While it was in poor taste for the officers to be communicating in a racist manner, they were under ongoing stress and pressure to apprehend and arrest the four alleged gang murderers.

The California Racial Justice Act, which blocks prosecutors from seeking a conviction based on race, ethnicity or national origin amounts to a convenient escape clause if the suspects happen to be people of color.

On the other hand, the 10 Antioch and Pittsburg police officers recently indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice on charges including improper use of weapons and a police dog on suspects, civil rights violations, falsifying records, wire fraud, obstruction of justice, turning off body cameras, selling steroids, and paying individuals to take college classes for officers should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

The California Racial Justice Act was implemented to curtail the wrongful prosecution of black people who are wrongfully arrested and convicted because of their skin color.

DAs now have discretion whether to pursue cases against innocent African Americans and to dismiss arrests perpetrated by overzealous police officers.

Governor Newsom has signed and endorsed this measure along with the American Civil Liberties Union.

Hopefully law enforcement will think twice prior to arresting African Americans who have been venerable victims of racist police policies

"...the arrests violated the California Racial Justice Act, which blocks prosecutors from seeking a conviction based on race, ethnicity or national origin."

^ Does this statute lessen the charges for murder if the suspects are African American and it is shown that the police were privately disparaging them over the radio?

This does not make sense. Isn't everyone entitled to their opinion and as long as the suspects weren't physically abused by the police upon arrest, why should the charges be reduced?

The police should not be voicing their personal bigotries while pursuing African American suspects. It is disrespectful and unfairly biased towards the entire African American community.

Governor Newsom understands the harm of these race-biased affronts as does the Contra Costa County DAs Office who will be seeking to reduce both the murder charges and subsequent sentencing.

Words can hurt and law enforcement needs to be more sensitive towards all suspects of color.

Contra Costa County is fortunate to have DA Diana Becton at the helm.

Ms. Becton is an staunch defender of civil rights and an intrepid prosecutor of police-related improprieties.

While other progressive district attorneys have come and gone, it is refreshing to know that the majority of Contra Costa County voters and residents support her prosecutorial positions and humanitarian perspectives.

Keep up the good work.

The police must be held accountable for their wrongful actions, no different than ordinary citizens.

There is no place in law enforcement for racist police officers.

It is one thing to discourage and curtail racial bias on the part of police officers.

It is another to simply look the other way just because the perpetrator happens to be a person of color.

Governor Newsom, Ms. Becton, and other progressive DAs are addressing recurrent criminal activity with blinders on.

I imagine that most of us here strongly believe that any perpetrator regardless of color should be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

That said, racial bias should not be a factor.

The police have a duty and responsibility to treat all suspects with dignity and respect because they are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

We should never overlook this premise of American jurisprudence.