A homeless man who violently attacked a woman on Monday as she was trying to get into her apartment building was just put back on the street by a judge in San Francisco, where the attack happened. Watch the surveillance video and see what happened. The attack starts at the very beginning of the video:
Here’s the report on this thug’s release:
People in the Bay Area were shocked to see surveillance video of a man attacking a woman as she tried to enter her apartment building in San Francisco. ABC7 News has found out that man was released Tuesday by a San Francisco Superior Court judge.
“I started crying and I could not continue the conversation,” said Paneez Kosarian who was notified by the District Attorney’s office following the release of the man Austin James Vincent, the man who attacked her.
Video shows Paneez Kosarian trying to get through the front door of her building, when Vincent, believed to be homeless, grabs her, pulling her away from the door and onto the ground. He continues to grab her. She finally crawls inside. It ends as she and the person at the front desk try to keep him out.
Vincent was arrested and charged with battery, false imprisonment and second-degree robbery. He appeared in court for the first time on Tuesday.
The D.A.’s office told us, “Prosecutors expressed concerns about his release. Ultimately, the court released him on assertive case management.”
Vincent walked away even after the judge read the police report, the public safety assessment– and yes, watched the video.
“The judge has seen the video. She still thinks that this man is ok to be on the streets,” she said.
Instead, the judge ordered Vincent enrolled in a program with assertive case management which falls under the jurisdiction of the San Francisco Pretrial Diversion Project.
“A criminal was released. He is free, I’m not. I’m in prison in my own house,” said Paneez.
The judge also ordered Vincent to stay away from the victim.
The case is not over. He will be back in court on September 12 for a pretrial hearing. All parties are hoping he will show up.
I feel for this woman. Having to fight for her life just to get into her home is horrific. The judge should have never let this man back on the streets and his bail should have been set very high.
If only California made it easier for people to buy guns for concealed carry, maybe this woman would have had one and could have avoided this nightmare. And even if she wants to buy one now – and who could blame her – it would still take at least 10 days for her to get it. Not to mention she’d have to pass a stupid test they make you pay 25 bucks to take just to purchase a gun.
And who knows if this man will even show up for his court date a month from now. A month, by the way, that he’s out on the street risking the safety of citizens in San Francisco.