Felony Charges Against Brunner in L.A. Dropped

Kenny Brunner, a former Georgetown and Fresno State basketball player who was scheduled to go to trial Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court on charges of attempted murder and robbery of a local junior college coach, was expected to be freed by today after the case against him was dismissed Wednesday.

Prosecutor Andrew Bassis said the decision not to proceed with the trial was reached after three witnesses who had told police that Brunner robbed and tried to shoot L.A. City College basketball Coach Mike Miller, including the victim himself, later changed their stories after charges were filed, saying they were not sure that Brunner was the assailant.

“The case was dismissed based on the insufficiency of the evidence at this time,” Bassis said. “Based on all the information . . . it did not seem likely that 12 members of a jury would unanimously conclude that Mr. Brunner was guilty.”

Brunner’s attorney, Jerome Bradford, said his client had mixed emotions about the district attorney’s decision.

“Kenny is overwhelmed,” Bradford said of his client, who has spent the last four months in Los Angeles County Jail, unable to make $550,000 bail. “He is very happy, but at the same time he is disappointed because he doesn’t believe that his version of the facts have been laid out. He’s disappointed that there are people out there who believe that he actually did this.”

Brunner, 19, was arrested after the May 22 incident in Miller’s office inside the LACC gymnasium. An assailant, later identified by Miller as Brunner, pointed a gun at the coach’s chest and pulled the trigger, but the weapon misfired, according to police.

After the assailant demanded money, Miller handed over $1,500 and the man fled.

Miller followed him into the street and recognized the driver of the getaway car as LaDale Lunnie, a former student. Lunnie eventually led police to Brunner.

Lunnie’s trial on robbery charges is set for Nov. 3.

Brunner, a former Dominguez High point guard who was Georgetown’s leading scorer as a freshman last season, transferred to Fresno State in February. He still faces robbery and assault charges from a separate incident in Fresno.