Years after the attack, the man accused of killing an elderly man endearingly known as “Grandpa Vicha” will learn the final consequences for his actions Thursday.
It has been more than five years since the unprovoked attack and death of the then 84-year-old Vicha Ratanapakdee, also known as “Grandpa Vicha,” and months since the conviction of his attacker, Antoine Watson.
In January, a jury found Watson guilty of involuntary manslaughter and assault for the violent attack that happened in San Francisco’s Anza Vista neighborhood in Jan. 2021.
The attack was caught on surveillance and became a flashpoint in the “Stop Asian Hate” movement.
Two days after the attack happened, Grandpa Vicha died from his injuries.
The jury acquitted Watson of murder and elder abuse charges, but they determined there were two aggravating factors present, including the claim the attack involved a high degree of cruelty and callousness and that the victim was particularly vulnerable.
Aggravating factors are particularly significant here because Watson would qualify for a longer sentence.
Without these factors, the maximum sentence for Watson’s crime is eight years.
Watson has already spent five years in jail, awaiting trial.
At a vigil marking the anniversary of Vicha’s death earlier this year, his family spoke to how crushing the verdict has been.
A judge will have the final say over how long Watson will remain behind bars, with sentencing beginning at 9 a.m. on Thursday.