Court reverses Pittsburg murder convictions, says judge allowed DA to excuse jurors based on race
MARTINEZ — An appeals court has overturned murder convictions for two East Bay men, citing a Contra Costa judge’s remarks at the 2020 trial that he’d allow the prosecutor to excuse her third prospective Filipino juror but wouldn’t accept her rationale for a fourth. The defendants, 30-year-old Christova Topete and 36-year-old Sam Nazareta, were convicted … Read more