Alameda County DA Price’s top assistant resigns, interim appointed

OAKLAND, Calif. (KRON) — More changes are coming to the office of embattled Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price. Chief Assistant DA Otis Bruce Junior has resigned, Price announced Tuesday.

“I want to publicly thank former Chief Assistant DA Otis Bruce Junior for his tremendous role as a key figure on our transition team,” a statement from Price read in part. “OBJ worked tirelessly throughout the past year-and-a-half…”

Evanthia Pappas will serve as the interim chief of prosecutors for Alameda County, Price said. This is one of multiple staff changes Price’s office has undergone since she took office in January 2023.

Price’s public information officer, Patti Lee, was fired last year. Lee then filed a lawsuit earlier in the month against her former employer, KRON4 reported.

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On the same day the announcement was made, Price held a press conference to discuss an ongoing investigation into past prosecutorial misconduct as it relates to death penalty cases.

Price, who faces a recall election this November, provided an update on this investigation. She provided few specifics but did say she believes that inquiry is fueling the fire of some of her opponents.

At a news conference Tuesday, Price said getting to the bottom of past prosecutorial misconduct in death penalty cases will take some time. She said it’s her investigation that’s firing up her opponents.

“Our effort to hold prosecutors accountable for this kind of misconduct and other ethical lapses has been met with resistance from the prosecutors union before we arrived, and certainly since we’ve been here,” Price said.

Price said that’s why it’s no surprise to her that there’s word on social media that the union representing non-management attorneys in her office voted to support her recall.

“I do believe that they are threatened by our review of past prosecutorial misconduct,” she said. “I do believe that too many prosecutors in this office were raised with very different values and the values that this community holds today.”

Price also said despite statements to the contrary, the union only represents about a quarter of those who work in her office, so the majority of people who work for her are happy.

One former employee who might disagree with that is former Price communications director Patti Lee who has sued Price for racial discrimination, wrongful termination, and retaliation.

Price was not asked about that suit nor did she address it by name but she did say this.

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“I think that the public should know that I have spent my entire career addressing hostile work environments and I did not come to the DA’s office to create a hostile work environment,” Price said. “Anyone who says that I have is misrepresenting what is actually occurring at the DA’s office.

Regarding the alleged misconduct by district attorneys in those death penalty cases, the DA provided very little update other than to say that the investigation is proceeding.

Price was asked whether or not all of the district attorneys involved in the alleged misconduct were no longer working in the office. She said that is something she is not able to confirm.

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