Ross Mirkarimi Granted Visitation Rights With Son (VIDEO)

At a Wednesday court hearing, San Francisco Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi, who has been battling recent domestic violence charges, was granted visitation rights with his two-year-old son Theo, according to KQED News.

Mirkarimi has been charged with misdemeanor domestic violence battery, child endangerment and dissuading a witness due to an alleged incident on New Year's Even involving his wife, Eliana Lopez. On January 19, Superior Court Judge Susan Breall issued a stay-away order, barring Mirkarimi from seeing his wife and son. The Sheriff has not seen his son in nearly a month.

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According to CBS, Superior Court Judge Ronald Albers approved an agreement between Mirkarimi and Lopez that will allow him to visit his son for two hours each weekday and up to six hours each weekend.

"I get to see my son. I can't tell you how excited and grateful I am," said an emotional Mirkarimi to CBS. "This has been a tortuous process. I'm so excited to see my son. I'm going to gobble him up." The stay-away order between Mirkarimi and Lopez still stands.

Mirkarimi has been accused of grabbing Lopez's arm, causing bruising, during a heated argument. (The young Theo allegedly told a neighbor that, "Daddy made a boo-boo on Mommy's arm.") Following the alleged argument, Lopez visited a neighbor and filmed a video confession, discussing the incident and another alleged incident in early 2011. In the video, Lopez pointed to a bruise on her arm. The neighbor turned the video over to the police, prompting an investigation and several troubling discoveries. Mirkarmi was charged on January 14 and pleaded not guilty.

Throughout the investigation, Lopez has denied the abuse, and has vocally defended Mirkarimi, claiming that the video was "taken out of context."

Mirkarimi's trial is set to being on February 24, and he could face up to a year in jail if convicted.

Watch an interview with Mirkarimi about the visitation rights in the CBS video below:

Comments

[Karissa36]

01:15 PM on 02/12/2012

If the wife doesn't want to charge him for a minor bruise, the Prosecutor has no business getting involved. If she received medical care for injuries that would be different. This is ridiculous.

[sadwitness]

11:51 PM on 03/06/2012

That may be your opinion, but it is not the law

[zombywulf]

12:50 PM on 02/12/2012

Innocent until PROVEN GUILTY, that aside you must ALWAYS error on the side of caution when a child is involved. A little more caution, might have saved two little boys in WA.

[Roy l Payne]

10:40 PM on 02/08/2012

The BS that has gone on in this case has already done damage to Ross and Eliana's child. Kids can feel stuff going on, even if adults think their child is isolated from the conflict and the resulting tension between parents, not to mention the authorities involved. This is all so sad for Theo.

[harrymudd]

05:00 AM on 02/09/2012

The matter between Mirkarimis is no different than most families. The damage is result of inappropriate and out of proportion response of the DA and the first judge. The people who know the matter: Child Protection Services and Family Court Judge agreed the child needs his father.

Not to be deterred by reality the assistant DA goes to family court. Very inappropriately tries to influence the judge who avoids her. I wonder what other things the DA have been up to.

I hope this matter is investigated by authorities in a full investigations of this fiasco. Once that is done I think a number of people are going to have to explain themselves.

[sadwitness]

11:52 PM on 03/06/2012

You know all of this HOW? Oh wait, you don't.

[coppersmom]

08:48 PM on 02/08/2012

CBS anchor claims 'STRICT RESTRICTIONS'..on the visits...What the hay are you talking about...???Shouldn't you get the facts..these are UNSUPERVISED visits..comprende?

[coppersmom]

08:45 PM on 02/08/2012

the visitations are not supervised..because he is no threat to anyone..much less his child. He's getting railroaded

[harrymudd]

09:50 PM on 02/08/2012

The whole process is badly messed up with the DA politicizing it.

There was no danger to the child except from the system that is supposed to protect him. Instead they kept him from his father and are now trying to put his father away. Now the assistant DA is caught trying to influence the family judge. If this is not prosecutorial misconduct I don't know what is. All involved in this prosecution need to be investigated and for motives. What is really going on here and who is running it.

[jennielake]

12:20 AM on 02/09/2012

... were you there - didn't think so

[ilovecandy]

12:40 PM on 02/09/2012

How is he no threat to anyone. He allegedly physically abused his wife. Until the case is solved I don't know if he did or not. Even if the wife is contesting it, it doesn't mean it didn't happen. The problem is victims of abuse don't always come out.

[deanleto]

06:27 PM on 02/08/2012

trying to keep him from his kid because of a bruise that even his wife is contesting the interpretation?

this may be a political prosecution....

[sadwitness]

11:56 PM on 03/06/2012

or an act of protection, guess it depends on how many brutalized women you've worked with

[harrymudd]

05:33 PM on 02/08/2012

A judge with a brain! Wow; I am pleasantly surprised good for the son; Mirkarimi family and the people.