The Fullerton police are claiming they wanted to search Kelly Thomas' backpack, but Thomas ran from them and resisted arrest. Perhaps Kelly Thomas did resist the police, but what we do know for sure is that Kelly Thomas received a severe beating from a gang of up to six police officers. According to eyewitnesses, Kelly Thomas was tasered five times and was being beaten even though he did not appear to continue resisting police. Witnesses say Thomas was begging for the officers to stop beating him, and he was calling out for his father, a retired Orange County law enforcement officer, to come and help him. (Note: Kelly Thomas' father, Ron Thomas, was not present at the scene of the attack and had no way to stop the beating.)
If there is any doubt about whether Fullerton police used excessive force in the Kelly Thomas arrest, we can only look at the result. Kelly Thomas was beaten so badly, he went into a coma and died five days later in a hospital when he was taken off of life support.
Why can't six police officers subdue a homeless man without using brutal force? Why did they taser the man five times? How could a man possibly be so severely injured and still continue to fight six policemen? Why will the police not release the surveillance video from the bus station?
Kelly Thomas may have been guilty of burglary. He may have even been guilty of resisting police at some point during the confrontation. The fact remains, however, that a mentally ill man was beaten so badly, he died. This could very well be a murder. If it is, these Fullerton cops need to spend life in prison or perhaps even face the death penalty.
If you want to see the face of police brutality, click on the thumbnail below. This is an image of Kelly Thomas after his beating. This image is graphic and disturbing. If you are squeamish, do not look at the full-sized image.
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| Kelly Thomas After Fullerton Police Beating Image: fullertonsfuture.org |
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