Quote:San Francisco police have made an arrest in the violent attack that a woman endured while trying to get into her apartment building over the weekend.

Police said 25-year-old Austin James Vincent was booked on false imprisonment, battery and attempted robbery charges, KTVU reports. A San Francisco District Attorney’s Office spokesman said that — despite prosecutors’ concerns — Vincent was released from jail “on assertive case management” after he pleaded not guilty in court on Tuesday, KGO reports.



Video posted on Twitter by a woman who said she was the victim shows a front desk concierge frantically using the phone and trying to help the victim as the attacker and victim grapple with one another at the glass front door. Eventually the victim makes it safely inside the building, which SFGate identified as the Watermark condos on Beale and Bryant streets along the Embarcadero downtown.

Officers later apprehended Vincent roughly a block away from the site of the attack, KRON4 reported.

The victim suffered “nerve damage and bruising on her hands and arm, but is happy to be alive,” according to KRON4.

“He was mentally insane and tried to rub me as well as forcing me to let him into our building,” Twitter user Paneez Kosarianfard, who identified herself as the victim, wrote on Aug. 13.

She told KTVU that the man was abnormally strong and “said that everyone’s a robot, he’s trying to save my life the front desk lady is a robot. He said, ‘Open that door. I’ll kill that person in front of you so I can gain your trust.’ He kept saying, ‘Come with me, I’m trying to save your life.’ I was fighting for my life, at my own house, trying to get inside one door.”

The attack happened after the man knocked the victim’s phone from her grasp and dragged her off her feet, NBC Bay Area reported.

Locals who oppose a proposed homeless shelter nearby seized on the attack.

“We live in concern and with fear of what may come because of the inability of the City to listen to the concerns, and follow its own rules, in the creation of new homeless centers and facilities,” said Safe Embarcadero For All board member Wallace Lee, according to KTVU.

KPIX 5 reported that condo security called 911 prior to the attack, but the police response was delayed.

“The officers who were responding to that call were diverted to a domestic violence call nearby,” Sgt. Michael Andraychak said, according to KPIX 5. “Once the subject’s behavior escalated further and it became assaultive, it became an A priority call and the officers were able to respond and take that subject into custody.”

The victim said the attack left her ready to move from her home, according to KPIX 5.

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And the judge already let the perp out of jail.

(08-16-2019 03:19 PM)SuperFlyBCat Wrote:  And the judge already let the perp out of jail.

Well of course, he's the victim.

He's been released.

Quote:SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- James Austin Vincent, the man accused of attacking a woman as she tried to enter her San Francisco condo building, was not present at a hearing for his case on Friday. Judge Christine Van Aken waived his appearance.

Vincent's case has received a great deal of public criticism since his release, but Judge Aken made it clear in court that she will not let public opinion impact her decision. Friday, she ordered Vincent to get an ankle monitor.

Judge Aken said in court Friday that public safety is her primary concern, but does not believe incarceration is the answer for someone with mental health and substance abuse issues.

At the time of the alleged attack, Vincent was homeless. He is now being housed with Nova Transitional Housing in San Francisco. According to the court, Vincent is following his release conditions.

Judge Aken also said Friday that she had not seen the video of the attack at the time of Vincent's arraignment.

"The release algorithm indicated that this was a no release type of situation and we argued against the release of this defendant for a variety of reasons," District attorney's office spokesperson Maz Szabo said. "We believe that public safety demands that he should be in a place that's in the best interest in public safety."

"He's receiving that treatment and he's a model client in assertive case management," deputy public defender Saleem Belbahri, said. "That's the decision the court made to place him on assertive case management. At this point, my concern is Mr. Vincent and I'm going to keep helping him and he's going to keep doing well."

Judge Aken has scheduled for both parties to come back to court on Monday to get an update on Vincent, she has also waived his appearance for that court date.

Kosarian's building is right next to the site of the Embarcadero Safe Navigation Center. She's concerned things might be worse if it is built. The group "Safe Embarcadero for All" is suing San Francisco to block it.

The San Francisco Police Officers Association is calling for the judge to be reassigned to traffic court. The organization says Judge Christine Van Aken's decision puts the victim at risk.
In a statement, the SFPOA says: "Van Aken should not be allowed to preside over any criminal cases. She may have been a reasonably competent civil attorney but she is a catastrophe of a criminal judge."

Governor Newsom spoke briefly about the incident during a stop in San Francisco yesterday:

"People say, sometimes they are just flippantly dealt with and not seriously dealt with. And people are back out on the streets, potentially able to commit the crime again," said Newsom.

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Remind me again why I'm glad I live anywhere but there. That judge is a disgrace and should be removed.

Mach, is that you? Must have though it was a Trump's Hotel and a Russian trying to enter

And for that she’s likely only paying 4500 a month for a one bed studio.

Land of fruits and nuts.

(08-16-2019 03:19 PM)SuperFlyBCat Wrote:  And the judge already let the perp out of jail.

Quote:SAN FRANCISCO (KGO)

Judge Christine Van Aken made it clear in court that she will not let public opinion impact her decision.

She's right by not allowing public opinion change her decision.

But her decision was wrong.