Attorney: Teen charged in shooting of 49ers rookie Ricky Pearsall shouldn't face attempted murder
The attorney representing the 17-year-old high school senior accused in the daytime shooting of San Francisco 49ers rookie receiver Ricky Pearsall on Tuesday claimed that new video evidence supports his argument that the teenager should not be charged with attempted murder.
San Francisco Deputy Public Defender Bob Dunlap said after a pretrial hearing where the teen waived his right to a speedy trial that the evidence he found showed that what happened the afternoon of Aug. 31 at Union Square was an attempted robbery, not attempted murder.
He said the footage he has shared with prosecutors showed "it was a rather extended struggle" between the two, with Pearsall getting the better of the teen.
"It supports what's always been my belief and theory in this case, that this is an attempted robbery, not an attempted murder," Dunlap said.
Pearsall, 23, was walking alone to his car after shopping at luxury stores in Union Square on Aug. 31 when the suspect allegedly saw the NFL player was wearing a Rolex watch and other expensive jewelry and tried to rob him at gunpoint, San Francisco police said.
A struggle ensued, and gunfire from the suspect's firearm struck both Pearsall and the teenager, who was shot in the arm, they said.
The teen, who lives in Tracy, was arrested about a block away from where he allegedly confronted Pearsall.
San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins charged the teen last week with attempted murder, assault with a semiautomatic weapon and attempted second-degree robbery. Her office later added several gun-related charges.
Jenkins has not decided whether to try the juvenile as an adult and said her office needs time to investigate further and, if appropriate, petition the court to transfer the case to adult court. California law prevents prosecutors from charging a minor as an adult without judicial approval.
The 49ers rookie was shot through the chest at close range, officials said. His mother, Erin Pearsall, posted on social media that the bullet went through the right side of her son's chest and out his back without striking any vital organs.
Pearsall was released from the hospital a day later. Two days after the attempted robbery, he was back at the team's facility.
He was at the team's season opener at Levi's Stadium Monday night when first responders who helped him after the shooting were honored and received signed jerseys from him.
Pearsall's shooting in an upscale shopping district downtown put the national spotlight again on a city that struggled with brazen shoplifting, empty storefronts and assaults on Asian-American seniors before voters choose a new mayor. Mayor London Breed, a Democrat, is in a tight reelection contest in November.
A University of San Francisco political science professor told CBS News Bay Area the incident will have major implications on the election.
"I think it's a very serious inflection point because it relates to the most pressing issue on the docket for everyone: public safety," said Professor James Taylor. "This does not bode well for London Breed as the incumbent because she's in power and this happened on her watch. Of course, she had nothing to do with it but, as the person in charge, there's a blessing and a curse that comes with incumbency."