A report says the Allegheny County District Attorney ordered prosecutors not to offer plea deals to clients represented by a Black lawyer.
During a hearing last month, Attorney Milton Raiford said he thought the DA’s office is systematically racist.
And he said the same about the criminal justice system.
The Tribune-Review reports it has a copy of District Attorney Stephen Zappala's email instructing deputy prosecutors to make no plea offers to Raiford's clients.
Zappala described Raiford's courtroom conduct as unprofessional.
Frank Walker with the Pittsburgh Black Lawyers Alliance told the Trib Zappala's order is totally unprofessional and cowardly.