Gascón calls out ‘lying’ Mirkarimi

San Francisco’s new sheriff hasn’t had a great 2012.

Just weeks after being elected, and before even being sworn in, Ross Mirkarimi’s law enforcement career was marred by criminal charges stemming from a New Year’s Eve incident involving him and his wife, Eliana Lopez.

Mirkarimi copped a deal with prosecutors early this week, pleading guilty to false imprisonment to get the other charges dropped.

But not everyone is satisfied with his story. Like District Attorney George Gascón.

In a meeting with the Chron’s editorial board, Gascón slammed Mirkarimi for lying his way through his plea bargain:

“Either he was lying to the court when he said that he was guilty or he’s lying now. There’s really no two ways to look at it.”

Mirkarimi was quoted Monday saying that mounting legal bills of about $125,000, along with the toll that intense media coverage took on his family, was a “considerable factor” in his decision to plead guilty to the lesser charge.

This bothers Gascón.

“We’re not in the custom, not in the habit, of taking a guilty plea from somebody who is not guilty,” Gascón told the Chron.

Mirkarimi’s attorney, Lidia Stiglich, said her client’s admission of guilt should not be questioned.

“There is no dispute here and I would not like to create one,” Stiglich texted the Chron. “He is unconditionally accepting responsibility for the incident and wants to move forward with his family and job.”

Mirkarimi’s punishment for the false imprisonment plea will include a mandatory, year-long domestic violence prevention program, parenting classes, and three years county probation.

Mirkarimi also had to publicly apologize to Ivory Madison, the neighbor who contacted police about the incident.