In 2012, while her investigation was ongoing, Hoeper's claim alleges that Herrera demoted her, closed the investigation and then fired her earlier that year. She claims that her demotion and firing were in retaliation for her own efforts to expose financial improprieties in the prosecutor's office – including her suspicions that someone was receiving kickbacks.

Herrera is out of town and cannot be reached for comment. In an email, his spokesman Matt Dorsey said the claim reflected “baseless allegations of misconduct by a disgruntled former employee.”

“Although we generally cannot discuss personnel matters, the circumstances of Ms. Hoeper's separation were thoroughly reviewed by outside counsel,” he continued, “and we are confident that the San Francisco District Attorney's Office will prevail over the case will be decided.”

Haase declined to comment and Rothschild did not respond to a request for comment.

Tree roots and sewer pipes

Hoeper's allegations involve several small plumbing companies whose activities have led to a flood of complaints from homeowners to police, city officials and even the FBI, according to documents and interviews. For years, salespeople from the companies went door-to-door in neighborhoods, claiming that the roots of city street trees were damaging homeowners' sewer lines and offering to replace them for free.

To get the job done, homeowners were asked to file legal claims with the state attorney general's office for up to $10,000. After the claims were settled, the homeowners were supposed to pay the money to the plumbing companies that replaced the sewer lines.

Some people who encountered the sellers suspected a scam.

Michael Zack and Odilon Vasconcelos, former operators of a hair salon on Guerrero Street, said in interviews that in 2011, a salesman for a plumbing company called Drainbusters Plumbing obtained their signatures under false pretenses, creating a $10,000 claim for one New hair salon submitted sewer line for her salon.

The claim was “ridiculous,” Zack said, because there was nothing wrong with the salon's plumbing and the nearest street tree was a sapling so far down the block that its roots couldn't possibly have reached the salon. Additionally, the men do not own the building and therefore cannot legally claim the repairs, he said. Still, prosecutors approved the lawsuit, court records show.

Zack was suspicious, emailed Mayor Ed Lee and other officials and eventually called Haase at the DA's claims office. Zack said the officer told him that the salesman's behavior was “unethical, but not illegal” and he asked Zack to turn over the $10,000 damages settlement that the city had paid him and Vasconcelos to the plumbing salesman .

A review of public records shows that from 2009 to 2011, San Francisco paid $8.9 million on about 1,100 claims in these cases.

At first, Zack and Vasconcelos were reluctant, but they ultimately paid the plumbing company the damage money after a small claims court judge ordered them to do so, records show.

In another case, the owner of a Mission District restaurant called police on a Drainbusters vendor in 2012 after he allegedly trespassed on a sewer cleanout, according to a police report. Apparently the seller wanted to convince the property owners that tree roots were damaging their sewers.

Riad Khano, owner of Drainbusters, said his company only performed necessary, city-approved repairs to sewer lines. The city saved significant costs by paying private sanitation companies to do the work, he claimed, calling Department of Public Works crews notoriously inefficient. The city has stopped paying for repairs to private sewer lines because of budget problems, he said.

A few people have complained about his vendors, Khano said, but the complaints are unfounded.

Claim the FBI tipped her off

In her lawsuit, Hoeper says the FBI alerted her to the alleged billing fraud in 2011 after agents received a series of complaints from homeowners. Hoeper hired two investigators to investigate.

She concluded that the city had no legal obligation to pay the claims. No city in California routinely pays for tree root damage to private sewer lines, she said in her lawsuit, and neither has San Francisco for most of its history. But beginning in 2002, prosecutors began approving these claims, sometimes within days of their filing.

She claimed that her investigation found case after case where sewer lines were replaced even though there was no sign of damage or the bills were clearly padded.

In 2012, six months after it began, Hoeper said she told Herrera about her investigation. Herrera asked her for a written report, she said. Shortly after reviewing the matter, he dismissed her as the main trial representative and transferred her to the public prosecutor's office, according to her statements. She said she was fired last January, the day Herrera was sworn in for his fourth term.

A review of public records shows that from 2009 to 2011, San Francisco paid $8.9 million on about 1,100 claims for damage to sewer property or tree care problems that the city described as sewer line damage, which included root damage to private sewer lines could belong. The average payout was about $8,000. Around 140 applications were rejected. In a few cases, the payments went to plumbing companies. Normally the payment went to the property owners.

Public records also show the city stopped paying for private sewer repairs shortly after Hoeper said she reported to Herrera.

City records show that on June 20, 2012, Edward Harrington, then general manager of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, issued a memo stating that no “tree root intrusion” claims should be paid, it said unless he or the city's construction manager personally approved them in advance.

Since then, court records show prosecutors have successfully defeated several small claims lawsuits from homeowners seeking damages for tree root damage to their sewer lines. In court, the city's lawyers contend that the city was never responsible for the cost of such repairs.

Herrera, the city's top law official since 2001, has built an image as a champion of good government and consumer protection. Hoeper was one of Herrera's closest collaborators for years.

In 2003, when a legal newspaper named Hoeper one of the “Top 50 Women Trial Lawyers” in California, Herrera issued a press release praising Hoeper for her efforts to combat public corruption.

Hoeper's claim states that Rothschild, the head of the claims office, was outraged by her investigation into his unit.

According to her account, Rothschild confronted her and angrily declared, “I will not tolerate this.” In another encounter before her demotion, Hoeper claimed that Rothschild accused her of “picking up” his assistant and threatened a “hunger strike, if she continues with the investigation.”

In her lawsuit, Hoeper is demanding reinstatement and back pay and other damages.

This story was edited by Amy Pyle and copied by Christine Lee and Nikki Frick.

The post S.F. Lawyer Claims She Was Fired for Investigating Suspected Cost Rip-off appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

In 2012, while her probe was underway, Hoeper says in her claim that Herrera demoted her and shut down the investigation, and then fired her earlier this year. She contends that her demotion and firing were in retaliation for what she said were her efforts to expose financial improprieties — including her suspicion that someone was receiving kickbacks — in the city attorney’s office.

Herrera is out of town and unavailable for comment. In an email, his spokesman, Matt Dorsey, said the claim reflected “baseless allegations of wrongdoing from a disgruntled former employee.”

“While we generally cannot discuss personnel issues, the circumstances of Ms. Hoeper’s separation were thoroughly reviewed by outside counsel,” he continued, “and we’re confident that the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office will be vindicated when the case is adjudicated.”

Haase declined to comment, and Rothschild didn’t respond to a request for comment.

Tree Roots and Sewer Lines

Hoeper’s allegations concern several small plumbing companies whose activities have prompted a flurry of homeowners’ complaints to police, city officials and even the FBI, according to documents and interviews. For years, salesmen for the companies went door to door in residential districts, claiming the roots of city street trees were damaging homeowners’ sewer lines and offering to replace them for free.

To get the work done, homeowners were told to file legal claims for as much as $10,000 with the city attorney’s office. After the claims were paid, the homeowners were supposed to pay the money to the plumbing contractors, who replaced the sewer lines.

Some people who encountered the salesmen suspected a scam.

Michael Zack and Odilon Vasconcelos, former operators of a hair salon on Guerrero Street, said in interviews that in 2011, a salesman for a plumbing company called Drainbusters Plumbing had obtained their signatures under false pretenses and used them to file a $10,000 claim for a new sewer line for their salon.

The claim was “ridiculous,” Zack said, because nothing was wrong with the salon’s plumbing, and the nearest street tree was a sapling so far down the block that its roots couldn’t possibly have extended to the salon. Besides, the men didn’t own the building and thus legally couldn’t file a claim for the repair, he said. Nevertheless, the city attorney’s office approved the claim, court records show.

Suspicious, Zack emailed Mayor Ed Lee and other officials and ultimately called Haase in the city attorney’s claims bureau. Zack said the official told him that the salesman’s conduct was “unethical but not illegal” and told Zack to turn over to the plumbing salesman the $10,000 claim settlement the city had issued to him and Vasconcelos.

A review of public records shows that from 2009 to 2011, San Francisco paid $8.9 million on about 1,100 claims in these cases.

At first, Zack and Vasconcelos balked, but ultimately they paid the claim money to the plumbing company after being ordered to do so by a judge in small claims court, records show.

In another case, the owner of a Mission District restaurant called police on a Drainbusters salesman in 2012, after he allegedly pried open a sewer cleanout without permission, according to a police report. The salesman apparently was hoping to convince property owners that tree roots were damaging their sewers.

Riad Khano, owner of Drainbusters, said his company did only necessary, city-authorized sewer line repairs. The city saved significant money by paying private plumbing companies for the work, he claimed, calling Department of Public Works crews notoriously inefficient. The city stopped paying for repairs to private sewer lines because of budget problems, he said.

A few people had complained about his salesmen, Khano said, but the complaints were unfounded.

Claim That FBI Tipped Her Off

In her claim, Hoeper says the FBI tipped her to the suspected billing scam in 2011, after agents received a series of complaints from homeowners. Hoeper assigned two investigators to the probe.

She concluded that the city had no legal responsibility to pay any of the claims. No city in California routinely pays for tree root damage to private sewer lines, she said in her claim, and for most of its history, San Francisco didn’t either. But starting in 2002, the city attorney’s office began approving those claims, sometimes within days after they were submitted.

She contended that her probe found case after case in which sewer lines were being replaced, even though there was no evidence of damage or bills obviously were padded.

In 2012, six months after it began, Hoeper said she told Herrera of her investigation. Herrera asked her for a written report, she said. Soon after reviewing it, by her account, he removed her as chief trial deputy and transferred her to the district attorney’s office. She said she was fired last January, on the day Herrera was sworn in for his fourth term.

A review of public records shows that from 2009 to 2011, San Francisco paid $8.9 million on about 1,100 claims for what the city described as sewer property damage or tree maintenance issues, categories that could include root damage to private sewer lines. The average payout was about $8,000. About 140 claims were rejected. In a handful of cases, payments went to plumbing companies. Usually, payment went to property owners.

Public records also show the city stopped paying for private sewer repairs soon after Hoeper says she made her report to Herrera.

On June 20, 2012, city records show that Edward Harrington, then the general manager of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, issued a memo saying no claims for “tree root intrusion” should be paid unless he or the city’s public works director personally approved them in advance.

Since then, court records show the city attorney’s office has successfully defended several small claims lawsuits brought by homeowners seeking compensation for tree root damage to their sewer lines. In court, the city’s lawyers contend that the city never has been responsible for paying for such repairs.

Herrera, the city’s top legal officer since 2001, has cultivated an image as a champion of good government and consumer protection. For years, Hoeper was one of Herrera’s closest aides.

In 2003, when a legal newspaper named Hoeper one of the “top 50 women litigators”in California, Herrera issued a news release praising Hoeper for her efforts to stamp out public corruption.

Hoeper’s claim says Rothschild, the claims bureau chief, was outraged by her investigation of his unit.

By her account, Rothschild confronted her, angrily declaring, “I will not stand for this.” In another encounter before she was demoted, Hoeper asserted that Rothschild accused her of “picking on” his assistant and threatened a “hunger strike if she persisted with the investigation.”

In her claim, Hoeper asks to be reinstated and awarded back pay and other damages.

This story was edited by Amy Pyle and copy edited by Christine Lee and Nikki Frick.

The post S.F. Lawyer Claims She Was Fired for Investigating Suspected Cost Rip-off appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Before John Burris became the go-to lawyer for Northern California families grieving a loved one killed by police, the civil rights legend was a child suspicious of the Santa Claus narrative.

He didn’t understand why Santa was white. He was confused by Santa’s modus operandi — landing on rooftops to slide down chimneys to deliver presents? The Burris family had no chimney.

“I could not accept it,” he said, “because it didn’t make sense to me.”

For nearly 50 years, the San Francisco Bay Area native has poked holes into narratives that did not add up, namely those of law enforcement accused of using excessive force. He estimates he has represented more than 1,000 victims of police misconduct, in California and elsewhere.

He helped win a civil jury verdict of $3.8 million for the late Rodney King, a Black motorist whose 1991 beating by four Los Angeles police officers — captured on grainy camcorder video — shocked a public unaware of the brutality routinely inflicted on Black people. His practice also negotiated nearly $3 million for the family of Oscar Grant, a young Black man killed by a Bay Area transit officer in 2009 in one of the first police shootings recorded on cellphone.

But Burris prides himself on the smaller cases that have made up his career, and even at 77, he still travels to stand with clients at news conferences. Video evidence has helped enormously in altering public opinion, legal observers say, but so have attorneys like Burris who refuse to stop pushing, one police department at a time.

“The police were untouchable,” said retired U.S. Northern California Judge Thelton Henderson. “John was a part of changing all of that, changing and showing what the police department is like.”

As Burris prepares to hand the reins of his practice to a younger generation, he sat for interviews with The Associated Press and reflected on a career that started with accounting before landing on police accountability as a way to improve his community.

Burris grew up in the working-class city of Vallejo, the oldest of six.

DeWitt Burris was a tool room mechanic at a naval shipyard with side businesses in landscaping and fruit-picking, which John Burris did not enjoy. Imogene Burris was a psychiatric nurse technician at a state hospital who taught her children that everyone deserved fair treatment.

John Burris was a big reader and as the Civil Rights era progressed, a speech class at Solano Community College showed him that people listened to what he had to say. He later graduated with advanced degrees in business and law from the University of California, Berkeley, yearning to do more.

It bothered him that the proud men he admired, including his father and uncles, had served in the U.S. Navy but in menial roles because of their race. It burned him to learn, as a lawyer, that police beat and belittled Black fathers in front of their children.

“Police didn’t have to do certain things,” Burris said. “I could see how Black men were treated in the criminal justice system. I understood it was the destruction of the African American family that was taking place.”

San Francisco Mayor London Breed, 48, grew up in public housing and recalled Burris as someone the Black community could go to for help.

“There were certain attorneys that had a solid reputation, and he was one of them,” she said. “It was a big deal that he was African American.”

Now, prospective clients crowd into the small waiting area of his law firm before they’re ushered into a conference room with expansive views of west Oakland.

The walls are studded with news articles chronicling legal achievements, proclamations of honor, and court illustrations of significant trials. One section is dedicated to Rosa Parks, the late U.S. Rep. John Lewis, and other civil rights heroes.

“I cannot be tired, I cannot quit,” Burris said, “because they did not quit.”

Rodney King’s first pick to represent him in his civil case was Johnnie Cochran, but the assistant who took the call at Cochran’s office said the lawyer was tied up for several months. (“Obviously he was furious when he found out about this,” Burris said.) The case went to Milton Grimes, who pulled in Burris for his expertise in police brutality.

Burris recalls King as a regular guy unable to handle a media frenzy that relentlessly cast him in a negative light. Close friends called him by his middle name, Glen.

“He never got to the point of being able to handle being Rodney King,” Burris said. “He wanted to be Glen.”

He represented Tupac Shakur in a lawsuit against the Oakland Police Department after two officers stopped him for jaywalking and mocked his name, infuriating the late rapper. (“Tupac was a difficult guy to handle because he didn’t follow directions well,” Burris said.)

His profile grew throughout the 1990s, with regular appearances on television as a commentator during the O.J. Simpson murder trial.

In 1996, Burris received his only disciplinary mark with the State Bar of California when his license was suspended for 30 days over ethical violations. He said he should have maintained closer supervision of a growing staff that sent out misleading mailers to victims of mass disasters. He also admitted to bouncing a check to another lawyer and failing to file lawsuits on time for two clients.

Perhaps his greatest achievement was in reforming the Oakland Police Department, the result of a class-action lawsuit he and attorney Jim Chanin filed in 2000 against a rogue unit that planted drugs and made false arrests. The Oakland “Riders” case resulted in the department coming under federal oversight for nearly two decades as it slowly implemented dozens of reforms.

The reforms included collecting racial data on stops of motorists, and reporting and investigating when officers used force. Burris met with the police department and federal monitor at least once a month, and in recent years without pay — “a testament to his not being in this just for money,” said Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong.

Lawyers trained or mentored by Burris say he uses a different scale than other attorneys when weighing potential cases.

“He’s like, ‘What is the principle of this?’” said Oakland attorney Adante Pointer. “There might not be a bunch of money. But you know you’re going to make a world of difference in someone’s life.”

Not everyone appreciates his knack for publicity, even if they admire his legal skills.

“I think it stirs up public sentiment unfairly. If he feels he has a viable civil case, the courtroom is where it should play out,” said Michael Rains, a Bay Area attorney who regularly defends police.

But Robert Collins is among clients who say the attorney provides invaluable guidance in a world where police usually dictate the narrative.

In December 2020, Collins’ stepson Angelo Quinto died after Antioch police rolled him on his stomach, pressed a knee to his neck and cuffed him. Police said that Quinto, who was in psychological distress, was combative and on drugs when he was neither, the family said.

At a recent news conference, Burris blasted Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton’s decision not to criminally charge the officers. He comforted family members with hugs.

“Having somebody of John’s caliber, with that much experience, is really, really helpful. Because it lets you know that you’re not going crazy,” Collins said.

Burris has promised to slow down and this summer, reorganized his solo practice to add law partners.

His wife of two decades, Cheryl Burris, recently retired from teaching at the School of Law at North Carolina Central University, a historically Black university. Both are active in mentoring Black youth.

He marvels at the changes, from a time when the public insisted Rodney King was the villain to George Floyd, whose death sparked global outrage. But shootings, racial profiling, and inadequate response to mental health emergencies will continue without pressure for reform, he said.

“I know they don’t have a lot of people who speak for them,” he said of his clients. “I feel very fortunate that I can be their champion, if you will, and be their go-to person.”

___

AP researcher Rhonda Shafner contributed to this report.

The post Civil rights lawyer John Burris confronts police narratives – KGET 17 appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Before John Burris became the go-to lawyer for Northern California families grieving a loved one killed by police, the civil rights legend was a child suspicious of the Santa Claus narrative.

He didn’t understand why Santa was white. He was confused by Santa’s modus operandi — landing on rooftops to slide down chimneys to deliver presents? The Burris family had no chimney.

“I could not accept it,” he said, “because it didn’t make sense to me.”

For nearly 50 years, the San Francisco Bay Area native has poked holes into narratives that did not add up, namely those of law enforcement accused of using excessive force. He estimates he has represented more than 1,000 victims of police misconduct, in California and elsewhere.

He helped win a civil jury verdict of $3.8 million for the late Rodney King, a Black motorist whose 1991 beating by four Los Angeles police officers — captured on grainy camcorder video — shocked a public unaware of the brutality routinely inflicted on Black people. His practice also negotiated nearly $3 million for the family of Oscar Grant, a young Black man killed by a Bay Area transit officer in 2009 in one of the first police shootings recorded on cellphone.

But Burris prides himself on the smaller cases that have made up his career, and even at 77, he still travels to stand with clients at news conferences. Video evidence has helped enormously in altering public opinion, legal observers say, but so have attorneys like Burris who refuse to stop pushing, one police department at a time.

“The police were untouchable,” said retired U.S. Northern California Judge Thelton Henderson. “John was a part of changing all of that, changing and showing what the police department is like.”

As Burris prepares to hand the reins of his practice to a younger generation, he sat for interviews with The Associated Press and reflected on a career that started with accounting before landing on police accountability as a way to improve his community.

Burris grew up in the working-class city of Vallejo, the oldest of six.

DeWitt Burris was a tool room mechanic at a naval shipyard with side businesses in landscaping and fruit-picking, which John Burris did not enjoy. Imogene Burris was a psychiatric nurse technician at a state hospital who taught her children that everyone deserved fair treatment.

John Burris was a big reader and as the Civil Rights era progressed, a speech class at Solano Community College showed him that people listened to what he had to say. He later graduated with advanced degrees in business and law from the University of California, Berkeley, yearning to do more.

It bothered him that the proud men he admired, including his father and uncles, had served in the U.S. Navy but in menial roles because of their race. It burned him to learn, as a lawyer, that police beat and belittled Black fathers in front of their children.

“Police didn’t have to do certain things,” Burris said. “I could see how Black men were treated in the criminal justice system. I understood it was the destruction of the African American family that was taking place.”

San Francisco Mayor London Breed, 48, grew up in public housing and recalled Burris as someone the Black community could go to for help.

“There were certain attorneys that had a solid reputation, and he was one of them,” she said. “It was a big deal that he was African American.”

Now, prospective clients crowd into the small waiting area of his law firm before they’re ushered into a conference room with expansive views of west Oakland.

The walls are studded with news articles chronicling legal achievements, proclamations of honor, and court illustrations of significant trials. One section is dedicated to Rosa Parks, the late U.S. Rep. John Lewis, and other civil rights heroes.

“I cannot be tired, I cannot quit,” Burris said, “because they did not quit.”

Rodney King’s first pick to represent him in his civil case was Johnnie Cochran, but the assistant who took the call at Cochran’s office said the lawyer was tied up for several months. (“Obviously he was furious when he found out about this,” Burris said.) The case went to Milton Grimes, who pulled in Burris for his expertise in police brutality.

Burris recalls King as a regular guy unable to handle a media frenzy that relentlessly cast him in a negative light. Close friends called him by his middle name, Glen.

“He never got to the point of being able to handle being Rodney King,” Burris said. “He wanted to be Glen.”

He represented Tupac Shakur in a lawsuit against the Oakland Police Department after two officers stopped him for jaywalking and mocked his name, infuriating the late rapper. (“Tupac was a difficult guy to handle because he didn’t follow directions well,” Burris said.)

His profile grew throughout the 1990s, with regular appearances on television as a commentator during the O.J. Simpson murder trial.

In 1996, Burris received his only disciplinary mark with the State Bar of California when his license was suspended for 30 days over ethical violations. He said he should have maintained closer supervision of a growing staff that sent out misleading mailers to victims of mass disasters. He also admitted to bouncing a check to another lawyer and failing to file lawsuits on time for two clients.

Perhaps his greatest achievement was in reforming the Oakland Police Department, the result of a class-action lawsuit he and attorney Jim Chanin filed in 2000 against a rogue unit that planted drugs and made false arrests. The Oakland “Riders” case resulted in the department coming under federal oversight for nearly two decades as it slowly implemented dozens of reforms.

The reforms included collecting racial data on stops of motorists, and reporting and investigating when officers used force. Burris met with the police department and federal monitor at least once a month, and in recent years without pay — “a testament to his not being in this just for money,” said Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong.

Lawyers trained or mentored by Burris say he uses a different scale than other attorneys when weighing potential cases.

“He’s like, ‘What is the principle of this?’” said Oakland attorney Adante Pointer. “There might not be a bunch of money. But you know you’re going to make a world of difference in someone’s life.”

Not everyone appreciates his knack for publicity, even if they admire his legal skills.

“I think it stirs up public sentiment unfairly. If he feels he has a viable civil case, the courtroom is where it should play out,” said Michael Rains, a Bay Area attorney who regularly defends police.

But Robert Collins is among clients who say the attorney provides invaluable guidance in a world where police usually dictate the narrative.

In December 2020, Collins’ stepson Angelo Quinto died after Antioch police rolled him on his stomach, pressed a knee to his neck and cuffed him. Police said that Quinto, who was in psychological distress, was combative and on drugs when he was neither, the family said.

At a recent news conference, Burris blasted Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton’s decision not to criminally charge the officers. He comforted family members with hugs.

“Having somebody of John’s caliber, with that much experience, is really, really helpful. Because it lets you know that you’re not going crazy,” Collins said.

Burris has promised to slow down and this summer, reorganized his solo practice to add law partners.

His wife of two decades, Cheryl Burris, recently retired from teaching at the School of Law at North Carolina Central University, a historically Black university. Both are active in mentoring Black youth.

He marvels at the changes, from a time when the public insisted Rodney King was the villain to George Floyd, whose death sparked global outrage. But shootings, racial profiling, and inadequate response to mental health emergencies will continue without pressure for reform, he said.

“I know they don’t have a lot of people who speak for them,” he said of his clients. “I feel very fortunate that I can be their champion, if you will, and be their go-to person.”

___

AP researcher Rhonda Shafner contributed to this report.

The post Civil rights lawyer John Burris confronts police narratives appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Another lawsuit alleges that the world’s second richest man doesn’t believe the rules apply to him.

Elon Musk said Twitter would only “over” pay the rent for its San Francisco headquarters [his] corpse,” according to a high-profile lawsuit filed Tuesday by six former employees against him and the San Francisco-based Delaware social media company. The lawsuit lists myriad allegations against Musk and his Twitter transition team. They said they flouted city ordinances to convert parts of Twitter’s San Francisco headquarters into bedrooms, breached severance promises to employees, intentionally violated supplier contracts, and attempted to force reputational damage on employees.

It also notes the alleged complicity of Musk’s closest Twitter circle, including The Boring Company CEO Steve Davis and his partner Nicole Hollander, venture capitalist Pablo Mendoza, and attorney Alex Spiro. According to the lawsuit, Davis and Hollander instructed an employee to violate permitting rules and avoid writing details of the illegal renovations at Twitter’s San Francisco headquarters.

In one alleged incident, Davis told an employee not to bother with permits or a licensed plumber for a new bathroom in Musk’s office, adding that management doesn’t care whether it’s by lease, city, California or U.S. standards another authority would be complied with.

On Dec. 9, according to the lawsuit, Mendoza said Musk had decided that Twitter would stop paying rent globally. And Spiro, who has represented Jay-Z, Alec Baldwin, Megan thee Stallion and Robert Kraft in the past, reportedly said it’s unreasonable for Twitter’s landlords to expect rent payments from the company since San Francisco is a “S-thole.” may be.

The lawsuit also provides new details in Twitter’s “hotel room” saga, from the perspective of plaintiff Joseph Killian, a 10-year Twitter veteran who oversaw the company’s office construction and design until the transition team allegedly forced him into ethical quandaries.

When it was first announced in early December that Twitter would be installing beds at its headquarters, the San Francisco Building Control Board launched an investigation into the converted offices. City inspectors arrived and, according to the complaint, said, “It’s just furniture! We expected more drastic changes.” According to the Building Inspectorate, a site visit on December 7 ended with the inspector saying that “further investigation” was needed.

But Killian was ordered not to tell inspectors the furniture was just the beginning of the changes, the lawsuit says; He would be personally asked to turn off the motion-sensitive lighting system, turn on space heaters, and install locks that he feared would endanger life in the event of an earthquake or an increasingly likely fire. On December 10, Killian learned the locks had been installed despite his protests, the lawsuit said, and resigned that day.

City inspectors, allegedly unaware of the major changes, made it easy for the company in late January, issuing a notice asking Twitter to properly label the spaces within 15 days or return them to their original use.

It’s unclear if Twitter followed suit, but the new lawsuit has already sparked renewed pressure from the city. The Department of Building Inspection “has filed a new complaint and will conduct an investigation into these new allegations,” spokesman Patrick Hannan told SFGATE on Friday. The San Francisco Chronicle first reported the complaint. (The Chronicle and SFGATE are both owned by Hearst but have separate newsrooms.)

Have you heard that something is happening on Twitter? Contact tech reporter Stephen Council safely at stephen.council@sfgate.com or via Signal at 628-204-5452.

The post Musk lawyer stated Twitter should not pay lease in ‘s—thole’ SF appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — There are new details on the juveniles arrested in connection with a violent robbery and assault of a 70-year-old San Francisco woman. Police identified four suspects but confirm one of the juveniles is still at large.

The four suspects have been identified as 18-year-old Darryl Moore from Oakland, a 14-year-old, a 13-year-old, and an 11-year-old.

“The fact that we’re here in front of you talking about 14, 13, and 11-year-olds committing violent robberies, I hope that shocks the conscience of everybody,” said San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott.

It begs the question – is this common?

RELATED: Suspects’ ages in elderly woman’s beating are ‘shocking,’ SF police chief says

“It’s more common than the public wants to know,” said Marc Pelta, a criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor. “Certainly, more common than you think.”

Pelta has presided over hundreds of juvenile cases across the Bay Area over the past decade.

“I’ve encountered juveniles who are 11, 12, 13, often times it’s unique to the juvenile of how young they look in court,” said Pelta. “Unfortunately, this happens more often than the public realizes.”

SFPD confirmed to the I-Team they’re still searching for the 14-year-old suspect, the 13-year-old is still in Alameda County pending transfer to San Francisco, and the 11-year-old has been released to an adult.

“We will take it from here,” said San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins during a news conference Monday.

EXCLUSIVE: 70-year-old woman brutally beaten, kicked in head by 4 attackers in SF housing complex

In 2018, Senate Bill 439 was signed into law that essentially took away discretion for DAs to charge children under 12.

“With the 11-year-old, that’s going to be a community issue because he’s too young to be charged with a crime,” said Jenkins.

Daniel Macallair, the executive director of the Center for Juvenile and Criminal Justice based in San Francisco told ABC7 this case involving an 11-year-old is extremely rare.

“Cases like this are not common,” Macallair explained.

So what happens to him?

“He’s not going to be left on his own, somebody will respond,” said Macallair, adding each case is treated individually and often looking into the circumstances at the child’s home.

“First of all you have to ask what’s the situation in the home? If he’s getting involved with older kids who are also getting in trouble, that’s also a signal there’s some turbulence back in the home and back in the neighborhood. And you design your intervention strategies accordingly,” said Macallair.

According to Pelta, in California the goal of the Welfare and Institutions Code is rehabilitation first and punishment second.

“In these types of cases, especially involving juveniles this young, the chances of reoffending are very high,” said Pelta.

According to a 2017 report from the California’s Division on Juvenile Justice, 74.2% of youth were rearrested, 53.8% were reconvicted of new offenses, and 37.3% had returned to state custody within three years of release.

Stephanie: “What do you often see happen with juveniles that are that young?”

Pelta: “In those cases, it would routinely involve one of two options… one would be sending the juvenile to camp, some locked facility outside of the county where supportive services can be provided to the youth. And the court monitors the progress of the juvenile over time to see if the juvenile can return to the home.”

An example of that is institutions like the Boys Republic in Chino Hills, California, that work to support troubled adolescents. It’s unclear what the outcome will be for any of the juveniles in this case.

The ABC7 News I-Team reached out to the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office to see if any assessment of the juveniles’ homes will take place.

If you’re on the ABC7 News app, click here to watch live

Copyright © 2022 KGO-TV. All rights reserved.

The post Juveniles arrested for violent crimes ‘extra widespread than you assume,’ San Francisco lawyer says appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Brian Rohan, known as San Francisco’s “Dope Lawyer” to 1960s counterculture clients such as the Grateful Dead and Ken Kesey, has died. He was 84 years old. Rohan’s daughter tells the San Francisco Chronicle that her father died Tuesday at his home in the town of Larkspur, Bay Area, after a six year battle with cancer. After defending Kesey for marijuana possession in 1965, Rohan became the lawyer on drug charges. Rohan was a co-founder of the Haight Ashbury Legal Organization. Thanks to his association with the Grateful Dead, Rohan also became a music attorney. He also represented Janis Joplin, Santana and Jefferson Airplane.

The post San Francisco ‘dope lawyer’ to the celebrities Brian Rohan dies appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Brian Rohan, known as San Francisco’s “Dope Lawyer” to 1960s counterculture clients such as the Grateful Dead and Ken Kesey, has died. He was 84 years old. Rohan’s daughter tells the San Francisco Chronicle that her father died Tuesday at his home in the town of Larkspur, Bay Area, after a six year battle with cancer. After defending Kesey for marijuana possession in 1965, Rohan became the lawyer on drug charges. Rohan was a co-founder of the Haight Ashbury Legal Organization. Thanks to his association with the Grateful Dead, Rohan also became a music attorney. He also represented Janis Joplin, Santana and Jefferson Airplane.

The post San Francisco ‘dope lawyer’ to the celebs Brian Rohan dies appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Brian Rohan, known as San Francisco’s “Dope Lawyer” to 1960s counterculture clients such as the Grateful Dead and Ken Kesey, has died. He was 84 years old. Rohan’s daughter tells the San Francisco Chronicle that her father died Tuesday at his home in the town of Larkspur, Bay Area, after a six year battle with cancer. After defending Kesey for marijuana possession in 1965, Rohan became the lawyer on drug charges. Rohan was a co-founder of the Haight Ashbury Legal Organization. Thanks to his association with the Grateful Dead, Rohan also became a music attorney. He also represented Janis Joplin, Santana and Jefferson Airplane.

The post San Francisco ‘dope lawyer’ to the celebs Brian Rohan dies appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Brian Rohan, known as San Francisco’s “Dope Lawyer” to 1960s counterculture clients such as the Grateful Dead and Ken Kesey, has died. He was 84 years old. Rohan’s daughter tells the San Francisco Chronicle that her father died Tuesday at his home in the town of Larkspur, Bay Area, after a six year battle with cancer. After defending Kesey for marijuana possession in 1965, Rohan became the lawyer on drug charges. Rohan was a co-founder of the Haight Ashbury Legal Organization. Thanks to his association with the Grateful Dead, Rohan also became a music attorney. He also represented Janis Joplin, Santana and Jefferson Airplane.

The post San Francisco ‘dope lawyer’ to the celebrities Brian Rohan dies appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.