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TRENTON — The father of a mentally disabled man beaten by State Police troopers said today that Superintendent Col. Rick Fuentes owes his son an apology and that Fuentes' silence on the incident has been surprising and disappointing.

"I’m surprised he hasn’t called, especially since they’ve decided these troopers were wrong to do what they did," said John Bayliss of Washington Township. "I think he does owe my son an apology. After three years, it seems like the least he could do."

Bayliss also said that since the State Police have determined the two troopers involved used unreasonable force, they should have suspended them pending the outcome of the disciplinary process, just like two troopers who led a caravan of sports cars in March.

A spokesman for the State Police, Lt. Stephen Jones, declined to comment when asked if Fuentes planned to speak about the case or why the troopers involved have not yet been suspended.

"Because of an ongoing civil lawsuit on behalf of Mr. Bayliss, we are not able to address this matter with the plaintiff or the public," Jones said today in a statement.

The Attorney General’s Office declined to comment because of the pending discipline.

Earlier this month, the State Police admitted for the first time that two troopers used unreasonable force in 2009 when they beat James Bayliss, then 21, of Warren County.

Jones told The Star-Ledger the finding was confirmed in March and the disciplinary process was ongoing. He did not say how long that process would take or identify the troopers.

Two sources with knowledge of the case, who requested anonymity because they were not allowed to discuss personnel matters, told The Star-Ledger the troopers involved were Staff Sgt. Richard Wambold Jr. and Trooper Keith Juckett.

No criminal charges have been filed against Wambold or Juckett and they remain on duty. Bayliss has sued the State Police for damages in federal court.

The State Police's admission came after The Star-Ledger said it planned to publish new details of the incident and a State Police video captured by a camera inside a patrol car. The story and the video, which had never before been made public, were published June 3.

Three days later, Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa said the case took too long to investigate and changes had already been made within his office, which oversees the State Police, to hasten reviews of internal investigations involving allegations against troopers.

The video of the incident shows Bayliss standing against his car as Wambold frisks him during a traffic stop in Mansfield Township. Seconds later, after what appears to be a slight movement, the video shows Wambold fling Bayliss to the ground and punch him several times in the face.

An eyewitness in a nearby house said in a sworn deposition taken in April that she watched from her window as two troopers, later identified as Wambold and Juckett, then dragged a limp, handcuffed Bayliss toward a parked patrol car and rammed his head against a tire.

Related coverage:

• N.J. AG: Probe into state police troopers' beating of mentally disabled man was overdue

• State Police beating of disabled man condemned by ACLU, lawmaker

• Mark in the Morning: State troopers take it too far in beating down handcuffed man

• Three years later, State Police admit to using unreasonable force on N.J. man's disabled son