The night of Dunne's attack, responding officers found Sweeney standing by Dunne's unconscious body in her driveway. A spokesman for the West Hollywood sheriff later told reporters that Sweeney told officers, "I killed my girlfriend". He was immediately arrested and charged with attempted murder. Those charges were dropped after Dunne's death, and Sweeney was charged with first-degree murder to which he pleaded not guilty. Sweeney was later charged with assault with intent to do great bodily harm when, during a preliminary trial hearing, he admitted that he and Dunne had a physical altercation on September 26, 1982, the day before she filmed the "Hill Street Blues" episode in which she appeared with visible bruises on her face and body. He denied assaulting Dunne, claiming she incurred the bruises when he tried to prevent her from leaving their home.