Activists rally against convicted Danville police officer seeking early release from parole

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, Calif. (KGO) -- Activists rallied in front of the Contra Costa County Superior Court Thursday morning, concerned about a convicted cop, former Danville Police Officer Andrew Hall, who is allegedly seeking early release from parole.

"Oh, it's very upsetting. Very upsetting. We came here for court and they said, 'Oh, something about the paperwork.' So, we are coming back here Aug. 7 again. Our system is broken," said Jennifer Leong, the sister of Laudemer Arboleda.

Leong says her brother was fatally shot by Hall during a mental health breakdown in 2018. Hall was convicted and sentenced to six years in prison. The family says Hall was supposed to spend at least 85% of his sentence behind bars. But Hall was released in March, after just three years.

Hall was in court on Thursday to petition for early release from parole.

"The objection, I mean, he is going to have freedom. Like I said, I feel like he is a danger to the community," Leong said.

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Hall's attorney did not respond to a request for an interview.

But in an email to ABC7 News, the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office wrote: "Hall is eligible for relief under the penal code for convicted individuals who served on fire crews or a firehouse while in custody in state prison."

But, the court did not receive the certified proof, so it moved the hearing until August.

However, community activist Robert Collins has concerns on how this case is unfolding.

"We have scoured the website and spoken with the family and that. There is kind of a hidden process for how he can be released, and the public doesn't get to say much about it. Even be notified about it," Collins said.

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Collins' son, Angelo Quinto, died at the hands of Antioch police during a mental health breakdown in 2020. Collins said he and other community activists can't find public records about Hall's parole hearing. He argues that it suggests ex-officer Hall is being given special treatment.

"We think he should still be in prison as the judgement originally indicated," Collins said. "I guess, the next step if they are successful in this, would be they would like to expunge his record and pretend it never happened."

Bella Quinto Collins, Angelo's sister, who was also at the rally, agrees.

"It sends the message -- a very clear message, a very graceless message -- to other officers that they are above the law," Bella said.