The stabbing of a 94-year-old Asian woman in San Francisco's Tenderloin made many headlines when it occurred in June 2021, and that was in a year when there were many high-profile acts of violence committed against Asian seniors in particular.

But the case of the stabbing of Anh "Peng" Taylor inspired particular ire in San Francisco, some of which was directed at then-District Attorney Chesa Boudin. Boudin tried to make clear at the time, to SFist and others, that the perpetrator, Daniel Cauich, would have still been behind bars at the time the stabbing occurred if he had had his way, and if a judge had not released him to a treatment program.

Now, Cauich is back in the news as, just last week, SF Superior Court Judge Kay Tsenin sentenced him only to probation. Judge Tsenin tried to emphasize that Cauich should remain under intense supervision, and should undergo strict behavioral and mental health treatment programs.

This sentence came three years after Cauich's arrest on charges of attempted murder, battery causing serious bodily injury, and elder abuse.

At the time of the stabbing, reportedly, Cauich may have been under the influence of drugs, and his defense attorney says that he suffers from mental illness. The attorney, Lisa DewBerry, said last week that her client "cried" when he was later told what he had done to Ms. Taylor.

Protesters and supporters of Taylor, though, don't feel that victim was given justice in this case. They gathered on the steps of the Hall of Justice Friday morning with signs saying "Stop Asian Hate" and "Oust Lenient Judges."

At one point, there were even heated exchanges between the protesters and some counterprotesters — mostly defense attorneys — one of whom held a sign saying "Jenkins, Prosecute Threats Against Judges."

Multiple candidates for local office, including mayoral candidates Daniel Lurie and Bilal Mahmood, and supervisoral candidate Danny Sauter, posted photos at the rally.

District Attorney Brooke Jenkins, who is also up for reelection this year, spoke at the rally, saying, "We want to make sure that our Asian seniors have the ability to walk down the street safely in our city. If there is no accountability for the people who attack them, if we don’t have adequate consequences for that behavior, it will continue."

Cauich was a known serial burglar, along with his brother Header Cauich, and at the time of the June 2021 stabbing he had only been out of jail on supervised release for two months, and was on felony probation stemming from an earlier burglary. In May, less than a month before the stabbing of Taylor, Cauich was arrested again on burglary charges, and was awaiting trial with an ankle monitor, under orders to attend a Spanish-speaking substance-abuse treatment program.

Cauich and his brother were both jailed for three years, between 2016 and 2019, in connection with a 2016 murder. They were ultimately released on a technicality — they were not properly Mirandized in Spanish at the time of their arrest — and for lack of evidence. A third man, Jose Poot, is still awaiting trial for the crime, as far as we know.

As the Chronicle reports, Cauich and his attorney, DewBerry, offered a plea deal of a 10-year suspended sentence, which Judge Tsenin accepted last week. Cauich was sentenced to five years supervised probation, and he will not have to serve any of his jail sentence if he abides by the terms of his probation, which will be laid out at a hearing in mid-April.

In exchange, Cauich pleaded guilty to the attempted murder charge, and charges of elder abuse and assault with a deadly weapon.

Taylor, who is now 97, is reportedly living in an assisted living facility now, after her family observed her decline following the stabbing.

Previously: Probation for Perpetrator in High-Profile Stabbing of Elderly Woman Sparks Controversy

Photo via Daniel Lurie/X