San Francisco Assistant DA Arrested Over Alleged Domestic Violence Spat

A San Francisco assistant district attorney was arrested in connection with an alleged domestic violence incident over the weekend, prosecutors said.

District attorney's office spokesman Omid Talai said the attorney involved is Assistant District Attorney Sanaz Nikaein, but he did not have details on the case.

The case was immediately handed over to the state attorney general's office to avoid a conflict of interest, Talai said.

Nikaein has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the attorney general's investigation, Talai said.

She has handled high-profile cases for the district attorney's office, including the case of Randal Dunklin, a wheelchair-bound man who was accused of stabbing a San Francisco police officer before being shot by officers in January 2011.

Dunklin was found not guilty in November of assaulting a police officer, but was convicted of vandalism and brandishing a knife. Jurors deadlocked on other charges.