcher is charged with voluntary manslaughter for killing Steven Taylor in a crowded Walmart store on April 18, 2020.
Michael Rains, Fletcher’s defense attorney, misappropriated privileged attorney work product from the DA’s Office. Rains obtained the privileged material from his client, former Alameda County prosecutor Amilcar “Butch” Ford. At the time, Ford was on paid administrative leave for alleged prosecutorial misconduct.
“Today my office took at stand for justice. We filed a motion to disqualify the law firm, Rains, Lucia, Stern, St. Phalle & Silver, based on their unethical and improper breach of the professional rules of professional conduct as well as a violation of the standards of ethics that apply to lawyers, “ said DA Price. We are protecting the integrity of the judicial system both by moving to disqualify Rains, Lucia, Stern, St. Phalle & Silver and by prosecuting their former client, Amilcar Butch Ford,” said DA Price. “Defendant Fletcher’s decision to shoot Steven Taylor in Walmart was a traumatizing event for the entire community and was acknowledged worldwide as an act of violence that should not go unredressed. We are standing up for the family of Steven Taylor, and for this community and we will continue to fight for justice for his survivors.”
Both sides will return to court on November 20, 2023.
## Contact: Communications Director Haaziq Madyun / Haaziq.Madyun@acgov.org
The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office (DAO) is one of California’s largest prosecutors’ offices and is led by Alameda County’s first Black woman District Attorney Pamela Y. Price. Price brings her vision to this office to fairly administer justice in the pursuit of thriving, healthy, and safe communities for every person who steps foot in Alameda County, no matter their race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, income, or zip code. Price has been recognized as one of the most progressive prosecutors through her forward-thinking, innovative strategies to interrupt cycles of violence and crime and bring change to a criminal justice system rooted in systemic racism. Follow Madam DA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook and @AlamedaCountyda on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.