Editor’s note: Court case numbers have been placed at the end of case summaries. If you want to follow a particular case, visit www.occourts.org.
A trial readiness conference has been scheduled for Sept. 4, 2019, in the case of a man accused of involuntary manslaughter as the result of punching another Seal Beach man in the face in 2017.
Meier has entered a plea of not guilty.
The jury trial is scheduled to begin Sept. 16, according to the Orange County Superior Court website. However, all court dates are subject to rescheduling without prior notice.
Matthew Paul Meier has been charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of Seal Beach resident James Tinsman, 46, who died on July 18, 2017. Meier is also a Seal Beach resident, or was at the time of his arrest on Aug. 3, 2017.
The California Penal Code defines manslaughter as “the unlawful killing of a human being without malice.”
The code defines involuntary manslaughter as killing a human being “in the commission of an unlawful act, not amounting to a felony; or in the commission of a lawful act which might produce death, in an unlawful manner, or without due caution and circumspection.” According to the DA’s Office, on July 18, 2017 at approximately 1:20 a.m., Matthew Paul Meier was socializing at Clancy’s, a Main Street bar where he is employed. After they went outside, Meier allegedly punched James Tinsman once in the face with a closed fist, causing the victim to lose consciousness, fall backward, and strike his head on the pavement. Witnesses reportedly called 911 and emergency medical responders took the victim to a local hospital. Tinsman died later that day as a result of severe head trauma sustained during the assault, according to the police. In the early morning hours of Aug. 2, 2017, Seal Beach Police arrested Meier. Meier was released on $100,000 bail posted on Aug. 8, 2017, according to the courthouse website.
The case number is 17WF1635.
