CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Lake County’s district attorney said Friday that he does not have enough evidence to pursue the prosecution of the suspect in the June death of a Clearlake businessman.
District Attorney Don Anderson said that after six months of investigation, there’s not enough evidence to prove exactly what caused the death of 44-year-old Edward Alden, a popular barber who died June 25 of injuries he sustained days earlier.
Based on the findings of the investigation, review of medical records and interviews with the pathologist, Anderson said he won’t seek prosecution of the chief suspect in the case, Franklin Reed, because the circumstances surrounding Alden’s injuries and actual cause of death cannot be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Complicating the investigation are changing or inconsistent stories from witnesses, Anderson said.
“This is devastating,” said Rochelle Davis, one of Alden’s longtime friends.
Alden’s sister Angela Beatty, who reopened his salon at 14656 Lakeshore Dr., said her family was told Wednesday of the decision.
“None of us are happy,” she said, adding that her mother was “not doing that good” as a result.
Alden’s family said he suffered major head injuries after being assaulted at his W. 40th Avenue home late on the night of June 16, a chronology which differs by less than an hour from that offered by investigators, who believe the fight actually happened shortly after midnight on June 17.
His family has held that Reed attacked Alden and kicked him in the head repeatedly.
Early on the morning of June 17, Alden was found unresponsive in his home by his roommate, Sarah Felder, and flown by air ambulance to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.
He never regained consciousness, and after nine days his family had him removed from life support, as Lake County News reported in an in-depth article on the case earlier this year: http://bit.ly/Rtt2Al .
Anderson’s Friday report said that the investigation revealed that there were several phone calls exchanged between Alden, Reed and a third man, Robert Winter – Alden’s cousin – on the evening of June 16.
There also were several threats made and mutual arrangements to meet and fight, with the report stating that Alden invited Reed and Winter to his home to fight. Anderson said the chronology of events put them at Alden’s home shortly after midnight.
“The accounts of the ensuing fight are conflicting and some witnesses changed their account of the events during the course of the investigation,” Anderson said.
Anderson said it appears that Alden and Reed squared off and began fighting. “The fight appears to be a mutual combat between Alden and Reed.”
Alden was knocked to the ground and may have been kicked while down by either Reed or by Alden’s “girlfriend,” Anderson’s report said.
That female subject is not named, but Alden’s family said Felder had been living at Alden’s home, although they denied the two were romantically involved.
Anderson said the stories from witnesses conflict about whether Alden was knocked unconscious and then drug into the residence by Felder, or whether he walked into the house on his own.
Once he was back inside the house, Alden called another person and related that he was in a fight but was all right. “Alden says he was going to get into the shower and they talk of retaliation,” the report said.
An unconscious Alden is later found by paramedics in the bathtub, with injuries to his head and face, Anderson said. Alden was then transported to the hospital where he was placed on life support and died eight days later.
Anderson said the pathologist who examined Alden’s body suggested that the cause of death might have been caused by the combination of the assault and a high alcohol level.
Alden’s blood alcohol level at the time of the fight was estimated to be .36, Anderson said. However, the pathologist could not testify with certainty to what the actual cause of death was.
“In the final analysis, based on medical evidence, this office can not determine the exact cause of death, an essential element in a homicide case such as this. If the death was solely caused by the injuries to the head it would have to first prove who inflicted the injuries,” Anderson said in his report.
“It is known Franklin Reed punched Alden and there is conflicting stories that he may have also kicked him,” said Anderson, adding that one witness said Felder accidentally kicked Alden while he was on the ground, when she was trying to kick at Reed.
Additionally, Anderson said his office would have to prove that Alden’s head injuries occurred during the assault and not during “an intervening event.”
Anderson said Alden was conscious and able to have a phone conversation after the fight. He then got into the bathtub, where he was found unconscious.
“There is no evidence that Alden did or did not receive head injuries after the fight, in part because of his extreme intoxication,” Anderson said.
The brief fight between Alden and Reed appeared to be mutual combat, with no weapons used by either. “It can not be proved that one side used extensive, prolonged or aggravated force against the other. The possibility of self defense can also not be ruled out,” Anderson said in his report.
Based on what investigators have compiled so far, Anderson said it cannot be proved beyond a reasonable doubt that any one person is guilty of killing Alden or of any lesser included offense.
Anderson said that if any additional evidence is obtained at any time, the case will be reviewed for prosecution.
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