San Francisco, CA – Following the conclusion of the aggravating factors jury trial in People v. Watson, District Attorney Brooke Jenkins issued the following statement:

“I offer my heartfelt condolences to Grandpa Vicha’s family and friends who miss him dearly and are doing everything they can to heal from this senseless tragedy.

Mr. Watson was charged with murder based on the facts and law. We re-reviewed the charges to determine if there was evidence to proceed on a hate crime, and did not find sufficient evidence to proceed on that theory. Murder and hate crimes all turn on a defendant’s mental state, which is often inferred from surrounding circumstances.

We presented all the evidence we could and the jury returned a guilty verdict of involuntary manslaughter. Mr. Watson was also convicted of assault with force likely to cause injury with the allegations that the victim was elderly and that the victim was rendered comatose found true. The jury also found true two factors in aggravation – that the victim was vulnerable and the crime was vicious and callous.

We respect the jury’s verdict and understand the critical role they play in the criminal justice system. The trial attorneys working on the case could not have done anything beyond what they did at trial – I am very proud of how they represented the People of the State of California and the victim in this case.

I know many in our community are disappointed by this verdict and deeply concerned about what this means for AAPI victims of crime. Rest assured that my office is committed to fighting for justice for the AAPI community and will always do everything in our power to fight for justice in the courtroom.”

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