🧠 RJA Lesson: The statute is only as strong as the record you build.
In Guerrero & Navarro, the defense lost because:
❌ No trial-level RJA objection
❌ No evidence of racial animus or disparity
❌ Theory untethered to §745 standards
Strategic takeaways on the CA RJA Resource Hub ⬇️
#CaliforniaRJA
Why We Needed the RJA
In McCleskey v. Kemp (1987), SCOTUS ruled that statistical proof of racial disparities was not enough.
You had to show intentional discrimination.
That decision shut the courthouse doors for decades. The RJA rejects and changes this impossible standard.
#CaliforniaRJA #RJA
Racial Justice Act: A Movement in California and Beyond
The CA Racial Justice Act (RJA) represents a significant effort to dismantle systemic racism in our courts.
However, it is also part of a global human rights demand: equal justice, without discrimination.
Let us break it down👇
#CaliforniaRJA
🕊️ Chavez was released July 23, 2025.
He met his daughter for the first time.
He is now advocating for reforms and credit organizing by Silicon Valley De-Bug and support from grassroots communities.
More info & full text ⬇️
#CARJA #RacialJusticeAct #RJA #PC745 #SystemicBias #CaliforniaRJA
Bottom Line: CJEO 2025-028 does not force former DAs off every RJA case—but it affirms the right to transparency and fairness.
It is a tool for both litigators and judges to navigate complex procedural and ethical issues under California’s Racial Justice Act.
More info & full text ⬇️ #CaliforniaRJA
‼️On Jury Selection
In Wagstaff, the 6th District upheld a prosecutor’s strike of a Black juror under CCP § 231.7. Race-neutral explanation: juror didn’t trust police.
🧰 Takeaway: Practitioners must request comparative juror analysis to rebut “neutral” reasons.
Full breakdown ⬇️
#CaliforniaRJA #RJA
⚖️ Justice Evans (concurrence):
If defense counsel did tell Coleman to “talk ghetto,” it would “suffice to infer… implicit bias.”
📍 Future RJA litigators: cite Evans to argue for evidentiary hearings under § 745(c)(2) in implicit bias cases.
#CaliforniaRJA #PC745 #RJA
📌 RJA Discovery Motion Denied? Don’t appeal.
Under People v. Serrano, appeal from a post-judgment RJA discovery denial is not allowed under § 1237.
✅ Use a writ of mandate to challenge the ruling instead.
🧠 Strategically use standalone § 745(d) motions to build habeas-ready records.
#CaliforniaRJA
🧑⚖️NEW on the RJA Hub:
Can a judge who previously worked as a prosecutor oversee an RJA motion?
CJEO Draft Opinion 2025-028 says:
❌ No automatic disqualification
✅ Yes to mandatory disclosure in many cases
📅 Public comment open until July 11.
📝 Learn more + submit your thoughts
#CaliforniaRJA #RJA
RJA + SB 672 = Hope 🙏
‼️ Even if Marquell Smith’s RJA claim fails, SB 672 could still bring him before a parole board.
It gives second chances to those convicted between ages 18–25 after 25 years.
💡A future where #RJA + #YouthJustice reform intersect
#RacialJusticeAct #SB672 #PC745 #CaliforniaRJA
💥 Whistleblower Tracy Miller claims she was punished for protecting female prosecutors and challenging Spitzer’s decision-making—including conduct that may run afoul of the RJA.
We must ensure legal accountability is accompanied by cultural accountability within DA offices.
#CaliforniaRJA #RJA
Key Quote from Justice Liu
📝 “Conscientious jurors may come to different conclusions. It is not the province of trial or reviewing courts to substitute their logic for that of jurors.” — CA Supreme Court in People v. McGhee
Protecting deliberations = Protecting justice.
#CaliforniaRJA #RJA
Death Penalty and the RJA
⚖️ People v. McGhee is a reminder:
California’s Racial Justice Act continues to loom large over death penalty cases.
McGhee’s RJA claim was not decided yet — and he can still raise it if retried.
#CaliforniaRJA #RacialJusticeAct #CARJA #RJA
Jury Rights Matter
👩⚖️ In McGhee, the Court ruled:
➡️ Jurors questioning prosecution witnesses aren’t showing misconduct.
➡️ Trial judges must tread carefully when dismissing jurors.
➡️ Credibility decisions belong to the jury, not the judge.
Important for RJA and beyond.
#CaliforniaRJA #RJA #CARJA
🚨Racial Justice Act Watch
🔎 The CA Supreme Court’s reversal in People v. McGhee reaffirms: skepticism of police testimony is not bias. It's protected deliberation.
McGhee’s pending RJA claim could become a major test case if prosecutors retry and seek death again.
#CaliforniaRJA #RacialJuaticeAct
Following the decision, Contra Costa's DA Office announced plans to review similar cases from past years.
This marks the second significant RJA ruling involving the county, expanding the interpretation of § 745 to charging practices — not just trial conduct.
#CaliforniaRJA #PC745 #RacialJustiveAct
