"Ask the victims of crimes who have been put in fear of their lives if they consider a robbery to be petty. I can assure you they do not."

A coalition of California district attorneys, police, business leaders and crime victims will hold a news conference on Tuesday, March 30 at 11:00 a.m. PST to express their strong opposition to SB 82, a bill that would downgrade some felony robberies to misdemeanor charges of petty theft.

The bill proposed by Sen. Nancy Skinner and already approved by the Senate Public Safety Committee, would redefine a charge of robbery without the use of a weapon or Great Bodily Injury (GBI) to a petty theft, a lesser charge.

The bill has generated strong opposition from a wide swath of Californians from law enforcement officials to members of the Asian/Pacific Islander community following a series of attacks on Asian Americans in the Bay Area and across the nation.

“Robbery is robbery and most Californians understand that,” said El Dorado County District Attorney Vern Pierson, the president of the California District Attorneys Association (CDAA). 

“It’s too bad Senator Skinner doesn’t understand it. Ask the victims of crimes who have been put in fear of their lives if they consider a robbery to be petty. I can assure you they do not.” 

California Leaders Speaking Out Against SB 82:

Mr. Frank Lee—press conference organizer and President of Organization for Justice and Equality

Mr. Vern Pierson—El Dorado County District Attorney and President of the California District Attorneys Association

Ms. Annie Esposito —Alameda County Deputy District Attorney and Chairwoman of the Asian American Prosecutors Association

Mr. Ron Fong—President and CEO of the California Grocers Association

Mr. John Lovell—Chief Legal Counsel of the California Narcotic Officers’ Association

Chief Ron Lawrence—Citrus Heights Police Chief and Immediate Past President of the California Police Chiefs Association

Ms. Patricia Wenskunas—CEO of Crime Survivors, Inc.  

Ms. Nina Besselman—Executive Director/President of Crime Victims United 

Rev. Walter Hoye—President of the Frederick Douglass Foundation of California

Mr. Carl Chan—President of the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce

Dr. Raymond Kim—Professor of Finance, Northern Arizona University

Mr. Ryan Couzens — Yolo County Assistant Deputy District Attorney and Former Board Member of California District Attorneys Association