U.S. Won’t Investigate Dubose Shooting Death

The U.S. attorney’s office has decided not to investigate the shooting death of Tommie C. Dubose, a 56-year-old East San Diego man slain in March by police officers who burst into his home during a drug sweep.

Asst. U.S. Atty. James W. Brannigan Jr., chief of the office’s criminal division, said Wednesday that he reviewed the district attorney’s report on the shooting and has concluded that a federal inquiry is not warranted.

“There appears to be no criminal liability ascribable to any individual officer,” Brannigan said. Officer Carlos Garcia, who shot Dubose four times in the back and once in the face during a struggle in the victim’s living room, fired to protect himself and fellow officers he believed to be in danger, Brannigan said.

If a future county grand jury investigation turns up “something new that merits us taking another look, then we may do that,” Brannigan said. Meanwhile, the FBI has been told no investigation will be necessary.

In an interview Wednesday, Dubose’s widow, Mary, said she is very disappointed.

A spokeswoman for her attorney, James Randall of Long Beach, said Randall is preparing a civil lawsuit against the Police Department and the city of San Diego. Randall has scheduled a Saturday press conference on the litigation and on prosecutors’ decision not to file criminal charges against Garcia.