RICHMOND, Calif. (KRON) – The attorney representing Richmond Police Chief Bisa French and her husband says the abuse accusations made against them by their daughter are false.
He describes the couple as two caring parents simply trying to rehabilitate their daughter who the attorney says was turned into a prostitute by her boyfriend.
“He’s not just a bad person — He’s a very bad person, and he should be off the streets, and never be able to do this to another young woman again,” Mike Rains said.
Attorney Mike Rains describes 33-year-old Joe Goldman, the boyfriend of Chief French’s 18-year-old daughter.
Rains represents Chief French and her husband Lee French, who is a sergeant with the Oakland Police Department.
Both are currently on administrative leave, while under investigation for allegedly abusing their daughter and making death threats to Goldman and his mother in an attempt to break their daughter free from Goldman.
“He can turn what was at a 17-year-old outstanding scholar-student, straight-A student, a magna cum laude graduate from high school. Can turn her into a street prostitute in a matter of months,” Rains said.
Earlier this week, Goldman was arrested and charged with felony pimping.
He has been convicted of human trafficking in the past.
In court documents, the French’s daughter says her parents made her bleed in an attempt to stage an intervention at their Richmond home last month.
Before allegedly making death threats at Golman’s mother’s home in Solano County the next day. Rains disputes that.
“That’s idiotic. It’s absolutely not true. It was no doubt a product of Mr. Goldman, or whatever name he wants to go by on any given day. But he’s the one we suspect who wrote all this,” Rains said.
Rains says his clients are expected to meet with investigators next week and provide their own statements.