New San Francisco sheriff Ross Mirkarimi charged with battering his wife

By: Crimesider Staff
Topics: Daily Blotter

San Francisco Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi, center, and his wife Eliana Lopez, walk away after speaking to reporters at City Hall in San Francisco, Friday, Jan. 13, 2012.

/ AP Photo/Jeff Chiu

(CBS/AP) SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco's new sheriff was on the job less than a week before he was charged with battering his wife during a New Year's Eve incident.

Ross Mirkarimi, the city's first new sheriff in more than 30 years, was charged with domestic battery, child endangerment and dissuading a witness, all misdemeanors. Mirkarimi, 50, disputes all the charges.

If convicted, he would be prohibited from carrying a gun, fined, and receive probation or up to a year in jail.

On New Year's Eve, Mirkarimi allegedly grabbed his wife, former Venezuelan telenovela star Eliana Lopez, bruising her upper arm in their San Francisco home.

After the alleged domestic violence incident on Dec. 31, Mirkarimi's wife turned to a neighbor, who contacted police. Authorities confiscated video the neighbor had taken of Lopez's arm and text messages between the two women.

Lopez later said in a written statement that the episode was "completely taken out of context." Moments after he was sworn in as sheriff on Jan. 8, Mirkarimi called the incident "a private matter, a family matter."

But on Friday, the sheriff appeared outside his City Hall office, telling gathered reporters that he would fight the charges and would not resign. "The charges are very unfounded," he said.

Lopez, by his side, appeared dazed by the turn of events. "I don't have any complaint against my husband," she said. "This is unbelievable."

Mirkarimi, who graduated from the San Francisco Police Academy and served nine years as an investigator for the district attorney, had been a member of the city's Board of Supervisors since 2004. He won a close election in November to replace longtime progressive sheriff Michael Hennessey. He was not backed by the deputies' union, but his name recognition and liberal politics helped him win the seat.

As a county supervisor, representing a district that includes Haight-Ashbury, Mirkarimi led efforts to introduce the nation's first ban on plastic bags in grocery stores. He also advocated legalizing medical marijuana and co-founded the California Green Party.

"It may be hard for (Mirkarimi) to stay in office if this case goes to trial," said Weisberg, the director of Stanford's Criminal Justice Center. "You've got to assume that the police and the DA's office are being incredibly careful about this and really vetted this before going through. This just has great significance and sensitivity. These are not frivolous charges."

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by TellItLikeItIs05701 January 17, 2012 7:27 AM EST: Police abuse on their families is NOTHING NEW!!! I have a girlfriend who literally had to take her two children and run away and go into hiding for three years because her life living with her police husband was horrifying! Everytime he would beat her bloody, the co workers of this idiot (other officers on scene) would show up and tell him to come with them to the bar and have a few drinks and calm down, of course when he got home even more drunk she would get the real treatment as you can imagine. She lived in terror as she had no where to turn when other officers would not arrest him. Nothing new. Police feel that they can get away with murder and they certainly have in the past and are still today. Hang the bastard I say. Look how gorgeous his family is! He (san fransisco chief) obviously thinks he is ammune to punishment. I don't think he should get paid leave either. He's just like any other abuser.; Reply to this comment