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\n\t\tSan Francisco Hall of Justice \u2013 Photo by David M. Greenwald\t\t<\/p>\n
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\n\t\tSan Francisco Hall of Justice \u2013 Photo by David M. Greenwald\t\t<\/p>\n
By: Shanai Farley, Janai Jones, Neel Karur-Parekh, Kamaya Maloof, Carmen Miranda, Sarah Naser, Anna Nguyen and Mariana Villalta Ortiz<\/p>\n
SAN FRANCISCO \u2014 During a Tuesday morning arraignment in Department 11 at the San Francisco Hall of Justice, Judge Matthew Kahn denied a defense motion to reduce a felony grand theft charge involving a city-owned scooter to a misdemeanor but ordered the accused released on AMC.<\/p>\n
Court participants included Judge Matthew Kahn, Deputy District Attorney Austin Weiss and Deputy Public Defender Tal Klement.<\/p>\n
The accused rode a city-owned scooter that had been left unattended, resulting in his arrest and a felony grand theft charge. DPD Klement described the incident as a \u201cscooter operation\u201d and said the scooter had been \u201cabandoned.\u201d<\/p>\n
DPD Klement argued that the incident did not constitute theft.<\/p>\n
DDA Weiss objected to reducing the charge and cited previous incidents in which the accused had been charged with other crimes dating back to 2014.<\/p>\n
DPD Klement sought to reduce the charge from a felony to a misdemeanor, citing the accused\u2019s \u201cmental health issues,\u201d stating that he has at least two diagnoses, and arguing that the accused lacked a significant criminal history.<\/p>\n
DDA Weiss disputed that characterization, stating the accused has a prior felony conviction and a criminal record. Judge Kahn later denied the defense motion, leaving the charge as a felony.<\/p>\n
DPD Klement also requested OR release for the accused. Judge Kahn denied that request but also declined to impose the statutorily set bail, instead ordering the accused released on AMC.<\/p>\n
The preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 13.<\/p>\n
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