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The brother of an Olympic gymnastics champion has been cleared of charges in connection to a shooting at an Airbnb on New Year’s Eve.

Tevin Biles-Thomas, who has also served in the U.S. Army, was acquitted in a hearing today by Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas Judge Joan Synenberg of charges for “multiple counts of murder, felonious assault, and voluntary manslaughter.

The reason was a lack of evidence to form a conviction against Biles-Thomas.  Judge Synenberg spoke on trial as to why she made the decision to acquit the once-alleged suspect.

From WEWS News 5 Cleveland:

“In viewing the evidence in light most favorable to the state, it is insufficient to sustain a conviction. The motion is granted as to all counts. Ladies and gentlemen, this matter has been drawn to a conclusion. I thank everyone for their effort and my heart goes out to the families of the victims,” she said.

Seconds later, an emotional family member got up and lunged in the direction of the defendant located across the courtroom.

“He killed my baby. You know he killed my baby,” the woman yelled after bailiffs stepped in to break up the scuffle.

A statement has since been released from the the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas:

Following a ruling in The State of Ohio vs Tevin Biles-Thomas (CR-19-643478-A), a person in the gallery charged toward the defendant. The Court thanks the Sheriff’s Department for their assistance.

Judge Synenburg took another look at testimony from a witness that included “inaccuracies in the description of the suspect’s clothing at the time of the shooting.”

Only one witness out of 18 was able to identify the suspect.

Both the judge and Biles-Thomas’ attorney saw something incomplete with that witness’ testimony.

“Her best recollection of the shooter’s clothing is 75% accurate, a far cry from the compelling, persuasive evidence one would expect in a matter so tragic and serious,” Synenberg said.

Now that he has been acquitted, Biles-Thomas will no longer be tried for those same crimes ever.  His attorney, Joseph Patituce, is grateful with the news, as is his client.

“He’s now run the gauntlet twice. You’ve gone through two full trials where no one has any credibility, has identified him as the shooter,” Patituce said.

As for the crime itself, Patituce said it was “shocking. It was a surprise. But they lost children. It wasn’t Tevin, but they lost children. And it’s a horrible tragedy all around.”

Biles-Thomas was on trial for second time for the deaths of three men at a New Year’s Eve party in 2018.  Gun shots were fired after “a group of men arrived uninvited to a party.”

The three men who were killed has since been identified as DelVaunte Johnson, 19, Toshaun Banks, 21, and DeVaughn Gibson, 23.

Biles-Thomas’ sister, gymnast Simone Biles, wrote on her Twitter account that her “heart aches for everyone involved.”

This was the second time Biles-Thomas was put on trial after the first one ended in a mistrial back in May.

No word right now from Cuyahoga County Court officials on the acquittal.

Click here to read more.

 

Article Courtesy of WEWS News 5 Cleveland

First and Second Picture Courtesy of Douglas Sacha and Getty Images

Tweet and First Video Courtesy of Twitter and WEWS News 5 Cleveland

Second Video Courtesy of YouTube and WEWS News 5 Cleveland

LOCAL NEWS: Tevin Biles-Thomas Acquitted in Triple Homicide Case Before a Family Member Went After Him  was originally published on wzakcleveland.com

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