February 24, 2003

To whom it may concern;

We are sending this report to you to alert you to a crime committed against a woman in our community and to request any additional information you may have about this or similar crimes.

Below is our report about the crime against Ms. Duran Ruiz, as well as the police response, which illustrates the abuse and discrimination that women face in San Francisco. We seek justice in this case and we hope stop this perpetrator from further crimes against women. We also hope that bringing an awareness of this incident will prompt this City to take steps to protect women from similar abuse, and to correct police response to incidents like this which are unfortunately common.

Incident Summary:

On October 4, 2002, Ms. Ruiz was assaulted with a deadly weapon, in violation of Penal Code section 245(a), and kidnapped, in violation of Penal Code section 207). The incident occurred at approximately midnight at 88 Hoff Street.

Ms. Ruiz and a friend, Ms. Cyn Bevens, were talking and leaning against a rolled down garage door. Ms. Ruiz was scheduled to make a presentation for our organization at the LGBT Center about violence against women on the street. She was interviewing her friend, when suddenly a man, driving a new silver convertible drove up onto the driveway in front of the garage door. The man was white and had shoulder length sandy brown straight hair, which was graying. He told Ms. Ruiz and Ms. Bevens to leave or he would call the police. The man opened the garage door and drove his car in, closing the garage door after him. Ms. Ruiz and Ms. Bevens were gathering their things to go when the garage door opened again, barely ten seconds after the man had closed it behind his car. As the door rose, Ms. Ruiz could see the man to his waist. Suddenly a blast of water hit Ms. Ruiz and knocked her to the ground. She could see that the hose had a long brass nozzle. Ms. Bevens complained to the man that she was going to call the police because he was assaulting Ms. Ruiz. The man trained the high power hose on Bevens and knocked Bevens to the ground as well. Bevens ran to 16th Street looking for help.

The man continued to spray Ms. Ruiz, the water crushed her to the concrete ground and made it impossible for her to walk. The man grabbed Ms. Bevens's backpack and threw it into the garage. He grabbed Ms. Ruiz by her coat and dragged her from the sidewalk, into the garage, then he closed the door. As the door lowered, the man turned on Ms. Ruiz and began hitting her with the hose nozzle, he forced water into her mouth, he kicked her as she lay on the floor the garage, screaming at her to "get out, bitch" and calling her "bitch" as he kicked her. He assaulted her very brutally. Ms. Ruiz escaped by rolling under the garage door, which was open just enough for her to do so. She was so seriously injured that she bled from her eyes and nose.

Police Response and Recourse:

When Ms. Ruiz went to the police station, bleeding and weak, the police sent her away and refused to take the report because, they said, she had another identity.

Duran Ruiz has been trying to get some recourse, but no one from the District Attorney's office or the police department has followed up, so we are taking this case to community groups and city commissions in hopes of obtaining justice. The perpetrator of this crime may very well be attacking other women on the street, so this situation is most urgent.

Attorney Nedra Ruiz has been authorized by Ms. Ruiz to make inquiry into the status of criminal prosecution against the man who kidnapped, beat, and kicked Ms. Ruiz. Recently she accompanied Ms. Ruiz to the Police Station to follow up this investigation and we are awaiting a reponse.

Attorney Nedra Ruiz states:

"The man who beat and kicked Ms. Duran Ruiz has committed serious and dangerous felonies. His assault on Ms. Ruiz was aggravated, malicious, and completely unprovoked. The man must be arrested immediately, and for the safety of the community. No other innocent citizen should suffer as Ms. Ruiz has suffered at the hands of this animal. Immediate arrest would serve to inform this cruel and brutal man that his criminal conduct will not be tolerated by this community."

"The attack caused Ms. Ruiz great pain and mental anguish. Her face was bloodied by the brass fire hose nozzle. She is still in great pain from having been kicked in the back and groin. Ms. Ruiz grows terrified and anxious whenever she recalls the beating in the closed garage. As a result of the terrible beating she sustained when the culprit kicked her in the back and groin, she is in constant pain in her back."

"Even though Ms. Ruiz and Ms. Bevens reported the incident to personnel at Mission Station immediately, I do not believe police investigation was undertaken that night. Lack of investigation may have already resulted in a permanent loss of vital evidence in this matter"

Please email us at penet@bayswan.org and let us know if you can help in any way, or if you are working with other women who may have been attacked by this man.
We will inform you about the progress of this matter and let you know if there is a public event or testimony planned.

Sincerely,
 

Carol Leigh
415-751-1659
penet@bayswan.org