The stakes are high. Thea Brenda Hopkins has been released on bail, free to circulate in public while awaiting two critical proceedings: a diversion hearing scheduled for Jan.12 and a criminal trial set for Jan. 19. Hopkins is connected to two separate incidents involving Asian elders: one resulting in the shoving death of a woman in July 2024, and another leading to charges of assault and elder abuse in March 2025.
Hopkins has already failed to appear at two prior hearings, and her case has been stalled seven times in less than six months
Members of the Asian American community (e.g., Stop Crime Court Watch, Chinatown Volunteer Coalition, Chinatown Patrol Volunteers, and activist Forrest Liu) showed up in court yesterday to advocate for Asian victims, while monitoring judicial discretion. The diversion hearing has already been rescheduled twice under Judge Michael Begert and Public Defender Mano Raju’s team — once on Dec. 4 and yesterday, Dec. 15.
Hopkins has already failed to appear at two prior hearings, and her case has been stalled seven times in less than six months. These delays can be attributed to defense maneuvers and judicial leniency. On Dec. 15, Judge Begert granted a postponement of the diversion hearing to allow defense counsel additional time to prepare a treatment plan premised on a clinical diagnosis under the DSM-5. The specific disorder has not been disclosed to the court, though “Substance Use Disorder” is frequently invoked in these types of diversion petitions. If Judge Begert determines that the diversion diagnosis and treatment plan are acceptable at the Jan. 12 diversion hearing, the criminal court hearing on Jan. 19 will be suspended.
In our multipart series on diversion, diversion results in higher recidivism rates among perpetrators in the program. In fact, diversion participants commit an “alarming number of new offenses” while enrolled in diversion programs. Judicial permissiveness regarding court delays, leniency, and diversion hearings effectively prioritizes procedural maneuvering over community safety.