By The Vanguard Staff
OAKLAND, CA – Attorney Michael Rains and the law firm of Rains, Lucia, Stern, St. Phalle & Silver should be disqualified to represent San Leandro Police Officer Jason Fletcher—charged with voluntary manslaughter for killing Steven Taylor in a Walmart store April 18, 2020, according to a motion filed this week by Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price.
The motion said Rains “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,” added Price.
The district attorney charged, “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.”
The case is back in court Nov. 20.
