Jack Palladino, 76, died from a fall in front of his Haight- Ashbury home in Jan. 2021, after an encounter with two men who allegedly tried to steal his camera.
Turns out, the primary witness in the case never actually saw what happened and physical evidence contradicted their account.
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The news came as a surprise to Jack Immendorf, a long-time friend of Palladino and a fellow private investigator.
"I was just absolutely blown out of my socks to hear the whole version of events may have been less than truthful, and a witness recounting their testimony while under oath during a preliminary hearing- I can certainly understand why the DA had to dismiss the charges," Immendorf said.
The two men charged in the case spent two years in jail while awaiting trial. One has been released, while the other still remains in custody.