DA may drop most charges in bribery and perjury case against Oakland police detective

"Prosecutors have struggled to track down a key witness, and after today's hearing, Deputy District Attorney Darby Williams said the office was considering dropping all but one charge - perjury, or lying under oath - against Tran. Williams, the prosecutor assigned to the case, told reporters she received 'new information' regarding the case last Thursday, complicating the decision over whether to pursue all four criminal charges against Tran."

"The case has prompted prosecutors to review more than 100 cases tied to Tran and has led to lenient plea deals in some cases and the dismissal of charges in others. The scandal has also called into question the Oakland Police Department's ability to investigate itself and undermined its efforts to exit federal court oversight, now in its 23rd year."

"Investigators with the Police Commission's Community Police Review Agency and an outside law firm found that former OPD Chief LeRonne Armstrong and his successor, Darren Allison, each failed to ensure that OPD's Internal Affairs Bureau rigorously and fairly examined the allegations against Tran."

Oakland detective Phong Tran faced trial on bribery and perjury charges related to a 2016 murder case, but prosecutors are reconsidering their approach after receiving new information and struggling to locate a critical witness. Deputy District Attorney Darby Williams indicated the office may drop three charges and pursue only perjury allegations. The judge granted additional time for the decision while setting an April 1 deadline for trial commencement. The case has triggered a comprehensive review of over 100 cases involving Tran, resulting in dismissed charges and lenient plea deals. The scandal has exposed significant failures in the Oakland Police Department's internal investigation processes and raised concerns about the department's ability to conduct independent oversight.

Read at The Oaklandside