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Cops Saw Video of Deadly Incident With Kelly Thomas Before Writing Reports
The Los Angeles Times ^ | August 12, 2011 | Richard Winton and Abby Sewel

Posted on 08/12/2011 6:18:13 AM PDT by truthkeeper

Fullerton's acting police chief acknowledged Thursday that the department had allowed police officers involved in a deadly encounter with a homeless man to watch a video that captures the incident before writing their reports about it.

Acting Chief Kevin Hamilton said supervisors allowed the review so that the officers would have a chance to refresh their memory and write an accurate account of the incident involving Kelly Thomas.

But the practice is at odds with the way many other police departments deal with serious use-of-force cases. The LAPD's former inspector general, Jeffrey Eglash, said that allowing police to look at video before giving evidence is a "bad practice."

"You want each person's recollection. I would look at the videotape like another witness," he said. "It allows the officers to conform their statements to other evidence rather than getting their independent witness recollection. It is not a practice that advances the truth-seeking."

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: homeless; homelessness; kellythomas; mentalillness; mentallyill; schizophrenia; thinblueline
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To: KarlInOhio
If the police were interrogating two bank robbers, would they let them watch the bank's security video and discuss their testimony before asking them any questions?

No. That's not the way it works. The perps don't get that advantage. They probably should've thought of that before hitting the bank.

21 posted on 08/12/2011 6:55:52 AM PDT by Libloather (The epitome of civility.)
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To: PetroniusMaximus
What was that statement, (for those of us who missed it)?

Here is the youtube video clip of the entire informant's statement. They incorporated two parts into one, so in the first half you will hear his real voice and after the commercial break his voice has been disguised. If the things he says are true, it's pretty chilling.

Sorry this isn't a link, you'll have to cut and paste:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxMqlRgGAno

22 posted on 08/12/2011 6:55:55 AM PDT by truthkeeper (Vote Against Barack Obama in 2012!)
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To: jonascord
So, from now on, we can treat them as so much toilet paper, just a pack of self-serving lies, written by a slimy criminal? Cool.

If the police reports match video evidence, it doesn't get much better than that. If the reports and video conflict, that's a problem.

23 posted on 08/12/2011 6:59:14 AM PDT by Libloather (The epitome of civility.)
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To: Libloather
No. That's not the way it works. The perps don't get that advantage. They probably should've thought of that before hitting the bank.

Ditto for the cops. They shouldn't have the advantage of being able to adjust their testimony to match each others' stories and the physical evidence. They should have thought of that before hitting Mr. Thomas.

24 posted on 08/12/2011 6:59:55 AM PDT by KarlInOhio (The Repubs and Dems are arguing whether to pour 9 or 10 buckets of gasoline on a burning house.)
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To: PetroniusMaximus
I'm so sorry about the other post, it was not the audio clip that had all of the informer's statements, which he made over two separate appearances on the show.
The next url is the one in which his voice was altered. It is much longer than the first. In this one he talks about the officer with the glass eye, who is alleged to have done the majority of the beating (again, this is a cut and paste):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Yo4iOWDZ9o&feature=related

25 posted on 08/12/2011 7:04:37 AM PDT by truthkeeper (Vote Against Barack Obama in 2012!)
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To: Libloather

“No. That’s not the way it works. The perps don’t get that advantage.”

Ah, I get it. When police officers are suspected of a crime, they get special rules and privileges. All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others?


26 posted on 08/12/2011 7:05:36 AM PDT by Boogieman
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To: KarlInOhio
They shouldn't have the advantage...

But they do.

27 posted on 08/12/2011 7:05:44 AM PDT by Libloather (The epitome of civility.)
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To: Boogieman
Ah, I get it. When police officers are suspected of a crime, they get special rules and privileges.

Nope. Nothing special about it. They have evidence. The more, the better. They file reports based on that evidence. If something went wrong, I'm sure some lawyer will produce that evidence while in court.

28 posted on 08/12/2011 7:09:17 AM PDT by Libloather (The epitome of civility.)
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To: Libloather
Interesting that The Orange County district attorney's office, which is investigating Thomas' death along with the FBI, has refused to release the tape publicly, saying investigators believe it could influence witness recollections. The Fullerton police have also rejected requests to make the tape public.

Because the Orange County district attorney's office, which is investigating Thomas' death along with the FBI, has refused to release the tape publicly, saying investigators believe it could influence witness recollections. The Fullerton police have also rejected requests to make the tape public.

So which is it reviewing is good or only good for the police cover up.

29 posted on 08/12/2011 7:09:23 AM PDT by Ratman83
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To: truthkeeper

Hi gal - Thanks for posting this. I had seen the articles regarding this just last week. I think I got an OC ping on it. It probably had been on TV here but I don’t watch much news. Incredibly sad and pretty darned stupid on the part of law enforcement. I am glad it’s not going to be swept under a rug. The young man and his family deserve justice.


30 posted on 08/12/2011 7:11:11 AM PDT by Thank You Rush
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To: Ratman83
Because the Orange County district attorney's office, which is investigating Thomas' death along with the FBI, has refused to release the tape publicly, saying investigators believe it could influence witness recollections.

That's the best thing to happen - if your goal is to bust a few cops.

31 posted on 08/12/2011 7:12:20 AM PDT by Libloather (The epitome of civility.)
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To: Libloather
If the reports match the video, I have no problem with it.

...even if the video was viewed by the LEOs before and/or during the time those reports were written?

32 posted on 08/12/2011 7:13:37 AM PDT by Roccus (Obama & Holder LLP, Procurers of fine arms to the most discerning drug lords (202) 456-1414)
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To: Libloather
No, it isn't.

It sure as hell is. It's a strategy designed to protect the wrong doers as opposed to arriving at the truth and the facts.

33 posted on 08/12/2011 7:14:19 AM PDT by paul51 (11 September 2001 - Never forget)
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To: truthkeeper
"Sometimes audio tapes or videotapes can refresh an officer's memory to what happened and then they can write about it," he said.

This goes counter to their stated reason for not showing the videos to the public. They have said they won't release them until the investigation is over because they don't want the video to bias witness statements...

The videotapes were not shown to the officers in an effort to flavor anything.

Well, of course not. </sarcasm>

34 posted on 08/12/2011 7:18:08 AM PDT by Mr.Unique (Very generic, non-offensive, tagline.)
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To: jonascord
-- So, from now on, we can treat them as so much toilet paper, just a pack of self-serving lies, written by a slimy criminal? --

The only time that has any value at all is when you are on a jury. Other than that, the system is designed to overwhelm you into submission, with deadly force if that is what it takes.

35 posted on 08/12/2011 7:18:37 AM PDT by Cboldt
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To: Roccus
...even if the video was viewed by the LEOs before and/or during the time those reports were written?

That is correct. Unbiased moving pictures of the scene are awfully hard to refute. What the video DOES NOT display is motive. That will be determined at a later date.

36 posted on 08/12/2011 7:20:04 AM PDT by Libloather (The epitome of civility.)
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To: truthkeeper

from what i’ve heard on kfi am 640 i doubt that the public will ever see that video.

the murder was so violent that the public will be outraged.

i heard the tape of the witnesses on the bus that saw the murder. unbelievable.


37 posted on 08/12/2011 7:21:43 AM PDT by ken21 (ruling class dem + rino progressives -- destroying america for 150 years.)
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To: Libloather
Reviewing it would be important.

Not a review but the subjects of the investigation. Seriously now.

38 posted on 08/12/2011 7:22:27 AM PDT by Mr.Unique (Very generic, non-offensive, tagline.)
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To: paul51
It's a strategy designed to protect the wrong doers as opposed to arriving at the truth and the facts.

The truth and facts will come out in court - not in your living room.

39 posted on 08/12/2011 7:23:45 AM PDT by Libloather (The epitome of civility.)
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To: Libloather

So, basically a report on what they watched on television last night. Not an honest recollection of events.

No thanks.
The fix is in.


40 posted on 08/12/2011 7:29:47 AM PDT by SJSAMPLE
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