The release of a homeless man suspected of attacking a woman as she entered her Beale Street apartment building by Judge Christine Van Aken had drawn criticism from San Francisco Mayor London Breed and the San Francisco Police Officers Association among others.
The disturbing footage showed Paneez Kosarianfard being assaulted at the Watermark condos on the Embarcadero in San Francisco, as the homeless man pulled her to the ground and repeatedly struggled with her as she tried to get into the building.
@GavinNewsom Please watch this video of me getting attacked at my front door less than 72-hrs ago. The man who attacked me was released this morning because the judge, Christine Van Aken believes that this man is not a danger to our community. PLEASE SAVE OUR CITY!! #savesf pic.twitter.com/XGzmtSLQpP
— Paneez Kosarianfard (@paneezkosarian) August 15, 2019
I need answers!! @JerryBrownGov @GavinNewsom recall judge Christine Van Aken, she is not fit for this job and is putting all of our lives in danger. What are you waiting for? Please, you have to do something. #recallchristinevanaken
— Paneez Kosarianfard (@paneezkosarian) August 15, 2019
On Friday, Vincent’s case was back in front of Van Aken but the suspect was excused from being the courtroom. This time, the judge decided Vincent should be required to wear a GPS ankle tracking monitor.
Van Aken defended her original ruling that Vincent should be released without any stipulations, saying her interest was balancing public safety and her conviction that not all people suffering from mental health need to be placed in jail.
She said she had decided to release Vincent on Tuesday based on his non-violent criminal history, which included one petty theft arrest in 2014, and under the condition that he receives treatment.
Do we think he is going to show up for the court hearing tomorrow? #savesf #ChristineVanAken https://t.co/ctkuTCDDLG
— Paneez Kosarianfard (@paneezkosarian) August 16, 2019
Van Aken said the first time she saw the video was on television while eating at a restaurant after she had ordered Vincent released.
“I was frankly alarmed at the level of violence I saw on the video. I was concerned about the conduct that I saw there,” Van Aken said in court.
She said the video altered her opinion on the public safety risk.