[CA] Eliana Lopez says she's being used to bring her sheriff husband, Ross Mirkarimi, down.

"...Finally, my dear Ross, they do not let us talk but you can read here from me that I love you. You won the election because the people know your hard work; nobody can erase that. Be strong, my dear, knowing that my heart is next to you and you are Theo's everything. I am committed to you, our marriage and our fight for justice and democracy."

Photo by Lea Suzuki / The Chronicle

PREVIOUS POSTS:

• [CA] Sheriff Mirkarimi plea bargain lets him keep his gun. San Francisco has to decide if he can keep his job. - ...All of us who believe that the sheriff of San Francisco should not be someone who abuses his wife find ourselves having to ignore every word Eliana wants us all to hear...
• [CA] San Francisco Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi shows no intention to leave his position willingly, so Mayor takes action - ..."He has chosen not to resign and now I must act," [San Francisco - Mayor Ed] Lee said... He said the sheriff's actions "fell below the standard of decency and good faith" needed for public officials... [There are no winners in domestic violence.]

ROSS MIRKARIMI'S WIFE GIVES HER SIDE OF STORY
San Francisco Chronicle
Eliana Lopez
Friday, April 6, 2012
[Excerpts] ...My husband and I had a very emotional misunderstanding about potential custody issues at a time when our relationship was struggling. I have never been afraid for my safety in the presence of my husband, or for the safety of my son. What I do fear is the mischaracterization of the events as a basis to remove my husband from elected office. From the beginning, my public voice has been ignored and treated as irrelevant. Many in the media keep saying that I just don't get it. But I do get it: I get that I am being used to bring my husband down... I want to send a message to everyone: beyond the criminal case, which is over, this is about due process and democracy. Ross won the election; he was not appointed. Ross has paid an unfair price for his side of our family disputes. I have paid a terrible price, too. So has our son, Theo. The man I married is a wonderful man, a considerate father, and a loyal public servant who is demonstrating his ability to become better in all ways. Finally, my dear Ross, they do not let us talk but you can read here from me that I love you. You won the election because the people know your hard work; nobody can erase that. Be strong, my dear, knowing that my heart is next to you and you are Theo's everything. I am committed to you, our marriage and our fight for justice and democracy... [Full article here]

RECENTLY:

GUARDIAN OP-ED: DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, A LATINA FEMINIST PERSPECTIVE
San Francisco Bay Guardian
Myrna Melgar
03.27.12 - 3:01 pm
[Excerpts] Eliana Lopez is my friend. I have asked for her permission to put into words, in English, some observations, thoughts and insights... The disempowerment of Eliana began on a very small level when her husband grabbed her by the arm during an argument. It was exponentially magnified by the neighbor in whom she confided, who decided that Eliana's strongly held desire to handle her problems with her husband herself was inconsequential. The disempowerment of Eliana was then magnified again and again, by the police, the press, the district attorney, and finally even anti-domestic-violence advocates... I challenge the progressive community and anti-violence advocates to reexamine this criminalization-heavy approach and its impact on my friend Eliana's family, but also to examine how it affects all victims of domestic violence in San Francisco, particularly women in immigrant communities and women of color who rightfully have a distrustful relationship with law enforcement... [Full article here]

FRIEND OF MIRKARIMI'S WIFE: FAMILY 'DESTROYED'
San Francisco Chronicle
Heather Knight
Thursday, March 29, 2012
[Excerpts] Kathy Black, director of La Casa de las Madres, said California's law considers domestic violence a crime against society, not just against the victim. "It's a crime whether the victim decides to proceed or not," she said. "I would never want to get into a situation where I was defining how much physical abuse would be considered domestic violence"... [Full article here]

MIRKARIMI CASE: ELIANA LOPEZ FRIEND AND DEFENDER MYRNA MELGAR RESPONDS TO CRITICS
San Francisco Bay Guardian
Myrna Melgar
04.02.12 - 12:41 pm
[Excerpts] My opinion piece regarding the plight of my friend Eliana Lopez and San Francisco’s approach to handling domestic violence in her case has generated a lot of discussion since it was printed last week... No one is advocating for the return to the bad old days when we looked away from the abuse of women. I am pointing out that for many, having the police automatically open a criminal investigation, regardless of the nature of the problem, which is then followed by prosecution, is a strong deterrent to seeking help... Despite the strong reactions my opinion has generated in the past week among people who defend the current system, no one has addressed the problem that the zero-tolerance criminalization approach has created in communities where there is fear of the police... [Full article here]
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence ipv abuse law enforcement public safety scandal zero tolerance california state politics]