Sept. 10, 2011 | An Alameda County Superior Court judge dismissed a request for a restraining order made by a woman who levied allegations of domestic violence against him last March. The move paves the way for the petitioner to file a civil suit against Young as early as next week.

Judge Morris Jacobsen dismissed the request with prejudice in an order handed down last Wednesday morning after attempts at settling the complaint out of court failed. Jacobsen is the Superior Court judge who gained local attention for issuing a change in venue order in the Johannes Mehserle murder trial last year.

Young, who is hoping to replace the termed-out Sandre Swanson in the new 18th assembly district, says he will no longer pursue his own pending request for a restraining order against his accuser. Instead, Young says he will focus his attention on winning the seat next year. Alameda Councilman Rob Bonta, Peralta Community College Trustee Abel Guillen and Kathy Neal are also vying for the seat which represents Alameda, San Leandro and a swath of Oakland.

Despite the ruling, there is still lingering doubt over exactly what occurred during the early morning hours of March 7 when a woman who believed she was in an exclusive relationship with Young found the 34-year-old public official naked in bed with another woman. She alleges Young struck the side of her head in addition to repeatedly slamming her head into the bed. She says during the attack Young also pulled two chunks of flowing locks from her head. Young denies all the allegations.

Young has told many of his supporters the woman’s credibility is at issue and that it was him who was actually attack that morning. The situation appears to have done little to dissuade supporters from writing checks to his campaign, at least, until now. As of August, he easily led all candidates with over $130,000 in his war chest.

Whispers from numerous East Bay operatives say Swanson, who is eyeing a possible campaign for the State Senate, has tempered his own support for Young in recent weeks.

Advertisement