No Charges for Officers in Salinas Shooting

SALINAS — The Monterey County District Attorney’s Office has concluded its investigation into the shooting of William Spaits and Tina Money, ruling that no charges will be sought against the officers involved.

The DA maintains that the officers were in accordance with state and federal laws during the September 21 incident, including that any person — including a peace officer — is allowed to use deadly force in self-defense or in the defense of others if absolutely necessary.

Spaits was a wanted felon with arrest warrants amounting to $300,000. Upon being contacted by police, Spaits ignored repeated commands to surrender and fled to his parked car. Money, his accomplice, was wanted on warrants totaling $160,000 and actively aided Spaits by handing him his .22 caliber firearm.

In the end, Spaits was actively resisting arrest and posed a threat of great bodily injury to the officers and general public. Thus, a lethal response was determined to have been justified.