Posted on 08/17/2011 2:12:42 PM PDT by La Enchiladita
FULLERTON, Calif. (KTLA) -- Fullerton's city council has voted to hire a police watchdog to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of mentally-ill homeless man, Kelly Thomas, after a violent confrontation with six officers.
Council members voted 4-1 Tuesday night to hire Michael Gennaco, chief attorney for the Los Angeles County Office of Independent Review, at upwards of $230 an hour.
Gennaco said he would immediately begin his investigation into the entire department -- not just Thomas' death -- to see if there's any corruption.
The decision came after a heated meeting involving enraged community members who booed, heckled and even threatened Mayor F. Richard Jones and city council members.
(Excerpt) Read more at ktla.com ...
In spite of Ron Thomas's violent, threatening rhetoric at last night's council meeting, the Fullerton mayor Richard F. Jones met with Mr. Thomas at 9:00 a.m. today. To me, that shows he has character. And he is showing strength by staying on the job in spite of pressure, while waiting for due process.
I have read in a few places, and heard, that Ron Thomas once worked as an Orange County Sheriff’s Deputy. That is all I “know.” I have not been able to find any details, even though I have searched, such as when he was a sheriff, for how many years, how and why did he separate from the department.
Since he worked in law enforcement in Orange County, he was aware of and interacted with other LE agencies as well as politicians. I and others wonder if there is a “history” vis a vis Mr. Thomas and other Orange County LE agencies prior to the July 5 incident of his son Kelly’s arrest.
We do know, from various sources, that there was a past incident where Kelly (the son) tried to choke his mother. She subsequently got a restraining order against him.
It would be a bit ironic to find that the police called in that incident were Fullerton city police.
Neat. You can't endorse the insults hurled at the mayor, but apparently you're not sure about endorsing a gang of thugs beating a man to death.
Wonderful.
Neat. You can't endorse the insults hurled at the mayor, but apparently you're not sure about endorsing a gang of thugs beating a man to death.
Wonderful.
I disagree on editing the Dad’s comments. However, I agree with you that grieving parents -— any grieving relatives -— are given a wide berth to vent their emotions.
Since Mr. Thomas does enjoy unlimited access to the media at this time, I think it’s only fair that he be asked some hard questions though. Up until now, this hasn’t happened.
He feels he “succeeded” in removing the police chief, who went on medical leave, so his next target was the Fullerton mayor. Now you know the media cannot ignore Mr. Thomas, because his triumphs end up being theirs as well.
You’re both operating on emotion and your comments and wishes are very like what the police are accused of.
The dad was responding to the mayor’s remark that listening to people talk about his son’s death was “torture.” Can’t blame him for being angry about that.
How do you know? Were you there?
Or... is that the latest from John and Ken.
Not at all. I’m operating on all the facts that have been released so far. I was merely throwing out beating the father to death as a suggestion since that seems to be an approved practice in Fullerton, and one you don’t seem to object to all that strenuously either.
Sorry.
I am so ashamed.
You attempt to make this story, not about the unarmed guy beat to death by multiple officers, but the victims Dad.
Nice touch.
The officers should be punished just as if they were six crackheads who did this heinous crime. Because they were, addicted and under the influence of the power to do this to any citizen in the land and the knowledge of how to get away with it. Their get your lies straight, 14 days vacation and out of the penalty box strategy failed, because of one thing. Technology caught up with them.
This is EXACTLY what the police fighting photos and video recordings of their actions is all about. Its a thin facade of cultural respect that covers some of these gangbangers with badges, and even honorable cops know that if the vent their frustrations someday in innocent blood, they have a big blue insurance policy. THAT’S coming to an end.
No they are not.
An unarmed man was brutally beaten to death by men that are in a position of trust and authority. Maybe you are inured to that but most of us are not.
Thanks for reply.
Here’s the problem: the Fullerton cops killed the son of a sheriff’s deputy. That’s a major error on the part of the Fullerton cops. Unless the Fullerton cops give up the murderers to the sheriff, it will be war in that part of the country. And the Fullerton cops won’t survive.
We’re seeing the initial stages of America’s second civil war.
Yep.
Asked by the city staff member if the meeting was productive, Jones said: "I think very much so, for both of us. He (Ron Thomas) is a wonderful man."
So am I. One of the facts is that the autopsy has not been completed. That conclusion would add weight to whether or not Kelly died as a result of being beaten.
Another fact is that the Fullerton City Council voted on Tuesday night to approve a THIRD investigation --- by an independent party --- not only into the incident on July 5 but into the Fullerton PD as a whole. In spite of this, the protesters, including Mr. Thomas, got up to the podium and made insulting comments toward the Mayor and other council members. The Mayor stated they had other city business to attend to and this inflamed the gallery.
While you approve this kind of agitation, I can say with certainty I have never called for Mr. Thomas to be beaten or harmed in any way nor would I. Yet he has threatened the mayor and the Fullerton police officers with harm and with death.
Nowhere have I said that I approve of ANYONE being beaten to death.
Those are all facts. Your turn.
It's interesting how you have to get that shot in, without knowing me at all. That is all I will say to you.
If he died from something other than the beating, I'll be the first person to come grovelling to you begging your pardon. To any reasonable person, it's more than a fair assumption at this point that he died from the beating...of course there's been three cases of the brain eating amoeba reported this year, and maybe one of those crawled up his nose while his face was being shoved into the curb. It's certainly possible. Not likely, but possible.
I'm glad Fullerton hired a new investigator. Who's going to sign his checks? What if the father hired an investigator and paid his way. Would you trust the objectivity of that investigation?
I do not approve this type of agitation. I think it could have been eliminated entirely had the victim been allowed to live. Don't you think that may have been the best way to prevent this as well?
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