Attorney and intern face murder case in fatal messenger bag dispute; counsel cites self-defense
A San Francisco tenants right attorney and an intern who were charged with murder following a fatal confrontation over a messenger bag earlier this month are claiming self-defense.
The two had gone out with co-workers to celebrate the conclusion of 21-year-old Pascal Krummenacher’s internship. He and Eviction Defense Collaborative staff attorney Carlos Argueta, 31, can be seen leaving a bar on Sept. 3 on a surveillance video, reports the San Francisco Chronicle.
Defense attorney Lewis Romero, who represents Krummenacher, says his client is wearing a backpack and Argueta has a messenger bag. Four men then accost them, the footage shows, knocking the intern’s glasses off and shoving Argueta against a car and striking him with an unknown weapon, according to Romero.
Somehow, the two manage to proceed, with Krummenacher now holding the messenger bag. Video shows the four men surround Argueta, armed with a bat, a cane and a skateboard, Romero says. It appears that Argueta twice stabs James Thomas, 61, while Krummenacher is some distance away, the defense attorney continues.
“The law is clear, if you are under threat of a deadly weapon, you can use deadly force to defend yourself,” Romero said. He also said that Krummenacher “never used force against anyone.”
Prosecutors see the case differently, claiming that the two defendants stole the messenger bag and charging them with robbery and possession of stolen property as well as the murder of Thomas. They declined to discuss the case with the newspaper.
Romero said he believes the messenger bag belonged to Argueta.
Argueta remains in jail but Krummenacher has been freed on $1 million bail. A court hearing is scheduled Friday.
