Outrage after San Francisco judge gives probation to man convicted of stabbing elderly woman
SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco Asian community leaders and top law officials are demanding justice for an elderly victim and for her violent offender to be kept behind bars.
On Friday, the case was put on hold until next month.
Protesters demonstrated on the front steps outside San Francisco Superior Court calling for justice for 97-year-old Anh "Peng" Taylor. She was stabbed multiple times in 2021.
Last week, Daniel Cauich was sentenced to probation for the attack.
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Judge Kay Tsenin was set to finalize that decision Friday but instead deferred the final steps to next month.
A crowd on the court steps condemned the probation decision over the 12-year prison sentence prosecutors had sought.
"In return, the judge said 'It's fine, let's just give him probation instead,'" said Lily Ho.
District Attorney Brooke Jenkins was at the rally and called the attack unprovoked.
"If there is no accountability for the people who attack them, if we don't have adequate consequences for that behavior, it will continue," said Jenkins.
Cauich's defense attorney, Lisa DewBerry, said that her client was the victim of a hit-and-run himself that contributed to a severe mental health crisis that came to a head when he stabbed Taylor.
The defense attorney said Judge Tsenin sentenced him appropriately and set terms for Cauich to receive mental health care. She said if he failed to live up to the strict demands tied to his probation, a 10-year prison sentence would be re-instated.
Outside the courthouse, counter protesters, including defense attorneys, backed Judge Tsenin's decision to offer probation in this case.
"She made the best judgment. And Brooke Jenkins shouldn't be attacking judges for doing the best job that they can with the evidence presented and distorting the facts," said defense attorney Marc Zilversmit.
Cauich is set to be back in court April 12 when he will be considered for Intensive Supervision Court.