Open Letter to the Community on the Multnomah County Circuit Court Judicial Election

As community members deeply concerned with the application of justice and equal protection under the law, we are calling attention to the November election of a new trial judge for the Multnomah County Circuit Court.

History has shown us that judges impact systemic change and have the opportunity to include the voices of our communities in the process. The challenge and opportunity of this moment demands that we elect judges who have vision, experience, and a record of being a champion for change. This is why judicial elections are so important and why the November runoff to elect a new trial judge for Multnomah County is very significant.

Adrian L. Brown is the leading candidate, and she has the vision, experience, and record our community needs in a judge. Her work as the Civil Rights Coordinator for the US Attorney’s office in Portland let directly to the first-ever federal civil rights involving the Portland Police Bureau. Adrian showed courage as the singular line attorney in the Portland office to champion the request to open a pattern or practice investigation concerning policing practices. She was a voice for change in policing practices, and she has continued to champion civil rights for vulnerable communities, despite considerable internal barriers.

Her leadership resulted in the first Justice Department findings of a pattern of unconstitutional use of force against persons with mental illness. The findings led to long over-due reform. As part of this process, Adrian sought a range of community stakeholders to help shape the settlement, insuring community involvement in the agreement. As a result, policies changed for many practices including crisis response, investigation and review community oversight became a key part of long-term reform. Adrian’s leadership on civil rights has also championed systemic reform for the delivery of mental health services in Oregon – increasing access to community services to divert individuals from the justice system.

Her decade of exemplary work established the Oregon US Attorney’s office as a national leader for civil rights. As a result, Adrian was recruited by then-Assistant Attorney General Tom Perez to serve as National Civil Rights Coordinator. In that role she successfully advocated for the first-ever creation of more than 30 designated civil rights positions in US Attorney Offices around the country. Her focus and determination earned her strong support across a range of civil rights advocates – disability, mental health, veteran, fair housing, as well as police accountability. These issues are thrust before our local courts, and we must elect judges who have both compassion and experience.

Adrian’s personal story shapes her understanding of the need to elect strong leaders, and the importance of community involvement in the development of systems that impact their lives. Raised by a single mother for several years, who had to fight for child support, Adrian joined military service to pay for college, and she attended law school through a patchwork of student loans. Adrian has lived experience with economic struggles facing many in our communities.

Through her career of public service, she has forged a path to increase access to justice for vulnerable and underserved communities. In addition to over a decade of experience on a broad range of civil rights issues, she has over seven years of experience litigating criminal cases – both as a prosecutor and a defense attorney, including dozens of complex trials involving victims of child abuse, rape, and domestic violence. Adrian’s experience in criminal matters is an important credential for service on the Multnomah County bench, where the bulk of a judge’s docket on a daily basis involves criminal matters. Adrian’s demonstrated experience both in systems reform, and in criminal litigation makes her uniquely qualified in this race.

Applauded by colleagues and leaders alike for speaking up and seeking change to better advance the goal of equal justice, Adrian’s dedication, courage, strong personal and professional commitment to serve, and proven results, make her our candidate of choice. The call of justice for all is needed now more than ever. This is why we must elect Adrian Brown to the Multnomah County bench.

We hope you will join us in supporting and electing Adrian. You can find more information about Adrian’s campaign at https://adrianforjudge.com.

Sincerely,
Members of the greater Portland community,
(Signatories in alphabetical order by last name)

Michael Alexander, Community Activist

Renee Anderson, Teacher, Portland Public Schools (Ret.)

Rev. Dr. T. Allen Bethel, President, Albina Ministerial Alliance

Alice Dale, Fmr. President (Local 49), Fmr. Director (Local 503), SEIU

Michelle DePass, Board Member, Portland Public Schools

Jean Eilers, St. Andrew’s Catholic Church

Avel Gordly, Fmr. Oregon State Representative and Senator

Jo Ann Hardesty, Portland City Commissioner

Rev. Dr. LeRoy Haynes, Jr., Pastor, Allen Temple CME Church, and Chair, Albina Ministerial Alliance Coalition for Justice and Police Reform

Dwight Holton, Mental Health Advocate, and Fmr. United States Attorney for Oregon