Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala is speaking out for the first time since a Tribune-Review article reported an email he sent to all Deputy prosecutors prohibiting them from offering plea deals to a Black attorney.
In a statement, Zappala accused Milton Raiford of misrepresenting plea deals from other cases.
The statement went onto say "Despite the judge's indication that pleas in other cases did not seem relevant to the particular case, the attorney announce his intention to make these claims in every case in which he is counsel."
Zappala said he directed his deputy prosecutors to not offer pleas to Raiford without approval from the front office to "ensure that this office makes consistent, evidence based decisions and avoid false claims of racism against this Office and its Assistant District Attorneys."
Zappala's full statement is below:
"I am honored to serve as District Attorney of Allegheny County. As the District Attorney I am responsible for seeking justice for victims of crime and protecting the rights of the citizens. My office strives to carry out its mission with the integrity and respect that the residents of Allegheny County deserve.
"In a recent court proceeding, an attorney, after accepting a plea agreement for a client accused this office of being “systematically racist,” making different plea offers based on skin color, and “doubling down” on plea agreements. He thereafter misrepresented to the court a plea offered by another Assistant District Attorney to one of his client’s in another case. He then, falsely indicated that the plea offer the Assistant District Attorney made in the other case was 4-8 years for a marijuana charge, which taken alone would appear excessive. However, that case also involved weapons charges, which the attorney did not disclose to the Court. Further, the attorney stated that “the system needs to be undermined,” and that he is “not going for these crazy plea agreements.” Despite the judge’s indication that pleas in other cases did not seem relevant to the plea in a particular case, the attorney announced his intention to make these claims in every case in which he is counsel, whether in state or federal court.
"In order to ensure that this office makes consistent, evidence based decisions, and avoid false claims of racism against this Office and its Assistant District Attorneys, I took seriously that attorney’s stated desire not to accept plea offers, and directed my Deputy District Attorneys to memorialize any plea discussions with this attorney and not to offer pleas to that attorney without approval from the front office."
In addition, you can read Zappala memo to his staff by clicking here.