California court will consider anti-discrimination law in hearing over racist texts by officers

By JANIE HAR
Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Racist text messages between members of a San Francisco Bay Area police department will be the subject of a court hearing on possible violations of a state law aimed at stamping out racism in the criminal justice system. Antioch Police Department officers have been asked to testify in Friday’s hearing on the heavily redacted texts made public in April by the Contra Costa County district attorney’s office. The messages used derogatory, homophobic and sexually explicit language and discussed falsifying evidence and beating suspects. Defense attorneys for four men charged with murder say the messages violate a state law aimed at rooting out racism in the criminal court system. The East Bay Times reported the five officers will not attend the hearing because they are on medical leave.