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Aug-02-2011 02:00printcomments

5 of 6 Fullerton Cops who Murdered Homeless Man Gang Style Still Working

Orange County is known for its high levels of corruption as we all know, but cops working after doing this to a man...

Kelly Thomas
Kelly Thomas screamed for his dad as officers from the Fullerton Police Department beat and tased him to death in plain view of many people standing nearby.

(FULLERTON, Calif.) - Having grown up in Southern California, I have always been well aware of the brutality police officers are capable of. There are many evil horrendous cases of unaddressed police abuse in this country, but some, like the case of Kelly Thomas, the schizophrenic man recently tortured and beaten to death in Fullerton, California remind us that this police abuse is taking place right under our nose.

New revelations - this is audio only

"I now regret ever having served as a law officer". Those are the words of Kelly Thomas's father, Ron Thomas, who is retired law enforcement. He now spends his time passing out flyers seeking information on the police who killed his son in an open neighborhood while the 37-year old victim screamed "dad" over and over again in vain.

Neighbors said Kelly was childlike and totally harmless. Regardless, even if he wasn't as innocent as he was, there are many witnesses and they all had matching statements and they are published below. If you visit the site fullertonsfuture.org you can see a transcript of witness descriptions.

Apparently it took investigators three weeks to conduct their first witness interview. This, while the killer gang of cops continue to roam and endanger the streets.

This is why groups like the Black Panthers came into power in Chicago and Oakland in the 1960's - because police were so terrible to people that it could only be controlled by confronting the police with weapons and following them to crime scenes.

I can only imagine the hundreds of thousands of kids in Southern California who fear police more than any criminal alive.

Police apparently thought he was connected to car burglaries, and he was scared of the police and he made a fatal mistake of running Tuesday 5 July. I say this is the worst yet, but then I said that when police opened fire on a Marine Veteran in Arizona a few months ago in a case of mistaken identity.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PRESS RELEASE #72811

Subject : Fullerton Police urge witnesses to July 5 Kelly Thomas incident to call OCDA Contact : Sgt. Andrew Goodrich, Fullerton Police Department (714) 738-6838

Fullerton Police Chief Michael Sellers is joining with the Orange County District Attorney’s Office in asking any witnesses to the July 5 incident involving the Fullerton Police Department and Kelly Thomas to come forward and contact the OCDA.

The OCDA released a statement Wednesday (July 27) asking witnesses to contact the DA’s Office. The DA’s request follows-up on a similar plea for witnesses to come forward made previously by the Police Department.

The incident occurred July 5. Fullerton Police Sgt. Andrew Goodrich said officers responded to the bus depot at 123 S. Pomona Ave. at approximately 8:30 p.m. after the Police Department had received reports that a man was trying to get into cars parked in the area. Goodrich said the suspect was described as a male transient with long hair, no shirt, and carrying a backpack.

Officers arrived at the depot and contacted the suspect, identified as Kelly Thomas, a homeless man who frequented the area. An altercation ensured between the officers and Thomas.

During the arrest, Thomas sustained serious injuries and was transported initially to St. Jude Medical Center via ambulance, and then later to UCI Medical Center via ambulance. Thomas was taken off of life support July 10.

Immediately after the incident, Fullerton Police requested the Orange County District Attorney to take over the investigation. The OCDA responded and assumed the investigation.

Chief Michael Sellers said “The Department believes it is in the best interest of everyone – the Police Department, Mr. Thomas’ Family and the Fullerton community as a whole - to have a thorough and independent investigation conducted by an outside agency. We are cooperating fully with the District Attorney’s Office in the investigation.”

Fullerton Mayor F. Richard Jones, M.D., agreed with Chief Sellers’ decision to bring the DA’s Office in to investigate the case.

“I’m sure I speak for the entire Fullerton City Council when I say how shocked I am by this incident,” said Fullerton Mayor F. Richard Jones, M.D. “As a parent, I can’t begin to imagine the pain the family of Kelly Thomas is experiencing over the loss of their son and brother, and my heart goes out to his family.

“I concur completely with the actions of our Police Department to immediately request that the Orange County District Attorney’s Office conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into the events that occurred the night of Mr. Thomas’ arrest and his subsequent death. Until that investigation is complete, it would be inappropriate for me to comment further on the situation.”

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call the Orange County District Attorney’s Office at (714) 347-8813.

I can only say that this footage is tough, because it is of a man being beaten and tased to death by trusted members of the law enforcement community in an otherwise nice Orange County city.

But this is the area where I have seen police and deputies exhibit extreme abuse on human beings, so it isn't like I'm that surprised, but I am shocked by the images of this poor man as he lay dying in a hospital bed after the police who said he "resisted arrest" were done with him. The latest move has been to offer his family $900,000 in payment, would that be enough for a son?

The video from the police car or cars has not yet been released, and sources say at least one, actually controlled by a dispatcher, was zoomed in on the beating. The video has not been released and one voice of sanity there, Sharon Quirk-Silva with the Fullerton City Council, says, "release the video":

"As a member of the Fullerton City Council, and a mother, I am deeply disturbed by this tragic event. I am so sorry that this has happened in the city of Fullerton. I have talked to Mr. Ron Thomas to express my sympathy. I have demanded that all six officers be placed on administrative leave and that we fully investigate this incident.

"I have asked for detailed accounts of this event and to see the video and release the video.

"As a leader in Fullerton, I know that it is our job to be transparent, accountable, and to serve and protect our citizens.

"More than anything, I am committed to finding justice for Kelly Thomas.

"As a mother, I can only imagine the sheer pain that the family must be enduring right now. Not only losing a son, but dealing with such a horrifying death.

"My thought and prayers are with the Thomas Family and our community at this difficult time."

I feel so bad after watching the video that I have to cut this one short, Lord knows I have plenty to say about it, but I sense I really don't have to.

The FBI is now being asked to investigate the death and that is good, because if the Fullerton Police chief really can't find the decency to take these men off the street for the duration of the investigation, then he is very ill suited for his job.

Again, insiders say the chief Michael F. Sellers has full knowledge of the extent of this incident and clearly is not opting for public safety or integrity. There are also credible reports that he is a personal friend of the Orange County DA investigator on the case.

The Website fullertonsfuture.org writes:

According to this unsigned note that just came in to our website, Chief Sellers is a close personal friend of DA investigator Stan Berry, who was immediately assigned to the high-profile Fullerton case:

I suggest you check into the connection between Investigator Berry and FPD Chief Sellers. Sellers hired Berry when he was the Chief at Seal Beach PD. Sellers and his wife Rita Fraser-Sellers, are close personal friends with Berry and his wife, Kristen Berry, the Dispatch Supervisor in Seal Beach. They socialize together, vacation together and entertain each other in their respective homes.

Of all the DA investigators, why choose Berry, other than he will help cover for his friend.

This is a sad case.

If you are fragile or sensitive, by all means pass on the video.

_________________________________________________________
Tim King: Salem-News.com Editor and Writer Tim King is a former U.S. Marine with twenty years of experience on the west coast as a television news producer, photojournalist, reporter and assignment editor. In addition to his role as a war correspondent, this Los Angeles native serves as Salem-News.com's Executive News Editor. Tim spent the winter of 2006/07 covering the war in Afghanistan, and he was in Iraq over the summer of 2008, reporting from the war while embedded with both the U.S. Army and the Marines. Tim holds awards for reporting, photography, writing and editing, including the Silver Spoke Award by the National Coalition of Motorcyclists (2011), Excellence in Journalism Award by the Oregon Confederation of Motorcycle Clubs (2010), Oregon AP Award for Spot News Photographer of the Year (2004), First-place Electronic Media Award in Spot News, Las Vegas, (1998), Oregon AP Cooperation Award (1991); and several others including the 2005 Red Cross Good Neighborhood Award for reporting. Tim has several years of experience in network affiliate news TV stations, having worked as a reporter and photographer at NBC, ABC and FOX stations in Arizona, Nevada and Oregon. Tim was a member of the National Press Photographer's Association for several years and is a current member of the Orange County Press Club. Serving the community in very real terms, Salem-News.com is the nation's only truly independent high traffic news Website. As News Editor, Tim among other things, is responsible for publishing the original content of 82 Salem-News.com writers. He reminds viewers that emails are easily missed and urges those trying to reach him, to please send a second email if the first goes unanswered. You can write to Tim at this address: newsroom@salem-news.com




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Benjamin August 4, 2011 1:39 pm (Pacific time)

The man died due to injuries he got while in police custody. From the police. While he was hogtied. Period. Book 'em Danno. These scumbags are a disgrace to the force.


Sisto Maximo August 3, 2011 6:35 pm (Pacific time)

We the American Citizens Are Living In POLICE STATE! You Step Out Of Line, They'll Take You Away or Even Beat You To A Pulp and Torture You To Death! Pure intimidation on the public! What happened to Kelly Thomas could happen to you! The Goon Squad of the Fullerton Police showed America and the World that they could do the samething that police do in Lybia and Syria plus could get away with it! Why not, the police get away with murder of innocent citizens everyday! They get out of doing prison time by using these few words, ' I Was In Fear Of My Life, Jack! ' Well la, their back on patrol on the streets! You notice the police have shaved heads, looking like a bunch of SkinHeads wearing badges and DogTown sunglasses! Thats for intimidation just like the Gastopo's SS. I call them, ' The Police Goon Squad '. That is what happened to Kelly Thomas' unfortunate fate in coming across Fullerton's Police Goon Squad on July 5th, 2011. It's all there for the World to see! The City Officials and the Goon Squad's attorney can shake it and dice it any way they want but the truth is it's cold blooded murder! Murder of a homeless man! The least of society which most of America couldn't care much about!
The Goon Squad didn't know Kelly's dad was a retired policeman, who knows a Goon Squad when he see's one! Hopefully the F.B.I. Knows a Police Goon Squad when they see one! I'm sure they can their the F.B.I. not no keystone cops running their show! The corruption that runs the city of Fullerton is now under the magnifying glass of the media which has similarities of the City of Bell corruption! Less I forget, where is the A.C.L.U. WHERE IS THE A.C.L.U.!!! Are You Out There! You are suppose to keep these Police Goon Squads off the streets! What happen here is a break down and disregard of the Constitution and the guaranteed Rights for every citizen homeless or with homes! There was a Murder and the Goons who perpetrated it should do long prison sentences and set an example for the World to see that this will not be tolerated !


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