Mirkarimi's Lawyers Claim SF Mayor Is Dragging Out Misconduct Hearings
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) — Lawyers for suspended San Francisco Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi said Mayor Ed Lee seems intent on dragging out his misconduct case and turning the ordeal into a circus.
On Friday, Mirkarimi's legal team sent comments along with the suspended sheriff's list of potential witnesses to the city's Ethics Commission, which is hearing the case.
The charges stem from allegations Mirkarimi bruised his wife Eliana Lopez's arm in a New Years Eve argument. Mirkarimi pleaded guilty to false imprisonment and was suspended by Lee on March 19.
17 people are on the witness list including Lopez who had previously refused to testify.
The letter from Mirkarimi's lawyers states "countless murders have received less attention and resources than what is being poured into the mayor's political attack on the sheriff."
It also calls it shocking that the mayor would use city funds to pay eight purported expert witnesses.
Legal analyst and former prosecutor Steven Clark said what was written by Mirkarimi's lawyers were basically cheap shots.
"It's hard to imagine how this will benefit the sheriff. In fact it completely undermined part of his case which is to show remorse," Clark said.
Clark questioned the legal team's tactics and said there was no reason to include the remarks in the witness list.
"It has demeaned the mayor and has made light of the sheriff's conduct; in particular the false imprisonment charges he had pled guilty to," Clark continued.
The next commission hearing is May 29th.
(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
