Prosecutors drop charges against man shot 5 times by San Francisco cops after officer refuses to testify
Richard Everett (center) pictured with his defense attorneys from the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office after charges were dismissed against him.
SAN FRANCISCO - All charges against a man who was shot multiple times by San Francisco police were dismissed after an officer refused to testify about the alleged lethal violence that occurred that night, according to defense attorneys.
Richard Everett, 54, was shot five times on Aug. 28 after he allegedly refused orders from police to drop a knife while pacing a Tenderloin street, according to police.
Prosecutors had charged him with resisting arrest, threatening an officer, and carrying a knife.
Video captures San Francisco police shooting man with knife
San Francisco police shot and injured a man who pulled out a large knife, all of which was captured on a bystander's cellphone video.
However, Everett's public defenders, Nuha Abusamra and Anthony Gedeon, argued during the trial that the defendant was exhibiting signs of a mental health crisis that night and did not harm anyone. They also contended that Everett was not told he was under arrest before police shot him for trying to walk away.
Everett sustained injuries to his lung and right hand during the incident and has made multiple hospital visits. He had been in custody since August until prosecutors dropped the charges against him.
Defense attorneys said prosecutors dropped the charges, citing the absence of a material witness, one of the responding officers, who refused to testify.
"Today’s dismissal illustrates why Mr. Everett should have never been charged and incarcerated since August of 2023," said Abusamra. "The dismissal today is the right result, but we should question why it took so long to get here."