By Alex Jimenez
DUBLIN, CA – The prosecution and defense were at odds over a suspect’s involvement in a reportedly violent and unprovoked attack, but an Alameda County Superior Court judge determined the woman should not be released without bail here late last week during a plea hearing in the East County Hall of Justice.
Defense attorney Cornell Thomas Solomon asked the court to release Leja Deborah Niyah Reynolds out of custody based on a variety of factors, including that Reynolds was given a level one risk assessment in a pre-trial report, had no previous criminal record and is a single mother with a six-year-old child.
Defense counsel Solomon also focused on the surrounding circumstances of the case, indicating Reynolds was not involved in the violence that occurred.
“It (the police report) just simply indicated that she held a firearm in her hand and drove the car away from the scene with the codefendant,” said Solomon, reading from the police report.
Deputy District Attorney Brooke Danielle Perkins disagreed with Solomon’s interpretation of the report, charging suspect Reynolds was an “integral part in this unprovoked and very violent attack on the two victims.” However, DDA Perkins did acknowledge that Reynolds was not actively participating in the violence.
Reynolds reportedly drove the main aggressor in this case—he has a warrant out for his arrest—to a motel and waited outside while a physical assault was taking place.
But it’s also alleged Reynolds brandished a weapon at one of the victims and gave that weapon to the main defendant who then used that gun to further attack one of the victims inside the motel by “pistol whipping” the second victim.
The two suspects fled the scene with Reynolds allegedly serving as the getaway driver. And because Reynolds purportedly supplied the main suspect with a weapon and transportation, Perkins determined Reynolds to be a risk to community safety and asked the courts to place bail as scheduled.
Defense attorney Solomon noted that he thought it was interesting that the report did not mention that the gun was brandished and once again argued that Reynolds had not attacked anyone herself, adding, “It seems that the person that she was involved with here seems to be her biggest mistake.”
Judge Stuart Hing found that the charges did pose a threat to public safety by “clear and convincing evidence” and opted to leave bail as scheduled.
Reynolds would plead not guilty to the charges and is set to return to court on Oct. 15 for pre-trial.
