No Retrial For Ex-Sonoma Co. Sheriff's Deputy Accused Of Assault

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — The Sonoma County District Attorney's Office has decided not to retry a former county sheriff's deputy who was accused of assaulting a Sonoma Valley man in his home during an arrest in 2016. A mistrial was declared last week when the jury was deadlocked 8-4 in favor of acquitting Scott Thorne, 41, of a felony charge of assault without lawful necessity by a public officer in Boyes Hot Springs on Sept. 24, 2016.

Three deputies responded to a domestic dispute at the home of Fernando Del Valle and his wife. A video from a deputy's body camera showed Thorne kicking open a bedroom door, striking Del Valle with a baton and
shooting him twice with a Taser stun gun when Del Valle, 37, refused to get out of bed.

Thorne was fired and the district attorney's office did not file charges against Del Valle.

Deputy District Attorney Robert Waner told the jury Thorne lacked patience and restraint and used unnecessary force. Thorne's attorney Chris Andrian argued Del Vale was actively resisting arrest and Thorne responded as he was trained.

Jurors said their deliberations were heated and emotional from the beginning and they couldn't agree whether the assault was justified.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Brian Staebell said the jury was very split.

"We talked to them afterward to see if there was something we may have missed that would have helped them and there was not," Staebell said.

"We put on all the evidence that existed in this case and we believe the jury was engaged and worked hard to review it. We concluded they were not going to find him guilty. We respect the jury's decision," Staebell said.

Andrian said this morning he does not believe there would be a different outcome after another trial in light of the current national polarization of opinion regarding police use of force.

Andrian said the prosecution made a smart decision not to retry Thorne.

"They knew there was no chance for a conviction," he said.

"This is a polarizing issue and there are different points of view. This was not the right forum. It would be very difficult to obtain a conviction," Andrian said.

PREVIOUS:

• Trial Begins For Sonoma Sheriff's Deputy Charged With Assault
• Deputy No Longer Employed After Excessive Force Used In Domestic Dispute
• Ex Sonoma County Deputy Pleads Not Guilty To Assault

By Bay City News Service

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