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JERRY VERLINGER

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2 Fullerton Police Officrs Charged In Beating Death Of Kelly Thomas

Seeded on Wed Sep 21, 2011 4:07 PM EDT
Read ArticleArticle Source: CBS Los Angeles
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Seeded by Jerry Verlinger
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Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas said Wednesday that Fullerton police Cpl. Jay Cicinelli, 39, was charged with  involuntary manslaughter and use of excessive force. Officer Manuel Ramos, 37, was charged with second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter.

The DA’s office has been investigating whether six Fullerton police officers used excessive force when they arrested Thomas, 37, at a bus depot on July 5. All six officers have been placed on administrative leave.

According to Rackauckas, Ramos  faces up to 15 years to life in prison if convicted. Cicinelli faces up to four  years in prison. He said the charges were needed to maintain public trust in  the police department. Read more;

 

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Jerry Verlinger

Unfortunetly this is not an isolated case. Beating like this occur almost every day in this country, but only the cases where the detainee was killed or put into a coma actually appear on the national news radar.

See The National Police Misconduct Statistics and Reporting Project statistics for 2010;

  • 4,861 – Unique reports of police misconduct tracked
  • 6,613 - Number of sworn law enforcement officers involved (354 were agency leaders such as chiefs or sheriffs)
  • 6,826 - Number of alleged victims involved
  • 247 – Number of fatalities associated with tracked reports

Also see The Co$t of Police Mi$conduct

  • 5 votes
Reply#1 - Wed Sep 21, 2011 4:24 PM EDT
OneNativeSon

It's a beautiful thing when justice, even if the DA was forced by public opinion and overwhelming evidence to do so, is sent to the kitchen to be cooked and then served in such egregious cases isn't it Jerry?

Let's keep a close eye on this case as it makes it's way through the courts. It would be a huge victory in protecting citizens from the growing number of actions that can no longer be swept away by blaming "rogue" cops.

  • 4 votes
#1.1 - Wed Sep 21, 2011 6:54 PM EDT
Reply
Rodney-889389

According to Rackauckas, Ramos faces up to 15 years to life in prison if convicted. Cicinelli faces up to four years in prison. He said the charges were needed to maintain public trust in the police department.

“We must do everything that we can to ensure that we protect this trust, including if necessary, prosecuting police officers who violate the law,”

This is a very scary statement by this DA. Think about what he just said, "We must do everything that we can to ensure that we protect this trust, including if necessary, prosecuting police officers who violate the law,”

If necessary? When is it NOT necessary to prosecute an officers that violate the law?

...and this comment, "charges were needed to maintain public trust in the police department."

You prosecute people when they commit a crime, not to instill trust in the department. The DA's office is not the guarantor of trust for the police department, their job is to represent the state in criminal cases.

I think this attitude is what's wrong with our legal system, DAs see their job as an extension of the police department, it is not. They should be independent of arbiters of the facts not a public relations firm for police department who's officers just beat a man to death.

Those two statements are outrageous and citizens should be outraged that the DA is more interested in rehabilitating the image of the police department than he is in seeking justice for Mr. Thomas.

  • 6 votes
Reply#2 - Wed Sep 21, 2011 5:51 PM EDT
ScreamingForVengeance

I was thinking the same exact thing as I read the statement and I was going to say exactly what you just did.

That statement was scary in every way.....

  • 4 votes
#2.1 - Wed Sep 21, 2011 6:39 PM EDT
OneNativeSon

I caught that too...

Ensuring that officers of the law are not dangerous criminals is PARAMOUNT. There can be few people more critically and generally detrimental to a lawful and civil society than psychopaths with badges. Whenever and wherever law enforcement personnel become criminal such individuals or groups should be swifty prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

  • 4 votes
#2.2 - Wed Sep 21, 2011 6:57 PM EDT
Wheel

When is it NOT necessary to prosecute an officers that violate the law?

When there aren't so many witnesses, etc.

  • 3 votes
#2.3 - Wed Sep 21, 2011 7:10 PM EDT
Rodney-889389

When there aren't so many witnesses, etc.

That really shouldn't determine the "if necessary" or the part of his statement. When looking at the totality of his comments, I take away the feeling that this DA sees his role as a supporter of the police department and has a reluctance to hold officers to the same criminal standards that everyone else is bound by.

There should be vigorous prosecution of criminal misconduct by police officers, not a reluctance.

IMO, DAs across this country have become too close the police departments, they lack objectivity and this creates a conflict of interest. Lady justice is blindfolded for a reason, too many DAs ignore that fact more it comes to misconduct by police.

Protecting the trust in the police department is the job of the police chief and the mayor, not the DA's office.

  • 3 votes
#2.4 - Wed Sep 21, 2011 8:35 PM EDT
Rodney-889389

correction

IMO, DAs across this country have become too close to police departments, they lack objectivity and this creates a conflict of interest. Lady justice is blindfolded for a reason, too many DAs ignore that fact when it comes to misconduct by police.

  • 3 votes
#2.5 - Wed Sep 21, 2011 8:37 PM EDT
ScreamingForVengeance

Of course they do, because their livlihoods depend on the Police. But in the end, they are on the same side.

It's the Judge who is supposed to be 100% Neutral.

  • 1 vote
#2.6 - Wed Sep 21, 2011 8:39 PM EDT
Rodney-889389

There's only one side...and that's justice. Whether it's proving guilt or innocence, a prosecutor job is to seek the truth, not to win cases. If the truth is innocence, then the DA did his job just as well as if the truth was guilt.

  • 3 votes
#2.7 - Wed Sep 21, 2011 8:53 PM EDT
Beta Test Victim

I was thinking the same thing Rodney. I wish to have a nice long talk with the DA in Washington that handled a case I was involved in. I just wish to have a chance to point out the simple fact that he didn't do his job. Most District Attorneys don't. They are one and the same as the police. So many great comments in reply to yours....I will stop here.

  • 4 votes
#2.8 - Wed Sep 21, 2011 9:34 PM EDT
Rodney-889389

Thanks Beta...

  • 3 votes
#2.9 - Wed Sep 21, 2011 9:58 PM EDT
Reply
Dr Know

"when necessary" - That should give everyone great pause. This became "necessary" only after extreme public pressure to REALLY investigate. The DA tried to stall as long as possible. The six cops AND their supervisors conspired to write and rewrite their reports to place the absolute best light on this gang beating. It is like the Rodney King beating. There were 20 cops around. None of them made any effort to stop the beating. The same thing here. As more cops arrived they had to see the guy was not a threat.

  • 2 votes
Reply#3 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 12:33 AM EDT
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