DA tosses two felony cases against man who beat Oakland murder charge

OAKLAND — Months after prosecutors threw out a murder case that had been investigated by a detective who now faces perjury charges, the defendant has scored two more legal victories.

After his murder case was thrown out last December, 41-year-old Leonard Jones still faced charges of smuggling drugs into jail and possessing a weapon in custody. But in a May court hearing, Alameda County prosecutors tossed both cases, court records show.

Despite the victories, Jones remains behind bars, where he continues to serve a 59-year prison term in connection with a shooting. He is attempting to be re-sentenced to a lower term and remains in Santa Rita Jail, with a court date set for Aug. 9, records show.

The cases were thrown out after an in-camera court hearing where the public was barred and only Jones’ lawyer, the prosecution, and a judge were present, according to the minute order from both cases.

Jones had been charged in connection with the April 2013 shooting death of Donitra Henderson. In December 2023, prosecutors tossed the case “in the interest of justice,” according to a minute order of the hearing. The homicide had been investigated by Oakland police Det. Phong Tran, who has since been charged with perjury and bribing witnesses to influence their testimony in murder cases.

Jones’ two remaining cases involved him allegedly possessing a homemade knife in Santa Rita Jail, where he shared a cell with another man, and with conspiring to smuggle drugs into the jail. In the drug case, he allegedly recruited an Antioch woman who worked as a technician, and who was sentenced to four days in jail after pleading no contest, records show.