Chilling Video Captures Man's Cries For Help As He Is Tased And Beaten To Death

 

Kelly Thomas, a 37-year-old homeless man with schizophrenia, kept calling for his father as police beat and tased him repeatedly.

But his father, a retired Orange County sheriff’s deputy, was not around.

It wasn't until after Thomas slipped into a coma and was hospitalized with multiple injures that his father saw him.

And by then, it was too late. Thomas never recovered. The 160-pound man died five days after his run-in with Fullerton police.

Now investigators are looking for witnesses as to what took place the night of July 5 when police responded to reports of someone breaking into cars.

So far, one video has surfaced, that doesn’t show much of what took place, but does allow us to hear Thomas’ cries for help as well as the reaction from witnesses.

The Los Angeles Times reports that Thomas began struggling when officers attempted to search him.

His father said his son was probably off his medication.

 "When I first walked into the hospital, I looked at what his mother described as my son ... I didn't recognize him," Thomas said. "This is cold-blooded, aggravated murder."

Hopefully there are more videos out there.

kelly_thomas.jpg

thomas2.jpg

Comments

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2019225/Police-beat-taser-gentle...

The above link has a hospital photo of him. Pretty horrible. Is there some irony here in that the father is a retired Sheriffs Deputy? I wonder if he is one of the few who can look back on his career with pride at having upheld the constitution and protecting the public? If not then is this karma at work?

Carlos Miller - Photography is Not a Crime
Pixiq Expert

Thanks, Steve. I just posted the photo.

Fullerton Police Department (714)738-6800

Chief of Police - Michael Sellers
714.738.6825 msellers@fullertonpd.org

Captain, Uniform Division - Dan Hughes
714.738.6840 dhughes@fullertonpd.org

Captain, Services Division - Alex Bastreri 714.738.6839 rbastreri@fullertonpd.org

Captain, Investigation Division - Kevin Hamilton 714.738.6841 khamilton@fullertonpd.org

Sergeant, Public Information Officer - Andrew Goodrich 714.738.6838 agoodrich@fullertonpd.org

--

Mayor & City Council 714.738.6311

City Manager - Joe Felz
714.738.6310 CityManager@ci.fullerton.ca.us

So, what? The sins of the father, is that what you're saying? How sick. Shame on you. If you think that "karma," even in the coarse way you interpret it, is visited upon the innocent (and lets not forget, mentally afflicted) offspring of the presumed offender, then you are beyond redemption.

You fail at being a human. Please crawl into a hole and stay there until satan comes to collect you.

I love the idiot bystanders who always add their 2 cents...

The 2 cents from the "idiot bystanders" might just be necessary additional evidence that will put these thugs in jail for aggravated murder.

I doubt it. These are the same people wondered why they wouldn't "get put handcuffs on him and call it a day". Obvious morons.

Please explain why this is a moronic idea...thanks!

Because he was resisting arrest. It's been mentioned before but it is very hard to put handcuffs on a resisting subject. Sure it would have been great if they could have done it sooner but it's not the cops fault if the other party fights to prevent it.

Common sense is a hell of a thing. You should use it.

You're welcome!

I do use it....looking for your side of the story. You don't have to use invective.

Thanks...

Lets taze and beat the shit out of you and see if you try to resist. My hope for you is you do get tazed and the shit beat out of you. I would stand by and laugh as you try to resist such a beating, and who wouldn't resist, it's a NATURAL DEFENSE MECHANISM hard wired into our brain. But I will just stand by and laugh if it was you, and I would probably throw in a few of my own "STOP RESISTING"'S to make my video a little better. Anyone else I would do what I can to SAVE A LIFE from the Terrorist Police Force. Why don't you use some common sense.

It sure would be great if every person that did not immediately comply with an officer was a violent offender, but no sensible person believes that is true. In between the immediately compliant citizen and the violent offender, are the sick, the handicapped, the confused and the just plain frightened average citizen.

Please don't beat them to death. Thank you.

Uh huh, resisting arrest, the pretext for sadism.

"Under the common law, there was no difference whatsoever between the privileges, immunities, and powers of constables and those of private citizens. Constables were literally and figuratively clothed in the same garments as everyone else and faced the same liabilities — civil and criminal — as everyone else under identical circumstances.... Nothing illustrates the modern disparity between the rights and powers of police and citizen as much as the modern law of resisting arrest. At the time of the nation's founding, any citizen was privileged to resist arrest if, for example, probable cause for arrest did not exist or the arresting person could not produce a valid arrest warrant where one was needed. As recently as one hundred years ago, but with a tone that seems as if from some other, more distant age, the United States Supreme Court held that it was permissible (or at least defensible) to shoot an officer who displays a gun with intent to commit a warrantless arrest based on insufficient cause. Officers who executed an arrest without proper warrant were themselves considered trespassers, and any trespassee had a right to violently resist (or even assault and batter) an officer to evade such arrest."

Roger Roots, "Are Cops Constitutional?" Seton Hall Constitutional Law Journal 685-757 (2001)
http://www.constitution.org/lrev/roots/cops.htm

Roger Isaac Roots, J.D., M.C.J., graduated from Roger Williams University School of Law in 1999, Roger Williams University School of Justice Studies in 2001, and Montana State University-Billings (B.S., Sociology) in 1995.

How can one person resist five cops? How can five cops not physically have overpowered him before beating him beyond recovery? How could five cops not strong arm him and put cuffs on him without beating him beyond recovery? How can you conscience not bother you when you said "he was resisting arrest"?

A hell of a thing common sense is indeed.

I did not trust cops before I was aware of this case. As a group cops are the most deceitful and dishonest that I have interacted with. I cannot exclude politicians here since cops and politicians are on the same 'team'.

At least some folks now realize that the wool has been pulled over their eyes. These actions are not good for America or We the People.

When did cops become such tender little buggers that 'equal force' was no longer the justification of force being used by cops?

Now cops just stand around a suspect. Electrocute them with less lethal amounts. Kick suspects, punch and club them, at times beyond a recoverable condition. Then get pissed when a person doesn't follow their exact words and give the suspect more of the same.

My common sense tells me that a person being electrocuted cannot move voluntarily. It also tells me a person in excruciating pain cannot move voluntarily. Further, a person in such a condition may have no awareness of any external activities as said pain would be the only focal point of thought.

Would this guy have had a right to kill these officers to defend himself, or would someone else have had the right to kill these officers in the defense of this guy? Or should he not resist no matter what JL? It's against the law to resist an officer, right? The law is the law, the guy should not resist when they start murdering people. You act like Nazi Germany could never happen again, but what do you call this. This is just one guy, many people are beaten and tortured at the hands of the police force every day. Look up on youtube why don't you, endless number of videos pop up when you search for police brutality. It's not just an isolated incident. These officers need to be charged with treason, they levied war against the people and should be dealt with accordingly. They are enemies of this country. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

Do you have a picture of Timothy Mcveigh on the wall in your double wide?

I bet you have that quote about the tree of liberty and the blood of tyrants framed on your dresser somewhere too.

I think I know who the real enemy of this country is. It's moronic people like you who can't stop spouting rhetoric long enough to look at the facts (or lack of them) in this case. You had the police convicted before you even read past the story title.

Johnny, Johnny, Johnny,

I hate to see you sink to the old ad hominem fallacy, when your experience in law enforcement might shed some light on the LEO perspective. But instead you have resorted to demeaning the person, who you do not agree with. I can remember many of your posts before where you bemoan when someone compares an LEO with nazis. While I also dislike the nazi comparison, your post about double wides, Timothy McVeigh quotes about the blood of tyrants etc., is no better. So, shame on you for stooping to their level!

I have lost much respect for you tonight. Deal with the issues, the facts, and give your opinion on what you have seen, even if it is incomplete. Previously I always wanted to hear your opinion, even if I did not agree with it. You are able to provide a unique perspective that I can not, and previously I wanted to hear it, even if I might disagree with it. Don't sink to character assassination as so many others have. Instead stick to the facts, the videos, and your interpretation of what facts are available, even if incomplete. I will respect you for that, even if I don't agree.

Is it that what happened in this situation has absolutely no justification ethically, morally, or legally, and you have no other defense, other than to resort to character assassination? I hope not. But again, I do want to hear your opinion because you do bring your LEO experience to the table, and might help us all understand your perspectives.

@ Tom Joad

I will give two shits about your lack of respect for me as soon as I see you criticizing the people who constantly attack me on this board without provocation. It happens in almost every other reply to me but I haven't heard a peep out of you about it. Until then, you can take your disappointment and spin on it.

joe

MY GOD how could any human stand by and watch such cruelty and brutality and not help this poor man. I hope these assholes get the electric chair for this. as more of this is coming to light i hope more people start retaliating against the kind of cops. i know 15% of these cops make the 75% look bad but the 75% let them get away with it so they are guilty after the facts. our constitution allows us to stop this kind of torture by cops lets start using it.

jay,

So you have no clue about what happened or how the guy was resisting yet you are convinced it was brutality? Awesome. Please join the academy in your town and show us how to arrest a suspect who is fighting. I am sure you will be amazing.

joe

JL i tryed to but when i took the exams they said i couldnt be an officer becuase my IQ was a 132 and that was to high for them to allow me to be an officer.they told me they look for about a 102 average IQ.

@ Jay,

Oh yeah your superior intelligence is obvious by your lack of spelling, grammar, and sentence structure. I think you may want to retest.

Of course you can keep telling yourself that you are too smart to be a cop. It's always easier (safer) to condemn something from your couch isn't it?

joe

it sure is johny hind site is always better. learn from your mistakes dont continue making then. and your supposed to wrestle them to the ground not beat them into submission. plus typing skills dont equate intelligence actions do you guys act like a gang protecting your turf and you what us to respect that attitude not in my book. and i dont think i am to smart to be a cop the cops said i was to smart. how hard is it to ride around and watch the world go by and get pissed when you answer a call and get mad because you have to do someting other than sit on your ass. i am 54 and retired living a good life while you still work and bitch and complain because someone dissagrees with how a fellow officer gets judged before the favts are in when the video shows them. your a human being and i am shure you are loved and admired by your family and friends you know why? because of they way you treat them . try that on your next patrol and see how it makes a better out come

Does that work for you when you go out on patrol? Oh wait...you are sitting on your couch watching the world go by.

Thanks for the advice though! I will file it in the appropriate place.

joe

oh your right johny your way or the highway.submit or get a beating pain is all you know. gee as i sit on my couch and watch the world go by i see all sorts of ways to do it better and pain and injury doesnt have to happen. why do you think you here very few stories about game wardens and violence and they do deal with armed people. ever heard of a net or some other non violent way of subduing someone.you come to a site that exposes the type of police behavour and abuse and then you do the same thing i am sure you do on the streets you try to goad people and esculate the conversation into something you can use to attack someone.so everytime i wonder at what point this young man stopped resiting arrest and was trying to fight for his life because the cops let it get out of control

I will retire at the age of 44 with a full pension so what's your point?

Sounds like you got washed out of the process and now your bitter. Like the kid in high school who puts down the football players because they are jealous that they can't do it.

I have worked for three different police departments, each one a step up in pay and location, not once did I take an IQ test. So what police department was this. I know you won't tell us but I thought I'd ask.

And I agree with Johnny law, typing skills have nothing to do with your shitty grammar. If your going to claim to be so smart you should have somebody proofread your stuff before posting it.

You castigate people for shitty grammar, and you make multiple mistakes of grammar within your own message.

For starters, it's not "If your going to claim", it's "If you're going to claim".

Talk about proofreading.

And yet Lawman isn't the one bragging about having a genius level IQ. The guy with shitty writing skills is the one doing that.

joe

yeah johny shitty writting skills but the truth none the less . an thanks for calling me a genuis because i never said i was and i bet your reports read like a great fiction novel when you file them.

I'm not the one claiming I'm too smart

joe

lets see three differnt departments age 44 . did you get your money maybe from doing favors or payoffs did your transfers come from discipinary actions.hmm just another typical cop that cops to a site that exposes the bad cops because they wont do it and gets mad for being exposed for the corruption that they permit please retire soon maybe you will get replaced by a honest cop we hope. yeah when pigs fly.

Yeah you were too smart to get hired. So Jay after being turned away by the police because of your high IQ what kind of work did you end up in?

joe

oh is my IQ higher than yours are you trying to bait me or are you at home watching porn and thinking of your mother that time you walked in when she was tacking it up the rear from your uncle big lawman. is that how you were delivered at the hospital by a proctologist. oh and wasnt turned away they said it would'nt be the best use of my ability. how do you know i didnt make my money fron suing crooked cops. you know a its not to hard setup a cop sting and let them hang themselves. cops think every one is dumb and dont think we know the laws to and do things they shouldnt. hey the towns pay for insurance to cover such stupid cops why not collect some of my tax money back if i wanted to. you guys make such easy marks even when the judge is crooked. it just takes a few years to collect is all, but you will never know.

That must be your super intellect at work there jay. Good deal.

So you won't tell us what you do, why am I not surprised. Let me guess, you were an english teacher.

I know you can't write but I didn't know you couldn't read. I told you I left for more money and better benefits.

It's really irritating how you're pretending to be two different people.

joe

I know what you said but cops are leagally allowed to lie.

@LawMan
"And I agree with Johnny law, typing skills have nothing to do with your shitty grammar. If your going to claim to be so smart you should have somebody proofread your stuff before posting it."

Well blalalalalala English Grammar again and again. Check your grammatical error before blalalalalalaling.

Can you tollerate ................. in order to live in harmony?

Well, lucky for you there wasn't an IQ test...LOSER!

Listen to Johnny 'Modern Day Redcoat' Law and his typical excuse making. Do us a favor and preach to your boot licking, apologist admirers:

Conversations With a Clover - http://epautos.com/2011/07/01/conversations-with-a-clover/

Classy link. I especially like the photo of the concentration camp. Didn't take long for Godwin's Law to come into effect did it?

Goodwin's law is not always applicable, as in this case, tax feeder.

Tell that to the thousands of Japanese people that got rounded up and put in concentration camps right here in america. You're pathetic JL. You act like tyranny can't happen here, you are either blind, are you enjoy causing tyranny. In which case, you are nothing more than a terrorist.

Are you ready for the revolution Freedom_Fighter?

JW, As a former police officer, I say you are completely and utterly full of shit. Short of the suspect waving a gun or other means of deadly force, I can't think of any reason someone should be beaten to death for resisting arrest.

I've put some pretty crazy, drunk people bigger than myself on the ground and the worst any of them ever got was a snoot full of pepper spray.

Even if this guy was armed, he was clearly on the ground and not in a position to do anything about it with several officers on his back.

Besides the huge tort that is going to come of this, I would not be surprised to see murder and/or manslaughter charges levied against the officers.

Pete,

Did you see what happened? I don't remember seeing a video of the incident. How do you know he was "beaten to death"? What happened to cause the struggle? What was his role in the struggle? Has an autopsy been performed? Were there drugs in his system? What is the cause of death? Did he have any previous health problems? How long did the struggle go on? How did the officers get injured?

It's a little early to be talking about murder charges isn't it? Hell, I fully support the Houston officers being charged for beating that kid who ran. This MAY be something similar or it MAY be a completely justified incident. None of you people foaming at the mouth know at this point.

Former police officer eh? I doubt it. Any cop who actually worked the streets would never say "Even if this guy was armed, he was clearly on the ground and not in a position to do anything about it with several officers on his back."

If the guy was armed and resisting, deadly force would be completely justified. Time for refresher training Pete.

Johnny Law, You sir, are in denial! What ever he did, he is not doing it now! You CAN see officers on top of him and you CAN hear the cry of pain. And if you look close enough, you can see an officer swinging. The before and after pictures are also proof. You must be an officer that would do this sort of thing. In my town we would call this being on a power trip! Then you wonder why officer get shot. You are to serve and protect, OUR taxes pay your salary and I feel we should have the right to fire you for defending such behavior. I sure hope my children never look up to or trust you!! OH, and by the way: I come from a long line of fellow officers and they would NEVER condone that behavior!!!!

Johnny Law, You sir, are in denial! What ever he did, he is not doing it now! You CAN see officers on top of him and you CAN hear the cry of pain. And if you look close enough, you can see an officer swinging. The before and after pictures are also proof. You must be an officer that would do this sort of thing. In my town we would call this being on a power trip! Then you wonder why officer get shot. You are to serve and protect, OUR taxes pay your salary and I feel we should have the right to fire you for defending such behavior. I sure hope my children never look up to or trust you!! OH, and by the way: I come from a long line of fellow officers and they would NEVER condone that behavior!!!!

Refresher Training? That's part of the problem is the training(brainwashing) that police get. Just because they are taught that beating and killing people is ok, doesn't make it so. Maybe you need some refresher training in humanity and the Constitution. And not training from fellow terrorists you call the police force.

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