An Alameda County Superior Court judge in Oakland has ruled that there is sufficient evidence to try three men for the shooting death of a police officer last December but decided that a fourth suspect will only stand trial for burglary allegations, prosecutors said.  

Sebron Russell, Mark Demetrious Sanders and Allen Starr Brown will all stand trial on suspicion of killing Oakland Police Officer Tuan Le, 36, who was shot and killed Dec. 29, 2023, according to the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office. 

Le was shot after responding to a burglary call at a cannabis dispensary in the 400 block of Embarcadero. He died at a hospital that day. 

The court cleared defendant Marquis Copper of a murder charge, but ordered him to stand trial for three counts of second-degree burglary. His bail has been set at $75,000 following the judge’s ruling, prosecutors said. 

According to the District Attorney’s Office, the court determined Wednesday 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.  

Oakland Police Officer Tuan Le was killed in the line of duty on Dec. 29, 2023, while responding to a burglary at a cannabis business. Oakland police have announced multiple arrests connected with the case. (Oakland Police Department via Bay City News)

If convicted, Sanders is facing a life sentence without the possibility of parole, according to prosecutors.  Sanders has been charged with 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 alleged murder with special allegations of personal and intentional discharge of a firearm, causing great bodily injury, and second-degree burglary. 

Russell is charged with murder, with a special allegation of felony murder and three counts of second-degree burglary, prosecutors said. 

Russell, Sanders and Brown are scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 28 in Oakland.  

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.