SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. - The Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office announced Thursday it will retry Tony DeNunzio.
This comes after a jury was unable to reach a verdict earlier this week.
In October 2011, DeNunzio was pulled over and arrested for DUI and
driving with a suspended license, which he pled not guilty. During the
arrest, dash cam video showed DeNunzio in a scuffle with a Santa Barbara police officer.
In the video, an officer is seen punching DeNunzio and allegedly tasering him.
District Attorney Joyce E. Dudley released the following statement Thursday afternoon:
"Although members of our community disagree regarding the events that occurred during the arrest of Mr. DeNunzio--some believing he unlawfully resisted arrest, while others believing he was the victim of excessive force--that issue, although significant in its own right, does not control the issue of whether Mr. DeNunzio was driving under the influence. Clearly, the crime of driving under the influence can destroy lives and those who do drive under the influence should be held accountable. Therefore, given the present state of the evidence in this case, I believe it is our responsibility to re-try this defendant."
