San Francisco's legal system sent a clear signal against threats of violence as the District Attorney's Office, led by Brooke Jenkins, garnered a conviction against 60-year-old Michael Dunn. This verdict follows from a jury trial where Dunn was found guilty of making criminal threats to an employee at a Mission Bay residential complex. The incident, which spurred the legal battle, occurred on the morning of May 10, 2023.
In the encounter, captured on surveillance, Dunn was seen wielding a large metal pipe while confronting a janitorial staff member at the complex. District Attorney Brooke Jenkins praised the jury for reinforcing the zero-tolerance stance on such threats, noting, "San Franciscans recognize that there is no place for threatening people under any circumstances." Witnesses detailed a harrowing scene where the victim resorted to hiding behind a garbage bin after Dunn's lethal threat escalated. Dunn's prior hostile behavior towards the victim underscored the situation's gravity.
Assistant District Attorney Samantha Persaud spearheaded the prosecution with support from a legal and technical staff team. Reflecting on the trial's outcome, Persaud emphasized the importance of words and the imperative of safeguarding individuals in their workplaces. "Our words have consequences, and no one deserves to be threatened with death or harm for simply doing their job," she said in a statement, as per SF District Attorney's Office.
1/ District Attorney @BrookeJenkinsSF announced today that her office secured a conviction of Michael Dunn after a trial by jury for threatening an employee at a residential complex in Mission Bay.
— SF DISTRICT ATTORNEY (@SFDAOffice) June 26, 2024
Mr. Dunn was convicted of criminal threats. pic.twitter.com/AsM2SxjOCR
Currently held in custody, Dunn is awaiting sentencing, scheduled for July 18. The prosecution’s case was constructed on witness accounts and thorough police work by the San Francisco Police Department, leading to the decisive conviction.
