James Durgin, whose sordid and storied past was chronicled in the NBC Bay Area docuseries 'Saving San Francisco,' is expected to be released from jail on Friday, according to the San Francisco District Attorney's Office.
Durgin, 54, has been in jail since Feb.15, awaiting trail for violating the terms of his probation that were put in place after he allegedly attacked an elderly man in San Francisco. As part of a plea deal struck on August 4, 2022, Durgin was required to spend a year in rehab after allegedly beating a 75-year-old man a year prior. Leading up to the altercation, Durgin was caught on surveillance video apparently trying to break into the elderly man's building. Moments later, security footage also captured the man using a hose to soak Durgin and his belongings.
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Ultimately, Durgin pled guilty to second-degree burglary and misdemeanor counts of making criminal threats and committing vandalism. Durgin, who suffers from drug addiction and mental health issues, also committed to enrolling in a residential treatment facility as part of that plea agreement.
Much of the time Durgin has spent in jail over the past two decades has stemmed from abandoning court-mandated rehab. Over the years, the court has ordered Durgin to undergo at least a dozen mental health evaluations. According to federal criminal records, Durgin was diagnosed with schizophrenia and has undergone repeated treatment for an addiction to drugs, including methamphetamine.
In November of last year, Durgin, once again, walked out of rehab -- just three months into the year-long program. He was arrested three months later and has remained in jail ever since. Hearings relating to his case have been repeatedly postponed over the past few months, in part, because of the court's attempts to find another rehab spot for Durgin.
Homeless suffering from addiction, mental health issues struggle to find care
There are roughly 19,000 homeless people in San Francisco and nearly half struggle with substance abuse or "serious mental health disorders," according to the city's department of public health. That means more than 8,700 homeless are in need of treatment, which is more than three times the number of residential treatment beds available. San Francisco only has 2,550 residential beds offering treatment for addiction and mental health issues.
I don't believe we can make a complete turnaround without the resources that we need to do that.
San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins on lack of mental health treatment beds
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"I certainly believe that is a significant challenge for us," said San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins. "I don't believe we can make a complete turnaround without the resources that we need to do that."
The court's efforts to enroll Durgin in yet another treatment program, however, now appear moot as a judge is expected to grant Durgin's release on Friday in light of the fact Durgin has already served the maximum amount of jail time required for violating the terms of his probation. A judge was expected to grant Durgin's release last week, but Durgin refused to come to court, which delayed the proceeding.
James Durgin's Sordid and Storied Past
Durgin’s complicated and troubled past is chronicled in "Saving San Francisco," a six-part streaming series that examines the dark side of one of the wealthiest and most progressive cities in America. As part of the docuseries, the NBC Bay Area Investigative Unit traveled to Durgin’s hometown of Duxbury, Massachusetts to learn how a well-liked and charismatic man became caught up in drugs, and homelessness, and crime.
Durgin, a former fitness instructor and private school teacher, has been arrested in San Francisco more than 60 times over the past two decades, according to law enforcement sources. His hundreds of pages of criminal records, obtained by the Investigative Unit, reveal convictions relating to drug use and violence. Over the years, he has repeatedly been wanted by police after walking out of court-mandated rehab. Earlier this year, while on the run from law enforcement, Durgin was spotted, in the middle of the day, strolling the streets of San Francisco's Lower Pacific Heights neighborhood in the nude.
Neither Durgin nor his newest public defender, Jack Lamar, would comment on this story, however, in a jail-house interview in late 2021, Durgin denied accusations he poses a threat to anyone.
I'm not a hurtful person, I'm not a horrible person.
James Durgin during a jail-house interview in Dec. 2021
"I don't understand what it is to be guilty of this stuff," Durgin said. "I'm not a hurtful person, I'm not a horrible person."
Records obtained by the Investigative Unit indicate at least 17 restraining orders have been filed against Durgin, including from four churches and Ann Rea, a resident of San Francisco's scenic Presidio neighborhood, who has repeatedly accused Durgin of stalking her, even showing up to her home naked in the middle of the night.
"The system is so broken and no one actually understands how severely broken it is," Rea said. "I don't know how bad it's going to have to get before someone finds the political will to make a change."
'Saving San Francisco' is currently streaming on Peacock, Roku, Samsung TV Plus, and Amazon Fire TV.
The series is also available at NBCBayArea.com/SavingSanFrancisco.
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