In anticipation of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors receiving the case of suspended San Francisco Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi, the board released details today about the format of the upcoming hearing.
Mirkarimi was suspended without pay by Mayor Ed Lee in March following his guilty plea to a misdemeanor false imprisonment charge in connection with a Dec. 31 incident in which he grabbed his wife’s arm during an argument, causing a bruise.
Under the city charter, Mirkarimi has a right to contest the suspension at the city’s Ethics Commission, which will then make a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors on whether to permanently oust the sheriff from office.
The commission has held several hearings on the case and is expected to make its recommendation at an Aug. 16 hearing after closing arguments by the city attorney’s office, which is representing the mayor, as well as by Mirkarimi’s attorneys.
Board president David Chiu announced at today’s meeting what the format will likely be for the hearing once the case comes in front of the supervisors.
The Ethics Commission will be allowed to make a 20-minute presentation on its recommendation, followed by 20 minutes of arguments each by both the city attorney’s office and Mirkarimi’s attorneys, as well as a five-minute response by the city attorney to the sheriff, Chiu said.
Following public comment, the board will then deliberate and make its final decision, Chiu said.
He said the format was developed with the assistance of the board clerk and that the supervisors will have an opportunity to give their input on the format when the matter is on the agenda for next week’s meeting.
What remains unclear is when the board will hold the meeting.
The supervisors will be off for all of August for their annual summer recess and will return on Sept. 4.
Mirkarimi served for seven years on the board before being elected sheriff in November and taking office on Jan. 8.
Dan McMenamin, Bay City News
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