BREAKING NEWS - after several weeks of protest and the recent Memorial Concert in honor of homeless Kelly Thomas who was brutally beaten to death by several Fullerton Police, the SoCal Orange County District Attorney's office has announced that two (2) of the Fullerton 6 Police officers involved in the Kelly Thomas brutal murder saga will be charged. Officer Manuel Ramos for 2nd Degree Murder and also charging Officer Ramos with 1 felony count of involuntary Manslaughter. Officer Cicinelli is charged with 1 felony count of involuntary manslaughter and 1 felony count of excessive force.
With obvious public surrport for justice and weeks of protest to make sure a cover up does not transpire, OCDA Tony Rackauckas details the fact that Officer Ramos put on rubber gloves while Kelly Thomas was on the ground. Then, the policeman M. Ramos took his glove covered hands, clinched his fists and leaned in front of Kelly Thomas and told him Kelly Thomas to put his hands on his F---ing knees;
"Now see my fists, they're getting ready to F--K You UP "
Here is a YouTube Video of SoCal DA's announcements.
Orange County District Attorney states that Kelly Thomas stood up and took steps backward to defend himself from the Ramos threats of impending force. The DA acknowledges that Kelly Thomas only put his hands up "open-faced" and then Officer Ramos pulled out his batton.
That is when Officer Ramos and one (1) other Officer (Chinelli) (pictured left from the Friends of Fullerton website) then engaged in brutal beating of Kelly Thomas, including tazzing Kelly Thomas at least four (4) times and beating Kelly Thomas in the face with a tazer, while he was down on the ground, with several officers weight upon him.
For those of you who may be coming upon this case for the 1st time (where have you been) - Kelly Thomas, a homeless man in Fullerton CA, who was well liked and never any trouble, was at the Fullerton CA bus station - when things got out of hand and it was reported that he was brutally beaten by six (6) Police for an extended period of time.
These are videos from the Bus and cell phones the night the Fullerton Police officers senselessly beating Kelly Thomas in a brutal and total disregard of human life manner.
Due to the brutal beating, being tased at least four (4) times and the police then using the taser as a hammer upon Kelly Thomas's face and head, Kelly Thomas suffered broken bones in his skull, jaw and ribs. He was later taken off life support and died several days later.
The City of Fullerton tried to sweep the case under the rug, by offering Kelly Thomas's father $900,000. Ron Thomas, who was a former Orange County Sherrif, refused the hush money and said he wanted the case to taken in front of the public.
Ron Thomas, the father of Kelly Thomas, spoke to the press immediately after the OC District Attorney spoke to the press. At that time, Ron Thomas said he is surprised and elated that the District Attorney did not assist Fullerton in trying to cover up this crime.
What we now know, by the detailed accounts of the Orange County District Attorney, is that Officer Ramos knew who Kelly Thomas was, had vast knowledge that Kelly Thomas was of no physical threat to Ramos and that Kelly Thomas was in general a peaceful person. Then, Officer Ramos put on rubber gloves and in a threatening and menancing manner told Kelly Thomas in essence, that thee officer was going to bully and harm Kelly Thomas.
Obviously, such a threat was valid, they did not stop beating Kelly Thomas until he was motionless and had vast amounts of blood pooring from his head.
This blogger believes that the other four (4) police should be punished in some manner, for the failure to stop this crime and the failure to arrest the two (2) obvious bullies who did the senseless beating. This case needs to send a message that it is intolerable for these types of abuse of power to transpire.
Here is a link to the SoCal Orange County District Attorney's office Press Release on the case. http://orangecountyda.com/...
AT this link (here), one can get additional details not revealed in the press announcement by Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas. Some of the additional revelations by the OCDA includes the fact that the violations of law by Officer Manuel Ramos is unacceptable as Ramos deliberately threatened and then beat on the homeless Kelly Thomas, for no apparent reason;
Ramos had to know that he was creating a situation where Kelly Thomas feared for his life and was struggling to get away from an armed police officer who was going to F him up. Ramos had to know other officers would come to his aid and Kelly Thomas was going to get hurt – badly hurt.
This conduct that I just described is unacceptable. It falls far short of the professional, reasonable police conduct our community has every right to expect, and do receive from thousands of police officers who risk their lives for us every day in Orange County.
Additionally, the OCDA website details the way the situation got out of control at the express wish of Fullerton Police Officer Ramos who had the following "recorded" altercations with Kelly Thomas;
Ramos: Now, see my fists?
Thomas: Yeah. What about them?
Ramos: They are getting ready to f** you up.
Thomas: Start punching, dude.
Ramos: If you don’t f*** start listening.
Thomas: That sucks.
Ramos: Yeah.
The FullertonsFuture website (here) has placed the OCDA Press Release on the charges (pic left) with extensive details of the case against Officer Ramos and Officer Cicinelli. What I find particularly poignant on the bad faith intent of the Fullerton Police Department is the fact that they had all the tapes, recordings and witnesses on the night of July 5, 2011 - yet there were NO charges filed. The OCDA took over the case on July 7, 2011.