Though San Francisco voters have for two years now been sending strong signals to elected officials that they’re fed up with criminal elements in their community and soft-on-crime policies, some of them aren’t getting the message.

Case in point, news that broke last week of a violent repeat offender who was given probation by a San Francisco Superior Court judge after the brutal June 2021 assault of a 94-year-old Asian-American woman:

A San Francisco man who stabbed a 94-year-old in the street has avoided jail after being sentenced to probation and a ‘behavioral and mental health treatment program.’

Daniel Cauich stabbed Chinese and Vietnamese immigrant Anh ‘Peng’ Taylor multiple times in San Francisco’s Lower Nob Hill neighborhood in broad daylight in June 2021.

The senseless attack was caught on camera and sent shockwaves through the city during a period of increased attacks on Asian Americans.

Cauich was sentenced to five years of probation and a supervision program at San Francisco Superior Court on Friday.

‘I am giving you one last chance to stay out of state prison,’ Judge Kay Tsenin told Cauich during the hearing, which combined another charge of burglary in a separate incident.

District Attorney Brooke Jenkins was not amused, calling the decision a “reckless” one that would further endanger San Francisco residents:

Our seniors shouldn’t need escorts to leave their homes or walk down the street. But decisions like this are why they continue to feel vulnerable.

Despite it all, my office will continue to do everything in our power to fight for our victims and for public safety.

— Brooke Jenkins 謝安宜 (@BrookeJenkinsSF) March 16, 2024

The assault on Taylor was, of course, completely unprovoked. Video shows her walking along a sidewalk near her home with a cane at the time of the stabbing. It also shows bystanders who, at least in the first thirty seconds or so after her attack, not coming to help her after Cauich calmly walked away:

⚠️ Trigger Warning ⚠️ New video shows the moment 94-year-old Anh ‘Peng’ Taylor was stabbed by 35-year-old Daniel Cauich Wednesday morning on Post Street near Leavenworth. Police arrested the suspect shortly after the unprovoked attack. More details tonight @kpixtv #sanfrancisco pic.twitter.com/Pg6zP0po8f

— Betty Yu (@bett_yu) June 18, 2021

This is 94 year old Anh Taylor-attacked and stabbed in front of San Francisco building where she’s lived for 45 years. She’s recovering at a hospital tonight in stable. Her attacker, with a long criminal history, was wearing an ankle monitor. ⁦@nbcbayarea⁩ pic.twitter.com/VmOlkoVsOC

— TerryMcSweeney (@TerryMcSweeney) June 17, 2021

Understandably, the crime sparked outrage in the community, especially after it was learned that the suspect had multiple prior arrests and had just been released by a judge nine days before the attack on Taylor:

Daniel Cauich, 35, was wearing an ankle monitor when he was arrested Wednesday on charges including attempted homicide, elder abuse and committing a felony while on bail or release, NBC Bay Area reported, citing police.

Cauich, who had reportedly been arrested five times last year on burglary charges, was sprung by a judge on June 7 to await his trial after his most recent arrest for burglary on May 18, according to court records cited by the San Francisco Chronicle.

One prior arrest was on a murder charge, which a judge later dismissed due to an alleged lack of evidence:

In 2016, Cauich was arrested on murder charges in a Mission District stabbing. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, a judge dismissed the charges in 2019 for lack of evidence.

News of the attack and of Cauich’s prior arrest and release history further galvanized the recall campaign against then-DA Chesa Boudin:

Chesa Boudin says he can’t prosecute if SFPD doesn’t arrest. This suspect was arrested 5 times in 2020 on multiple burglary charges. When he stabbed this woman, he was on an ankle monitor. What do you have to do to actually go to jail in SF? Really. https://t.co/ERd2RnVGKt

— San Francisco POA (@SanFranciscoPOA) June 17, 2021

“If a person’s been arrested 5 times, when do we detain them?” Good question Chief. We asked that question but Chesa Boudin doesn’t want to answer. #BoudinBlunders pic.twitter.com/tgB2AuHcSZ

— San Francisco POA (@SanFranciscoPOA) July 14, 2021

It is troubling to see the POA exploit a tragedy for political motivations and spread misinformation to the public.

Just last month, after filing new felony charges, our office filed a motion to detain Mr. Cauich in jail. The court disagreed & released him on an ankle monitor.

— Chesa Boudin (@chesaboudin) June 17, 2021

It also happened around the time when Boudin’s office was accusing people who were concerned about rising crime of racism:

First time being trolled by a San Francisco public official.

(Kate is a Senior Director at the SF DA’s office.)

Guess something I’m saying is hitting a nerve. pic.twitter.com/Vu7a2MR0rZ

— Michelle Tandler (@michelletandler) July 5, 2021

Fortunately, Taylor “is well-recovered and doing fine now” and is now in an assisted-living home according to her family.

As for Judge Kay Tsenin, who gave Cauich another chance with her ruling, a 2004 Law.com profile of her suggests she, too, has a soft spot for defendants and is well-liked by defense attorneys:

Lawyers say San Francisco Superior Court Judge Kay Tsenin shows compassion for juries and defendants. They also say she has a down-to-earth style that makes her courtroom a pretty easygoing place for lawyers. Tsenin, who came to the bench from a small civil practice, seems to understand the juggling lawyers have to do. And defense attorneys said they think their clients get more of a fair shot before Tsenin than some other judges.

The Superior Court Judge position in San Francisco is an elected one. Just sayin’, San Franciscans.

— Stacey Matthews has also written under the pseudonym “Sister Toldjah” and can be reached via Twitter. —

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