Dad has shaky past

Greer currently faces child endangerment charges after his young child was brought to a local emergency room with brain and rib injuries. Prosecutors are awaiting medical test results to determine the extent of the baby's neurological damage and the exact reason why he was harmed in the first place. Those answers are still weeks away although they are expected by the time Greer has his Jan. 28 preliminary hearing on the charge.

Greer's case has raised some alarm because of a previous baby who died at the hands of his father two years ago and because he has documented contact with CPS in the past. Those two cases involved minor bruising and malnourishment. While neither necessarily boded for what would happen most recently, the baby boy was a mere seven pounds when brought to the hospital - considerably underweight for an infant his age.

When Greer and his wife brought the baby to the hospital Nov. 11, he said the baby wiggled out of his car seat and fell. Greer ultimately admitted he dropped the baby on the floor from shoulder height but did not call for help until his wife and in-laws arrived at home. The baby underwent emergency brain surgery.

Greer's actions prior to turning 18 are not admissible in court and have no bearing on any pending criminal charges. They can, though, be used by a judge to help determine a sentence if he is ultimately convicted, said Chief Deputy District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe.

Juvenile offenders are often rehabilitated, but Wagstaffe estimates roughly 90 percent of people traveling through the adult criminal courts have some mark on their juvenile records. Greer is among them.

In 2001, Greer's mother, Miranda, began publicizing his troubles with the law because she believed the then-16 year old was unfairly targeted by the administration of Aragon High School.

According to Miranda Greer then, her son was restrained by six Aragon High teachers after a large-scale fight and eventually expelled from the school. The following spring he moved to Hillsdale High School but a series of incidents led to his arrest on charges of false imprisonment, battery and assault with a deadly weapon. In another case, he reportedly grabbed a girl while rough housing and her pants fell down. He was slapped with sexual harassment charges.

Miranda Greer told the Daily Journal in May 2001 Aragon teachers assaulted her son during the fight, leaving him with facial injuries. Juvenile records are sealed from the public but Greer was eventually convicted on the felony charges, said a source close to the juvenile court.

After her son was incarcerated at Hillcrest Juvenile Facility, Miranda Greer became an outspoken activist in the county against the juvenile justice system and alleged racial disparities among treatment of juvenile suspects.

Christopher Greer remains in custody on no-bail status.

Michelle Durand can be reached by e-mail: michelle@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 104. What do you think of this story? Send a letter to the editor: letters@smdailyjournal.com.