They probably didn't. But, all the district attorney has done is refer the case to the grand jury without recommending any charges.
The store owner's case still has to go before the grand jury, who will likely follow the district attorney's lead and "no-bill" the store owner (i.e. refuse to indict him for any crime).
When someone is killed as the direct result of another's action, that's how it works in Texas -- even for the most obvious case of self-defense.
When someone is killed as the direct result of another's action, that's how it works in Texas -- even for the most obvious case of self-defense.
If someone is "no billed" future indictments could only be filed if new evidence indicating the guilt of the suspect is discovered. "No billing" is a way to protect people against future politically motivated prosecutions. The constitution protects people against double jeopardy, but if one is never tried, it is possible to file charges in the future. For potential murder trials, this is especially problematic, because there is no statute of limitations on murder.