Ross Mirkarimi Says Son Suffered Stress-Related Rashes from Separation

Peter Jamison

Mirkarimi in court

​Embattled Sheriff Ross Mikarimi appeared in court this afternoon, where a judge was supposed to decide whether a neighbor's testimony about alleged domestic violence between the sheriff and his wife was nothing but hearsay.

But after a five-minute hearing, the judge decided against making any decisions on the neighbor's testimony, because she would not be presiding over his trial, which is set to begin on Friday.

 However, prosecutors subpoenaed phone records and other documents from the Portola Hotel and Spa that they hope to use to bolster their case. Mirkarimi has been charged with three misdemeanor counts, including battery, child endangerment, and dissuading a witness. He was arrested in January on suspicion of physically abusing his wife, Eliana Lopez, during a New Year's Eve dispute.

Before the hearing, Mirkarimi talked to reporters outside the courthouse, detailing his limited outings with his 2-year-old son, Theo, whom he was barred from seeing until earlier this month when a judge granted the newly minted sheriff two-hour daily visits with him.

He took Theo to Crissy Field and the San Francisco Zoo. "He's my BFF and I'm his," Mirkarimi explained.

Mirkarimi also told reporters that Theo has suffered "stress-related" rashes all over his body from separation -- rashes that have disappeared, now that the father and son are spending time together.

"[I'm] hoping this ends soon so we can get back to a sense of normalcy," he added.

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