In a shocking decision, the 24-year-old man responsible for the violent death of a Thai grandfather in San Francisco was acquitted of murder and elder abuse.
Antonine Watson was just 19 years old when he attacked 84-year-old Vicha Ratanapakdee, affectionately known as Grandpa Vicha, while the man was on his daily walk in January 2021. Watson shoved Vicha to the ground and he struck his head — the grandfather never regained consciousness and died in a hospital two days after the unprovoked attack.
“The system just told every Asian elder in America: your life is negotiable,” activist Forrest Liu told the San Francisco Chronicle.
https://nypost.com/2026/01/16/us-news/san-francisco-man-acquitted-of-murder-in-asian-hate-crime/