Santana Row attack suspects arraigned, no hate charges

Santa Clara County prosecutors brought three men into court this week over the March 8 beating of two Israeli American men outside a Santana Row restaurant in San Jose, but did not add hate-crime allegations to the case. The defendants — Bruneil Henry Chamaki, 32, of Morgan Hill, Roma Akoyans, 20, and Ramon Akoyans, 18, both of San Jose — were formally charged in Santa Clara County Superior Court after surrendering to police in March. The charges include felony assault, and Chamaki also faces a misdemeanor battery count, according to the district attorney’s office. (da.santaclaracounty.gov) Prosecutors said the case remains under investigation as they continue to review evidence with San Jose police. ### Who are the defendants and what are they charged with? Bruneil Henry Chamaki, Roma Akoyans and Ramon Akoyans were named by the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office on March 16 when prosecutors announced felony and misdemeanor charges tied to the attack. The office said the assault happened in broad daylight at Santana Row on March 8 and described the case as a violent public beating involving strangers. The filed charges do not include hate-crime enhancements. District Attorney Jeff Rosen said in the March 16 release that the office was working with the San Jose Police Department to review new information and that the investigation remained active. “We won’t tolerate pummeling a victim on the ground in front of a restaurant or anywhere,” Rosen said in the statement. (da.santaclaracounty.gov) ### Why did this case draw so much attention? March 8 became a flashpoint because videos recorded by bystanders circulated online and the victims said antisemitic language was used during the confrontation. Local and national coverage identified the two men as Israeli Americans and reported that the altercation began outside Augustine restaurant at Santana Row, a high-profile shopping and dining district in San Jose. (da.santaclaracounty.gov) San Jose police had earlier described the case as a possible hate crime, and public attention grew as Jewish community members and other residents pressed for arrests and a charging decision. (da.santaclaracounty.gov) NBC Bay Area and ABC7 reported in March that investigators were treating the incident as potentially antisemitic while the district attorney’s office reviewed the evidence. ### Why are there no hate-crime charges right now? The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office said only that “these charges do not reflect allegations of a hate crime at this time.” Prosecutors did not say in their March 16 release that the hate-crime question had been closed; they said instead that the matter remained an active investigation. (sfgate.com) SFGATE reported this week that the suspects were accused of using antisemitic language during the altercation, but prosecutors still declined to file hate-crime counts at arraignment. That leaves the current case centered on assault and battery allegations while investigators continue examining motive and other evidence. (nbcbayarea.com) That final point is an inference from the charging posture and the district attorney’s statement that the investigation is ongoing. ### What happened at the arraignment itself? Santa Clara County Superior Court heard the case this week at the Hall of Justice in downtown San Jose. J. Weekly reported that the three defendants appeared side by side in suits and ties with their lawyers as the charges were formally presented in a crowded courtroom that included supporters. (da.santaclaracounty.gov) The district attorney’s office had previously set the arraignment for May 12 at 1:30 p.m. in Department 23 of the Hall of Justice. Court location information published by Santa Clara County Superior Court lists the Hall of Justice at 191 North First Street in San Jose. (sfgate.com) ### What should readers watch next? Department 23 at the Hall of Justice is where prosecutors originally calendared the arraignment, and future hearings in the criminal case should appear through Santa Clara County Superior Court’s public calendar system. The court’s online Hall of Justice criminal portal lists Department 23 among the searchable criminal departments. (jweekly.com) The district attorney’s office has also asked anyone with information about the March 8 attack to contact the San Jose Police Department at 408-277-4161. Any later decision on additional charges, including hate-crime allegations, would come through prosecutors and the court as the investigation continues. (da.santaclaracounty.gov)