Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton facing recall effort

MARTINEZ, Calif. (KGO) -- A third Bay Area district attorney is now facing recall. Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton was served on Monday.

A video of her being served was posted online by the group leading the recall: Recall District Attorney Diana Becton.

The group is led by 10 people, who have been identified on the group's website. The group declined requested to be interviewed. It lists its main concerns to be: a cycle of unaddressed criminal activity, empty promises to victims, lack of transparency, and attempts to keep offenders out of jail.

"The belief is that the more convictions they have, especially in severe cases, that's when it appears that they are doing their job," says Dr. Lisa Hill, a professor of criminal justice at Cal State East Bay.

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Hill says she understands the concerns of victims and their families. But adds, there is also a real concern that communities are using recalls to address their dissatisfaction with crime, and not fully understanding the job of the district attorney.

"Keeping in mind, that district attorneys come into the cases after the fact. Focusing on recalling these district attorneys, may not be the answer to these higher crime rates," says Dr. Hill. "The bottom line is that the facts don't bear out the allegations that the recall proponents are making. First, our DA has aggressively prosecuted violent offenders."

Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia says Becton's record is not like that of the other recalled Bay Area district attorneys who were recalled: Chesa Boudin in San Francisco County and Pamela Price in Alameda Country.

He says Becton is retired judge with a respected career - twice elected by Contra Costa County voters. He is confident she can withstand any recall attempt.

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"Violent crime in Contra Costa County is at a historic low. So, the recall proponents are trying to use what has happened in other counties to make a case here. And that comparison is just not valid," states Gioia.

But Joshua Spivak at Berkeley Law's California Constitution Center says despite Becton's record, she is not immune to a recall.

"The problem is, in California from 2011 until now, there have been 130 recalls. And about 80% of them have resulted in removal once it got to the ballot," says Spivak.

District Attorney Becton did not return request for comment. But she has seven days to respond the letter of intent.

The organizers of the recall now have to submit a petition to recall DA Becton. If approved, they will then have 160 days to collect roughly 76,000 signatures to get the recall on the ballot. That number represents 10% of eligible Contra Costa County voters.