Ross Mirkaimi, Embattled San Francisco Sheriff, Now Facing New Domestic Violence Allegations

Things just keep getting worse for Ross Mirkarimi.

San Francisco's newly elected Sheriff is now facing a second domestic abuse complaint--this time from ex-girlfriend Christina Flores, who filed a police report this week stemming from a series of incidents during their 2007-2008 relationship.

Mirkarimi is already being charged with three misdemeanor counts of domestic violence battery, child endangerment and dissuading a witness based on a New Year's Eve altercation with his wife, former Venezuelan telenovela star Eliana Lopez.

In her complaint, Flores alleged that, in at least once incident, Mirkarimi grabbed her and pinned her against the wall during a heated argument leaving a visible bruise.

Flores told police that she came forward now because she was worried for Lopez and wanted to alert authorities about Mirkarimi's history of violence toward women, particularly in light of Lopez's vehement denial of any wrongdoing on the part of Mirkarimi.

"The reason I decided to talk now, now it's involving a woman recanting something I know he is capable of," Flores told SF Weekly in an exclusive interview. "He's like a pit bull. He snaps, and he gets mad, and he goes right for the jugular."

"I believe he's going to dig his own grave, which is fine. But you don't take another woman down with you," added Flores.

He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and appears to have no intention of either permanently stepping down or taking a temporary leave of absence from his position overseeing the city's prison system.

"The real travesty here is what the courts and the press are doing, saying that a person is guilty when they're innocent," Mirkarimi supporter and friend Kary McElroy told Fog City Journal at the sheriff's arraignment last week. "I absolutely believe it's politically motivated, because Ross is standing for the people, the disenfranchised, and the power brokers of this city want to eliminate all liberals and make this for the rich only."

Mayor Ed Lee has the power to temporarily suspend Mirkarimi but, at present, has seemed reluctant to do so.

Mirkarimi's trial is set to begin on February 24th.

In similar (albeit unrelated) news, San Francisco Assistant District Attorney Sanaz Nikaein has been placed on administrative leave after her recent arrest on domestic violence charges.

Comments

[Kimmie Clark]

04:11 PM on 01/26/2012

The San Francisco Police have a long history of corruption and violence. I guess our new progressive Sheriff isn't so progressive when it comes to feeding his wife and son and controlling his violent temper. The only thing worse than a hypocrite is a violent hypocrite. I wonder if he comes from an abusive family? Often the case . . .

[addisonsteele]

01:45 PM on 01/25/2012

You should update this story. A second former girlfriend has come forward alleging domestic violence.

[ponder300]

05:15 PM on 01/25/2012

Do u mean this is a third woman accusing him of abuse? His wife, and then two other women?

[ninjacb]

10:44 AM on 01/25/2012

jeez. you would think they might have vetted this guy a little bit better. if he had any cajones he would do the right thing - step down. loser.

[olddognewtrick]

06:16 PM on 01/24/2012

SF mayor Ed Lee...says he will telephone Mirk to discuss his distraction from his job as sheriff. My conclusion? He's afraid of him too!

[Sandi Taylor]

04:19 PM on 01/24/2012

The sheriff has anger management issues, big time! I think he should step aside til his trial is over. M1 jones, u just don't get it! When you're w/ an escalating abuser, you're often so glad to be out of relationship ALIVE that you don't contact police. That's a mistake, becuz a pattern has emerged here.

[m1jones]

03:22 PM on 01/24/2012

Talk about piling on! I don't know whether Mirkarami is guilty or not, but the courts will sort that out. His former girlfriend now coming forward with a complaint about being pushed three years ago is fishy politically. Why didn't she complain at the time? His behavior didn't rise in her mind to requiring a police report. Did this new "victim" date him afterward? Likely she did until he broke up with her. These women saw Mirkarimi as a potential husband. His telenovela wife from Venzuela followed him here after failing to take precautions shile he was in Venezuela. She didn't know how women get pregnant? I find the women less credible than Ross. Both women saw him as marriage material and were complicit. Independent women advocating equal rights understand that means taking responsibility for your own behavior and not blaming everything bad on men. These ladies see themselves only as victims of men. Both by their own statements are strong and independent, yet they whine about a man pushing them. Why did they go out with those men in the first place?

The lady from Caracas made the videos to blackmail her husband in case he tried to stop her from taking their son back to Venezuela. She didn't realize a responsible American woman would feel bound to take such info to the police who want to get rid of Mirkarimi. Now she wants to retract her claim because it will make her husband unemployable. Blackmail backfired.

[ponder300]

10:52 PM on 01/24/2012

M1Jones...what a load of babble... strong woman or not.....being subject to physical violence is unacceptable. Doesn't matter how or why they entered into a relationship with Mirk.....if it evolved to physical violence....it is wrong... (note: i am not sure he is guilty..and he deserves his day in court)...but he should step aside until this is resolved

[jools6009]

12:59 PM on 01/26/2012

We live in the United States. He's entitled to a trial and is innocent until proven guilty. At this point, speculation is just mindless babble.

[victorvelasco]

01:21 PM on 01/24/2012

"I believe he's going to dig his own grave..."
Somebody buy him a bigger shovel

[m1jones]

03:23 PM on 01/24/2012

Victor - you are a pushover. These women are wiping up the floor with Mirkarimi who looks like a deer - a very angry deer - in the headlights. You think they are innocent damsels who are/were in distress? Honey, you are a pushover!

[victorvelasco]

05:00 PM on 01/24/2012

Since when do you have to be innocent to be beat? I agree, they are wiping the floor with him; hope they don't miss that spot in the corner...finally: a pushover? twice?

[Politidelic]

12:34 PM on 01/24/2012

Give me a break Kary McElroy!! The argument that "Ross is standing for the people, the disenfranchised, and the power brokers of this city want to eliminate all liberals and make this for the rich only" is patently absurd. This city and it's local government is full of liberals, she's just covering for a friend who apparently has some anger management issues and doesn't deserve to be sheriff of San Francisco.

[KirkCLinn]

10:47 AM on 01/24/2012

My wonder is why do we have a Sheriff anyway consolidate the PD and Sheriff to one unit.

[m1jones]

03:24 PM on 01/24/2012

The reason we have a thousand guards who stand around doing nothing in the Sheriff's department is because there has to be someplace to put all the current public employees relatives in the City government so they can get the great retirement benefits too when they are 50 years old.

[sfsoma]

08:59 PM on 01/24/2012

If some politician besides Chris Daly had ever brought it up maybe it could happen. They are afraid of the police unions.

[dbrett480]

07:56 AM on 01/24/2012

Why can't San Franciscans elect someone competent as Sheriff? I didn't think anyone else could be as bad as Hennesy (he appointed an ex-con as Assistant Sheriff), but I was proven wrong.

[MichaelJ2006]

10:57 AM on 01/24/2012

Hennessey (please note the correct spelling, fool) was there for 30 years, so the people of SF must have liked him. He was one of the best sheriff's the country's ever had. My guess is you're more the Arpaio type.

[dbrett480]

12:09 PM on 01/25/2012

Arpaio has also been around for awhile, that doesn't mean he is good either. My point is this guy was a joke and completely unqualified for the job. He NEVER graduated from any law enforcement academy and hired an ex-con to be assistant sheriff. Other law enforcement leaders in CA thought he was so bad, they wrote (and passed) a law requiring a Sheriff to have graduated from a law enforcement academy. Unfortunately Hennessey was grandfathered in.

[Politidelic]

12:35 PM on 01/24/2012

I didn't mind Hennesy but I thought Mirkarimi won the election just with his name recognition alone from being a Supervisor. The most qualified candidate in my mind was Chris Cunnie....

[zombywulf]

03:31 AM on 01/24/2012

Are we sure he's not a closet RepubliCON as he sure has the woman hater bit down good.

[ponder300]

01:27 AM on 01/24/2012

I think he should "step aside"...not step down.....but step aside....until this is resolved. If a regular city employee was accused, and actually arrested for such crimes.....they would have to step aside from their duties, until it was resolved.

[MichaelJ2006]

10:57 AM on 01/24/2012

I agree.

[plepgeat]

12:29 AM on 01/24/2012

"The real travesty here is what the courts and the press are doing, saying that a person is guilty when they're innocent." Kary McElroy has no idea how the criminal justice system works, does she? I wonder if this is news to Mr. Mirkarimi, too?

[Forester]

11:49 PM on 01/23/2012

Mirkarimi has always been a d oo shbag, and this is no surprise.

[bkj5138]

10:27 PM on 01/23/2012

Here is my personal experience with verbal abuse:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhF8cYK2HhA