Two Milwaukee-area men who pleaded guilty in January to felony murder in the 2012 death of 16-year-old Corey Stingley have now completed their deferred-prosecution deals and seen their cases wiped from the books. On Monday, a judge dismissed the charges with prejudice, meaning they cannot be refiled, after the men satisfied six months of court-ordered conditions and avoided prison time. The move effectively closes a 13-year push by Stingley’s father for accountability in the West Allis convenience-store takedown that left his son critically injured.
Judge Signs Orders After Deferred Prosecution Terms Met
Court records show Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Laura Crivello signed off on dismissals for Robert W. Beringer and Jesse R. Cole after confirming they had completed their deferred-prosecution requirements, according to FOX6 Milwaukee. The orders specify the cases are dismissed "with prejudice," which locks prosecutors out from bringing the same felony murder charges again. The paperwork formalizes the resolution that attorneys and the Stingley family agreed to in January.
How the 2012 Encounter Unfolded
According to records and prior reporting, Stingley was tackled and pinned inside VJ’s Food Mart in West Allis during a shoplifting attempt on Dec. 14, 2012, and stopped breathing while three men restrained him, ProPublica reported. He was taken to the hospital and died two weeks later. One of the men involved, Mario Laumann, died in 2022; prosecutors later said Laumann appeared most directly responsible for the chokehold seen on store surveillance video.
Medical Examiner Ruled the Death a Homicide
The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner found that Stingley died from an anoxic brain injury caused by asphyxia and physical restraint, concluding that his airway had been obstructed, according to FOX6 Milwaukee. Court records cited in local coverage also note that West Allis EMS estimated it took about eight minutes before Stingley’s pulse was restored. Those medical findings became central to the special prosecutor’s later review of the case.
Restorative Justice Paved the Path to Resolution
The Stingley family, Beringer and Cole took part in facilitated restorative justice circles run by Marquette University Law School’s Andrew Center under former Chief Judge Mary Triggiano, according to Marquette University Law School. Those conversations helped lead to a deferred-prosecution framework that required guilty pleas, community service and modest charitable contributions in Corey’s name, according to court documents and reporting by ProPublica. Participants, including the family, said the process delivered acknowledgment and a measure of accountability that they believed traditional sentencing might not have provided.
What Dismissal Means
In the court records, the dismissals are labeled "with prejudice," a legal designation that bars prosecutors from refiling the same charges, as explained by the Legal Information Institute. The dismissals followed a judge-approved six-month window tied to the deferred-prosecution agreement, a timetable reported by TMJ4. Defense attorneys, prosecutors and the Stingley family told the court that the structure was designed to emphasize public acknowledgment and repair over lengthy prison terms.
Family Reaction and Next Steps
Corey’s father, Craig Stingley, said the restorative process brought him closer to the accountability he had sought for more than a decade, and the family filed a court statement supporting the outcome, according to Wisconsin Watch. Legal observers note that the case stands out as an unusual example of restorative justice playing a central role in resolving a homicide prosecution. With the county files now closed, the resolution is expected to keep fueling local debate over accountability, restraint practices and alternatives to traditional sentencing.
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