Bill Fazio's Plan to Fight Domestic Violence

By Bill Fazio

A plan to combat Domestic Violence

Years ago, as a young prosecutor, I tried a case I will never forget. It was a case in which a man murdered his estranged wife by emptying a gun into her, reloading the gun and emptying it again until he had fired 14 bullets into her body. And all because she was trying to leave an abusive situation. Tragically, such horrible murders are all too common. But at the time this crime occurred, in the early 1980's, such killings were thought to be "crimes of passion" by most prosecutors, and hence they were charged and/or plea bargained as voluntary manslaughter cases and the perpetrator routinely received a relatively low sentence. I decided to charge a crime of intent, not passion, and set out to prove that the defendant deliberately planned and executed a cold blooded intentional murder. I succeeded in convicting this man, Sahag Dambouradjian, of the first degree murder of his wife, and thereby achieved one of the first such convictions in the country. I did it because it was the right thing to do.

In 1981, again as a young prosecutor, I testified before the San Francisco Board of Supervisors about the need for vertical prosecution of the delicate and hard to win domestic violence cases. I was commended by then Supervisor Willie Kennedy and others on the Board because I helped lay the groundwork for the District Attorney's domestic violence prosecution unit as it exists today.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness month, and in recognition of this fact and to acknowledge the plight of millions of domestic violence victims around the world, I want to tell you what I am going to do to fight domestic violence as the District Attorney of San Francisco. I know that San Francisco is a leader in the fight against domestic violence through the efforts of the Family Violence Prevention Fund and other incredibly hard working and successful agencies. As DA, I want to be sure that the District Attorney's office matches and supports their efforts. There are many areas that have not been adequately addressed by the current DA, through no fault of his staff. Some of my improvements can and will be done immediately. I pledge to you that everything in my plan will be addressed to heighten the safety of victims as quickly as possible.

I pledge to you that everything in this ambitious plan will be begun as quickly as possible.

1. I will immediately begin the implementation of the ADT A.W.A.R.E. (Abused Women's Active Response System) which gives women in acute and immediate danger the ability to summon police through an electronic alarm system. It was first introduced in Tampa, Florida, in 1992 and has had a highly favorable response from law enforcement, victims, and victim advocates. It is in place in over 100 jurisdictions, including several in the Bay area.

2. I will as a matter of policy vigorously prosecute violations of "stay away orders."

3. I will be available to personally prosecute domestic violence cases or to advise other attorneys in my office, since these cases are among the most delicate and difficult to prosecute successfully.

4. I will make the office of the District Attorney a highly professional office where returning every phone call is the standard and every victim is kept informed of every event in her case.

5. I will consult with and seek input from the victim prior to any plea or sentencing.

6. I will investigate the need for and feasibility of a "death review committee," as provided under state law, to review the facts surrounding the deaths of women victims of homicide, suicide, as well as unclassified deaths, in an attempt to improve the way the system responds to battered women in grave danger.

7. I will investigate and honor restraining orders from other counties.

8. I will encourage Assistant District Attorneys to be proactive in making contact and maintaining contact with individuals who have restraining orders and/or stay away orders so that the first contact is not always a 911 call.

For more information please visit http://www.billfazio.net or call 415-337-9772.