Court proceedings began in the criminal case of two Fullerton Police Officers accused of beating a Kelly Thomas, a local homeless mentally ill man to death. One officer is charged with second-degree murder and the other officer with involuntary manslaughter. The video and audio from just one source played in court shows Thomas being beaten with fists, baton and in the face repeatedly with the butt end of a taser as the man cries out he was “sorry” and “Dad, they are killing me!” PHOTOS: Kelly Thomas death http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-kelly-thomas-20120508,0,5787840.story?track=icymi The alleged crimes took place last July and here is previous thread covering the initial media reports back in September of last year. Good posts all by GA members. http://www.globalaffairs.org/forum/...lessness-and-police-murder.67618/#post-609321 The officer charged with manslaughter previously worked for the LAPD. As a rookie he was involved in a shooting and lost an eye. He was deemed due to the injury not fit for duty and permanently disabled by the LAPD and rating authority and collects $40,000 a year in disability payments. The Fullerton PD hired him afterward as the Chief at the time, Pat McKay was former LAPD and knew the officer. The chief later became a city councilman at Fullerton and is currently one of several city councilmen under a recall for among other things allegedly covering up the details of the Thomas incident. The vote on the recall is in June. The Fullerton Police Chief at the time of the beating, Michael Sellers went on medical leave right after the news broke about the beating and was asked to resign by several city council members. He has since retired.
Here is an 8 minutes and 57 second segment of the surveillance video of the altercation shown in court. The entire video is 33 minutes and 33 seconds. Warning, without regards to right or wrong or any judgment and not to exaggerate or over sensationalize this is a very visceral disturbing video with audio especially starting around the six-minute mark. It appears, (and I am speculating), that the 8:57 segment it is unedited. Here is the entire video currently available. However, you have to log in to view this full-version from Youtube. http://www.youtube.com/verify_age?next_url=/watch?v=KU0Imk2Bstg
I watched the 33 plus minute video. The short version shown in the previous post is edited thusly: It does not show the opening contact between Thomas and the cops. That interchange is relaxed and non-confrontational. Thomas when asked to give his name does, but he may later give a different name. Not sure. He apparently has no ID so the cops aren’t satisfied that he has adequately identified himself. While Officer Ramos engages Thomas in relaxed conversation Thomas is asked if it is OK for the cops to search his backpack. Thomas willingly complies. Off camera but on audio the other officer still on audio searches the backpack and finds mail that does not appear to be addressed to Thomas and it is not clear but he may have also found some mail that did belong to Thomas. During all this Ramos continues with the relaxed back and forth conversation with Thomas. About the same time the other officer has finished searching the bag, (doing this from memory last night), Ramos tells Thomas to go over and sit down. Shortly thereafter what is shown on the shorter tape in the previous video at the beginning is where the tapes “merge.” Two things stand IMO at this point. Thomas appears confused and frustrated about what he is to do regarding putting his legs out and putting his hands on his knees. He appears IMO not to understand that Ramos wants Thomas to simultaneously have his legs straight out while he sits on the bench and for Thomas to have both hands on his knees. Thomas puts his legs out but doesn’t put his hands on his knees. Around this time Ramos turns from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde. He becomes authoritative and IMO angry. When Ramos orders Thomas to put his hands on his knees Thomas simultaneously puts his hands on knees but bring his legs from straight out to the normal bent while sitting position. Where upon Ramos again orders Thomas to straighten his legs. When Thomas does so he takes his hands off his knees. Ramos again tells Thomas to put his hands on his knees and the same thing happens again. Thomas seems finally catch on to what Ramos asks and says he cannot do both at the same time. At this point Ramos puts on the glove. All that follows on the short tape up until the end of the beating with Thomas unconscious matches the long version of the video. It is only the remaining time as the police stand around talking and doing other things and the medics arrive and then begin to treat and then start the transport of Thomas process that is edited down. Here is the 33-minute tape on Youtube that does not require a log in. The audio is poor from Ramos up until the situation escalates. Personally I also find attitude and the conversation between the cops after Thomas is unconscious and to the end of the video of relevance and interest. ADDENDUM: The Fullerton PD has admitted that the officers involved in the incident were allowed to watch the whole video before they wrote their reports. It is alleged from a source that so far has been on target on all things that have come out officially and that were all withheld at the time but source made his revelations then, that the individual officers submitted several versions of their reports. Initially some perhaps all of the officers would submit their reports and after review by their supervisors would be instructed to rewrite the reports in a light or in words that were more favorable to the police. This is from the source and officially is an unsubstantiated allegation. The source that so far has been 100 percent correct on his details had more to say too.
The attorney for Officer Ramos says that his client is “innocent.” http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lan...nocent-in-kelly-thomas-death-lawyer-says.html The coroner explains the injuries to Thomas and what killed him. http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0509-kelly-thomas-20120509,0,7297438.story Full unedited copy of the video presented in court. Much clearer audio plus a better quality picture and also a better view at a certain point in time with less time where there is partial blockage of view by the tree. http://www.latimes.com/videogallery...-video-presented-in-Kelly-Thomas-murder-trial
The Orange County District Attorney prosecuting two Fullerton Police Officers in the death of Kelly Thomas is considering filing charges against a third officer. If he decides to do so it shouldn't surprise anyone. But it might not be a good strategic move unless he expects one officer to plead out in exchange for testimony against another officer--a very unlikely occurrence no matter what the facts and truth of the case may be. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/05/kelly-thomas-charges-third-officer.html Clean audio and video tape presented in court: http://www.latimes.com/videogallery...-video-presented-in-Kelly-Thomas-murder-trial
The Fullerton City Council has voted to award the mother of Kelly Thomas one million dollars as settlement for the death of her son, Kelly Thomas, at the hands of several Fullerton Police Officers. The vote was 5-0. The settlement has no bearing on the criminal case. The settlement was brokered and Thomas' mother agreed not to pursue any civil action. The settlement does not affect any claims that will be made or filed civilly in court by the father of Thomas. The linked story below also has a video from residents speaking to the city council. In a perverse way this story is indirectly more about the power of race and the media than the seriousness of any crime. In terms of what happen, the alleged crimes committed and the circumstances of this incident this story on the merits is much, much bigger than the Martin/Zimmerman case. Yet it is all but ignored nationally. But if Martin had been any other race than Black and especially had he been White all the stories and the forum debates would be mostly focused here. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/thomas-354394-settlement-court.html
Which is why Copz made the postings in the Martin thread, demonstrating exactly that. Of course, he made this point almost four weeks ago...and you complained about the relevancy of his postings.
At the preliminary hearing the judge ruled there was sufficient evidence to put the two officers on trial for the charges against them. The attorney for Officer Ramos who is charged with second-degree murder has said from day one that his client did not commit any crime and he is appealing the finding of preliminary hearing and is seeking a dismissal of charges. Here is a short 2-½ video with comments on the above from the father of Kelly Thomas, (retired Deputy Sherriff), the defense attorney, and the District Attorney. http://www.ocregister.com/video/?videoId=1630771894001&lineupId=1125901233&play=now If this case goes to trial this is because of the unique mixture of variables makes this genuinely the most interesting and intriguing trial I’ve ever encountered or been aware about. Just so many different factors at work here—both legally, evidence wise, and socially plus peripheral factors on so many different issues and levels.
I'm hearing rumors that a decision has been made to fire Officer Ramos and Officer Wolfe. Officer Wolfe is one of the four other officers involved in the confrontation with Kelly Thomas and has been on administrative leave. If this turns out to be true it should be confirmed shortly. Also if true I would expect Wolfe to be charged by the OC District Attorney. I earlier said that on the possible charge of a third officer might be a bad move by the DA but I have thought about and think it would be a good move if they expect the officers to take the stand--either all of them or even just one or two of them. The DA would be looking for contradictions among their testimony and even for one of the three make statements that would be an attempt to break ranks and potentially save himself. Even if none of them testify the more target you have the more likely as a prosecutor you can get something to stick.
Yep, source was right on. It was official today according to various news outlets. Officer Wolfe was the partner of Ramos and the one who started in with the baton on Thomas. He has not been charged. I think there is a reasonable possibility he will be. Cicinelli was one of the other four officer who arrived after the physical altercation had begun and was the one who did some tasering of Thomas and then struck him in the face with the but end of the taser up to eight time. The firing isn’t official until the all the tees are crossed and due process is completed. The officers have the right of appeal. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/23/fullerton-officers-kelly-thomas_n_1539900.html
“We Blew it” Says Fullerton Police Chief regarding the internal police handling of the Kelly Thomas case. The complete or entire article including the evidentiary impact of hearing the audio and then synching it with the video. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/hughes-355892-officers-thomas.html
They all three lost by 2-1 margins today. They are the three councilmen up for recall as a result of their non-response to the beating death of Kelly Thomas by Fullerton Police Officers. Jones, McKinley and Bankhead were criticized by the majority of the community in the politically diverse town for not aggressively dealing with the alleged police brutality caught on surveillance cameras. Shortly after the incident the then Fullerton’s police chief stepped down, and two of the officers involved were eventually criminally charged. [/quote] What’s going to be really good is when it comes out that despite the councilmen’s denials of what happened that night as they claimed the police refused to be forthcoming with details. The good part is councilman Pat McKinley, (he was the former Fullerton Police Chief), was called the night of the beating to come down to the police station to view the surveillance tape of the beating. For some reason the cops wanted him to see the tape and offer up some input. (Wonder what it could have been?) Then the police officers involved in the incident were all called in to the station to watch the full video of what happen that night BEFORE they wrote their reports of what happened in the field. McKay is smart and politically savvy. He was a former LAPD command officer before becoming chief in Fullerton. If he is called to the stand in the upcoming trial and asked about his nighttime phone call and visit to the station it will be interesting to hear what he says. Even if the officers are acquitted or convicted of lesser charges the secondary story is going revolve around the actions of McKay and police supervisors the night after the beating and the a couple of days afterward. In the upcoming trial I’ve never run across a trial so convoluted with legal statutes, trial precedents, societal, and other wildcard variables making the outcome right now totally unpredictable. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/california-politics/2012/06/fullerton-recall.html
The second of two officers charged in the death of Kelly Thomas has had his employment with the city terminated. [Code for fired] That makes three of the six officers involved in the fatal encounter with Kelly Thomas being fired. [Code for cover-up and conspiracy to cover-up.] http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/l...lice-Department-Job-Employment-163261476.html
