Crime and Law

Bouncer Laments the Lack of Maniacs at Glen Park Station

Bike Bandit Strikes Again

Just a note from a loving victim ​Earlier this week, we warned readers about the rash of bike thefts happening in the Inner Sunset. The thief appears to have migrated to Cole Valley, where there have been increased reports of a cycle crook.Police Captain Denis O'Leary told SF Weekly that the thief ... More >>

Teen Shot to Death in Visitacion Valley; Homicide No. 31

Homicide in Visitaction Valley ​An 18-year-old man was shot to death while standing on the sidewalk in Visitacion Valley, police said. The man -- who has not yet been identified -- was standing at the 200 block of Rey Street at about 10 p.m. when two men approached him and fired several shots befo ... More >>

Crime Lab Confidential: DA and SFPD Withheld Damaging Memo About DNA Lab Failings

Homicide in Visitaction Valley ​An 18-year-old man was shot to death while standing on the sidewalk in Visitacion Valley, police said. The man -- who has not yet been identified -- was standing at the 200 block of Rey Street at about 10 p.m. when two men approached him and fired several shots befo ... More >>

24 Hour Fitness Faces Racketeering Charges

Racketeering charges should get your heart rate pumping​While your body might be in good shape after joining 24 Hour Fitness, your bank account might not be quite as healthy. A class action lawsuit accuses the ubiquitous workout business of taking an extra month of fees from members when they canc ... More >>

Man Shot and Killed During Argument in the Mission; Homicide No. 35

Tex Texin via Flickr ​The Mission District suffered a grim holiday when a man was shot and killed Monday morning in what witnesses described as a heated argument. It's the neighborhood's third murder in the last seven days. Medical authorities told SF Weekly they have not yet identified the victim ... More >>

Dwayne Spruell Identified as Man Killed in Labor Day Argument

Another homicide ​The man who was shot and killed Monday morning during a heated argument in the Mission District has been identified as 45-year-old Dwayne Spruell. Neighbors told reporters that they heard loud arguing sometime after 2 a.m. on Monday morning near Camp and Guerrero streets, where d ... More >>

Another Shooting in the Mission

What's up with all this violence in the Mission?​A man was critically injured after being shot in the Mission District, marking the fourth shooting in a weeklong streak of gun violence in the neighborhood. Police issued very few details about yesterday's shooting, which occurred at shortly before ... More >>

Gun Violence Continues: Man Shot in Ingleside District

More gun violence​A 18-year-old man is in critical condition after he was shot yesterday morning while driving through the Ingleside neighborhood. Police say the victim and another man were driving along San Jose and Geneva avenues at about 11:17 a.m. yesterday when two men in another vehicle drov ... More >>

DNA Lab Memo at Center of Legal Battle in Gruesome 1976 Murder Case

AFP/Getty ImagesRockne Harmon​A secret internal memo criticizing DNA analysis procedures at the San Francisco Police Department crime lab has become an issue in prosecutors' efforts to obtain a conviction based on DNA evidence in the grisly rape and murder of a San Francisco woman in 1976.San Fran ... More >>

San Francisco One of the Few California Towns with Room for Prisoners

AFP/Getty ImagesRockne Harmon​A secret internal memo criticizing DNA analysis procedures at the San Francisco Police Department crime lab has become an issue in prosecutors' efforts to obtain a conviction based on DNA evidence in the grisly rape and murder of a San Francisco woman in 1976.San Fran ... More >>

Ernesto Manuel Gonzalez Accused of Killing Hells Angels President

Roy Lister via FlickrArrest made in Hells Angels slaying​UCSF police last night arrested an alleged motorcycle gang member on suspicion of shooting and killing the president of the San Jose Hells Angels while at a casino in Nevada last week. Ernesto Manuel Gonzalez, who is purportedly a member of ... More >>

Pelican Bay Hunger Strike: Lawyers Turn to Gov. Jerry Brown for Help

You won't get Starbucks in solitary confinement ​Yesterday marked the first official day of the hunger strike taking place at eight prisons across the state, with as many as 4,000 inmates refusing state-issued meals. In response, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation issued a ... More >>

Anthony Wright Arrested on Suspicion of Shooting Bernal Heights Man in the Head

Another homicide ​Update (4:50 p.m.) Police arrested 34-year-old Anthony Wright on suspicion of killing a 28-year-old man who has not yet been identified. Media outlets are reporting that the victim was playing video games with his friends when Wright arrived and shot him in the head. Update (11:0 ... More >>

Ronnie Tiger, Bayview Shooting Victim, Dies 10 Years Later

Shooting victim dies a decade later​The Examiner brings us a unusual story today about 30-year-old Ronnie Tiger who had been laying in a hospital bed, unable to do anything except blink or smile for more than 10 years after being gunned down in 2001. Tiger, a City College student, was shot point b ... More >>

Feds Want Maximum Prison Time for Roberto Acosta, MS-13 Informant Who Lied

The government's snitch is about to get sentenced. ​Federal prosecutors are pushing for the maximum five-year sentence for the criminal informant who was shaping up to be their star witness in the case against San Francisco's MS-13 clique. But his future took a turn when Roberto Acosta was instead ... More >>

Roberto Acosta, MS-13 Informant Convicted of Lying, Wants Out of Jail

The MS-13 snitch thinks the government is ungrateful for his help. ​Roberto "Bad Boy" Acosta, the MS-13 gang informant who for years gave federal agents details about San Francisco's branch of the gang, faces sentencing in federal court next week for lying to his handlers about how many people he' ... More >>

Inside Out

The MS-13 snitch thinks the government is ungrateful for his help. ​Roberto "Bad Boy" Acosta, the MS-13 gang informant who for years gave federal agents details about San Francisco's branch of the gang, faces sentencing in federal court next week for lying to his handlers about how many people he' ... More >>

Federal Judge: MS-13 Informant, Roberto Acosta, Will Likely Be Killed If Deported

The MS-13 informant's future is looking grim. ​A federal judge replaced the defense attorney representing the Roberto Acosta -- the MS-13 gang informant who was convicted of lying to his handlers -- and urged attorneys on both sides to consider the likelihood that Acosta will be killed if he's dep ... More >>

Man Shot to Death in the Mission; Homicide No. 45

Another Mission shooting​A 26-year-old man was shot and killed last night after he got into a verbal argument with three men in the Mission District. According to police, the victim, who has not yet been identified, was on Harrison and 23rd streets at about 1:40 a.m. Friday when the fight started. ... More >>

State Appeals Court Upholds Judge's Order Unsealing Secret DNA Lab Memo

​A panel of state appeals-court judges has upheld a San Francisco Superior Court judge's order last month that District Attorney George Gascón release a secret memo describing problems with DNA analysis at the San Francisco Police Department crime lab.The decision appeared to remove the last barr ... More >>

Homeless Sex Offenders in San Francisco Move Indoors

Sex offenders are moving inside.While all homeless sex offenders in San Francisco will have to report to round-up centers on Halloween, there will likely be fewer transients who need to check in this year.​In the last six months, San Francisco's public defender has quietly won temporary stays on J ... More >>

Reynaldo Cordova Identified as Man Shot in Mission District

Man shot​Medical authorities have identified the man who was shot to death during a heated argument last week as 26-year-old Reynaldo Cordova. Cordova, a San Francisco resident, was on 23rd and Harrison streets on Friday morning when he got into a verbal fight with three men. One of the suspects p ... More >>

South Bay Students Lose Court Battle Over "Incendiary" American Flag T-Shirts

You are not free to wear this t-shirt in Morgan Hill schools​Three Morgan Hill students got a crash course in American civics this week when they lost a lawsuit against high school officials who sent them home for wearing American Flag t-shirts to school. A judge dismissed the case against Live Oa ... More >>

Secret Court Transcript Reveals Concerns About 'Deliberate Attempt' to Mislead Crime Lab Auditors

Rockne Harmon​Judge: "It's always the coverup that makes the things worse than the problem to begin with"The San Francisco Police Department and District Attorney's Office are both implicated in allegations that a deliberate effort was made to conceal defects at the city's troubled forensics lab ... More >>

Danilo "Triste" Velasquez, San Francisco MS-13 Gang Leader, Convicted In Federal Court

Daly City policeMoises Frias, homicide victim of a MS-13 "hunting party" in 2009​An MS-13 gang member who rose to a leadership position and demanded others continue the violence even after a federal take-down drained the gang's San Francisco ranks was convicted in federal court of RICO conspiracy ... More >>

Hate Expectations: Police and Prosecutors Are Quick to Claim the Presence of Racism — but Juries Are Not So Sure

Daly City policeMoises Frias, homicide victim of a MS-13 "hunting party" in 2009​An MS-13 gang member who rose to a leadership position and demanded others continue the violence even after a federal take-down drained the gang's San Francisco ranks was convicted in federal court of RICO conspiracy ... More >>

Roberto Acosta, MS-13 Snitch Convicted of Lying to Government, Seeks New Trial

The snitch wants a new day in court. ​The MS-13 snitch who provided federal agents with information that led to the mega-indictment of the transnational gang -- and recorded alleged murder confessions that will be allowed as evidence in an upcoming Superior Court trial -- wants a new trial of his ... More >>

People Aren't Killing Each Other as Much in California

Fewer opporuntities to say "redrum" in California ​Despite all the horrible crises we read about every day (budget, education, etc), Californians have much to be proud of -- the scenic beauty, the diverse culture, and get this: We aren't killing each other as much as we used to. According to Gener ... More >>

The Boy Scouts' Police Problem: Explorers Have Been Sexually Abused by Cops. Should Scouts Share the Blame?

Fewer opporuntities to say "redrum" in California ​Despite all the horrible crises we read about every day (budget, education, etc), Californians have much to be proud of -- the scenic beauty, the diverse culture, and get this: We aren't killing each other as much as we used to. According to Gener ... More >>

DNA Lab Cover-Up: SFPD to Investigate Claims in Secret Court Records

Fewer opporuntities to say "redrum" in California ​Despite all the horrible crises we read about every day (budget, education, etc), Californians have much to be proud of -- the scenic beauty, the diverse culture, and get this: We aren't killing each other as much as we used to. According to Gener ... More >>

Guillermo Herrera, MS-13 Gang Member, Gets Life in Prison

Life in prison probably won't do much to stop them ​Guillermo Herrera, better known as "Sparky," a San Francisco M-13 gang member, was sentenced today to life in prison for racketeering related charges. He is the last of six convicted MS-13 members to receive a life sentence. Herrera and his five ... More >>

Charlie Bell, Golden State Warriors Player, Allegedly Shows Up to DUI Hearing Drunk

Slammed Drunk?​In what appears to be a boozy cry for help, Golden State Warriors guard Charlie Bell allegedly went to his DUI hearing -- drunk.Bell was taken to jail Thursday in his hometown of Flint, Mich., after a scheduled alcohol screening showed that Bell's blood alcohol content level was .09 ... More >>

Cops Shoot Man During Traffic Stop

Gunfire in the Lower Nob Hill hood​Police shot and wounded an unidentified man who opened fire on them as they pulled him over during a traffic stop in the Lower Nob Hill area this afternoon. Officers made a traffic stop at about 1:30 p.m. on the corner of Larkin and Bush streets. As officers appr ... More >>

Oakland Sexual Assault: SFPD Looking for Possible Connection to Mission District Rapes

Another sexual assault reported, but this one was in Oakland​San Francisco's Mission District has been on edge over two recent brutal rapes, which police believe involve the same suspect. With no real leads, police told SF Weekly they are now "looking into" possible similarities with an early-morn ... More >>

Man Robbed While Peeing in North Beach Alley

Those robbers really took the piss out of him​If you're a robber looking to score an easy victim -- urine luck!Police say that a San Francisco man was robbed as he urinated in an alley at about 1:55 a.m. on Friday. According to police, the man had met friends at a nearby bar, and as they were deci ... More >>

San Francisco Rings in 2012 with No DUI-Related Deaths

Thanks for not driving after drinking your body weight in alcohol ​What better way to kick off the New Year than to just be alive? Police are thrilled to report that not one single person was killed in DUI-related accidents over the holidays, and that includes Christmas and New Years -- when peopl ... More >>

Frederick A. Dozier: Police Release Photo of Accused Mission District Rapist

Sexual Assault Suspect ​Mission District residents can take some comfort in knowing that the cops have indeed caught a suspect who they believe is responsible for three brutal sexual assaults over the last six months, police said. On Friday, police said they arrested 32-year-old Federick Dozier af ... More >>

Ross Mirkarimi Shocks Legal Scholars With Claim That Abuse Allegations Are "a Family Matter"

Luke Thomas, Fog City JournalSheriff Ross Mirkarimi and his wife, Eliana Lopez​Ross Mirkarimi is innocent. Of course he is -- he is innocent until proven guilty. It remains to be seen if District Attorney George Gascón will even  charge the sheriff with domestic abuse following a police repo ... More >>

Ross Mirkarimi Update: Domestic Violence Groups Call on Sheriff to Resign

So far the gig has been anything but fun​Update 2:25 p.m.: Staff writer Joe Eskenazi was at City Hall and gave us a puzzling detail about this afternoon's press conference: Mirkarimi's wife, Eliana Lopez, stood in the crowd among reporters and anti-domestic violence advocates who were calling on h ... More >>

Rory Jones Identified as Man Shot to Death: Homicide No. 2

another man shot ​Update: (1 p.m.) Medical authorities identified the man who was shot to death last night as 30-year-old Rory Jones, an Oakland resident. Police told reporters that Jones was sitting in his car when the suspect approached him and asked him if he had any "weight" -- a street term f ... More >>

Employee Allegedly Robs Own Store, Forgets Surveillance Camera Is on

Some people just don't make enough time for a square meal ​Here's a good one for dumbcrooks.comA woman working at a commercial store on the 2700 block of Mission Street had the brilliant idea of staging a fake robbery inside her own store. But her brilliance was quickly eclipsed by her idiocy when ... More >>

Prison Break: Realignment Inmates Enter Rehabilitation in S.F.

Some people just don't make enough time for a square meal ​Here's a good one for dumbcrooks.comA woman working at a commercial store on the 2700 block of Mission Street had the brilliant idea of staging a fake robbery inside her own store. But her brilliance was quickly eclipsed by her idiocy when ... More >>

Donald Tosti, Marin Psychologist, Sent to Prison for Posession of "Very Graphic" Child Porn

Mr. Tosti will need his own psychologist​A San Rafael psychologist has been sent to prison for eight years after he was busted having child porn on his computer, which included disturbing depictions of rape scenes with very young children. Donald Tosti, 76, was convicted in San Francisco in Septem ... More >>

Domestic Violence Group to Feature Ross Mirkarimi Quote on Billboard

La Casa De Las Madres​When Ross Mirkarimi was elected sheriff, he had ambitious plans to influence the criminal justice system, although this billboard to the right probably isn't what he had in mind. However, after being charged with battery, endangering a child, and dissuading a witness, La Casa ... More >>

Ricky Leon Scott Accused of Murdering Man in Homeless Shelter

Man stabbed, another man arrested​Police say they arrested 63-year-old Ricky Leon Scott on suspicion of stabbing to death a 44-year-old man at a homeless shelter yesterday evening. According to Sgt. Daryl Fong, officers caught up with Scott about 10 minutes after the stabbing occurred at the Multi ... More >>

Rodney Pool Charged with Murdering Rebekah Wilson; Homicide No. 5

Rodney Pool​Homicide investigators have arrested a 59-year-old man in connection with the murder of Rebekah Wilson, 37, at the Windsor Hotel earlier this month. According to police, officers were called to the hotel, located at 20 Sixth St., just before 7 p.m. on Feb. 2. When they arrive ... More >>