Sheriff-in-limbo Ross Mirkarimi might have lost a friend or two after pleading guilty to false imprisonment in connection to a domestic dispute with his wife, which left her with a bruise on her arm. But, strangely, it's also helped him make some new friends over at the county jail.
Perhaps convicted criminals and inmates aren't the sort of company you would expect the county sheriff to keep, but still, Mirkarimi could use all the support he can get right now.
We received a kind and thoughtful letter from prisoner Raymond Raymond, who penned his argument as to why "squeezing your lady's arm" is no misdemeanor. The letter, dated May 25, was CC'd to Mayor Ed Lee, informing the city's CEO that nearly everyone locked up behind bars supports Mirkarimi, who is trying desperately to hold onto his post as sheriff.
According to Raymond's six-page letter, which was purportedly signed by 20-plus inmates:
"Nearly everyone in jail feels Mr. Mirkarimi squeezing his lady's arm doesn't even constitute a misdemeanor, even though it behooves them both to not do that...The controversy over Ross Mirkarimi is not substantial enough to brow-beat-it."Mayor Lee suspended Mirkarimi without pay after he pleaded guilty to the domestic violence charges in March. He had asked Mirkarimi to leave his post permanently, but the newly minted sheriff refused. So the mayor turned this matter over to the Ethics Commission, essentially calling Mirkarimi a wife beater. The Ethics Commission is currently hearing the case and will decide whether Mirkarimi should be booted from his position for good.
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