He’s Superior Court Judge Garrett Wong, who runs the behavioral and mental health court for the city. Wong was assigned to the case this morning after a lawyer for the sheriff said, without explaining, that she didn’t believe Mirkarami could get an impartial hearing on charges that he abused his wife, Eliana Lopez, before Judge Susan Breall. She has presided over all of the sheriff’s court appearances since he was arraigned in January.Add: Wong is to review several motions by the defense and the prosecution this afternoon, including whether or not an ex-girlfriend of Mirkarimi’s, Christina Flores, will be allowed to testify at the trial. Flores has told police that then-supervisor Mirkarimi shoved her against a wall four years ago.
Noted: The Chronicle’s Vivian Ho says that former Mayor Art Agnos was in court to lend moral support to the sheriff. Mirkarimi has been sleeping in Agnos’ guest room off and on since he was ordered to stay away from his family.
