Charges against a fourth defendant in the case involving the shooting death of an Oakland Police officer have been dropped, the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office confirmed this week.  

Marquise Cooper had previously been cleared of a murder charge in the Dec. 29, 2023 shooting death of Tuan Le, 36, who was killed after responding to a burglary call at a cannabis dispensary in the 400 block of Embarcadero in Oakland. However, Cooper was ordered to stand trial for three counts of second-degree burglary in the case, but those charges have now been dropped, District Attorney Pamela Price said.  

Defendants Sebron Russell, Mark Demetrious Sanders and Allen Starr Brown will all stand trial on suspicion of killing Le.  

According to the District Attorney’s Office, the court determined that Russell, Sanders and Brown “knew or should have known” that Le was a police officer at the time of the shooting, though Oakland police said Le was working undercover at the time in an unmarked vehicle.   

In a press conference held on Wednesday, Price was asked if the charges against Cooper were dropped as part of a plea deal for his cooperation. Price had no comment.  

A ‘dangerous message’

Police booking photos of three of the four suspects in the killing of Oakland Police Officer Tuan Le on Dec. 29, 2023. From left to right are Mark Demetrious Sanders, 27, of Tracy; Allen Starr Brown, 28, of Chico; and Sebron Ray Russell, 28. (Alameda County Sheriff’s Office via Bay City News)

In a statement sent out by the Oakland Police Officers Association on Wednesday, the union said it was “concerned” by the decision to drop charges against Cooper.  

“Perpetrators of violent crimes must face consequences, otherwise it sends a dangerous message that undermines public safety and emboldens those who threaten the peace and security of our neighborhoods,” said Huy Nguyen, president of the union. “We look forward with anticipation to the DA’s next step in the process of seeking justice.”

Katy St. Clair got her start in journalism by working in the classifieds department at the East Bay Express during the height of alt weeklies, then sweet talked her way into becoming staff writer, submissions editor, and music editor. She has been a columnist in the East Bay Express, SF Weekly, and the San Francisco Examiner. Starting in 2015, she begrudgingly scaled the inverted pyramid at dailies such as the Vallejo Times-Herald, The Vacaville Reporter, and the Daily Republic. She has her own independent news site and blog that covers the delightfully dysfunctional town of Vallejo, California, where she also collaborates with the investigative team at Open Vallejo. A passionate advocate for people with developmental disabilities, she serves on both the Board of the Arc of Solano and the Arc of California. She lives in Vallejo.