San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins has done a good job restoring confidence to the office since taking over two years ago after voters recalled former DA Chesa Boudin. While we did not support the June 2022 recall, the electorate spoke loud and clear that change was needed. Mayor London Breed appointed Jenkins in July 2022 following the recall's certification, and Jenkins won election that November to finish Boudin's term. Now she's up for reelection to a four-year term.
In the last two years, Jenkins has worked to move the city forward on public safety. In her endorsement questionnaire, Jenkins stated, "San Francisco is now seeing its lowest crime rates in a decade, while conviction rates have risen for the first time in eight years." (Although it sure doesn't feel like it to a person who is a victim of property crime or has their vehicle broken into.) Nevertheless, Jenkins added, "I have prioritized the top issues facing San Francisco: the drug crisis, retail theft, property crime, and violence against our AAPI and vulnerable communities. Under my administration, my office has been committed to ensuring consequences and accountability. While I am proud of the progress we have made, I know that our work continues, and I will continue to fight for public safety for all."
One of Jenkins' priorities is prosecuting drug dealers. As she noted, 806 people died of overdose deaths last year in San Francisco. The situation looks to be better this year. A San Francisco Chronicle analysis shows 462 people have died of overdose deaths so far this year, putting the city on pace for a total of 693 by the end of the year. Obviously, that is still too many overdose deaths.
"We cannot allow some of the most vulnerable members of our city to be exploited for the financial gain of dealers who prey upon them and ultimately cause them to lose their lives," Jenkins stated in response to a question on prosecuting drug dealers. "We must make it clear that drug dealing is not acceptable in San Francisco." But she also noted, "The criminal justice system is not designed to address substance abuse disorder, and I have worked hard to collaborate with public health to more effectively reach those struggling with addiction on our streets."
Jenkins noted most cases are resolved by plea agreements. "We have resolved over 100 drug dealing cases by plea since I took over with 92% of those pleas resulting in a felony conviction. I do not believe fentanyl dealers should receive misdemeanor plea offers absent extraordinary mitigating circumstances," Jenkins stated.
Banko Brown case
If there is a blemish on Jenkins' record, so far, it was her response to the shooting death of unarmed Black trans man Banko Brown by then-Walgreens security guard Michael Earl-Wayne Anthony in April 2023. Jenkins almost immediately determined that it was a case of self-defense and opted not to prosecute the security guard. She was also slow to release the store surveillance video, which showed Brown backing out of the store when he was shot. While we're not attorneys, we think Jenkins' haste to decide on self-defense compromised the case to the point that he wasn't held to account – and any prosecution would have been tainted by her initial remarks. In her response to us, Jenkins disagreed. "While I wish this tragedy would have never happened in the first place, my office and I carefully reviewed all of the facts and evidence available and followed the law in making our decision to not charge the suspect in this case," she stated. "We take our prosecutorial responsibilities seriously and recognize how important it is that we make decisions on facts, law and our collective prosecutorial judgment, without being swayed by politics. We are committed to fair and ethical prosecutions that our experience tells us we can prove beyond a reasonable doubt and will never shirk our responsibilities for political expediency."
She was critical of the Board of Supervisors, which called for review of her office's handling of the matter, stating it created "mistrust in the criminal justice system and false hope for a grieving community." But a review was needed.
State Attorney General Rob Bonta did review her office's handling of the case, and in June determined Jenkins' office did not abuse its discretion when it decided not to charge the security guard who shot and killed Brown at Walgreens. "Attorney General Bonta also did not choose to file charges in the case himself," Jenkins stated.
Listening to the community
Jenkins, a Black and Latina woman who is a straight ally, has spent considerable time meeting with community leaders, residents, and business owners. That includes District 8, where the LGBTQ Castro neighborhood is located.
"I have intently listened to the concerns of residents in historically LGBTQ neighborhoods such as the Castro," she stated. "Many of these residents and the Castro Merchants Association have communicated to me that they have been victims of burglaries and vandalism. I have sent staff from my investigations unit to assist with active shooter trainings in the Castro to help inform nightlife staff of what to do to protect themselves and community members. My office is working hard to ensure that their concerns are addressed and that offenders who create this unsafe environment are held accountable. Especially given the rise in anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and violence at a national level, it is imperative that members of our LGBTQ community feel safe. As district attorney, I will continue to remain vigilant."
Jenkins has put this commitment into action with two recent anti-LGBTQ hate crime cases. One, last June, involved an incident in the Castro neighborhood where a man was charged with assault and a hate crime charge after he was accused of hitting a man and stealing a Pride flag. Another involved gay District 9 supervisor candidate Trevor Chandler, who was allegedly attacked earlier this year while campaigning by a man who yelled homophobic slurs at him. But a jury acquitted the man in the Castro case, and a judge dismissed the hate crime charge in the Chandler case. This, of course, is not the fault of Jenkins, and we commend her for the decisions to charge the defendants with a hate crime.
Moving forward
We do sense an improvement in the working relationship between the San Francisco Police Department and the DA's office, which had reached a dismal level during Boudin's tenure. While there are inherent differences in the roles of both law enforcement agencies, Jenkins noted that she supports the use of technology that has been rolled out in San Francisco to help police in their investigations. "In addition, camera, video, and drone technology adds important increased transparency that can aid with investigations," she stated. "I have pledged to continue and expand local law enforcement efforts that have led to a significant reduction in auto burglaries in San Francisco. Expanded operations that have included the use of bait cars, plainclothes officers, and aggressive prosecutions have contributed to over a 50% reduction in car break-ins."
We endorse Jenkins for a full term. We would like to see her continue to be proactive when it comes to charging hate crime cases for all vulnerable communities, as well as quality of life crimes.
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