annually. each case could potentially end up as a homicide and last year, at least 35,000 sought help for domestic violence. t(studies also show that domestc violence victims do not call police and 87% recant their official statements. i know because i was a domestic violence victim. i denied being a victim for many years. i came to the u.s. to leave an abusive marriage, to hide and not tell people. i, and i'm smart. why am i in a domestic violence relationship? relationship? $igh bad why. this mess -- this will send a message to perpetrators of domestic violence and will have an impact > this case. i urge you to do what is right. -- had an impact that is greater

than this case. i urge you to do what is right. [tone] thank you. >> good morning. i'm also from the filipino women's network. i am speaking for myself. i believe a person in public office should be an example to the public. mr. mirkarimi's actions undermine domestic violence programs in san francisco. it is one of the programs that people can get information on the anti-domestic ren is platform the share of overseas one of the country's most innovative and tied-domestic violence programs, and to have a convicted abusers in charge of these programs undermines credibility.

as a citizen -- as a born resident, i would ask that the commission please set the standard for the public, and also for myself and my friends and family. we have experienced these unfortunate situations. thank you. >> good morning, and thank you for this time. i will be reading from a petition that has been sent to you will receive another copy with signatures. i and two other friends will be reading from the same petition. we voters from the city of san francisco, and those who seek fairness and justice for this is -- its citizens are sending this letter on behalf of all san francisco's resident and families. our concerns are the following. we believe all elected officials should have the right to hold

office and represent the people within the law without depending threat of expulsion by other members of office. we believe all citizens should be given a fair opportunity to make changes for the betterment of their lives, family, and community without their careers being jeopardized as a result. we are writing this letter in support of sheriff mirkarimi, san francisco's duly elected sheriff, who has enjoyed a long public record service -- long public service record. while in office he has overseen violence and gun law reform as well as advocacy for those underrepresented in the community. sheriff mirkarimi has been a visionary for innovative change both in and out of san francisco. recent allegations and a misdemeanor conviction involving the sheriff and his family have over shattered his new position

and cast doubts in the eyes of some on the propriety of his ability to serve as sheriff. ñilp[tone] the allegations are, indeed, serious in light of his being an elected official and by no means are to be overlooked. however, we believe the circumstances under which he has been suspended do not rise to the extreme level of some of -- of expulsion from elected office. it is up to the citizens of san francisco to decide whether or not the share of deserves their trust and confidence. -- the share of deserves their trust and confidence. [tone] >> i am just reading the rest of the letter. ms. lopez has spoken on the record and in support of her husband, acknowledging the fight with her husband that led to this recent conviction. she has clearly stated, "i have in the presence of by has been,

or for the safety of my son." hur statements were made without coercion by having no contact with her husband for over three months. we believe is not the responsibility of the general public, or those in office to second-guess the statement of ms. lopez, or to decide the best remedy for her family. it the criminal-justice system is appropriately running its course and there has been professional intervention nothing more is needed. sheriff mirkarimi took office by the public vote of the people, not by appointment. that means any consideration of his removal would have to meet a higher standard if it were to reverse the will of the san francisco voters to the elected into office. under the circumstances, we do not believe the sheriff brings

this to that standard. [tone] after the voters -- it is up to the voters of san francisco to decide with whom to put their confidence in as sheriff. sheriff mirkarimi brings incredible insight, value, and experience to the city of san francisco. he graduated as his class president in the police academy and served in the district office for seven years. as city supervisor, a champion 4.ú that set the standard for other citizens. [tone] thank you. >> i am sylvia. domestic violence is an extremely serious matter. as a result, the city of san francisco has a process in place

for intervention and prevention. sheriff mirkarimi has acknowledged his shortcomings as a has been. and he has said as much on more than one occasion. his efforts will make him a better and more informed father, has been, and public servant. if improvement were not an option, such programs would not exist. we need to let the process take its course without casting our own additional opinions on those decided already by the courts. anything else would confound the existing difficulties for the sheriff, his wife, and signed.

it will contribute to the problem, not the solution. we are sending this letter in support of his reinstatement as city and county sheriff. [tone] the position to which he was elected by the people. it we are open to any exclusion [unintelligible] as the sheriff of san francisco appeared -- as the sheriff of san francisco. [tone] thank you.

gentlemen of the audience, let me introduce myself. my name is emilt( lawrence. i have been a resident of this city and county for 40 years. what we have shown the people, in my opinion, is what a great frame up can be in the city of san francisco. where you have here is the wrong man on trial. you should have mattison here. for the record, i do not know of any trial court in america that except -- that accepts tampered evidence in court. you have evidence manufactured, according to ms. lopez, by ivory

mattison, who claimed to be an attorney when, in fact, she was not. who claimed she was an expert in domestic violence, when in fact, she was not. who wanted to manufacture a video the way phil bront stina of the san francisco chronicle did in his custody battle with sharon stone. weibring that to your attention because i work with bill brownstein. i know what that meant that is. as the night caddie, helped introduce him to sharon's down when i was a columnist there for eight years. [tone] i know what his method is. he is the houdini of the hearst empire. and ivory madison used his techniques and added -- and methods to manufacture evidence that has duped, so far, you, this district attorney, the city attorney, and the mayor, and to bring a man to trial when there

is no trial at all for this man. i leave you at that and thank you for your time. [tone] >> good afternoon. i am here and i thank you for allowing me to speak today. i have had six heart operations. i'm coming year for the family of ross mirkarimi. i'm not coming here because he's good looking, but because i know very well how hard he works for my city, for his community. he made a mistake. he apologized to his wife.

she accepted. why? the child. they want to raise him. ikeeping him away from them for eight months, this is discrimination or punishment? wake up. you must understand [unintelligible] forgiveness. how many people run for sheriff? he became the sheriff of the city, and the city has criminals. we need some tough guys working day and night like him. [tone] before i leave, i want to put a smile on me and i want to make a

good judgment about the man who stayed away from his job and could not support his lovely wife and son for eight months. i repeat again, i enough is enough. thank you. and before you make a judgment and before you leave this place, think about forgiveness. [tone] [no audio] >> thank you, sir. >> hello, commissioners. my name is jocelyn. i'm here to tell you today about my experience, and to speak to ross. in the first months he through our just cooked dinner on the floor. in the second month, he pulled

the chair out from under me as i was about to sit down at the dinner table. in the last month of our relationship, as i cried about not being able to make him capable of understanding what i was feeling -- surely it was my fault -- he pushed me out of our bed and onto the floor, calling me a psycho. i am a battered woman and i am afraid. though the man who battered me is long out of my life, the effects of his abuse are with me everyday. i do not dwell on them, but they regularly informed my decisions. ross, i do not feel safe around you. we go to the st. gymnasium, and when i see you there, i feel scared. i do not feel safe around you because you have not accounted for more violence. i do not blame you for not knowing how not to violate. most men are taught to be tough, to win, to get their way, and when you use these attitudes and actions to win by controlling

your wife you pled guilty for this crime and you do not account for it. i do not feel safe for you. -- around you. if you cannot hold yourself accountable, how will you hold your deputies accountable if they violate their families, someone in the prisons or jails? how can you hold any one of rock -- accountable if you will not do it for yourself? would you be willing to leave your job and find out what you need to do to stop being violent to yourself, your community, your family? would you be willing to restore yourself to a state of personal acceptance, love, and tolerance? thank you. [tone] >> my name is dr. ron -- antonio ramirez. i have worked in the field of domestic violence for 21 years. my job is to hold batterer's

accountable. most batterers in my 25 years of work blame the system, blame their partners, blame everything but themselves. taking responsibility is a big step that batterers need to take. i suggest that as a community, if we restore mr. mirkarimi into his position, it will be a lack of accountability of the system, and for him personally. i suggest that he has no credibility at this point because many batterers are asking me what i think about his position. i am dismayed that we have to go to this extent, but we need to hold him accountable, and i hope that you'll himself accountable. -- he will hold themselves accountable. thank you. >> good afternoon, ethics commission.

♪ city, i hope he give the shares job back ♪ ♪ i hope you give the sheriff back ♪ ♪ and the county jail ♪ public comment came and ♪ it was a gander whale ♪ i hope you're going to do it ♪ ♪ give his job back ♪ everybody in the city hall block ♪ ♪ give him back his job ♪ and your going to give it back release soon ♪ ♪ and you are going to bring it before the month of june ♪ ♪ give him back his job ♪ everybody don't stop ♪ ♪ everybody in the hold cellblock ♪ ♪ we can't go on together ♪ ♪ with suspicious sheriff's mines ♪

♪ and we can bring it back ♪ once again, this time ♪ he's caught in a trap ♪ ♪ he can ♪ because he wants his job, please, baby ♪ ♪ we can't go on together with suspicious minds ♪ ♪ and bring him back his job ♪ that's what i've got this time ♪ ♪ [tone] ♪ he is the sheriff for the county ♪ ♪ [laughter] ♪ and he drives the main road and i hope you will bring him back after this ethics vote ♪ ♪ and we want him we ♪ yes, we do ♪ we want him back this time bring him back this time.

[applause] >> good afternoon. my name is [inaudible] i am a member of the hispanic latino commission of san francisco. how can you follow that one? [inaudible] he is ok with it. commissioners, there are several points i would like to make. i will start with one very important question. the only reasonable explanation that the sheriff threatened to use his power to take the baby away. it does not -- that is not the most reasonable explanation. commissioner, i am sure you are very familiar with the situation.

thousands and thousands and thousands of women have their children taken by immigration. there is a situation which you have an immigrant in the united states, even the legal residents there is a lot more power, he is boring to get custody of the child. the other one, i did not know if you know this, i did not share the concern about the actual domestic violence. the only concern is to make an example. i did not think the evidence

supports the sheriff is a batterer. he made a mistake, but that is not battery. >> first of all, i want to thank you for service. and i know it has been a very long haul. you are essentially on during your term -- time under very trying servichy i am a long-time resident. he was elected by the people of san francisco, and it should be up to us, the voters, not the mayor or city attorney to decide if he is to remain as our share of. as for official misconduct, i see none other than that on the part of the mayor who took it

upon himself to defy the will of the voters without due process or pay. he has taken full responsibility for his actions on the 31st. i take full responsibility. his wife, miss lopez, stands by her goesq husband and wants to reunite with her family, despite those that insist that they know better than she does what is best for her own family. i agree with the sheriff, a respected across the political and law-enforcement spectrum that the share of mirkarimi is the best person for the job. he should be reinstated to office to consider -- continue the progress of legacy, that while fully cognizant and incurrence rationed.

any boaters who did not support the elected sheriff can't bow to out of auction the next -- can vote him out of the next election cycle. thank you very much for your attention, commissioners and for your service. to >> s[speaking spanish] >> good afternoon, commissioners. my friend will interpret for me today. >> [speaking spanish] >> i represent [inaudible]

and i am here to stand for sheriff mirkarimi and his wife, and i watched many hours, many months and all of the charges. this isó.% not right. and >> >> [speaking spanish] >> there have been a lot of arguments and a lot of time has gone by, and i think it is time for it to be over with. the community is waiting to have their share of reinstated in working back in his office. i believe in ross mirkarimi a share of and is low because for

the community. and i hope this is the final where they have a resolution and can move up covert on this. and think you for your attention. >> ñilpgood afternoon, commissioners. i wanted to say that i stand for ross mirkarimi. and i believe in share sheriff and i am one that voted for him, and i believe the mayor is totally against him, and i want you to vote for a fair process. and to very much. my name is patricia. bi share due to reinstate ross

mirkarimi. you and the audience a few minutes ago listen to a blonde haired woman that stood up here, and iiq'ough to the front that i can hear she was a complete, total stranger and pretender it was not even known to share of mercury me. -- sherifriff mirkarimi. ross has committed no crime of moral purpose to it. four of you are attorneys, and i believe you recognize ross was tried on a technicality of the law and potential domestic violence scenario.

more than 4000 cases, as you heard some of these cases are turned over to the district attorney. of these, a few hundred a year are prosecuted by the district attorney. the reason the one similar one where we can find in any kind of instance it was reported, there is no recanting here by ilion thilliani. a. you would find out what props were used before calling the police. i left with each of you a copy of the handout. you have made an issue of ross not coming out on did report or

five talking to the public. -- january 4 or 5 talking to the publics. >> i am a former united states attorney at the justice department and graduate of college of law next door. i do not know ross personally, but i have followed this case quite personally, and i find it necessary to speakt( today on ts veryt6ñ important subject matte. there is one singular issue here before the commission, which is did the share of engaged in official misconduct in the course of his duties? since he is not an office at that time, it is impossible for this commission to conclude he engaged in official misconduct in any way, shape, or form, and it would be an absolute travesty

of justice to do so. there are issues involving personal matters and his wife. those personal matters at times become personal matter -- public matters but it is very clear from the fax i a scene from the court, papers that this is not a domestic violence situation. this was a dispute between a husband and wife. she is finally next to him. but because of the judicial process she was prevented from standing next to him. this man has suffered enough. his family has ever be enough. not one of you individually would want this to happen to you. he is shown contrition for a dispute he had with his wife, but all of us can understand if we go deeply to what happened here that there was an argument, he reached back, grabbed his wife, said