Supporters of an effort to recall Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton gathered in Oakley on Saturday and shared their stories about loved ones who were victims of crime.
Gwyn Gabe shared his thoughts with families who support the recall effort. Earlier this month, the DA's office announced it would not seek charges against the mother of the man accused of killing his daughter, Alexis Gabe, due to insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt.
"These families are hurting still its some of them have been fighting for their case for many years," Gabe said.
Gabe said the group isn't motivated by personal grievances but rather by making it a step towards what they call justice.
"This action not only seeks to rectify the situation but also aims to protect other families from being victimized by someone who should be safeguarding victims rather than criminals," he said.
Organizers said Becton was serviced with a notice of intent to recall this week. The group said it had collected 121 signatures, 103 of which were validated, more than the required 100 to move forward with the first step of a recall.
Becton has seven days to respond, and her office said it will serve as public comment once she does.
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However, to get on the ballot, the movement will need to collect more than 70,000 valid signatures.
"While it might seem improbable to undertake this without financial resources, we are confident the necessary funds will materialize," Gabe said.
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Supervisor Johm Gioia
"District Attorney Becton’s long career as a distinguished judge prepared her to be a thoughtful and balanced DA. She has led efforts to aggressively prosecute sexual traffickers and perpetrators of retail theft and supports victims of crime," he said in a statement.
Becton's campaign declined NBC Bay Area's request to comment on this story.
This is the second time in recent months that a district attorney has faced a recall effort in East Bay. In November, voters removed Alameda County DA Pamela Price from office over criticisms that she wasn’t tough enough on crime and too lenient with criminals.
This new recall effort follows the successful recalls of Alameda County DA Pamela Price and San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin. Both were seen as "too progressive and soft on crime."
