Jamal Trulove was wrongfully convicted of murder in 2010 and sentenced to 50 years in prison. After spending six years behind bars, his conviction was overturned in 2014. Recently, Trulove has spoken out, claiming that Kamala Harris, then the District Attorney of San Francisco, was in the courtroom when he was sentenced and was seen smiling and laughing, which he found very upsetting.
Trulove’s case has led to criticism of Harris’s record. Some reports suggest that as California’s Attorney General, Harris’s office tried to keep certain prisoners locked up to maintain cheap labor for things like fighting wildfires. Critics argue that this was a way to preserve labor programs in the face of court orders to reduce overcrowding in prisons.
There are also claims about Harris’s family history and past actions that critics use to question her approach to criminal justice. These include allegations that her ancestors were involved in slavery and that her office’s policies were harsh on non-violent offenders.
Overall, Trulove’s case and the criticism of Harris’s record have sparked a lot of debate about her suitability for higher office and her approach to criminal justice.
