Two Charged, Yale Parents Disappointed

We broke the story yesterday, March 5th, on ABC 7 News at 6 that prosecutors had filed charges in the Yale Choir Beating Case. As I said on the air, if you've watched our investigations the past two months, you already know a lot about the two men charged with felony assault and battery. Richard Aicardi and Brian Dwyer are expected to surrender to authorities for booking today.

At a Hall of Justice news conference, San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris said more charges could be filed against other suspects in the case. But, that's not good enough for the families of the Yale students who were injured that night. They believe prosecutors have enough information to charge at least three others right now -- along with Brian Dwyer, they were detained by police over New Year's, but were never arrested. Witnesses say more than a dozen young men from San Francisco were involved in the attack on members of the singing group "The Baker's Dozen" over New Year's.

No one has been charged with the most serious assault. Witnesses say Yale student Sharyar Aziz was surrounded by several young men, knocked to the ground, and had his jaw broken in two places. His father tells us he will not let the matter rest -- if the police and prosecutors won't bring criminal charges, he will file a lawsuit against the City of San Francisco and the young men suspected in the assault on his son. Before you begin thinking this is about money, an attorney for Sharyar Aziz, Sr. says any proceeds from a lawsuit would be donated to charity: "It's only about justice."

Comments

[John Smyth]

San Francisco protects it's own.

Would have been interesting if the student choir had been from Berkley (do they even sing in Berkley?)

[dan]

Zero comments.

[ZZ]

Great to see that SOMETHING is finally being done in this case of stupid drunk guys being stupid drunk guys.

Underage drinking=4-7 years in jail!

[Nik]

I can't believe that the anti-gay verbal insults the atackers first threw did not warrant any charges ... this is San Fransisco! Money definitely talks ... reference the mayor!

[wqewqe]

I wouldnt want to be the owner of the party house...chapter 7 here they come.

[Dj]

If the choir members were gay, then it would have been a hate crime right?

Typical San Francisco, it's okay to beat up someone who sings the National anthem.

I was born here, and the way this city has decayed makes me sick.

[I. Wonder]

DJ,

I wonder how that works; whether intent is a cause for arrest in California. If somebody beats another person up because he believes that person is gay, wouldn't that still be a hate crime even if the victim is straight?

Think about those Dateline "To Catch A Predator" episodes where the perv is chatting with someone he thinks is 13 about having sex. They're all getting arrested.

I'm waiting for more charges to be file on Richard Aicardi; I don't know the actual legal term, but there's cause for prosecution because he called his gang to come beat these boys. I suppose it's something akin to inciting to violence.

[JMWP]

Even though I think Aicardi and that other guy did all of these things, I still believe this wasn't a hate crime at all.

Hate against preppies maybe, but hate against gays? Nope... I thought we were all past the "gay" being used in the same way as "You're retarded."

Its just a stupid "mature" thing teens say these days. But it wasn't used as a homophobic remark, regardless of how bad it is to use "gay" in this way.

[Stu Smith]

Thank you Chief Fong and DA Harris for finally taking action on behalf of all of us law abiding citizens you represent. I was not at the New Year's fag bashing that some spoiled SF kids inflicted on some visiting college kids, but the official reaction is disturbing and embarrassing to me as a gay citizen of this city.

It's bad enough that our Mayor is in treatment for what he denied being a problem during the period of this assault, and that he felt entitled to abuse his relationships with two key staff members in personnel and payroll matters, that he is in the company of minors drinking that he dates and that he is unwilling to adhere to the recent election and meet with his legislative equals, our Board of Supervisors, but the arrogance of changing his statments so frequently and distinctly about what occurred smacks of gross negligence.

If the Mayor is going to continue shooting off his mouth about crime as he avoids abiding by and adhering to the laws he was elected to uphold, why does he expect ordinary citizens to practice law abiding behavior?

[BrianAnderson]

Aicardi and his buds are the guys you knew in high school that thought they knew it all and they would try to push around anyone that didn’t agree with them. They are the type that grow up and start fights in bars and clubs. They are the type involved in road rage. Weclome to adulthood, Dick. You don’t get to beat down people just because you can. There is no excuse for this kind of behavior. You and your jackass supporters that were posting on the blog after the incident will learn a lesson. You will probably get off with slap on the wrist from a judge but there might be lawsuits from the Yalies that follow. You had better hope that you don’t get jail time. You might be a tough guy with your 20 white friends around you from the baseball team but you’ll be known as “Twan” in prison. I hope you’re scared straight. You have put yourself and your family through a hell that is just starting. Hopefully you can return to life and be a good person instead of the thug that you have become.

[N.B.Native]

It's about time the Italian "brats" from North Beach & the Marina (not just aicardi) are taking responsibility for themselves. Money definately talks in SF with the Italian families and their OLD money & false prestige. Saints Peter & Paul school & Sacred Heart HS serves up a plethora of these brats to society - I am so sick and tired of these kids getting away with their snotty attitudes.

[BrianAnderson]

No, he won't be going to jail because of a civil suit but the criminal charges are real.

Going to jail over beating someone is not unheard of. This kid just got 2 months after some under aged drinking, hitting a city worker and making a racist comment:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070307/ap_en_ot/people_jason_wahler;_ylt=Am1JZA2VosmvM9SqebQ6LVgDW7oF

I think the Yale lawers will go away if there is a conviction. If not, they will probably go after Aicardi. They have deep enough pockets to get justice. Somehow he will pay: He will either get convicted of a crime, lose money in a lawsuit or be put through the attorney grinder of having to defend himself (spending huge dollars and time) from someone you wronged that has a lot of money to blow on lawyers. He will be sorry for what he has done no matter what the outcome.

[Mark Pope]

Sacred Heart School officials are still denying these guys went to their school. I can't believe all the media reports are wrong. If the president of Sacred Heart is a liar, then no surprise they cultivate homophobes too. Frankly, I live near Sacred Heart School (they are a bad neighbor to have and routinely violate city laws)and the male students are amazingly unatractive to a fault, so I'm sure these guys aren't SF Homophobes in defense. The Chronicle has been very biased in favor of the alleged attackers from the start and their sympathy article today makes me sick. It doesn't even mention the gay slurs. We are supposed to feel sorry for these adults who are depressed because they got caught and citizen outrage has forced them to be prosecuted for the least crimes they could be charged with. They should be charged with hate crimes (it doesn't matter if you are Gay or not, just whether you perceived them to be Gay, a matter for a jury, not homophobic DA Kamala Harris to decide), and inciting violence too. This has exposed the good ol boy network to a degree thanks to ABC7 reporter Dan Noyes, not the Chronicle, but there needs to be more investigation of exactly which networks are in play here. If Dwyer doesn't give up his accomplices, they should "throw the book at him" and charge him "to the hilt". I can personally attest Harris has a history of not prosecuting Gay felony hate crimes beyond seeking a slap on the wrist with no jail time and no permanent crime on the attacker's record and not making them give up their accomplice.

[Not Convinced]

If you honestly think this whole thing was some one-sided gay bashing incident with a bunch of city "brats" assaulting innocent victims you're pretty damn stupid. Guaranteed both sides were talking a lot of smack, and I wouldn't doubt the Yalies were tossing around a few gay slurs themselves. If you're going to let a reporter as ridiculously dishonest as Dan Noyes convince you of something you should start thinking outside the box. And "Italian old money North Beach Brats?" Those kids go to Yale; their dads are loaded bankers,the kid was AIR LIFTED back to the east coast for surgery. i doubt Aicardi 's
parents would've paid to have him airlifted after getting what he deserved for running his mouth somewhere where he didn't belong.

[also not convinced]

I agree completely. This spin is out control. The editorial in yesterday's chronicle was the best thing I've read. Everyone should "man up". Parties on all sides screwed up. the parent's disappointment should be directed at their kids, on both sides. Rich New Yorkers should not dictate how and who the DA charges. Ground these badly behaved teenagers or send them to their rooms or better yet get them some alcohol treatment. Settle it in a civil court and let the cops and DA get some real crooks. The amount of time and money spent on this is itself criminal. let's read something important. I do not condone assault or even mutual combat but let's focus our resources on some real crime, not some manufactured media hype.

[just not so]

Sacred Heart issued a statement weeks ago talking about the former students. The kids involved are 19. They graduated, hence they dont go to that school anymore. No one from Sacred Heart lied, no one's parents fixed anything, none of the kids involved from SF are rich especially compared to the NY bankers. There's no conspiracy. It's a perfect SF story. Much ado about nothing. Charge them with misdemeanors, and try to rpove it in court. They will never be able to prove felonies. Beyond a reasonable doubt is going to be tough, especially when the victims were too drunk to identify any assailants.

[Yalemama]

Hey Richard Aicardi! I have an idea. Just a thought. Why don't you request a meeting with Sharyar Aziz? No lawyers. No parents. You can apologize for taking it too far. He can apologize for egging you on. Shake hands. Done deal. No further waste of taxpayers' money/time/energy. Everybody can move on with their lives. I trust that you have learned something from this experience and that you would behave differently in the future. An apology may be enough to make this thing go away. What do you think?

[Friend]

A drunken college fight... not a crime. About 20 kids on 20 kids. Yallies with your parents money, take some fighting lessons

[fromthebay]

i grew up with these boys. i know them on a personal level and i know that however unreasonable their actions seem, you must consider that this is a two way street.

people will get called names forever, but it is up to them to decide how to react. the yale boys had an informal warning. they could have left when they sensed that they were in danger. but they decided to stay and therefore accepted what was to come.

they obviously didnt have the skills to fight back. maybe their rich mommies and daddies should ahve paid for karate lessons instead of voice lessons.

[distant relative]

Hey Aicardi! I was just googling MY last name(Aicardi) and found YOU being a complete IDIOT, disrupting the peace, using violence as a means to some stupid end and; which totally pissed me off, making a disgrace of MY name(not to mention your own family's dignity). GROW UP!! Remember the Golden Rule, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

[a classmate]

I went to school with these boys and they were nice kids. The story that Dan Noyes reported was totally one sided and biased. I am almost certain that the rich Yalies also egged / called the Aicardis names, they were just too unprepared to actually get their asses kicked. Perhaps mom and dad should've enrolled them in some kickboxing classes... oh wait, not necessary... just wait until they do get beat up and then pay off some reporters as well as politicians to make a big fuss about it. Just face it, the Yalies got their asses kicked and now they ran home to tell mommy and daddy. It's despicable how far money can go, and how much of our tax dollars are being wasted on a bunch of rich kids.

Let's see some kids who get beat up everyday in hunter's point or the mission get as much justice as these yalies.

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