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Contact:  Officer Joe Okies  #71

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Second Suspect in Berkeley Knife Attack Makes First Court Appearance

  Berkeley, California (Thursday April 7, 2005) – On Wednesday, March 16, a 75-year-old woman had her throat slashed as she walked with her husband near the Berkeley Rose Gardens located on the 1200 block of Euclid. One suspect attacked the victim, while another helped the suspect flee the scene in a vehicle.

On Friday March 18^th the Alameda County Sheriff’s Department assisted Berkeley Police Investigators in arresting the sixteen-year old suspect for attempted homicide, however our investigation continued after the initial arrest.

The suspect vehicle was located and the outstanding suspect who helped the suspect flee, was  identified as Hamaseh Kianfar.  As the investigation proceeded the detectives were able to issue an arrest warrant for Kianfar for her role as  an accessory to attempted  murder after the fact.  Earlier today Kianfar made a court appearance in Alameda County Municipal Court where she was arraigned and charged.

Sgt. Howard Nonoguchi of the Berkeley Police Department’s Homicide Detail said, “ Kianfar’s arrest marks the end of an intensive investigation.  I am happy to report that through our methodical and systematic investigation we were able to collect enough definitive evidence to arrest the two persons involved in this disturbing crime.”