From [HERE] and [HERE]  An Orange County federal jury could not reach a unanimous decision today in the civil case of a unarmed homeless man severely beaten in Santa Ana by two Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department transit deputies in November 2009.

U.S. District Court Judge David O. Carter accepted the jury foreman's report that there was a hopeless deadlock, thanked the eight members of the citizen's panel (five women and three men) for their service and, after consulting with each side in excessive force lawsuit, dismissed the jurors late this afternoon.

The jury had favored the defense of deputies Scott C. Harper and Brian Sherred, who claimed their use of force was justified because the suspect didn't rapidly comply with their orders to raise his hands.

Harper conceded in a deposition he hit Jones on the face with two “hammer blows,” while Deputy Brian Sherred kneed him twice in the ribs — both deputies accusing Jones of refusing to remove his hands from inside his waistband. As a result of the beating Jones had a fractured skull and bruised ribs.