Accused 7-Eleven thief will undergo mental health evaluation before case moves forward
Police investigating 7-Eleven beating incident
Stockton police are investigating whether 7-Eleven employees should face charges after a video surfaced showing a worker beating an apparent shoplifter with a stick while another clerk held the thief. The shoplifter had allegedly stolen from the store on two occasions before he was beaten.
STOCKTON, Calif. - A robbery suspect who was on the receiving end of a viral beat down by 7-Eleven store clerks in Stockton, is expected to undergo a mental health evaluation before the case moves forward.
Tyrone Frazier, 41, the defendant, appeared in court on Wednesday wearing a red jumpsuit and handcuffed. He did not enter a plea, pending the outcome of the mental health evaluation.
Frazier faces multiple felony charges, which include two counts of robbery, attempted robbery, criminal threats, commercial burglary, and vandalism, according to KCRA.
Prosecutors with the San Joaquin County District Attorney's Office previously announced that they will not pursue charges against two 7-Eleven employees who were captured on video beating the suspect with a stick.
One of those charges Frazier faces is related to the failed robbery attempt at the 7-Eleven on Center Street, depicted on video. The footage, which attained millions of views, showed a scuffle between two 7-Eleven store employees and Fraizer. It showed the employees intervening as Frazier dumped cigarettes into a garbage can. One of the employees grabbed a giant wooden stick and began beating the Frazier to thwart the theft.
Police investigators believe that Frazier is linked to several robberies at that 7-Eleven store.
Frazier was assigned a public defender, who requested a mental health evaluation for the defendant before the case advances.
"He's going to go through a mental health evaluation," DA spokesperson Lee Neves told KCRA. "A court-appointed psychologist will evaluate him, come back with their findings, and we will cross that bridge as far as next steps when we get there."
The defense and prosecutors are expected back in court in September to review the report from the court-appointed mental health professional.
Frazier remains in custody.