Citing possible suspect identification issues, San Francisco's Public Defender Jeff Adachi assisted the man accused of stabbing a California Highway Patrol officer register a plea of not guilty Tuesday, as a crowd of the injured man's colleagues looked on.

As previously reported, 45-year-old transient Noel Corpuz was arrested last Tuesday after allegedly stabbing CHP Officer Andre Sirenko in the neck during an altercation at a SoMa on-ramp to I-80.

In the days following Corpuz's arrest, Adachi first noted that the officer's stabbing, which took place near a homeless encampment, "came at a time of high 'tension' between homeless people and the community," focusing especially on SF's mile-long tent city and Mayor Lee's controversial remarks saying homeless people would "have to leave" for San Francisco's Super Bowl events.

The stabbing, Adachi said, also came at "a time when the city is particularly challenged in how to respond to homelessness."

Though the San Francisco District Attorney's counters that by saying that numerous homeless people have cooperated with police as they investigated Sirenko's stabbing, Adachi told the Ex Tuesday that “There’s a list of questions about who did what when,” and that he, too, will be reviewing those interviews with the homeless people witnesses as he prepares Corpuz's defense.

According to Bay City News, "Corpuz, a slightly built Tagalog speaker" — a translator will attend future hearings, the Ex notes — "who he said was originally from Hawaii, had 'no history of violence,' Adachi says."

"Questions remain," BCN reports, "about the identification of the suspect in the attack and about exactly what happened on the on-ramp."

After all, Adachi says, "A person doesn’t just wake up in the morning and decide to assault an officer."

In court Tuesday, Corpuz pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder, assault on a police officer with force likely to cause great bodily injury and several felony counts for resisting arrest. He was joined in the courtroom by a large crowd of CHP officers, the Ex reports, as well as CHP regional commander Capt. Christopher Sherry.

“They call this the Hall of Justice and we’re here to see justice served," Sherry told the Ex.

According to Sherry, Sirenko was released from San Francisco General Hospital on Monday night, and is recovering well at home.

“The officer wants to come back to work and he’s just overwhelmed with all the thanks and social media support” Sherry said outside the courtroom, but "we don’t know the long term effects of the injuries.”

“We’re just grateful that the injuries were not more severe."

Corpuz remains in San Francisco County Jail on $5 million bail. He's expected to return to court on February 24 for a bail hearing, at which time Adachi says he will argue to have Corpuz's bond amount be lowered.

Previously: CHP Officer In Stable Condition Following Stabbing Near SoMa Homeless Camp
Public Defender Links Super Bowl Tensions With Homeless To CHP Stabbing