Stephen Gizzi Archives - Open Vallejo

Grainy black-and-white surveillance image shows Darryl Mefferd, handcuffed and wearing a Chicago Bulls shirt, leaning forward in the backseat of a police vehicle. He appears distressed. A timestamp in the upper-left corner reads “2016-12-07 23:54:12.”

‘I can’t breathe’: video shows death Vallejo police concealed for years

by Anna Bauman May 14, 2025May 15, 2025

A man in a white polo shirt and khaki pants stands outdoors beside a weathered building with red wooden shingles and broken windows. Tall dry grass surrounds him as he looks thoughtfully off to the side.

Mathew Mustard, of ‘American Nightmare’ infamy, retires from Vallejo

by Matthew Brown April 1, 2025April 1, 2025

A dimly lit scene at dusk. A uniformed police officer stands beside a black patrol SUV, his face illuminated by red emergency lights. Behind him, a two-tone van is partially visible. Silhouetted trees and utility poles appear in the background.

Vallejo police reform evaluator to hold public meeting Monday

by Anna Bauman January 26, 2025January 27, 2025

A composite image titled "No Responsive Records," featuring grayscale portraits of five individuals who were killed in encounters with the Vallejo police. Each portrait captures distinct facial expressions, suggesting a personal story behind each individual. Below the images, the text reads, "How Vallejo Hid Killings by Police," highlighting investigative themes.

Open Vallejo wins journalism honor for exposing hidden killings by police

by Open Vallejo November 1, 2024November 1, 2024

A Vallejo police officer walks confidently toward the camera. In the background, emergency personnel and a stretcher are visible.

ACLU demands California strip badges from nine Vallejo officers

by Vanessa Arredondo October 16, 2024October 17, 2024

A partial view of the Old Solano Courthouse, framed by leafy trees and a hedge in the foreground. The building's light gray stone exterior is partially obscured, with modern patterned metalwork visible on one side. A single window is seen through the foliage, hinting at the structure’s historical architecture.

From a locked courtroom, judge rules Vallejo badge bending report will remain secret

by Anna Bauman October 2, 2024October 3, 2024

A Black woman in her early 40s wearing a white shirt poses for a portrait on her porch at sunset. An uncannily-accurate tattoo of her twin brother Charles, who was killed by Vallejo police in 2007, when they were 26, adorns her right arm.

Vallejo police concealed violent deaths for years, Open Vallejo lawsuit reveals

by Laurence Du Sault August 24, 2023January 28, 2025

California State Sen. Nancy Skinner speaks at a podium inside California's Capitol while holding a sheaf of paper and wearing glasses.

Open Government

State senator says juvenile records laws shouldn’t shield police

by Laurence Du Sault July 11, 2023October 30, 2024

Jared Huey, a skinny teenage boy wearing a baseball cap and a longsleeve shirt with the sleeves rolled up barbecues in a backyard on a sunny day. An open Dr. Pepper soda can be seen within arm's reach. The photograph appears to have been taken with a broken camera that let light leak in, giving the image a nostalgic, multi-color effect.

‘Twisted to conceal:’ How laws meant to protect children help police evade scrutiny

by Laurence Du Sault June 28, 2023January 29, 2025

A young Black woman wearing a "Justice for Mario Romero" shirt speaks into a microphone at a nighttime gathering with other families impacted by police violence. She is holding a single candle that burns with a tall flame, lighting her face in a warm glow.

Court rules Vallejo illegally destroyed evidence in police killings

by Geoffrey King June 27, 2023January 23, 2025