A San Francisco public defender could face sanctions after portraying a domestic violence victim as a “Fatal Attraction”-style woman “obsessed” with her abuser and even inviting jurors for drinks to gain their sympathy to win.
Jordana Cahen was hospitalized and required surgery after her abusive boyfriend Antonio Gamero attacked her in 2022, breaking her nose, fracturing her eye socket and leaving her with cuts and bruises all over her body.
Gamero was found guilty of torture, domestic violence, assault and false imprisonment and is currently serving a prison sentence of seven years to life.
Cahen has now said that Deputy District Attorney Ilona Yanez tried to shift the blame for the attack onto her during the trial, telling ABC7, “I was constantly bombarded with the question: why did you stay, why didn’t you leave ?’
Court transcripts show Yanez told jurors, “She is obsessed with Antonio. So this is not the story of the poor, vulnerable, abused woman over and over again. This is more fatal attraction. This is a woman who couldn’t let go.’
Now San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins is considering seeking sanctions against Yanez for what she called “deeply disturbing and inappropriate” behavior.
Antonio Gamero attacked Jordana Cahen in 2022, breaking her nose and eye socket and leaving her with cuts and bruises all over her body
She was hospitalized after the attack and required surgery to address persistent asymmetry in her face
Now, Deputy Public Defender Ilona Yanez could face sanctions related to her conduct during Antonio Gamero’s trial
Yanez took jurors out for drinks and told them Cahen was ‘obsessed’ with her abusive boyfriend
Jenkins is concerned about four incidents that could warrant sanctions.
On the day the judge dismissed the jury, Yanez bought drinks for several jurors at a bar near the courthouse. One juror said he was “uncomfortable” with what “seemed like victim blaming” by Yanez.
The juror said Yanez told them that Gamero would “expect a life sentence” because of their verdict, prompting three other jurors to write emails to the judge asking him to be lenient in sentencing.
One email, seen by ABC7, read: “Mr. Gamero deserves a second chance.”
Jenkins told ABC7, “If you’re buying them things, even a drink to possibly convince them to help with your sentencing argument, that’s also very disturbing and inappropriate.”
She added: “This behavior is inappropriate under our ethics rules. We should not share information with jurors post-conviction that they were not entitled to during the trial itself.”
But Ilona Yanez’s boss, Mano Raju, told ABC7: ‘It is very common for lawyers to speak to jurors after a verdict to gather feedback on the trial.
“Jurors asked her what Mr. Gamero’s punishment might be, and she told them.”
The attack came out of the blue after they had enjoyed a nice meal with her parents and grandmother
Jordana Cahen with her abusive ex-boyfriend Antonio Gamero
Gamero is now serving seven years to life in prison for the attack
In another incident, in her final remarks on the day of the sentencing, Yanez burst into tears and sobbed so loudly that it was difficult to hear her.
She cried during her remarks, saying “his life is worth more (crying) than what we throw away every day.”
Judge Cordell said the “sobbing and crying in the courtroom” raises “questions of competency.”
They added: ‘When you’re so enmeshed with the client, you can’t adequately represent your client, you just can’t do it, you have to have boundaries, you have to draw that line.’
Raju’s office told ABC7, “Ms. Yañez has served her client impeccably throughout this entire case, and to criticize her for showing emotion and caring about her client is insulting and sexist.”
After the attack, she was covered in bruises and cuts
Police bodycam footage shows the moment they found Cahen bleeding after the attack
Bodycam footage shows Gamero lied to police after a teenage girl witnessed the attack and called 911
Then another incident occurred when Cahen filed an $8,000 complaint with the court against Gamero for back rent and other money he owed.
Yanez got involved and started emailing Cahen about it.
Retired Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Ladoris Cordell said this was “inappropriate” because it “brings her into contact with the victim, who is traumatized by the person she represents.”
She added, “You don’t want to cross those lines and boundaries.”
In the latest incident, Cahen said Yanez cold-called her at work, despite her saying she only wanted to communicate by email.
Cahen said Yanez “tried to make me feel sorry for him” and said he had a “messed up childhood” and “said he was sorry.”
David Yosifon, a legal ethics expert from Santa Clara University School of Law, told ABC7 this was “unethical” and a “violation” because it was “in direct conflict with the victim’s expressed wishes regarding contact.” ‘
Now, Jordana is raising awareness to help other women in abusive relationships and to draw attention to the way she says Yanez treated her
San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins is concerned about Yanez’s treatment of Jordana and is considering whether to face sanctions against her
Despite her methods, Yanez actually missed an opportunity to give him a lesser sentence than what he ultimately faced.
She rejected a plea deal that would have given him six years in prison, instead giving him seven years to life.
Now San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins is deciding what to do next and whether sanctions should be taken against Yanez.
She told ABC7, “It’s something we’re taking very seriously about what our next steps might be.”
DailyMail.com contacted Yanez for comment.