‘That is information that should’ve been before the judge so she could weigh all of the facts in this case. A picture says a thousand words.’
SAN FRANCISCO (Aug. 16, 2019) — City Attorney Dennis Herrera today issued the following statement in the case involving Austin James Vincent:
“What happened to Ms. Kosarian is terrifying. That shouldn’t happen to anybody, and she is understandably angry about the legal process immediately following her attack. Facts matter though. Judge Van Aken had to make a decision at the arraignment based solely on the information presented to her in court. That is the law. We now know from today’s court proceeding that the District Attorneys’ Office had video of this attack at the time of arraignment and did not provide that key piece of evidence to the judge. That is information that should’ve been before the judge so she could weigh all of the facts in this case. A picture says a thousand words. I’m pleased Judge Van Aken has ordered the District Attorney’s Office to provide her with the video evidence they have, and that in light of this new information she has ordered a GPS ankle monitor for the defendant.”
“That said, the rush to judgment here and the desire to pillory an outstanding officer of the court is unsettling. Judge Van Aken has been a tireless champion of the people of San Francisco for years. As an attorney, she was instrumental in securing marriage equality, successfully defending the city from the Trump administration’s unconstitutional overreach, and beating the NRA. No one is more faithful to the facts and the law than Christine Van Aken. It’s disappointing that so many were quick to criticize her without knowing all of the facts.”
More information about the City Attorney’s Office is available on our website at: www.sfcityattorney.org.