It's day 11 - the final day - of the criminal trial against @SFPD officer Terrance Stangel, accused of unjustifiably beating Dacari Spiers w/ a baton.

Judge Teresa Caffese is giving the jury instructions on the law right now before both sides deliver their closing arguments. @SFPD Stangel faces 4 felony charges:
- battery w/ serious bodily injury
- assault w/ a deadly weapon
- assault w/ force likely to cause great bodily injury &
- assault under color of authority.

It's day 9 of the criminal assault trial against
@SFPD officer Terrance Stangel, accused of unjustifiably beating Dacari Spiers, a Black man & domestic violence suspect, w/ a baton.

SFPD training officer Pat Woods is continuing his testimony this morning. @SFPD Pat Woods told jurors yesterday that the baton beating was justified because officers needed to move quickly to separate Spiers from his alleged victim. Using the baton was an appropriate response to Spiers allegedly assaulting officers by pushing them, Woods said.

It's day 8 of the criminal assault trial against
@SFPD officer Terrance Stangel, accused of unjustifiably beating Dacari Spiers, a Black man & domestic violence suspect, w/ a baton.

The first witness today is SFPD officer Griffin Lucia, testifying about a 2017 assault by Spiers @SFPD Dacari Spiers reportedly assaulted a store clerk at a stereo equipment store on Market Street on Jan. 3, 2017.

Stangel's lawyer showed jurors a photo of Nasser w/ a red, puffy, blackened eye. Spiers was convicted of misdemeanor assault.

It's day 7 of the criminal assault trial against @SFPD officer Terrance Stangel, accused of unjustifiably beating Dacari Spiers,a Black man & domestic violence suspect, w/ a baton.

The last prosecution witness, a police use-of-force expert, will testify today. Yesterday we heard testimony from the first defense witnesses - a 911 caller, assault victim & Richmond & Oakland officers who portrayed Spiers as a violent person w/ a history of assault & alleged domestic abuse.

Catch up on yesterday's testimony here: courthousenews.com/witnesses-port…

It's day 6 of the criminal assault trial against @SFPD officer Terrance Stangel, accused of unjustifiably beating Dacari Spiers,a Black man & domestic violence suspect, w/ a baton.

The defense will call its first witnesses today. @CourthouseNews Mercedes Emerson, one of 2 women who called 911 to report domestic violence is the first witness to testify for the defense this morning.

Judge Alsup is holding a hearing this morning in San Francisco on PG&E's criminal probation. He will decide whether to impose new conditions requiring PG&E to hire adequate staff to clear hazard trees and limbs, and to tie executive bonuses exclusively to safety. @CourthouseNews @CourthouseNews "Can you imagine this wonderful state, the fifth largest economy in the world, is in the position where we cannot safely deliver power during windstorms," -- Judge Alsup on PG&E's widespread power shutoffs to prevent wildfires during wind storms.

In SF Superior Court this morning, waiting to find out if open statements will start in the @SutterHealth #antitrust trial. California AG Becerra sued Northern CA's largest healthcare provider last year, claiming it drives up costs for patients & insurers. courthousenews.com/california-cal… @SutterHealth The judge just announced a settlement in principal in Sutter health antitrust case. there will be no jury trial, unless the class action settlement fails to get approval. Approval hearing expected in February or March 2020. @CourthouseNews

In court this morning covering the government's motion to swat down a lawsuit claiming the NSA's bulk collection of Americans' phone & internet data violates the law. @CourthouseNews The gov't claims the plaintiffs lack standing to sue because they can't specifically prove that their personal data was collected. The plaintiffs say they have documents showing the gov't ordered phone companies to share American's personal data.