San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins intends to drop manslaughter charges against a fired San Francisco police officer, according to the Associated Press.
According to a letter obtained by the San Francisco Chronicle, Jenkins implied that her review of the case factors revealed internal conflicts and that the charges brought by former San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin were politically motivated.
“The irregularities and facts that have come to light surrounding the case against officer Samayoa suggest that the charges were not filed in good faith,” Jenkins said in a statement. “[They] appear to have been politically motivated, and have made it impossible for us to proceed forward with this prosecution.”
The incident involved former San Francisco Police officer Christopher Samayoa, who shot and killed carjacking suspect Keita O’Neil during a chase in 2017. It was Samayoa’s fourth day on the job.
Boudin told the San Francisco Chronicle t hat h e fi led the charges against Samayoa based on the facts. This led to Samayoa’s firing by the police department and a $2.5 million settlement paid to O’Neil’s family, reported the AP.
“It’s clear Jenkins has been coordinating with the officer’s defense team to avoid a public hearing on the disturbing facts of the case,” Boudin said. “She is scapegoating me to try to divert attention from what this decision ultimately reveals about her: Jenkins will not hold everyone equally accountable under the law, she is deeply politically motivated, and she does not care about victims of police violence.”
In accordance with the O’Neil family’s wishes, Jenkins asked the attorney general’s office to review the case; the office confirmed the reception of this request in February.
O’Neil was suspected of stealing a van owned by the California Lottery and assaulting an employee of the agency. According to a police report, officers chased the stolen van to a public housing area where O’Neil abandoned the vehicle.
According to body camera footage, O’Neil was initially running toward the patrol car. The car began to move, at which point Samayoa drew his weapon, opened the passenger door, and fired a single shot through the window. O’Neil was running in the opposite direction.
According to the article, O’Neil later died at a hospital. He was unarmed.
O’Neil family attorney, Brian Ford, referred to Jenkins’ decision to drop charges against Samayoa as “shameful and cowardly.”
“She is more interested in protecting murderous cops and attacking Boudin than in seeking justice for the citizens of San Francisco,” Ford told the newspaper. “But it means that Attorney General Rob Bonta has all the more duty to investigate and take up the prosecution of Christopher Samayoa for the murder of Keita O’Neil.”