Justice for Kevin Epps, San Francisco’s Native Son

November 13, 2025

Kevin Epps, an award-winning documentary filmmaker and executive editor of the San Francisco Bay View newspaper, is currently standing trial for a 2016 shooting death that occurred when a methamphetamine-intoxicated registered sex offender broke into his home. Although prosecutors initially declined to press charges due to insufficient evidence supporting self-defense, they revived the case three years later using 3D animations from a contractor whose work had been discredited in other high-profile cases. The defense successfully blocked these animations from being admitted as trial evidence, but the damage was already done since they enabled prosecutors to reopen the case.

Who is affected

Kevin Epps (filmmaker, journalist, father, and defendant)
Epps's daughter Kamia and son Kamari
Marcus Polk (the deceased intruder, described as a registered sex offender)
The San Francisco Bay View newspaper staff and young writers/artists Epps mentors
Bayview Hunters Point community residents
Assistant District Attorney Jonathan Schmidt and the San Francisco DA's office

What action is being taken

Kevin Epps is standing trial for murder in San Francisco Superior Court, with the trial having started on Monday (as of the article's November 13, 2025 publication date).

Why it matters

This case exemplifies how race-neutral policies applied against a background of structural injustice can disproportionately impact marginalized communities, undermining the legitimacy of prosecutorial decisions. The prosecution relies on evidence from a discredited forensics contractor whose animations have been found inadmissible in other jurisdictions, raising questions about prosecutorial standards and selective enforcement. California's Castle Doctrine provides legal protections for homeowners defending themselves against intruders, yet those protections appear to be applied inequitably based on race and socioeconomic status, with Black residents from disadvantaged neighborhoods like Bayview Hunters Point facing harsher scrutiny than wealthy white residents would likely encounter in comparable situations.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: San Francisco Bay View National Black Newspaper