Alameda County
Judge Orders Three to Stand Trial for the Murder of Oakland Police Officer Tuan Le
The preliminary hearing in the case of Oakland Police Officer Tuan Le’s murder concluded with Hon. Judge Delia Trevino finding sufficient evidence for the three defendants, Sebron Russell, Mark Demetrious Sanders, and Allen Starr Brown, to stand trial for the Dec. 29, 2023, shooting death of Office Tuan Le. The court also found that the evidence supports commercial burglary charges against the fourth defendant, Marquis Copper. Trevino stated that she reviewed the case law and considered the roles of each individual when making her decision.
Special to The Post
The preliminary hearing in the case of Oakland Police Officer Tuan Le’s murder concluded with Hon. Judge Delia Trevino finding sufficient evidence for the three defendants, Sebron Russell, Mark Demetrious Sanders, and Allen Starr Brown, to stand trial for the Dec. 29, 2023, shooting death of Officer Tuan Le.
The court also found that the evidence supports commercial burglary charges against the fourth defendant, Marquis Copper. Trevino stated that she reviewed the case law and considered the roles of each individual when making her decision.
The Court found that the prosecution team for the Alameda County District Attorney’s office presented sufficient evidence to show that defendants Sanders, Brown, and Russell “knew or should have known” that Officer Tuan Le was a peace officer engaged in his duties at the time of his murder. Based on that finding, Sanders faces a possible life sentence without the possibility of parole.
Sanders will face trial for multiple crimes, including murder with special allegations of personal and intentional discharge of a firearm causing great bodily injury, and special circumstances, including the murder of a peace officer engaged in duties and “drive-by” murder and second-degree burglary.
Brown will also stand trial for murder with special allegations of personal and intentional discharge of a firearm, causing great bodily injury, and second-degree burglary.
Russell will also stand trial for multiple crimes, including murder, with a special allegation of felony murder and three counts of second-degree burglary.
The Court found that Copper was not a major participant in the murder of Officer Tuan Le. Based on the evidence, however, Trevino ordered Copper to stand trial for three counts of second-degree burglary. His bail is set at $75,000.
The specially assigned vertical prosecution team included Assistant District Attorney Elgin Lowe and Deputy District Attorney Angelina Clay, Inspector Todd Bergeron, and Victim Witness Advocate Aurelia Moreno, supported by the assigned investigators at the Oakland
Police Department and the FBI. Alameda County District Attorney Price expressed her gratitude for the hard work of all those involved in securing justice for Le’s family and many friends.
Defendants Sanders, Brown, and Russell are scheduled to appear at 9 a.m.in Department 11 at the René C. Davidson Courthouse in Oakland on Aug. 28 to stand trial for the murder of Oakland Police Officer Tuan Le.
