In 2016, 22-year-old Terrence McCrary Jr. was shot and killed by a stray bullet during a shooting in Uptown Oakland, California. His death, as well as the others that occurred at a party, was a tragic incident that rocked the community.

The situation became even more tragic when his mother, Florence McRary, learned that District Attorney Pamela Price’s office would grant his killer leniency. In 2021, the Alameda District Attorney’s Office, then under Nancy O’Malley, added a murder charge to the murderer’s charges related to McRary. This could have led to the defendant serving life in prison without parole.

The killer, Otis Wyatt, shot a partygoer named Craig Fletcher-Cooks multiple times. However, one of his rounds hit McRary, killing him as well. He was later arrested for another murder that occurred two months after the aforementioned shooting. Wyatt was charged in the party shooting while he was in custody.

In January, Wyatt was convicted of the second murder and given a sentence of 25 years to life. Now, under Price, the prosecution worked out a plea deal that involved dropping the charges related to McRary.

In exchange for dropping the two murder charges, Wyatt entered a no-contest plea to one count of voluntary manslaughter in relation to Craig Fletcher-Cooks.

That charge is set to carry a sentence of 11 years, along with 10 years for firing a gun.

Those 21 years will run concurrently with his other sentence of 25 years to life, the judge said, meaning the new conviction adds no time to his prison stay.

All charges related to McCrary, as well as the multiple murder allegation, were dropped.

During an appearance on Fox News, Florence McRary recounted what it felt like to learn that her son would not receive justice.

“I was in total shock. I mean, it was unbelievable to realize that for the fight that took over six years to get to, that it was diminished to nothing. And while sitting there in court, learning even from the judge, Well, this is the best we can do. What is the best when your child goes out one evening and does not come home, does not return, and yet you have got to now bury your child? And the sentiment from those in the administration that work to help fight for the people did nothing. They diminished his life to absolutely nothing. So very traumatizing.”

The host brought up the sharp increase in crime that has occurred in Oakland, asking if residents “realize the dangerous aspect of having a DA like this who sides with criminals.”

“I think they do realize it, which is why the voice of the people have spoken,” she replied, highlighting her support of a petition to recall Price.

Florence McRary, whose son was killed by a stray bullet in Oakland, CA in 2016, describes learning that DA Pamela Price's offices dropped murder charges him.

"It was unbelievable to realize that for the fight that took over six years to get to, that it was diminished to… pic.twitter.com/gW6rUKZw0m

— Jeff Charles, An Awful Pundit🏴 (@jeffcharlesjr) May 13, 2024

McRary's story is unfortunately one of many showing how district attorneys who prioritize protecting criminals over civilians can lead to dangerous outcomes. When bad actors know they can violate other people's rights without much in the way of consequences, they are only emboldened to commit more crimes.

Regrettably, Price's office did not believe McRary's life was worth the pursuit of justice in this case. Perhaps this will be the tipping point for residents who are endangered due to lax crime policies.

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