Gascón urges more ‘creative ideas’
By: Tamara Barak Aparton
Examiner Staff Writer
August 17, 2009
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| Cracking down: Police Chief George Gascón says he wants to build stronger community ties to encourage better cooperation from witnesses. (Examiner File Photo) |
SAN FRANCISCO — Witness intimidation, one of The City’s major barriers to putting killers behind bars, may soon have a new workaround.
San Francisco police Chief George Gascón, who started work last week, said police can put together strong cases that rely on the assistance of witnesses without them having to testify.
“Frankly, we need to get very creative and put together strong cases,” he said. “It is complex, but not undoable.”
Gascón noted that the problem is one that affects many cities.
In one such incident, Tong Van Le, who was to testify against the alleged robber of his Bernal Heights market, was followed home to Novato on Sept. 13 and executed in his garage.
Witnesses also often leave protection programs due to their restrictions, Gascón said.
That’s what lay behind the 2006 murder of a 22-year-old man who had been in a witness protection program outside The City. Terrell Rollins was gunned down in a Bayview auto repair shop while preparing to testify in a homicide case in which his friend was killed and he was injured. He was killed after returning to San Francisco.
University of San Francisco law professor Bob Talbot said that in homicide cases, witnesses can point to physical evidence, which is stronger than eyewitness testimony alone. “Eyewitness testimony is not what it’s cracked up to be.” Talbot said. “There are a lot of flaws, particularly in criminal cases. The witnesses often have criminal backgrounds that can be attacked.”
Even without testifying, witnesses can often point investigators to suspect vehicles, weapons, fingerprints and blood evidence. They can also lead police to less reluctant witnesses and they frequently give inspectors information they need to secure a confession, he said.
Paulette Brown, whose 17-year-old son, Aubrey Abrakasa, was gunned down at Grove and Baker streets two years ago, said she was ecstatic about the chief’s idea. Police have suspects in Abrakasa’s daylight killing, but have been stymied by lack of witnesses.
Armed with photos of her son, Brown has kept vigil outside City Hall and the Hall of Justice for two years.
“I wouldn’t wish this on the perpetrator’s mother,” she said.
District Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Erica Derryck said prosecutors are excited about working with Gascón to build stronger community ties.
“Witness cooperation and intimidation are issues facing law enforcement in every large city in America,” she said. “The San Francisco D.A.’s Office has been working hard to improve relationships with residents through our victim witness services division, neighborhood ... outreach and the strengthening of the witness relocation and assistance program.”
