Bend men no longer to testify against Calif. officer
We broke the story back in September: Sgt. Michael Tribble, an off-duty Vallejo, California police officer, pulled a gun during a dispute in downtown Bend.
Now, a young California woman claims she was tased and beaten by several officers, including Tribble. She was facing charges of resisting arrest. To support her case and testify against Tribble, her lawyer planned to fly two Bend men to California to recount what happened here.
Stuart Epps of Bend was involved in the incident in Bend and was planning on flying to California to testify against Tribble.
“It’s going to happen again,” Epps said. “This guy needs to be stopped.”
On Friday, however, a judge dismissed all charges against the young California woman.
On Sept.30, Epps and his friends were out in downtown Bend to celebrate a birthday when a fight broke out. Epps’ friend, Dustin Pomeroy, watched the whole thing unfold.
“They (Tribble and his friend) just kept punching him in the head, kept punching him in the face,” Pomeroy said.
In the middle of the fight, Tribble pulled his gun.
Epps later said, “I got pummeled to the ground, chocked to unconsciousness, with Officer Tribble pointing a pistol at my face.”
Pomeroy said, “All of a sudden, he pointed the gun at me. I was just like, ‘Oh my God.’ I put my hands up (and said), ‘I don’t want no problems, man.'”
After an investigation by the Bend Police Department, then-Deschutes County District Attorney Patrick Flaherty decided not to file charges in the matter.
It was not the first time Tribble was accused of using excessive force and police brutality.
In 2010, Tribble was involved in a deadly shooting, which was ruled justifiable homicide.
Last August, Tribble responded to a 911 call. According to Solano County defense attorney Laura Petty, her client, a woman in her 20s, was tased and brutally beaten by several officers, including Tribble.
Hearing of that, Epps said, “I’m not surprised, honestly. It’s not necessarily about me,” Epps said. “It’s about not letting this happen again. Especially from this person.”
