Assembly Bill 229 became law on January 1, 2022. The new law, which requires use of force training for private security guards and employees of alarm companies, was one of two dozen or so bills that Oakland Privacy supported in its journey through the Legislature in 2021. Like all laws, it has a story behind it.
On July 2, Mario Mathews, a 39 year old Latinx man who weighed all of 125 pounds, trespassed into the Sacramento Kings arena in the early hours of the morning. He mimicked shooting some baskets, and may have been experiencing a mental health issue, but carried no weapon or engaged in any dangerous behavior. Arena security guards detained him, handcuffed him, and then placed a knee on his neck George Floyd-style. The officer kept his knee on Mario’s neck for at least 4 full minutes. Matthews went unresponsive, was sent to the hospital and died.
Here is some press coverage of the event:
A few months after the bill passed with a somewhat low profile and a small number of supporters, although author Assemblymember Greg Holden worked hard to champion overcome the industry opposition and notably, then Asssembly Approps chair Lorena Gonzalez championed it , Oakland Privacy was contacted by Mario Matthew’s family. They had just become aware of the new law caused by Mario’s murder. Nobody had told them!
This week, it was our great privilege to send a framed copy of the bill text to Mario’s family home to be part of a permanent altar to his life. Thank you to Nielsen Framing in Berkeley for their beautiful work. A law is no replacement for a son, but it is rituals and memorials that help pave the pathway through overwhelming grief.
Every bit of advocacy work is a story of someone’s life and sometimes, their death.