Former San Leandro police officer Jason Fletcher is facing criminal charges and a possible trial for shooting and killing Steven Taylor during a 2020 confrontation at a Walmart store.
SAN LEANDRO, Calif. - Former San Leandro police officer Jason Fletcher is facing criminal charges and a possible trial for shooting and killing Steven Taylor during a 2020 confrontation at a Walmart store.
An Alameda County judge on Friday set a trial date for Fletcher’s case on Jan. 6 next year, provided the case is not thrown out in a motion by the defense – scheduled to take place Oct. 31 – to dismiss the charge of involuntary manslaughter.
The judge also recused the California Attorney General’s Office from Fletcher’s case, meaning prosecution will be left to the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office.
The court’s decision came the same day a rally seeking justice for Taylor was held in front of the courthouse. The rally was attended by Taylor’s mother, grandmother, and supporters including the Anti Police-Terror Project.
"The only real justice would be for my grandson to be alive today. The closest thing to justice is holding killer cop Jason Fletcher accountable," said Addie Kitchen, grandmother of Steven Taylor. "I have never missed a court date, and every delay, every dismissal, every closed door has been another wound for my family. We will not stop showing up. We will not stop demanding accountability. Jason Fletcher must face trial for what he did to Steven."
The Backstory
Taylor was fatally shot by now-retired Fletcher at a Walmart in April 2020 while Fletcher was responding to calls that Taylor was waving a bat around the store.
The man’s family said that Taylor, 33, was suffering from a mental health crisis when he attempted to leave the Walmart without paying for two items. Store security stopped Taylor and asked him to return the items.
Store security told Taylor they had called the police, and when Fletcher arrived at the scene, Taylor was holding the bat.
Fletcher allegedly tried to take away the bat, but Taylor held onto it and stepped away from Fletcher. Fletcher then used his left hand to pull out his stun gun and his right hand to pull out his hand gun, and pointed both at Taylor while telling him to drop the bat.
Fletcher fired the stun gun at Taylor, and then Fletcher fired a bullet into his chest as the other man was trying to stay up.
Former District Attorney Nancy O’Malley’s office charged Fletcher with manslaughter in Taylor’s death, which Fletcher pleaded not guilty to in 2021.
However, the case was turned over to the California Attorney General’s Office after Pamela Price assumed the role of district attorney and Fletcher's attorneys argued Price had a conflict of interest and was biased against law enforcement.