Racial Justice Act
Bias in Expert Witness Selection
It’s perplexing and unjustifiable that Mr. Okorocha’s dual qualifications as both an attorney and a forensic expert are being used against him, especially when many court-approved experts have similar dual roles. The insinuation that he might “misuse” the position to benefit his law practice reflects a discriminatory double standard—particularly troubling given the lack of diversity in the expert witness panel. Denying a highly credentialed Black expert based on vague and inconsistent reasoning raises serious concerns about racial bias and exclusionary gatekeeping within the Los Angeles Superior Court system.
California Racial Justice Act Summary
Request for Relief The California Racial Justice ActA BRIEF SUMMARYPen. Code, § 745 says that a defendant who is not in jail can ask to have a conviction or sentence thrown out if it was sought, obtained, or imposed because of their race, ethnicity, or national origin in contravention of…
Judges CANNOT deny a continuance to prepare a California Racial Justice Act challenge
PEOPLE v. GARCIA (2022) Court of Appeal, First District, Division 5, California. The PEOPLE, Plaintiff and Respondent, v. Alejandro GARCIA, Defendant and Appellant. In 2018, a defendant was sentenced to 24 years in prison. The defendant appealed, and in July 2020, the court affirmed the judgment in part but remanded…
Los Angeles Superior Court Expert Witness Panel Letter
Re: Expert Witness Panel Application Dear Expert Witness Panel Committee: I am writing to address my concerns regarding my repeated and continued exclusion from the Los Angeles Superior Court expert witness panel. I am a Black man who has been licensed by the California State Bar since 2003. I hold…
Racial Justice Act Resources
California Racial Justice Act Penal Code 745 University of San Francisco Law School’s Racial Justice Clinic Office of the State Public Defender (OSPD) Indigent Defense Improvement Division (IDID) Burns Institute, State of Disparities: California Racial Disparities in Law Enforcement Stops, Racial Disparities in Traffic Stop Racial Identity and Profiling Report…
Racial Justice Act Motion For Okorie Okorocha
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Judge Faces Racial Bias Allegations A Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Must Answer Racism Claims Los Angeles, CA (April 30, 2025) – Judge Laura F. Priver of the Los Angeles Superior Court is facing racial bias allegations for not allowing a Black expert witness to testify in…
