Charges dropped against former Albuquerque police officer accused of false imprisonment
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – It appears the former Albuquerque Police Department officer who dragged a disabled man out of a Target will not face a third trial. Earlier this month, a hung jury led to a second mistrial in the case against Kenneth Skeens. Now, the state has dropped all charges.
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According to a document filed on April 18, the New Mexico Attorney General's Office said that after two juries couldn't agree on a verdict, they believe it is in the interests of justice to dismiss the case.
In August 2022, former Albuquerque police officer Kenneth Skeens went up to Matthew McManus, who was trying to buy a bike at a self-checkout at the Target on Coors Blvd. and Irving Blvd. Skeens and two other officers, who were there for an unrelated call, confronted McManus.
Video of the incident shows McManus being dragged outside, where police told him he was under arrest for refusing to identify himself. Skeens lost his job, and later, the attorney general filed charges including false imprisonment.
Skeens first went to trial a year ago, but the jury couldn't reach a verdict. Skeens was back in court earlier this month for a retrial, with the prosecution arguing McManus had the money to buy the bike and Skeens' arrest was illegal.
While the defense argued that Target employees were watching McManus and told Skeens to arrest him, once again, the trial ended with a jury that couldn't agree on whether Skeens committed a crime.
Now, New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez has dropped the case without prejudice. While that means charges can be re-filed, prosecutors cite the two juries' inability to reach a consensus as the reason for dropping the charges.
Skeens was facing charges of false imprisonment, perjury, and making a false report. If he had been convicted, Skeens was facing up to four years behind bars.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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