Wrestling legend Gagne won't face charges

Wrestling legend Verne Gagne's deadly assault on a fellow resident at the Bloomington care facility they lived in won't result in any criminal charges, the Hennepin County Attorney's office said today.

Gagne attacked Helmut Gutmann, 97, on Jan. 26 in Friendship Village's memory-loss unit. Gutmann died Feb. 14 of complications related to the attack.

More from the Star Tribune:

County Attorney Mike Freeman called the news conference at which the announcement was made. Representatives of the county medical examiner's office and Bloomington police also were scheduled to be there.

Police investigated the death, and their report to the county attorney was expected this week.

Most observers thought charges unlikely because both Gagne, 82, and Gutmann had Alzheimer's disease, which affects judgment and memory.

The search warrant for Friendship Village reported that Gutmann died there in an "unprovoked attack," the Strib says.