SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — The 20-year-old man accused of throwing a Molotov cocktail into the residence of Sam Altman was experiencing an acute mental health crisis, according to statements made Tuesday by his defense team.
At his arraignment Tuesday afternoon at San Francisco Hall of Justice, the accused made his first court appearance. His attorney, Deputy Public Defender Diamond Ward, along with co-chair Deputy Public Defender Nuha Abusamra, requested an additional couple of weeks to investigate the case.
Kenneth Wine held the accused without bail and continued the arraignment to May 5 at 9 a.m.
During the brief hearing, the defense team also objected to a portion of the prosecution’s protective order, arguing that the language used was overly broad.
District Attorney Heather Trevison responded by telling the court that the accused allegedly “tried to murder someone, throw a bomb and set fire to a building in San Francisco.”
The defense maintained that using this language was a misstatement of the case. Later, during remarks to the press, Ward argued that the case is “clearly overcharged” and is a property crime at best. She criticized the District Attorney’s Office for contributing to what she described as the over-sensationalization of the case, driven in part by who the complaining witness is.
“It is unjust for the San Francisco District Attorney and the Federal government to fear monger and exploit the mental illness of a young man by turning a vandalism case into an attempted murder life exposure case to gain support of a billionaire and get political points at the expense of true justice for everyone involved,” Ward said.
Ward told reporters that the accused has a history of autism and mental health challenges, and that his actions were driven by a mental health crisis.
“As a community we should have more holistic ways to respond to vulnerable people who are experiencing mental health crises rather than only seeking to imprison them,” Ward said.
Follow the Vanguard on Social Media – X, Instagram and Facebook. Subscribe the Vanguard News letters. To make a tax-deductible donation, please visit davisvanguard.org/donate or give directly through ActBlue. Your support will ensure that the vital work of the Vanguard continues.
