Diana Becton, District Attorney of Contra Costa County
David Greene, Electronic Frontier Foundation
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25
Two Speakers at SRVDC Meeting
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM Diana Becton, District Attorney
8:00 PM – 9:00 PM David Greene, Electronic Frontier Foundation
6:15 PM – Informal Sharing
If you would like to attend this ZOOM meeting, please send an email to president@srvdems.org.
The San Ramon Valley Democratic Club is honored to have our Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton speak about the reforms she has implemented. Back in 2018 when Diana Becton won in the primary overwhelmingly such that there was no need for a November election, she said: “We need a criminal justice system that not only holds people accountable for their crimes, but also seeks to divert nonviolent, low-level offenders away from continued criminal activity and supports them to become productive members of society. We must address inequities in the system through bail reform, restorative justice programs, mental health services, and treatment for drug addiction. And we must have better outcomes for the youth of Contra Costa County.” Come to our meeting to learn about the new programs and changes she has implemented in the District Attorney’s office to meet these goals.
District Attorney Diana Becton has spent most of her professional career as a judge, lawyer, and manager. In 2017, she was sworn in as the 25th District Attorney for Contra Costa County. Following her appointment from the Board of Supervisors, she was elected to the position in June 2018. District Attorney Becton served for 22 years as a judge in Contra Costa County, where she was elected as Presiding Judge. She is Past President of the National Association of Women Judges, the nation’s leading voice for women in the judiciary, and Past Chair of the State Bar Council on Access and Fairness.
District Attorney Becton leads a prosecutorial office of approximately 222 lawyers, investigators, and staff. She is the first woman, the first African American, and the first person of color to serve as Contra Costa District Attorney since the office was established in 1850.
Her message of reform and restoring trust includes a vision for an office that is fair, transparent, forward thinking, committed to safeguarding all communities from crimes that threaten our health, well-being, and livelihood, and working on positive outcomes for youth.
A native of California she is a product of Oakland Public schools and a graduate of Golden Gate University School of Law. Most recently, District Attorney Becton earned a Masters of Theological Studies at Pacific School of Religion.
District Attorney Becton has received many honors. The most recent are: Woman of the Year 2019 for Senate District 9, Golden Gate University School of Law, Judith McKelvey Distinguished Service Award 2019, Crystal Gavel 2019, CABL Judicial North, Madam C. J. Walker, 2018, Pioneer Award, National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc., Oakland Bay Area Chapter, Woman on Fire Award, Ladies In Red (2019), Judge of the Year (2017), Black Women Lawyers of Southern California; National Bar Association – Judicial Council, Thurgood Marshall Award 2017 (Toronto, Canada); League of Women Voters, Contra Costa County, “Social Justice Award”; CABL Bernard S. Jefferson, Judge of the Year (2016); California Women Lawyers, “Rose Bird Memorial Award” (2012); Honor for positive contributions to the City of Richmond (2016); National Organization of Black Law Enforcement, “Trail Blazer” for Community Service (2014).
District Attorney Becton serves is a frequent lecturer and panelist, and she continues to participate in many community outreach activities. She convened “Clean Slate Day” helping individuals to clear their criminal records. In 2015, District Attorney Becton served as Co-Chair of the “Know Your Rights” Youth Symposium for West Contra Costa County, as part of a national dialogue to educate youth in our communities, and to open the lines of communication between youth and law enforcement. She serves on the Board of Directors for Castlemont High School Alumni Association. She District has two adult sons.
The San Ramon Valley Democratic Club is pleased to present our second speaker David Greene, Staff attorney and Civil Liberties Director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation. He has significant experience litigating First Amendment issues in state and federal trial and appellate courts and is one of the country’s leading advocates for and commentators on freedom of expression in the arts. David was a founding member, with David Sobel and Shari Steele, of the Internet Free Expression Alliance, and currently serves on the Northern California Society for Professional Journalists Freedom of Information Committee, the steering committee of the Free Expression Network, the governing committee of the ABA Forum on Communications Law, and on advisory boards for several arts and free speech organizations across the country. David is also an adjunct professor at the University of San Francisco School of Law, where he teaches classes in First Amendment and media law and an instructor in the journalism department at San Francisco State University. He has written and lectured extensively on many areas of First Amendment Law, including as a contributor to the International Encyclopedia of Censorship. Before joining EFF, David was for twelve years the Executive Director and Lead Staff Counsel for First Amendment Project, where he worked with EFF on numerous cases including Bunner v. DVDCCA. David also previously served as program director of the National Campaign for Freedom of Expression where he was the principal contributor and general editor of the NCFE Quarterly and the principal author of the NCFE Handbook to Understanding, Preparing for and Responding to Challenges to your Freedom of Artistic Expression. He also practiced with the firms Bryan Cave LLP and Hancock, Rothert & Bunshoft. He is a 1991 graduate of Duke University School of Law.
David Greene’s work has been recognized by California Lawyer magazine as a 2013 California Lawyer Attorney of the Year, and by the SPJ Northern California as the recipient of its 2007 James Madison Freedom of information Award for Legal Counsel. He was also awarded The Hon. Ira A. Brown Adjunct Faculty Award by USF Law School in 2012.
Diana Becton, District Attorney of Contra Costa County
David Greene, Electronic Frontier Foundation