A Suprising Outcome
Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas announced second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter charges against two L.A. County police officers for the beating death of Kelly Thomas. Officer Manuel Ramos was charged with one count each of second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter in the July 5, 2011 confrontation. Police Cpl. Jay Cicinelli was charged with one count each of involuntary manslaughter and excessive force.
This is a suprising outcome as most were expecting a coverup of sorts and each of the officers involved to receive minor charges for their part in the beating. But D.A. Rackauckas, after much anticipation, announced the charges on September 22, 2011 and suggested there may be more charges against other officers involved. He said a review of the evidence showed Thomas was acting ‘in self-defense, in pain and in a state of panic.’ The prosecutor said police officers have a right to use reasonable force in the performance of a lawful duty but citizens have a right to self-defense, even against the police.
New details of the beating were revealed during the indictments with allegations that Ramos snapped on a pair of latex gloves, held up his fists and told Thomas he was “ready to fuck you up” and hit the homeless man without provocation. Cicinelli allegedly kneed Thomas twice in the head, Tasered him four times and hit him eight times in the face with the Taser, even as Thomas became unresponsive. Ramos is a 10-year veteran of the Fullerton Police Department and Cicinelli has been on the force for 12 years.
Some of the Fullerton city council members, including the Mayor, didn’t initially appear to respond to the gravity of the Thomas beating and have since suffered the ire of residents who have initiated recall proceedings to remove them from their positions. These morons didn’t understand that their job is to defend residents from brutality, at the hands of local police or otherwise, and are now deeply troubled that their soft positions within city govenment may be in jeopardy. If only all ineffective, useless government employees suffered the same fate.
Click the play button below to listen as Orange County D.A. Tony Rackauckas discusses the charges against officers Ramos and Cicinelli during a discussion with John and Ken on KFIAM 640 Radio in Los Angeles.