Judge Ernest Goldsmith agreed to lower bail from $1 million to $200,000 for Taylor Buckley, 18, of San Carlos, who is alleged to have punched Anthony Giraudo, 18, of Redwood City, during an argument outside the stadium at about 9:45 p.m., near the end of a San Francisco Giants game.
Giraudo, a baseball player attending Canada College in Redwood City, reportedly fell and struck his head on the pavement, and died Saturday at San Francisco General Hospital.
Prosecutors contend Buckley struck him once on the side of the face with a closed fist, but did not charge him with murder because the killing was deemed not to have occurred with malice, according to the legal definition of manslaughter.
"A young man, an 18-year-old man, died as a result of violence in this case," Assistant District Attorney George Butterworth said in court this morning, as he and Buckley's attorney Douglas Horngrad debated the bail setting.
Butterworth said Giraudo was "basically, sucker-punched."
Horngrad responded that Giraudo's death was "unintentional," and argued that Buckley, a high school senior who he said works at a milkshake store and hopes to go to college in Arizona, was "remorseful" and "devastated by what happened."
Outside the courtroom, Horngrad labeled the incident a "tragic accident" and indicated that he expects Buckley to enter a not guilty plea when he returns to court June 25.
Horngrad also said he expects Buckley to post bail later today.
Goldsmith today also granted Butterworth's request that Buckley be served with a court order not to consume alcohol.
According to Butterworth, the incident "did indicate (Buckley) had been drinking earlier in the evening." Butterworth said one of the people Buckley had attended the game with had been thrown out of the ballpark earlier for being intoxicated.
If convicted of involuntary manslaughter, Buckley could face up to four years in state prison.
