(Fullerton) California cop pleads not guilty to murder in beating (Kelly Thomas)

[alp227]

Source: CNN

Los Angeles (CNN) -- A Fullerton, California, police officer pleaded not guilty Monday after being charged in the beating death of a mentally ill homeless man, an official in a local prosecutor's office said.

Manuel Ramos, 37, a 10-year veteran of the Fullerton police department, is charged with second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter. His next scheduled court date is for a pretrial hearing November 4, according to Susan Kang Schroeder, the chief of staff in the Orange County District Attorney's office.

His bail remains at $1 million after Judge Erick L. Larsh denied the defendant's request to reduce that amount, Schroeder said.

On Wednesday, another officer in the department, Cpl. Jay Patrick Cicinelli, pleaded not guilty on counts of involuntary manslaughter and felony use of excessive force in the same case. He was released on $25,000 bail, according to his attorney and a spokeswoman for the prosecutor.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/26/justice/california-police-beating/index.html

[gratuitous]

1. Videotaped and audiotaped beating of a man to death with his bare hands

Charge: Second degree murder and involuntary manslaughter.

Tell me again that one about the death penalty and the efficient administration of justice, because sometimes I forget about what a swell criminal justice system we have.

[SkyDaddy7]

2. I totallt agree! What a double standard...

A cop can commit the most disgusting of crimes but if they have their uniform on then charging them with a crime is rare...Then when charges are brought on a cop they never meet the severity of what they actually did. Getting a jury to find a cop guilty is extremely rare especially when the crime was against a person of color!

[alp227]

4. in this case the victim was a homeless, schizophrenic white man

wonder how that will affect the jury

[SkyDaddy7]

5. Yes, I know...We will see. nt.

[Roy Rolling]

3. Videotape

The sad thing is that if not for the video from bystanders, charges would have not been filed. Only because caring citizens recorded the beating did it become clear that a mentally-challenged and defenseless man was mercilessly beaten to death by heartless and demented officers. This is not an indictment on all police but making bad ones accountable just like anyone else for their unlawful and cruelly violent behavior.

Ironically, in another state, a man has been charged and is facing 75 years in prison just for videotaping a policeman.

[hang a left]

7. I thought the video tape was from the transit center???

:shrug:

[hang a left]

6. pisses me off that Cicinelli received only 25,000$ bail

that is a travesty right there. Wonder what the bail would be if you or I would have pounded a taser into a cop's head and he ended up dying as a result?? Other thing: scum-bag Ramos is in protective custody...bummer; truly he should be let loose to fend for himself without his buddies and the law on his side.