FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 14, 2010
CONTACT:
ADA Brian Buckelew, DA Harris’ Office (415) 553-1383
Erica Derryck, DA Harris’ Office (415) 553-1167
MAN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER, ROBBERY AND ASSAULT IN ATTACK ON TAXI DRIVER
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – District Attorney Kamala D. Harris announced today that Bruce Lee Griffin, 26, of Pittsburg, California, was charged with the January 11, 2010 attempted murder, assault and robbery of a San Francisco taxi driver.
"In an act of profound cowardice, Griffin victimized and nearly killed a hardworking man who was just trying to make a living," said District Attorney Kamala D. Harris. "In a model of true community policing, bystanders at the scene worked with the San Francisco Police Department shoulder-to-shoulder, which quickly led to the capture of this madman."
Griffin is charged with one count of attempted murder (a violation of Penal Code section 664/187), one count of assault with a deadly weapon, to wit: a knife (a violation of Penal Code section 245(a)(1)), and one count of first-degree robbery of a taxi driver (Penal Code sections 211 and 212.5). All three counts carry an additional allegation that the defendant personally inflicted great bodily injury on the victim (a violation of Penal Code section 12022.7(a)). The attempted murder and robbery counts also allege that that the defendant personally used a dangerous and deadly weapon in the commission of the crime (a violation of Penal Code section 12022(b)(1)). Finally, the defendant is alleged to have a prior felony "strike" under California’s "three-strikes" law for his conviction for robbery in 2003. He is also alleged to have suffered two prior commitments to state prison: one for the 2003 robbery conviction (where he was sentenced to two years in state prison) and another for possessing a controlled substance in prison in 2006 (where he was sentenced to three years in state prison).
On January 11, 2010 at approximately 7:15 p.m. defendant Griffin allegedly flagged down a taxi cab driven by the victim and asked him to be taken to States Street. Once Griffin and the driver reached the 200 block of States Street, Griffin allegedly told the taxi driver to stop. At that time, Griffin allegedly demanded that the victim "give [him] the money." As the victim reached for his money, Griffin allegedly began to stab him. The victim was able to take off his seatbelt and exit the taxi, but Griffin also allegedly exited the taxi and continued to stab the victim in the street. The victim dropped some of his money to the ground, but the suspect allegedly continued to stab the victim before leaning down to scoop up the money. The suspect fled the scene. The victim, who suffered life-threatening stab wounds to the chest and head, was taken to San Francisco General Hospital.
According to the San Francisco Police Department, investigative leads and a citywide search by officers from all the district stations based on a description of the suspect led to Griffin’s arrest in the early morning of January 13, 2010 on the 1100 block of Post Street.
Griffin is scheduled to be arraigned and enter pleas at 9:00 a.m. Friday, January 15, 2010 in the San Francisco Superior Court. The specific courtroom will be assigned Friday morning (but it will be in courtroom 9, 10, 11 or 12). Griffin remains in custody with two no-bail holds—one from San Francisco and another from the California Department of Corrections.
The arrest of Bruce Lee Griffin is the result of a thorough investigation by San Francisco Police Department Sergeant Gregory Kane, the fine work of officers from Park Station, and the citizens of San Francisco who not only aided the victim, but who cooperated in the investigation.
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