HomeUploadUpload DirectHotlinkRandomAbouttheme toggle

Officers on Trial in Killing of Kelly Thomas

Views: 957
The trial of former Fullerton, California, police officers, Manuel Ramos and Jay Cicinelli began December 2, 2013, in the beating death of Kelly Thomas, a 37-year-old drifter with schizophrenia. Thomas died after a July, 2011, altercation with six police officers in which he was tasered, beaten with batons, and hit repeatedly in the face with the end of a Taser. Ramos is charged with involuntary manslaughter and second-degree murder and Cicinelli is charged with excessive force and involuntary manslaughter.

Opening statements from District Attorney Tony Rackauckas detailed Thomas begging the officers to stop.

"He posed no threat at all, to the police or to anyone else," said Rackauckas to jurors. The District Attorney dramatically demonstrated the events of the encounter using a wooden police baton.

Statements from the defense maintained that Ramos and Cicinelli committed no crimes and were dealing with an uncontrollable and violent person. Michael Schwartz, defense attorney for Cicinelli told jurors in his statements that Thomas's behavior "was consistent with someone with a methamphetamine background" and that his death was brought on by drug-induced heart disease.

The toxicology report at the time of the incident found no drugs in Thomas' system.

The trial, taking place at the Orange County Courthouse in Santa Ana, California, is the first time a uniformed police officer has been charged with murder in the history of the county. The trial may never have happened without a slowly built citizen movement sparked by footage of the beating caught by mobile phone and a horrific hospital photo taken by Kelly Thomas' father, Ron Thomas.

"Nothing was going on, I tried contacting everybody, nobody cared to do anything," said Ron Thomas to Reason TV in 2011. "So, I released the picture of my son in his hospital bed and that got everybody's attention. When the cell phone video came out, I released that. The audio had their attention again. You put together the picture with the sound of what's happening and it's very, very compelling."

The Fullerton community reacted in outrage at the video and photo at city council meetings and at protests outside the Fullerton police department. Then when city surveillance footage was released of the beating, residents pushed for a recall of city officials.

Video produced by Paul Detrick.
@ReasonVidsfollow
Thumbnail for If You Love Reason, Help Us Fight For Free Minds and Free Markets for Another 45 Years!1:16
If You Love Reason, Help Us Fight For Free Minds and Free Markets for Another 45 Years!
ReasonVids
889 views
Thumbnail for Robot lawnmower with a bagger  | Nate Petroski0:55
Robot lawnmower with a bagger  | Nate Petroski
invidious
194 views
Thumbnail for We're Spending Too Much on Defense4:26
We're Spending Too Much on Defense
ReasonVids
857 views
Thumbnail for compressed salt.rar6:30
compressed salt.rar
memology101
1239 views
Thumbnail for Bob Poole and Adrian Moore: Why Highways Beat High-Speed Rail44:46
Bob Poole and Adrian Moore: Why Highways Beat High-Speed Rail
ReasonVids
860 views
Thumbnail for The Whitest Kids U'Know Season 1 Episode 621:52
The Whitest Kids U'Know Season 1 Episode 6
wkuk.topic
515 views
Thumbnail for Russell Brand's Arc COMPLETE As He YUKS IT UP With Shmuley | Due Dissidence9:55
Russell Brand's Arc COMPLETE As He YUKS IT UP With Shmuley | Due Dissidence
invidious
87 views
Thumbnail for Men only think about ONE thing!0:14
Men only think about ONE thing!
bestofupgoat
107 views
Thumbnail for White teenagers2:13
White teenagers
bestofpoal
1532 views
Thumbnail for WKUK Going Home Alone | The Whitest Kids U'Know1:18
WKUK Going Home Alone | The Whitest Kids U'Know
invidious
273 views
Thumbnail for Libertarian PBS4:51
Libertarian PBS
ReasonVids
797 views
Thumbnail for Something writhing around in leaves0:09
Something writhing around in leaves
bestofvoatxyz
396 views
Thumbnail for Kid play the blues1:09
Kid play the blues
bestofupgoat
171 views
Thumbnail for 【Supermarket Simulator】久々の出勤【酒寄颯馬/にじさんじ】 | 酒寄颯馬 / Sakayori Soma【にじさんじ】3:20:58
【Supermarket Simulator】久々の出勤【酒寄颯馬/にじさんじ】 | 酒寄颯馬 / Sakayori Soma【にじさんじ】
invidious
94 views
Thumbnail for The CA Marijuana Movement after Prop 19: Q&A with Dale Gieringer5:07
The CA Marijuana Movement after Prop 19: Q&A with Dale Gieringer
ReasonVids
843 views
Thumbnail for Obamacare at the Supreme Court: Day One1:40
Obamacare at the Supreme Court: Day One
ReasonVids
911 views
Thumbnail for Teaching is Not a Crime: VA's Unconstitutional Regulation of Yoga Teacher Training - Press 12/1/095:47
Teaching is Not a Crime: VA's Unconstitutional Regulation of Yoga Teacher Training - Press 12/1/09
IJvids
972 views
Thumbnail for Family Guy - "You speak English?" | Cutaway Guy0:22
Family Guy - "You speak English?" | Cutaway Guy
invidious
299 views
Thumbnail for AO VIVO E COM IMAGENS: FERROVIÁRIA X REMO | RODADA 13 | SÉRIE C 2024 | Nosso Futebol4:01:40
AO VIVO E COM IMAGENS: FERROVIÁRIA X REMO | RODADA 13 | SÉRIE C 2024 | Nosso Futebol
invidious
208 views
Thumbnail for Watch as the Texas White girl absolutely annihilates the myth of black athletic supremacy0:23
Watch as the Texas White girl absolutely annihilates the myth of black athletic supremacy
AOUisgay
885 views
Thumbnail for Modern EV drivers0:36
Modern EV drivers
bestofvoatxyz
1346 views
Thumbnail for Riverside Cop Tricks Autistic Teen into Buying Pot7:08
Riverside Cop Tricks Autistic Teen into Buying Pot
ReasonVids
856 views
Thumbnail for Women's championship baseball team vs U9 boys0:15
Women's championship baseball team vs U9 boys
bestofupgoat
456 views
Thumbnail for 'Can you be TOO SMART to be a police officer? Yes, you can!'2:54
'Can you be TOO SMART to be a police officer? Yes, you can!'
ReasonVids
704 views

points

Permalink
Reply
death of kelly thomas (event)
,
cops
,
california
,
cops (film)
,
cops vs. cameras
,
reason.org
,
reason.com
,
police officer (occupation)
,
crime
,
orange
,
court
TOS  •  Add Keywords  •  Donate  •   Analytics  •   DMCA  •   Puzzle