Attempted manslaughter for shooting someone? Absurd!
Marin County District Attorney Ed Berberian is currently engaged in an unseemly vendetta against well-respected Novato physician Dr. James Simon.
It all began on July 17, 2014 with a road rage incident in Corte Madera. This was not a case of two well-heeled members of the community behaving badly, as some believe. In actuality, Mr. William Osenton, a member of Saint Hilary’s Church in Tiburon and a retired mortgage broker, was the sole instigator of the conflict. Osenton was stopped at a green light; then, because Dr. Simon elected to drive around his car,
Osenton flew into a rage and pursued Dr. Simon all the way to Dr. Simon’s home on Paradise Drive, where Osenton jammed his Mercedes under the garage door before it could close!
It seemed apparent that Mr. Osenton intended to beat the living daylights out of (perhaps murder) Dr. Simon.
Dr. Simon certainly felt threatened, because he retrieved a gun (licensed and registered) and shot the aggressor. Mr. Osenton survived, but has forgotten about the events of that day.
Superior Court Judge Kelly Simmons subsequently ruled that Dr. Simon would not have to stand trial, because he acted in self-defense and in defense of his family. However, misguided and overzealous District
Attorney Ed Berberian chose to disregard the judge, and took the matter to the Grand Jury, where Dr. Simon was indicted on attempted manslaughter.
This is absurd! Mr. Osenton is the person who committed the crime in the first place, by going crazy and acting out violently over an imagined insult. For those of us who wish to support Dr. Simon and prevent an injustice, please refer to friendsofjimmysimon.org.
Nadia Silvershine, San Rafael
