San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin dropped charges against Kajon Busby, the black teenager seen being in a that’s drawn comparisons to the George Floyd case.Busby, 19, was charged with misdemeanor crimes of criminal threats and resisting arrest, stemming from a Jan. 25 incident in which Busby was taken to the ground and handcuffed by several officers.But a bystander video posted on social media last week provides a troubling vantage point not seen in body camera footage. For several seconds, a female officer appears to be pressing her knee to Busby’s neck while he’s on his...…San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin dropped charges against Kajon Busby, the black teenager seen being in a that’s drawn comparisons to the George Floyd case.Busby, 19, was charged with misdemeanor crimes of criminal threats and resisting arrest, stemming from a Jan. 25 incident in which Busby was taken to the ground and handcuffed by several officers.But a bystander video posted on social media last week provides a troubling vantage point not seen in body camera footage. For several seconds, a female officer appears to be pressing her knee to Busby’s neck while he’s on his...WW…

U.S. Justice Department officials on Wednesday charged influential San Francisco contractor and permit consultant Walter Wong with one count each of conspiracy to commit fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.Wong, who was previously implicated in alleged schemes tied to former Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru, agreed to plead guilty to the charges and to cooperate with the FBI’s ongoing investigation into corruption at San Francisco City Hall in exchange for a potentially reduced sentence.The Justice Department’s criminal complaint against Wong claims the alleged fraud scheme...…U.S. Justice Department officials on Wednesday charged influential San Francisco contractor and permit consultant Walter Wong with one count each of conspiracy to commit fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.Wong, who was previously implicated in alleged schemes tied to former Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru, agreed to plead guilty to the charges and to cooperate with the FBI’s ongoing investigation into corruption at San Francisco City Hall in exchange for a potentially reduced sentence.The Justice Department’s criminal complaint against Wong claims the alleged fraud scheme...WW…

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateSan Francisco police officers were instructed not to use their body-worn cameras during their of journalist Bryan Carmody’s home and office last year, according to an internal department memo.The memo, obtained by the suggests that police not only violated Carmody’s rights, but also when conducting the raids. The department’s general order on body-worn cameras states that all on-scene officers “shall” activate their devices in a list of circumstances, including “when serving a search warrant or arrest warrant.”The memo is in...…This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateSan Francisco police officers were instructed not to use their body-worn cameras during their of journalist Bryan Carmody’s home and office last year, according to an internal department memo.The memo, obtained by the suggests that police not only violated Carmody’s rights, but also when conducting the raids. The department’s general order on body-worn cameras states that all on-scene officers “shall” activate their devices in a list of circumstances, including “when serving a search warrant or arrest warrant.”The memo is in...WW…

San Francisco Mayor London Breed is hitting pause on all of the police and sheriff’s hires and promotions, making time for an audit of all law-enforcement exams in an effort to root out bias among the ranks.Breed’s announcement Thursday comes a week after the mayor laid out a on how she envisions reforming the city’s Police Department, which included proposals involving homelessness, mental-health issues and racial inequities.“We want our law enforcement officers to reflect the best of our city and our values,” Breed said in a statement. “While most do, we can improve how we are identifying...…San Francisco Mayor London Breed is hitting pause on all of the police and sheriff’s hires and promotions, making time for an audit of all law-enforcement exams in an effort to root out bias among the ranks.Breed’s announcement Thursday comes a week after the mayor laid out a on how she envisions reforming the city’s Police Department, which included proposals involving homelessness, mental-health issues and racial inequities.“We want our law enforcement officers to reflect the best of our city and our values,” Breed said in a statement. “While most do, we can improve how we are identifying...WW…

A woman found dead Tuesday afternoon in Patricia’s Green park in Hayes Valley does not appear to be the victim of foul play, police said Wednesday.Just before 2 p.m., on Tuesday, San Francisco police officers from Northern Station responded to the park at the 300 block of Octavia Boulevard for a report of a body. The woman, identified by the San Francisco Medical Examiner’s Office as 53-year-old San Francisco resident Christine Harris, was pronounced dead at the scene.While investigators said no evidence initially suggested foul play, the cause of death will ultimately be determined by the...…A woman found dead Tuesday afternoon in Patricia’s Green park in Hayes Valley does not appear to be the victim of foul play, police said Wednesday.Just before 2 p.m., on Tuesday, San Francisco police officers from Northern Station responded to the park at the 300 block of Octavia Boulevard for a report of a body. The woman, identified by the San Francisco Medical Examiner’s Office as 53-year-old San Francisco resident Christine Harris, was pronounced dead at the scene.While investigators said no evidence initially suggested foul play, the cause of death will ultimately be determined by the...WW…

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateA coalition of current and former California district attorneys on Monday called on the State Bar to prohibit elected prosecutors from accepting political contributions from police unions due to conflicts of interest in aligning with groups that often advocate for officers accused of excessive force.The request, which has the support of officials that include San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin and Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton, comes a week after the Minneapolis and amid .In a letter to California...…This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateA coalition of current and former California district attorneys on Monday called on the State Bar to prohibit elected prosecutors from accepting political contributions from police unions due to conflicts of interest in aligning with groups that often advocate for officers accused of excessive force.The request, which has the support of officials that include San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin and Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton, comes a week after the Minneapolis and amid .In a letter to California...WW…

What came in as a fairly routine call for service ultimately led police to a horror scene Monday afternoon in Richmond, where officers said they caught a 37-year-old man in the act of cannibalizing his grandmother.The suspect, Dwayne Wallick, was taken to the hospital for medical treatment, and upon release he will be booked into the Contra Costa County Jail on suspicion of murder, Richmond homicide Sgt. Aaron Pomeroy said Tuesday. Wallick’s grandmother, 90-year-old Ruby Wallick, was pronounced dead at the scene.“I will say that in 26 years of law enforcement it’s the worst thing I have...…What came in as a fairly routine call for service ultimately led police to a horror scene Monday afternoon in Richmond, where officers said they caught a 37-year-old man in the act of cannibalizing his grandmother.The suspect, Dwayne Wallick, was taken to the hospital for medical treatment, and upon release he will be booked into the Contra Costa County Jail on suspicion of murder, Richmond homicide Sgt. Aaron Pomeroy said Tuesday. Wallick’s grandmother, 90-year-old Ruby Wallick, was pronounced dead at the scene.“I will say that in 26 years of law enforcement it’s the worst thing I have...WW…

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateAfter nearly a lifetime in prison, Paul Redd had become accustomed to rejection.He’d been behind bars for more than four decades, and his legal bids to escape solitary confinement had fallen on deaf ears for more than a quarter of a century. The state parole board was equally crushing. Redd, 63, can recall at least 13 denials, but eventually he lost track.So, when Redd learned his first-degree murder conviction was up for a at San Francisco Superior Court this month, he kept waiting for that familiar, bureaucratic hammer to...…This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateAfter nearly a lifetime in prison, Paul Redd had become accustomed to rejection.He’d been behind bars for more than four decades, and his legal bids to escape solitary confinement had fallen on deaf ears for more than a quarter of a century. The state parole board was equally crushing. Redd, 63, can recall at least 13 denials, but eventually he lost track.So, when Redd learned his first-degree murder conviction was up for a at San Francisco Superior Court this month, he kept waiting for that familiar, bureaucratic hammer to...WW…

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateThe Alameda County judge presiding over the Ghost Ship fire case has decided to release defendant Derick Almena while he awaits a new trial, requesting he instead be placed in a community monitoring program.Judge Trina Thompson’s action comes after California judicial leaders on Monday for defendants charged with misdemeanors and most nonviolent felonies, their latest round of emergency orders intended to stem the threat of coronavirus outbreaks behind bars.Almena, who turns 50 next week, is scheduled for a court teleconference...…This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateThe Alameda County judge presiding over the Ghost Ship fire case has decided to release defendant Derick Almena while he awaits a new trial, requesting he instead be placed in a community monitoring program.Judge Trina Thompson’s action comes after California judicial leaders on Monday for defendants charged with misdemeanors and most nonviolent felonies, their latest round of emergency orders intended to stem the threat of coronavirus outbreaks behind bars.Almena, who turns 50 next week, is scheduled for a court teleconference...WW…

A week ago, Jessica Miller-Marez received a troubling phone call from her husband, 37-year-old Jesse Marez, who is incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison in Marin County.Something strange was happening at San Quentin, Jesse told her. A large number of prisoners had recently arrived on buses from somewhere in Southern California and had been placed in cells on the upper tiers of Jesse’s housing area — a unit known as Badger.Soon afterward, Jesse told his wife, the prison started to perform coronavirus tests on the men in Badger.At first he didn’t know why, but then he overheard corrections...…A week ago, Jessica Miller-Marez received a troubling phone call from her husband, 37-year-old Jesse Marez, who is incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison in Marin County.Something strange was happening at San Quentin, Jesse told her. A large number of prisoners had recently arrived on buses from somewhere in Southern California and had been placed in cells on the upper tiers of Jesse’s housing area — a unit known as Badger.Soon afterward, Jesse told his wife, the prison started to perform coronavirus tests on the men in Badger.At first he didn’t know why, but then he overheard corrections...WW…