Career criminal Noel Johnston may have believed he was about to be attacked because of his association with former UDA chief Dee Coleman when he fell to his death last week.
The 61-year-old, who died after falling from a block of flats in Ballymena last Friday, was a known associate of the exiled Shankill Road loyalist.
The incident took place during a police operation at the flat of an acquaintance in the Co Antrim town.
Johnston, a father of two, was a well known crime figure in his home town.
The Police Ombudsman launched an investigation after he fell from the fourth floor of an apartment block in the High Street area.
The ombudsman last night said investigators "identified no issues of concern in relation to police actions which would require further investigation".
It is understood Johnston tried to climb from the building onto guttering when he lost his footing and fell.
He had been due to go on trail next month for money laundering offences dating back to 2009.
His solicitor Ciarán Shiels, of Madden and Finucane Solicitors, said prosecutors were poised to be withdraw a significant number of charges in relation to his client and that it was likely "that the case against him would have resolved within the coming weeks".
Mr Johnston may have believed his life was at risk through his association with Coleman, who has been living in Ballymena.
It is understood Coleman was close to the accident scene on Friday night as attempts were made to save his friend's life.
Mr Shiels last night said the "only sense" the dead man's family can make of the incident is that he believed he was at risk of attack.
"He has received various threat notifications over the years and most likely that was the cause of him climbing outside the flat and onto the drain pipe - because he thought he was going to be attacked, when they say attacked, they mean shot," he said.
Mr Shiels said the dead man's family are distressed with how he has been characterised by some sections of the media added that his client lived a modest lifestyle.
He added that "nobody was trying to pull the wool over people's eyes as to Noel's background".
He said that Johnston was never involved in dealing heroin.
The solicitor added that his client was never arrested in relation to the possession or supply of the deadly drug and the only drugs conviction was for the supply of cannabis dating back to the late 1990s.
The solicitor also said the seizure class B drugs in Co Antrim last week was unconnected to his client.
