San Francisco, CA – San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced today that her office secured a conviction of Joseph Stevens (42), after a trial by jury for a 2005 double murder. Mr. Stevens was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder each with allegations of personal use of a firearm causing great bodily injury or death, assault with a firearm with an allegation of personal use of a firearm, as well as the multiple murder special circumstance. This case was retried after the Federal District Court overturned a 2007 conviction on the same charges in 2018.
“There is nothing more retraumatizing for victims than to have a conviction overturned after 16 years and having to relive the horrifying events of the crime all over again,” said District Attorney Brooke Jenkins. “I hope this verdict brings a renewed sense of justice for this family and further honors the two lives that were lost, including a two-year-old little boy. My office is committed to fighting on behalf of victims of crime in the courtroom for as long as it takes.”
According to testimony and other evidence presented at trial, on October 14, 2005, Mr. Stevens opened fire on a man and a woman with her two-year-old son. They had just arrived at a family member’s house when Mr. Stevens approached with a high-powered rifle and fired 18 shots at their parked vehicle. The man was killed immediately, while the child succumbed to his injuries shortly after arriving at San Francisco General Hospital. The woman was injured in the shooting but survived.
The case against Mr. Stevens was successfully prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Justine Cephus and Aaron Laycook, with assistance from District Attorney Investigators Molly Braun, Gino Guerrero, Douglass Keeley and Glenn Pon and paralegals Jessica Diamond, Julio Flores Guzman. Victim Advocates Samantha Ellis, Lily Bueno, Dee Dee Tyson, and Ruben Marquez worked closely with the victim’s family through the pendency of this case. The case was solved thanks to the tireless work of the San Francisco Police Department’s Homicide Unit investigators.
“Jazmanika Ridout has shown unbelievable strength over the past two decades, and her unwavering commitment to seek justice on behalf of her family was essential to this case,” said Assistant District Attorney Justine Cephus. “The jury showed careful consideration for six weeks of testimony, and their dedicated services is deeply appreciated.”
“Jury selection in this trial began the day after the twentieth anniversary of these murders,” said Assistant District Attorney Aaron Laycook. “In that time, Jazmanika Ridout has carried the weight of knowing who killed her son and partner. She has never wavered. We thank the jury for their thoughtful deliberations in this tragic case, and hope their verdict brings her a sense of justice and closure in the face of her unimaginable loss.”
Mr. Stevens is currently in custody. Sentencing will be scheduled at a hearing on February 6, 2025.
Court Number: 02239255
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