We wrote back in January about the case of Vicha “Grandpa Vicha” Ratanapakdee, an 84-year-old Thai man who was walking in his neighborhood one morning in January 2021 when he was viciously pushed to the ground by a man who ran up to him at an accelerated rate of speed. His head hit the pavement, knocking him unconscious. 48 hours later, he passed away.
The incident was caught on video and was one of the many violent crimes against members of the Asian-American community that prompted the Stop Asian Hate campaign.
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The trial began in December 2025 and concluded in January 2026, with the suspect, 24-year-old Antoine Watson, admitting he killed the victim but saying he did it because he felt “judged” and had been having a bad day.
His attorney argued the killing wasn’t intentional and was not a malicious targeting. Prosecutors didn’t pursue hate crime charges but did seek a murder conviction. They didn’t get it. Watson was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and assault.
The family, of course, was devastated. But their pain was only intensified by what happened Thursday:
The man guilty of manslaughter in the 2021 San Francisco death of 84-year-old Vicha Ratanapakdee will go straight to probation without additional jail time, a judge ordered Thursday.
Earlier this year, Antoine Watson was acquitted of murder in the case but found guilty of involuntary manslaughter. On Thursday, he was sentenced to eight years in prison, but the entire sentence was suspended. He got five years’ credit for time served.
[…]The probation also includes weekly therapy sessions and searches of him and his property. Watson is also ordered to stay away from the Ratanapakdee’s family and the area where he was killed.
Prosecutors and the family had asked for nine years, the maximum amount Watson could have served in prison.
Grandpa Vicha’s daughter, Monthanus Ratanapakdee, issued this statement in response:
“Today’s sentence is deeply disappointing,” Ratanapakdee’s daughter, Monthanus Ratanapakee, said in a statement. “An 84-year-old man was killed in a cruel, unprovoked attack, and our family will live with this loss every day. This is not about revenge—it is about accountability. When consequences do not match the harm, it sends the wrong message about protecting our seniors and public safety. We are concerned about what this means for other families.”
Ms. Ratanapakdee, an independent candidate who is running for San Francisco District 2 Supervisor, has also shared additional thoughts about the case on X:
She also talked about the judge in the case, Linda Colfax, in another post:
In the #GrandpaVicha case, the defendant will serve no prison time at this moment. Judge Colfax ruled that public safety and rehabilitation are better served through probation.This reflects a pattern of prior leniency, including earlier juvenile proceedings where probation was also given.Only if probation fails could he serve the full 8 years.Our family and community are devastated.
Here’s the justification Judge Colfax gave:
“I think both Mr. Watson and public safety would be served were Mr. Watson on probation rather than parole,” Colfax said.The judge said that she thought imprisonment would likely have a “poor impact” on Watson, that he’s expressed remorse, that the jury found that Watson was not a danger to society and that he’d be better rehabilitated through probation. “My goal is to do everything within my very limited powers to protect our community from any future violent acts by Mr. Watson” she added.
“If probation is given again, who will be responsible if this happens again? Who will answer if another innocent person is harmed?” Ratanapakdee asked on X in response.
– Stacey Matthews has also written under the pseudonym “Sister Toldjah” and can be reached via X. –
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