HomeUploadUpload DirectHotlinkRandomAbouttheme toggle
Expand

You're Killing Me! Was a police-related jailhouse death an accident or a homicide?

Views:1006
@ReasonVids

The recent police-related deaths of 43-year-old Allen Kephart in Lake Arrowhead, California and 37-year-old Kelly Thomas in Fullerton, California have sent shockwaves through the their respective communities. Indeed, both are being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The death of Thomas, a homeless schizophrenic beaten into a coma by Fullerton police, is also being investigated by the Orange County District Attorney's Office. His case is not the first time Orange County law enforcement has been accused of applying excessive force to a mentally ill homeless man.

In October 2007, 28-year-old Michael Patrick Lass was living on the streets of Santa Ana when police stopped him for having an open container of alcohol. At the time of his arrest he was alcohol-dependent, schizophrenic, bipolar, and had a history of seizures.

The altercation that led to Lass's death took place at the Orange County Central Jail, where Lass was sentenced to serve five days after pleading guilty to public intoxication. The day Lass would have been able to leave he felt ill and asked for medical attention. Lass was ordered to leave his cell and after repeatedly looking over his shoulder while being directed by a deputy, he was tackled to the ground and a melee ensued.

"He wasn't fighting or anything and he was already in a contained area, locked in a contained area," Lass's father Frederick, says of the incident. "Immediately there was a second deputy there, a third deputy, a fourth, a fifth, and on and on it went. There was so many deputies that you couldn't count how many deputies were there."

Lass was shocked with a Taser nine times and the county's autopsy said he had multiple contusions on his body, "involving the head, neck, torso and extremities." The struggle was captured on film. "I can remember viewing the film and at one point while they are beating him Michael tells them, 'You're killing me.' Literally: 'You're killing me'," says Frederick Lass.

Frederick Lass sued Orange County and six deputies involved in the incident. Although neither was found liable in that case, Orange County later revised its Taser policy so that deputies would not be able to use Tasers on restrained suspects unless they display "overtly assaultive behavior."

While an improvement, the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California says the policy didn't go far enough. Executive Director Hector Villagra sent a letter to Sheriff Hutchens in January 2009 urging still-stricter use of Tasers, pointing to five people who have died since 2005 after being stung with the weapon.

Like the cases of Allen Kephart and Kelly Thomas, the death while in custody of Michael Patrick Lass raises troubling questions about police procedures - and the power of surveillance videos to shine a bright light on the workings of the criminal justice system.

The following video includes graphic violence and viewer discretion is advised.

Written and produced by Paul Detrick. Camera: Paul Detrick, Zach Weissmueller, and Alex Manning; edited by Detrick.

Special Thanks: Frederick Lass.

Music by Audionautix.com.

Go to http://www.reason.tv for downloadable versions of this and all our videos, and subscribe to Reason.tv's YouTube Channel to receive automatic notification when new content is posted.

michael
,
patrick
,
lass
,
kelly
,
thomas
,
allen
,
kephart
,
police
,
brutality
,
orange
,
county
,
jail
,
hector
,
villagra
,
aclu
,
american
,
civil
,
liberties
,
union
,
southern
,
california
,
frederick
,
libertarian
,
excited
,
delirium
,
norman
,
watkins
,
excessive
,
homicide
,
accident
,
autopsy
,
reason.tv
,
force
,
reason.org
,
reason.com
,
reason
,
foundation
,
magazine
,
beat
,
cops
    Thumbnail for Fighting Youth Discrimination: Q&A with NYRA President Jeffrey Nadel4:30
    Fighting Youth Discrimination: Q&A with NYRA President Jeffrey Nadel
    ReasonVids
    922 views
    Thumbnail for Stossel: Government Shutdown Shows Private Is Better4:49
    Stossel: Government Shutdown Shows Private Is Better
    ReasonVids
    980 views
    Thumbnail for George Carlin: Political correctness is Fascism pretending to be manners.8:15
    George Carlin: Political correctness is Fascism pretending to be manners.
    bestofsaidit
    682 views
    Thumbnail for My Kids Were Proud To Get The Shot - They Know What It Is For' Now Mom Has Blood Clots1:37
    My Kids Were Proud To Get The Shot - They Know What It Is For' Now Mom Has Blood Clots
    bestofvoatxyz
    798 views
    Thumbnail for The Sons of Perdition Filmmakers on Warren Jeffs' Polygamist Church9:02
    The Sons of Perdition Filmmakers on Warren Jeffs' Polygamist Church
    ReasonVids
    886 views
    Thumbnail for OUR MAD MAX FUTURE IS FAST APPROACHING -- Lynette Zang | SGT Report51:41
    OUR MAD MAX FUTURE IS FAST APPROACHING -- Lynette Zang | SGT Report
    bitchute_topics
    955 views
    Thumbnail for Dating zoomer girls be like1:07
    Dating zoomer girls be like
    bestofupgoat
    275 views
    Thumbnail for Newsmax: Judge Jeanine's Show Cancelled Tonight After They Found She Was Going to Report on Fraud0:31
    Newsmax: Judge Jeanine's Show Cancelled Tonight After They Found She Was Going to Report on Fraud
    bestofsaidit
    1950 views
    Thumbnail for Many engines1:01
    Many engines
    RedheadFan
    67 views
    Thumbnail for POV:  I just told my dad I like the rainbow car more | FunnyMemeSpot0:13
    POV: I just told my dad I like the rainbow car more | FunnyMemeSpot
    invidious
    109 views
    Thumbnail for Lior Gantz - Inflation Hitting Fast & Furious, The Shift Into New Currencies Is Already Happening | X22report46:30
    Lior Gantz - Inflation Hitting Fast & Furious, The Shift Into New Currencies Is Already Happening | X22report
    bitchute_topics
    946 views
    Thumbnail for Team India Victory Parade LIVE Updates: मरीन ड्राइव से LIVE | Rohit Sharma | Marin Drive1:00
    Team India Victory Parade LIVE Updates: मरीन ड्राइव से LIVE | Rohit Sharma | Marin Drive
    invidious
    270 views
    Thumbnail for Thanks AOC1:31
    Thanks AOC
    bestofupgoat
    488 views
    Thumbnail for HE RISKED HIS LIFE, FOR THE NEWS! | Icycol1:00
    HE RISKED HIS LIFE, FOR THE NEWS! | Icycol
    invidious
    271 views
    Thumbnail for Michael Moynihan on the Politics of Travel Guides3:34
    Michael Moynihan on the Politics of Travel Guides
    ReasonVids
    933 views
    Thumbnail for Did this just really happen? HAHAHAHA0:46
    Did this just really happen? HAHAHAHA
    bestofvoatxyz
    378 views
    Thumbnail for Sure, whatever. #finance #executive #business | Chris Kohler0:32
    Sure, whatever. #finance #executive #business | Chris Kohler
    invidious
    124 views
    Thumbnail for Midget runs amok0:09
    Midget runs amok
    bestofupgoat
    81 views
    Thumbnail for 2b2t - Legit Hausemaster Interference. A Body With Rockets. Base Dupe Stash Hunting 198 (Highlights) | Raaanch4:32
    2b2t - Legit Hausemaster Interference. A Body With Rockets. Base Dupe Stash Hunting 198 (Highlights) | Raaanch
    invidious
    413 views
    Thumbnail for This Multi-Million Dollar game is already shutting down | BigfryTV5:27
    This Multi-Million Dollar game is already shutting down | BigfryTV
    invidious
    339 views
    Thumbnail for Der white woman 0:06
    Der white woman
    bestofvoatxyz
    1849 views
    Thumbnail for An Insane Problem by Mark Liburkin (Chess Composer) | Chess Vibes12:25
    An Insane Problem by Mark Liburkin (Chess Composer) | Chess Vibes
    invidious
    467 views
    Thumbnail for Stop Downloading So Many Apps! | Naomi Brockwell: NBTV13:06
    Stop Downloading So Many Apps! | Naomi Brockwell: NBTV
    invidious
    423 views
    Thumbnail for Can The NYC Yellow Taxi Survive Uber And Lyft? | CNBC14:40
    Can The NYC Yellow Taxi Survive Uber And Lyft? | CNBC
    invidious
    348 views
    Thumbnail for 16 Coolest Gadgets That Are Worth Seeing | YouFact Tech11:13
    16 Coolest Gadgets That Are Worth Seeing | YouFact Tech
    invidious
    336 views

points

Permalink
Reply
michael
,
patrick
,
lass
,
kelly
,
thomas
,
allen
,
kephart
,
police
,
brutality
,
orange
,
county
,
jail
,
hector
,
villagra
,
aclu
,
american
,
civil
,
liberties
,
union
,
southern
,
california
,
frederick
,
libertarian
,
excited
,
delirium
,
norman
,
watkins
,
excessive
,
homicide
,
accident
,
autopsy
,
reason.tv
,
force
,
reason.org
,
reason.com
,
reason
,
foundation
,
magazine
,
beat
,
cops
TOS  •  Add Keywords  •  Donate  •   Analytics  •   DMCA  •   Puzzle