A judge signed off on a motion to dismiss the charges against Matthew Clendennen Monday for his alleged role in the Twin Peaks shootout.
Pro Tem Prosecutors filed the motion to dismiss with prejudice on April 27, citing no probable cause to believe Clendennen committed the offense of Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity.
Clendennen's name became synonymous with the Twin Peaks trials because his attorney, Clint Broden, was one of the most vocal individuals criticizing the McLennan County District Attorney's Office's handling of the 2015 Twin Peaks shooting, which resulted in the arrests of 177 people.
"The nightmare created by the McLennan County District Attorney's office is now over," said Broden in a press release sent Monday afternoon.
McLennan County District Attorney Abel Reyna, who lost his primary reelection bid, had recused himself from prosecuting Clendennen's case on the eve of the trial. With the Pro Tem prosecutors handling the case instead of Reyna, they have determined there was not enough probable cause to try Clendennen. So, they asked the judge to dismiss the case with prejudice -- meaning it cannot be brought back to court.
Clendennen was arrested in 2015 after being faced with what defense lawyers have repeatedly dubbed "fill-in-the-name" arrest warrants that were used against the bikers arrested after the shootout. He, like others, was then held in jail for weeks on a $1 million bond -- only to end up out of jail but tied up in the legal system for years.
The District Attorney's Office declined to comment on the dismissal.