Martinez, California – A jury was unable to reach a verdict today in the trial of former Richmond Police
officer Eric Smith Jr, accused of beating a man with his taser while attempting to make an arrest.
Smith, 31, was charged by the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office with assault with a deadly weapon and inflicting great bodily injury during the incident on April 9, 2022.
Because the jury could not reach a verdict, Judge John W. Kennedy dismissed the jurors. The case will
return to court on February 2, 2026 to schedule either a new trial or other pre-trial matters.
