Kelly Thomas: DA charges two officers with murder, manslaughter

[Hepburn]

Source: L.A. Times

Two Fullerton police officers have been criminally charged in the violent confrontation that left a homeless man dead, Orange County Dist. Atty. Tony Rackauckas announced Wednesday.

Officer Manuel Ramos has been charged with second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter in connection with the beating of 37-year-old Kelly Thomas, a homeless schizophrenic man. Officer Jay Cicinelli has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and excessive use of force.

Rackauckas said the department reviewed 151 witness statements, videos of the beating, medical reports and police statements.

The district attorney's office had been awaiting the coroner's determination on the cause of death before deciding whether to file charges.


Read more: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/09/da-announces-kelly-thomas-murder-charges.html

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Yes! The actions of the Fullerton cops? Disgusting and illegal. Justice for Kelly!

[Irishonly]

1. K&R

I was so glad to hear about the charges.

[Hepburn]

2. The DA's press conf was very interesting.

I watched it before I posted this thread.

The facts he gave that led to the charges ~~ wow, Ramos really deserved the murder charge, IMO.

[Irishonly]

10. I agree

I sure hope he is convicted.

[DeSwiss]

3. K&R n/t

[Hepburn]

4. Injuries

A family attorney for Thomas has already publicly released Thomas' hospital and medical records showing that he was brain dead by the time he reached the hospital after the police altercation. Thomas had no narcotics or prescription medicine in his body, the attorney said.

According to the medical records released by the family attorney, Thomas died from brain injuries as a result of head trauma. Thomas also suffered multiple broken bones in his face and rib fractures, and he was shocked multiple times near his chest cavity and on his back with a police Taser, the family attorney said.

Thomas suffered nose and brain trauma and smashed cheekbones, according to the medical records. The family attorney accused police of using their Tasers to deliver some of the head and face blows.

The medical reports provided by the family attorney said Thomas suffered internal bleeding, and Thomas also choked on his blood, the family attorney said.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/21/justice/california-homeless-death/

:mad:

[valerief]

6. I thought people like those cops usually worked for Xe aka Blackwater. You know, the torture people.

[ellisonz]

5. Cicinelli deserved a second degree murder charge too.

Cicinelli allegedly Tased Thomas four times, kneed him in the head twice and hit him eight times with the Taser, Rackauckas said.

The others should at the very least be let go from the police department. They witnessed the full extent of Cicinelli's assault who was the third officer arriving on seen and could be subject to other criminal charges.

[Hubert Flottz]

7. Should be murder one?

Has anyone noticed how fucked up America has become. Shock troops in every town mowing people down. How patriotic is the Patriot Act and all that "Sweeping New Power" that our government is putting to use across the nation? Reagan put the mentally ill out of the hospitals and on the streets, now the new American police are euthanizing the mentally ill. How different are we than say, Nazi 1936 Germany? Will the private American concentration camps just make a new homeland T-4 project SOP soon. Will the old and the disabled be next? Or will the GOP just starve and freeze them to death slowly?

[ellisonz]

8. Murder one requires clear proof of pre-meditation.

At this point T. Rack and haven't released the full scope of evidence that could demonstrate that. But the refusal to also charge Cicnelli at this point is very narrow construction of the coroners report. Just because death was caused by damage to the thorax doesn't mean the head blows and repeated tasing wouldn't have been possibly fatal too. It's bullshit.

FBI investigate Fullerton P.D. and Orange County D.A. Office now!

[midnight]

9. When I read about tasers being used I'm concerned about the volts being delivered in a deadly way...

"The hospital records released showed that he suffered brain injuries, a shattered nose, a smashed cheekbone, broken ribs and severe internal bleeding. Thomas also had been shocked with a stun gun "multiple" times, including in the left chest near the heart, the records showed."

[ellisonz]

11. The autopsy report as D.A. Rackauckas used it is innacurate.

It's like saying that if two people who shoot firearms at an individual causing grievous injury that the one who shot first is the only possible one to be charged with the crime.

Orange County is fucked up.