Supporters of a man shot and killed by an East Bay police officer are blasting a new plan to drop the charges. The fatal police shooting of Steven Taylor at a San Leandro Walmart in 2020 grabbed headlines when it first happened. The case returns to the courtroom Friday. The Alameda County Dist rict Attorney’s Office is moving to dismiss the charges against former police officer Jason Fletcher, who is facing a manslaughter charge in Taylor’s death. Bodycam footage shows the confrontation between Fletcher and Taylor, who prosecutors say was holding a baseball bat when he was shot. Taylor’s family has claimed he was having a mental health crisis. The DA’s new motion to dismiss says in part, “The people cannot meet their burden to prove beyond a reasonable doubt … that a crime was committed by Fletcher, and the people are unable to show beyond a reasonable doubt that Fletcher did not exercise the lawful personal right of self-defense and/or the right to defend others in the use of deadly force on April 18, 2020 against decedent Steven Taylor, who was armed with a weapon capable of causing death or great bodily injury.” The courtroom and judge have changed in the case, leaving supporters in disbelief. “I used the word murdered intentionally because Jason Fletcher could have de-escalated, he could have backed up, he could have waited for people who actually know how to deal with people in a mental health crisis,” said Cat Brooks of the Anti-Police Terror Project. A hearing for the DA’s motion is set for 2 p.m. Friday. The Anti-Police Terror Project has filed a brief to challenge the DA’s motion. ...read more read less