A San Francisco jury has found Antoine Watson guilty of manslaughter and assault, rather than murder and elder abuse, in the 2021 killing of 84-year-old Vicha Ratanapakdee. The verdict, delivered five years after the attack that sparked national outrage over anti-Asian violence, has reignited controversy.
Ratanapakdee, a Thai immigrant, was shoved to the ground during a morning walk in the Anza Vista neighbourhood. Security footage showed Watson, then 19, running at the elderly man and pushing him before fleeing. Ratanapakdee died in hospital two days later. The unprovoked attack occurred amid a surge in anti-Asian hate crimes during the pandemic, with San Francisco reporting a 567% increase in such incidents between 2020 and 2021.
Watson denied the attack was racially motivated, claiming he acted impulsively after crashing his car and feeling judged by Ratanapakdee. His defence argued there was no evidence of bias, and the district attorney did not charge a hate crime. However, Ratanapakdee’s family maintain race was a factor. The case became a symbol of the Stop Asian Hate movement, with many Asian elders too afraid to leave their homes.
Watson will return to court on Monday for a hearing on aggravating factors before sentencing. The verdict has drawn mixed reactions, with some expressing sympathy for the family while others argue the political climate shaped public perception of the case.
