SF Sheriff Mirkarimi to face domestic violence charges. (Chronicle)

[RandySF]

(01-13) 13:52 PST San Francisco (AP) --

Prosecutors are planning to charge San Francisco's newly sworn-in sheriff with three misdemeanors, including domestic violence, related to a New Year's Eve incident with his wife, a law enforcement source close to the investigation said Friday.

Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi will face one count each of domestic violence battery, child endangerment and dissuading a witness, said the source, who would only speak on the condition of anonymity.

A police affidavit says a neighbor reported that Mirkarimi grabbed and bruised Eliana Lopez's arm during a heated argument at their home.



http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2012/01/13/national/a134501S69.DTL#ixzz1jNa0a3sb

[sabrina 1]

1. More police brutality!

Assuming he's guilty of course.

[RandySF]

2. This is a surprise to many.

He served two terms on the Board of Supervisors, sat as part of the progressive wing and is a member of the Green Party. HOWEVER, I was not shocked because people who have visited his office have more than once remarked on how he verbally abused his staff.

[sabrina 1]

6. I don't know anything about him, so I should not be quick to judge.

And I do recall a Chief of Police being railroaded in the small town out east on Long Island for political reasons.

Thanks of the information. People are human, regardless of politics. For everyone's sake though, it would be better if he is not guilty, including his wife.

[tularetom]

3. I didn't even know it was a crime to "dissuade" a witness

Sounds like a pretty wussy crime to me, like overdue library books or ripping the tag off a mattress.

[obamanut2012]

4. I consider that a very big crime

Trying to get a witness to lie or "forget" a crime happened is bad news, especially when the one doing the "dissuading" is the Sheriff.

The law:

Penal Code 136.1 PC (California's law against dissuading a witness or victim) makes it illegal to prevent (or attempt to prevent) any witnesses or victims of a crime from reporting the crime or testifying about the crime.1

[tularetom]

7. I agree it's a serious charge, it's the wording that makes it sound wimpy

Now "threatening" or "intimidating" a witness sounds like something Tony Soprano might do, but I can't imagine him "dissuading" one.

[RandySF]

5. I think it happened after the witness called the police.