News
Board Overturns Teen’s Expulsion, Contra Costa Times
The Contra Costa County Board of Education has overturned the expulsion of a Deer Valley High School student who witnessed an after-school melee between students and police. Following a public hearing Wednesday, the board voted 3-1 to uphold the first of at least three appeals stemming from the March 7 incident at a service station a few blocks from the high school. Jivaka Candappa, the attorney who represented Ellis and two other students, including Housley, said the district's argument that Ellis posed a threat by running away was illogical. He had argued earlier that the school district's decision to expel was pre-determined.
+ Read MoreWoman Sues City After Mistaken Arrests, The Daily Californian
An Oakland woman mistakenly arrested seven times and who served six stints in jail filed a lawsuit against the city of Berkeley last week, claiming an array of civil rights violations over the past three years. Stancy Nesby, a 28-year-old mother of four, was arrested seven times in the past 15 months. Nesby's legal troubles began when a woman arrested on suspicion of cocaine possession in 2001 allegedly gave Nesby's name to authorities, prompting police to be on the lookout for Nesby instead of the true suspect, said her attorney, Jivaka Candappa.
+ Read MoreA Victim Who Keeps Getting Arrested — Tangled in a Case of Identity Theft / S.F. Warrants Ruled Bogus, But They Were Never Voided, San Francisco Chronicle
Lawsuits and newspaper stories aren't doing Stancy Nesby any good -- she keeps getting arrested. Nesby isn't America's Most Wanted or a career criminal. She's a victim herself, ensnared by the legal system in a case of identity theft. "I tried to show them the newspaper, but they would not look at it," Nesby said. "I was on the phone with my lawyer, and they told me to hang up. It was terrible. All those people on that block heard me screaming because they were twisting my arms." Her lawyer, Jivaka Candappa, said police had no business approaching Nesby in the first place and accused them of doing so only because she is African American. "This was total profiling," Candappa said.
+ Read MoreIdentity Theft Suit Alleges Bad Warrants, Mother, 28, Claims 5 Arrests After Police Conceded Mistake, San Francisco Chronicle
An Oakland woman was detained six times, arrested on five occasions and spent four stints in jail over the course of 15 months, all because San Francisco authorities failed to void warrants mistakenly issued for her arrest, according to a lawsuit she has filed against the city. "It's hard to believe it happened," said her attorney, Jivaka Candappa.
+ Read MoreTestimonials
Mr. Candappa has been a great support; he has been very understanding and honest with me. I can’t say enough about this man. I was a nervous wreck worrying about what was going to happen to my husband, but once I spoke with Mr. Candappa, I had complete confidence in his ability to defend my husband.
The Oakland Institute is an independent policy think tank that focuses on increasing public participation and fair debate on critical food and agriculture, poverty and international development issues. Our successful campaigns in the U.S. and abroad, especially on the topic of international land deals, have resulted in threats of legal action. The thoroughness, timely response, and attentiveness to every detail by our legal counsel, Jivaka Candappa, allows us to continue with our mission without operating from a place of fear. In this struggle of David vs. Goliath, Jivaka Candappa's legal support is an invaluable asset to us!
