Brute who killed San Fran’s ‘Grandpa Vicha’ — sparking ‘Cease Asian Hate’ motion — skates on homicide rap

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In a stunning determination, the 24-year-old man accountable for the violent loss of life of a Thai grandfather in San Francisco was acquitted of homicide and elder abuse.

Antonine Watson was simply 19 years previous when he attacked 84-year-old Vicha Ratanapakdee, affectionately often known as Grandpa Vicha, whereas the person was on his each day stroll in January 2021. Watson shoved Vicha to the bottom and he struck his head — the grandfather by no means regained consciousness and died in a hospital two days after the unprovoked assault.

It was 5 years in the past this month “Grandpa Vicha” was attacked in San Francisco’s Anza Vista neighborhood. Vicha Ratanapakdee Household
Vicha’s loss of life grew to become one of many flashpoints within the Cease Asian Hate motion throughout the pandemic.

As a substitute of homicide and elder abuse, the Watson was discovered responsible solely of involuntary manslaughter for the incident.

The case set off a surge of concern and activism within the Asian-American group, fueling pressing conversations about security and justice.

Antoine Watson was convicted Thursday of involuntary manslaughter and assault with power prone to trigger harm, with the allegations that the sufferer was aged and that the harm triggered loss of life. Fox
Flowers left by portraits of 84-year-old Vicha Ratanapakdee, as a whole lot of individuals held a rally in San Francisco, in Jan. 30, 2022. AP

“The system simply instructed each Asian elder in America: your life is negotiable,” activist Forrest Liu instructed the San Francisco Chronicle.

Ratanapakdee’s household stays adamant that Watson singled out the 84-year-old as a result of he was Asian, although hate crime costs have been by no means filed.

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