Police Beat ‘Gentle’ Homeless, Mentally Ill Man to Death

[meegbear]

This video, shot on July 5 by a student in Fullerton, California, ostensibly features the sounds of 37-year-old Kelly Thomas crying for his father while being Tased by police officers after he supposedly resisted arrest. Thomas was also beaten so badly that he was placed on life support. He died several days later.

Thomas—who suffered from schizophrenia, and was homeless—caught the attention of the police after someone reported that a burglar was breaking into cars parked near a Fullerton bus station. When officers approached Thomas in the depot parking lot and tried to arrest him, he resisted. What happened after that is a topic the Fullerton Police Department doesn't seem too enthusiastic to discuss—but the sound of Thomas's voice certainly speaks on their behalf. And as this gruesome photo shows, the six officers involved in the altercation beat Thomas beyond recognition; after several days on life support, Thomas was taken off the machines and died. (To be fair, two cops suffered broken bones.)

Did Thomas actually resist arrest? Mark Turgeon, who witnessed the beating, says no:

"They kept beating him and Tasering him. I could hear zapping, and he wasn't even moving," said Turgeon. "He had one arm in front of him like this, he wasn't resisting. And they kept telling him, 'He's resisting, quit resisting,' and he wasn't resisting."

Turgeon's depiction of Thomas as a peaceful, passive person aligns with most of the public comments made by people in the Fullerton community in the aftermath of the beating. Though some community members regarded him as scary and prone to angry outbursts, most people who saw him around town say otherwise. At the website Fullerton Stories, several people have shared their experiences interacting with Thomas—describing him as "very quiet and polite," "gentle and a childlike," "sweet," and "never a threat." Thomas did plead guilty to assault with a deadly weapon about 16 years ago—which, FWIW, seemed to coincide with the onset of his illness.

<snip>

You can see the video at the link below.

http://gawker.com/5825010/police-beat-gentle-homeless-mentally-ill-man-to-death

[truebrit71]

1. Sweet Jeebus...that photo is horrendous....

....just more "bad apples" though I'm sure....:puke:

[backscatter712]

27. 99% of cops give the good ones a bad name. n/t

[L0oniX]

92. +1,000,000,000,000

[originalpckelly]

2. Oh my God.

That poor man.

[piratefish08]

3. it's fucking MURDER.

someone will get fired or suspended.

life will go on.

[Taverner]

58. +1000

[sad sally]

78. Nah, it'll be administrative leave for the 9-12 months waiting for

internal investigations to be completed, which will find it was all in the name of duty. The cops will get some counseling and the homeless community will become even more fearful and paranoid. That's the way of the American Police Force - all actions, no matter how horrific against the rest of society - are justified.

[awoke_in_2003]

93. make that PAID administrative leave. nt

[Puget Progressive]

106. You won't see this video on "COPS"

the because the officers on that show are always the epitome of professionalism. Uh huh.

[pitohui]

4. wait...this "gentle" guy had a previous conviction for assault w. a deadly weapon

AND there were two cops who sustained broken bones in the course of attempting to arrest this dude? let me guess, the neighbors who thought the guy was "scary" tended to be the smaller, more vulnerable neighbors compared to the guys who didn't think he was "scary"

interesting idea of "gentle"

i would suggest that those who think they can do a better job of apprehending violent offenders prone to "angry outbursts" get a job in their local police force and show us how they would have handled it once they were under attack by an out of control insane person capable of breaking the very bones of armed law enforcement officers

you and i would not be willing to take on this kind of opponent or this kind of job, that's for sure, easy for us to sit back and judge

[originalpckelly]

5. If we did a better job as a society taking care of people with chronic brain illneses...

like this man, then we would not even be reading this story right now. The kind of torture that is inflicted on people like me is unimaginable. I'm am very fortunate my illness is not worse, but I know that we are neglected first hand.

This nation should be ashamed of itself.

[truedelphi]

115. + 1. n/t

[duhneece]

125. Amen nt

[safeinOhio]

6. Yup, broke their knuckles with his face.

[Roy Rolling]

9. who's the professional?

Those who resist arrest are a common hazard of the job of policeman. They are trained specifically for that situation and killing a suspect that resists is a failure. Ask any policeman, they will tell you---if you can't subdue a resisting offender without beating or killing them, then you do not deserve the honor of wearing a badge.

Unless a policeman is in a life-threatening confrontation, their job is to arrest not kill.

[Cid_B]

19. Police are not required to take an ass kicking...

Random citizen saying that the guy didn't resist doesn't make it true...

[originalpckelly]

22. What we really need is to have some type of implant that releases...

a tranquilizer, so that you can de-escalate the situation. I'd rather free an wrongly imprisoned man than scrape a dead guy off the pavement.

You can right the former, but not the latter.

It should be done to all people who have had psychotic symptoms in the past, or who are at high risk for developing such an illness. And I'm mentally ill too.

Personally, I'd rather be zonked out by a cop, even if it was a wrongful zonking out, rather than having the crap kicked out me, or even being killed.

[backscatter712]

29. It's not like cops don't get training.

They get tasers, batons and pepper spray, they get training in hand-to-hand combat, including takedowns and restraints. And it's not like they have a lack of resources. This was SIX cops dealing with one homeless guy. They damned well could have restrained him without hurting him too bad, gotten him in an ambulance, and given him a trip to the local psych ward for a meds adjustment.

There's no excuse for this savage murder. The cops should have and did know better, but decided to have some violent fun instead.

[originalpckelly]

37. True, but such a solution would be less confrontational and relatively non-violent...

the other ways this is being done requires police officers to place themselves in harms way, which I think probably gets all kinds of shit boiling over in them. And that's the problem, I don't think they can handle these kinds of situations, where you really sincerely have to not hurt someone because they aren't committing a normal crime of free will.

[defendandprotect]

96. +1 -- We have to recognize this may be the result of their training -- and their selection ---

who are the police these days?

[Enthusiast]

108. I'm with you.

Fascism can't exist without cruelty.

[stockholmer]

109. fuck that, they will have to kill me before I take a fucking chip implant of ANY kind

insanity!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[lapislzi]

31. Resisting or no, the force was excessive

To say the least. I agree with poster upthread who said that if you cannot safely subdue a suspect, you have failed as an officer.

What happened to this person is unconscionable in a civilized society. And points to much, much larger issues.

[truedelphi]

114. + !. n/t

[Ignis]

74. So we shouldn't believe a "Random citizen," but ...

We should take the word of a "random cop" who is desperate not to be held accountable for beating a man to death?

Oooooooooooookay. :freak:

[defendandprotect]

97. "Random" citizen ... ?? A number of citizens were watching as we see in the video....

They also described that the police -- more than one -- was kneeling on the

guys back -

There were 6 police officers -- and this was the best they could do?

Who in the hell are they recruiting as police officers?

[defendandprotect]

98. dupe

[peace13]

10. 16 years ago! 16 years ago! That was 16 years ago!

How many taser shots are enough? How many times are people shot with a taser and then ordered by police to move or stop moving, something that is often impossible to do. In the old days the cops put the hand cuffs on and let the court sort it out. Today, many times the cops deal a serving of legal whoop ass with their tasers. Broken cop bones? Typical of a fighter who has punched the *ell out of someone. Go figure!

If four cops can't get the cuffs on without killing the person...well I say they have the wrong job!

When it is your son things may look differently to you.

[defendandprotect]

99. UPDATE: NO broken bones ---

[DocMac]

12. People did witness this.

They are saying he didn't resist. We have got to stop giving the cops a pass.

[piratefish08]

13. THIS is the problem - ""They kept beating him and Tasering him."

"They kept beating him and Tasering him. I could hear zapping, and he wasn't even moving," said Turgeon. "He had one arm in front of him like this, he wasn't resisting. And they kept telling him, 'He's resisting, quit resisting,' and he wasn't resisting."



he sounded pretty fucking "apprehended" before he was made dead.

[tblue37]

65. Whenever I watch a video of a bunch of cops beating

someone, even when it is obvious that the person is not resisting, the cops will still mechanically, robotically repeat, "Stop resisting. Stop resisting. Stop resisting." The dull monotone of their voice makes it obvious that the statement is pro forma rather than being uttered in response to actual resistance.

The cops that took down the guy who was swaying in the Lincoln memorial (it was called "dancing" but he was barely even moving!) kept saying that, when it was clear he was already controlled and not resisting.

I think they say that the same way some of them carry a "throw-down" weapon--as a CYA tactic in case there are witnesses or videophones around.

[defendandprotect]

100. It's a BS "stop resisting" in order to keep up the physical abuse --

it's also a message for all of us, as well --

Don't get out of line -- 'cause we're crazy enough to kill you!

[defendandprotect]

101. dupe

[backscatter712]

25. He was a diagnosed schizophrenic.

Maybe we should be using medications instead of tasers on such people.

He could have been treated for his illness, and with the right meds, he'd be a truly nice guy, but it's a little late now. The cops just couldn't resist beating him to death, could they?

[originalpckelly]

38. He was diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Do you say someone is a diagnosed brain cancer when they have a brain tumor affecting their functioning? I don't think so. This is a chronic brain illness.

[Cetacea]

45. Excellent observation.

So many of us unwittingly dehumanize people suffering from mental illnesses.

[WinkyDink]

122. Come on. We say some are paraplegic, diabetic, etc. We call others brilliant, not "with a brilliant

mind."

[truedelphi]

116. + 1. n/t

[CleanGreenFuture]

28. There was a fucking witness!!! You dispute the witness???

[frylock]

39. don't take the job if you can't fucking handle it..

always some fucking authoritarian defending the indefensible when the fucking pigs are called out for their violent actions. and yes, it's very easy to sit back and judge when your aren't pissing blood through a catheter or dying.

[Rex]

42. Yeah easy for you to judge too evidently.

Stop throwing stones, your house cannot take it anymore.

[Kermitt Gribble]

48. What a disgusting post.

Six (6) officers beat and killed one (1) unarmed homeless person, and you're making excuses for them. Shame.

[stockholmer]

111. well said, shame on the collaborator

[librechik]

49. behavior as the article points out coincided with onset of his illness, and never repeated

for 16 years! And I wouldn't be surprised if the cops broke each other's bones in their frenzy.

[tblue37]

75. Article update says NO bones were broken--at least no COP bones were broken.

Unarmed homeless guy bones were probably pretty well pulverized.

[librechik]

80. Thank you! n/t

[TalkingDog]

52. As the joke goes: Guy complains: Hammer one nail and nobody calls you a carpenter

But get arrested ONCE and you are a scary, violent dude

Yeah... I hope your past indiscretions are well hidden and never come back to haunt you.

[Taverner]

59. Cops label any resistance as assault

My friend was getting busted for a DUI - when they slapped the cuffs on him he turned around. Added was an assault charge.

[tblue37]

76. They also label nonresistance as assault and resistance. They use

such charges for CYA purposes.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

60. so you're on the side of lying thug murderers

That's cool, but don't expect for me to treat you like anything but a freak who defends sadistic murderers. Hope it makes you feel like you live in a more orderly society or something.

[tblue37]

64. This is OBVIOUSLY way beyond what was necessary to subdue him.

It is pretty clear that the cops were either just pissed off or getting too excited to stop--maybe both.

[tblue37]

71. Here is the young man's face before the cops went all medieval on him:

[awoke_in_2003]

95. 'Roid rage...

steroids in baseball pale in comparison to how ingrained it is in law enforcement.

[RobinA]

77. I Would Suggest

that all police be trained, and I mean trained, not some lip service, in dealing with the mentally ill. I have worked with the mentally ill in the community and inpatient. I am not a cop, but I have observed my share of police/mentally ill person interaction. It is quite obvious the police who have been trained and buy into the training and those who don't have a clue.

I'm not saying some mentally can't be assaultive and violent and may require serious methods, but the trained police know how to not escalate the situation more than necessary and the untrained ones do not. It makes all the difference. The usual testosterone-soaked police tactics, while I'm not saying they don't have their place, incite people who are mentally ill (and some who are not). A different approach is needed.

[Juche]

87. 100% true

And something I could never figure out. The seriously mentally ill make up about 25% of people in prison, so law enforcement has major interactions with them. Yet law enforcement seems to want to make itself up out of testoserone laden guys who want to live out their authoritarian military fantasies at the expense of the public rather than people mature enough to handle the stresses and emotional complexities of hte job responsibly enough that the public they are trusted to protect trusts them enough to let them protect them.

I don't know. I hope it gets better and police/community relations improve. But I don't see it happening with current police culture. As much as some cops like to blame the public for the lack of trust, most of us are scared of cops for good reason. Many can be dangerous, unpredictable, unaccountable bullies. Until that changes I don't see why people would invite the police into their lives to protect them if they can avoid it.

[tblue37]

81. Attila the Hun and his barbarian hordes could do a better job than

this armed gang of thugs did of apprehending someone.

[unapatriciated]

83. the police department corrected the broken bones story.

There was only soft tissue injuries to two officers.

According to Sgt. Andrew Goodrich of the Fullerton Police, the OC District Attorney’s Office was invited to lead the Police Departments internal investigation on July 7th in order to keep transparency in the case. Early reports from OC Register and ABC7 have stated that officers sustained broken bones during the altercation, but Sgt. Goodrich confirmed on July 20th that none of the officer’s bones had been broken in the dispute. They did however receive soft tissue damage. No names of officers were disclosed. In our video interview Ron Thomas stated that FPD had access to surveillance footage that the DA did not, yet Sgt. Goodrich assures that the District Attorney has full access to any evidence that FPD has in possession. The officer also urges those following the investigation to be patient, so that the department may help the DA to conduct a thorough and proper investigation.

http://thefullertonian.com/Blogs/tabid/245/ctl/ArticleView/mid/1314/articleId/408/Protests-amp-The-Investigation-of-Kelly-Thomasrsquos-Death.aspx


witnesses state that he was beaten and tazed repeatedly after he was on the ground and not moving

[backscatter712]

123. Ah, they only sustained bruises when his face smashed violently into their fists... n/t

[flvegan]

86. *checks watch*

Right on time.

[sabrina 1]

117. How come cops in other civilized countries don't have to beat

even violent, mentally ill people to death? Are they better trained? Are they less frightened themselves? Physically and mentally stronger? Do they have techniques that include maybe, not approaching someone who is easily frightened screaming and yelling and acting violently and in a threatening manner?

Maybe backing off for a few minutes and trying to calm the person down would work better than ganging up on him, six to one, barking orders bound to put him on the defensive?

I rarely read of tragedies like this anywhere but here.

[UnrepentantLiberal]

119. Yeah, and then try to confront this guy when you're on steroids

and constantly on the verge of uncontrollable rage. I'd like to see these civilians join the police force and deal with that.

[druidity33]

120. my neighbor

broke 2 bones in his hand by punching someone in the face. My brother broke his toe tripping over a curb. Broken bones don't mean this guy was resisting arrest. Sorry.

:shrug:

[WinkyDink]

121. So you condone cops beating TO DEATH a suspect?

[EOTE]

128. The broken bones were a lie. There were no broken bones.

There was "soft tissue damage", which could mean a mild bruise. This man was murdered. And you're trying to justify it?

[Shagbark Hickory]

7. I hope that justice is served. That's all I can say. The video doesn't show much.

[hifiguy]

8. Tell me again what wonderful, selfless "public servants"

cops are again, eh? From what I have seen in my adult lifetime much of the "police force" is dredged from the bottom of the barrel - bullyboys and wannabe bullyboys who can hide behind badges and get away with doing whatever they wish. The average cop belongs behind bars far more than the average person a cop stops. These fuckers should be charged with murder and never see the light of day again.

[ScreamingMeemie]

24. -1

Cops ruined my life,and I am not exaggerating there, but there are good cops and bad cops. Unfortunately you and I have dealt with the worst. Since I have moved here, the two policemen I know well (from coming in to the store) are the kindest, most dedicated public servants I have ever met.

[tblue37]

72. But the "good" cops either stand by and allow the bad cops to do what they will,

or the "good" cops actively help cover up the crimes the abd cops commit.

They need to clean up their operation, but I suspect that a lot of them are scared of the vicious cops--and that some actually would like to be just as violent themselves, but since they are afraid of going that far, they let the more vicious guys act out for them.

[ScreamingMeemie]

82. That isn't true. And I am responding to the opinion that all cops are

bad. They simply aren't.

[backscatter712]

26. +1

[Rozlee]

89. According to psychologists, sociopaths are greatly attracted to jobs that have authority

like police work. Google "Sociopathic Police Personality", Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology Volume: 14, Issue 1 and see if you can get a free download. Looks like they travel in packs sometimes.

[peacetalksforall]

11. Those cops are being given permission to do this and we need to know

where it's coming from. This is a behavioral change emanating from policy changes that are coming down from some authority - with permission to slaughter.

What we just saw - are cops playing judge and jury.

What is new in their training to cause this movement against people?

So are these guys going to be exonerated by their boss - once again?

[peace13]

18. I live in a small village with a local police department.

Five years ago my while son and his friend were home from college break they were pulled over by the police and sheriff department (6 cars) in a strange road block situation. Long story short, they had done nothing wrong, had not been drinking, no drugs, but the woman driving behind them accused them of road rage and had called 911! The officers asked to search the car and the kids agreed. Nothing in the trunk but the officer came up to my son's friend and said, 'Maybe we better call your Daddy!' To which the young man said, 'Maybe you better.' After much circling and pacing the officers said sorry for the confusion and sent them on their way. When they walked in the door their eyes were as big as dollars and after explaining what had happened we could see that their new found knowledge of the local police needed some follow up. The next day we met with the chief of police and he actually had reviewed the tape of the stop. He apologized to my son and his friend and he told them that police are being trained differently now and that while they thought they were being nice by letting them search the car one should always refuse the search saying that you have nothing to hide but prefer that they don't. It was quite an eye opening meeting.

The police chief retired about a year after that and I never had a chance to ask him what he meant by 'being trained differently now' but I think we can see the results. It boggles my mind why these big guys with all of their protective gear can't seem to get the suspects in the car without some type of injury. Very sad indeed. Quite frankly I don't think our old Chief had the heart for the way the system was going.

[peacetalksforall]

21. You're right - you said -

"It boggles my mind why these big guys with all of their protective gear can't seem to get the suspects in the car without some type of injury. Very sad indeed. Quite frankly I don't think our old Chief had the heart for the way the system was going."

Having the heart ...... the police are supposed to be our neighbors and former classmates and a cousin of someone we know - not movie film creatures. Something's going on.

The taser and the gun are probably the worst inventions in human history - one for never ending love affairs of a death power weapon - the other for the novelty and also the power.

I never heard about refusing them to search the trunk? Did I understand that correctly. I think we should have classes.

The themes running through these videos that are pouring pit seems to be that the police -

. are paranoid about being obeyed
. keep hounding/pounding the suspect with warnings and not waiting
. don't seem to show any reassurance and confidence even with there is a gang of cops
. don't respect the crowds that form - are compelled to show their might
. make up rules on the spot
. act like scared kids the way they shoot off the tasers

I hate to say this, but I see their behavior as ultra juvenile, overly macho*, plus acting - acting out as if they have been given secret permissions and what we are seeing as an end result is no respect for life.

There is definitely a change. For the worse.

Maybe it's youtube. Maybe the per cent of cops that are doing this appears lopsided because of youtube.

But something tells me that there is a change. New orders (or permissions) have been given/communicated.



. are sare and onr oyhrt yhrpare anticipating anything as resistance. The key to figuring out what is going on is from their

[peace13]

55. I hear you!

About the trunk check. They asked permission to check the car. You have the right to refuse but I have had many people from bigger cities say that refusing to volunteer your vehicle for inspection is asking to get ones head pushed in. So take it for what it's worth. From some of the characters in these videos, I worry as much about something being planted in the car as them finding anything of mine. It is truly sad. When my son was younger I used to tell him that he and his friends needed to drive the nicest cars that they could to avoid police harassment. The car that they were in when they were pulled over was an older but clean Lexus so I guess that advice does not hold water. Young people in particular are targets here.

[RobinA]

79. I Worry About a Plant Too

I haven't had anything remotely illegal in my car since the '70's and am frankly dying to refuse a cop request to search, but then I think about them planting something. I'm a middle-aged white woman, so I'm not at a huge risk of this, but my job can't take a drug charge, however bogus.

[right2bfree]

104. Sometimes real bad things happen to bad cops when they are alone, off-duty....

just saying. }(

[Lars39]

23. A lot of police departments are being trained by Blackwater/Xe or wannabees now.

[peacetalksforall]

33. So that's it. They want to work up to getting jobs with a private firm funded by taxpayers that

pays much more than their city, county, or state salary.

If you can't privatize the cops you use privatized overseers?

Taxpayers pay for State Dept who contracted Blackwater-xe for international security and terrorism - jobs athat you can't give to soldiers because some might protest the nature of the commission.

Taxpayers pay for Domestic training on a contract basis?

I assume they are also the false protesters who come in and ruin a demonstration - like using special tools to break plate glass so that the press can write up and file 'those bad, bad protestors'.

Cops and private firms working together and one teaching the other?

Who really are the inhumans. All in the name of the Patriot Act?

[Lars39]

56. Yes....and it's seen as a good thing in some circles.

:(

[meow mix]

14. yaaay cops, they are so awsome!!

:woohoo:

id like to say what i really think of them, but its not allowed.

[Stuart G]

15. I cannot say anything ..it makes me sick...k and r

[KansDem]

16. "Summary execution"

Definition for summary execution:
A summary execution is a variety of execution in which a person is killed on the spot without trial. Summary executions are practiced by the police, military, and paramilitary organizations and are associated with guerrilla warfare, terrorism and counter-insurgency

Remember this one?
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rFs0uVY_4rE/S4ONORznPnI/AAAAAAAAHZM/e8IVTBxicMY/s320/Summary+execution.jpg

Anyone want to explain to me the difference between these two events?

[whathehell]

41. ............

This picture, horrendous and iconic, is supposedly misleading

in that the person being shot just got done shooting someone

else in the same way.

[freshwest]

107. I never heard that. I don't know how to prove or disprove it.

[whathehell]

110. If I can find a link, I'll provide it...

but trust me, I did hear it from a credible news source way back,

I wouldn't lie about it, as I always

found it as heartless and horrible as everyone else.

[freshwest]

113. I can believe it. There were horrible things happening there. It's cool.

[whathehell]

124. Okay. Thanks. n/t

[lonestarnot]

17. What a terrible thing.

[reggie the dog]

20. it is ok that they did this because the man was a sub human

to cops, historically, white men were human and all others less than human. being mentally ill puts one in the category of non white (sub human) as does being liberal to many of these cops. in their minds they did nothing wrong because he is not a man like they are he is just a humanoid animal.

[Cetacea]

46. It's not just cops. Even many treatments treated them like animals

From the rack to lobotomy and shock treatments to paralyzing and damaging chemicals. But yeah, this is not the first time that police have gone too far with someone who was obviously suffering from mental illness. I remember a Rabbi with a known mental illness being shot something like forty-four times by NYC police...

[Iggo]

30. Yay, Cops!

They're the best!

[blkmusclmachine]

32. Monstrous

n/t

[Logical]

34. Cops know to yell "stop resisting" to cover their asses later!

[frylock]

44. this

[backscatter712]

53. Exactly! If you hear "STOP RESISTING!", that's a good indication of police brutality. n/t

[Liberal_in_LA]

35. sickening

[Faryn Balyncd]

36. Cops can't be trusted with tasers any more than Rick Perry can be trusted with capital punishment

....or Dick Cheney with a shotgun.

[Dawson Leery]

85. They will go to the FOP hall to cry to their brothers behind the blue line

after they get an "unfair" 30 day suspension. Speaking of which, why did the police unions in Florida endorse Rick Scott, who stole $1.6 trillion from medicare? Perhaps it is that the uniform protects the powerful first and foremost and get to murder homeless people as entertainment (a "perk" of the job). They thought they were special only to be thrown to the curb by the elites only to be replaces with mercenaries.

[whathehell]

40. OMG....The picture is horrendous....Please tell me these POS are being brought up on charges! n/t

[FLPanhandle]

43. How did the two police officers get broken bones?

Did Thomas inflict those injuries or where they hitting themselves.

[backscatter712]

54. Boxer's fractures from the cops hitting him over and over again? n/t

[peace13]

57. A vicious game of patty cake? n/t

[librechik]

47. Surprise! He was black. n/t

[ScreamingMeemie]

50. He wasn't black.

http://blogs.ocweekly.com/navelgazing/2011/07/kelly_thomas_officer-involved.php

Before beating image is at this link. He was a white man with red hair.

[librechik]

51. Oh, Jesus. n/t

[uppityperson]

61. QUESTION "To be fair, two cops suffered broken bones". How did this happen?

How did 2 cops end up with broken bones if there was no resistance? What bones were broken and how were they broken?

Note this is in NO WAY to defend the cops, just a question I'd like to know the answer to. Searching doesn't give me this info. Thank you and shame on them.

[originalpckelly]

62. Yeah, I agree.

I think the cops overreacted, but still, how did they get the broken bones?

[tblue37]

66. Broken knuckles? nt

[tblue37]

69. UPDATE from article: NO cop had any broken bones--

and "soft tissue damage" could easily refer to bruised from pounding his face

[tblue37]

70. Se my reply #68 below. The article update says there were NO broken

cop bones.

[slackmaster]

67. No doubt the bones were broken gently

:argh:

[tblue37]

68. According to the update in the article no cop suffered any broken bones.

Update: According to this report, a police sergeant stated on July 20 that, contrary to several news reports, no officers suffered from broken bones as a result of the Thomas incident—only "soft tissue damage."

[uppityperson]

73. Thank you. It sounded odd to me.

[L0oniX]

91. Maybe they broke their bones while beating the hell out of him.

[tblue37]

63. The picture of what he looked like after they beat him.

Remember--the Egyptian revolution started because after the Egyptian policethugs beat a young man to death, the people finally decided that they had had enough! Ours has become in many ways a fascist police state. The police are the most numerous and most dangerous armed gang in America. Unfortunately, even the "good" cops will stand by or actively help cover up for the criminal ones.

[defendandprotect]

103. Agree -- as I'm saying elsewhere ... this is a message intended for all of us ...

"Don't get out of line, cause we're crazy enough to kill you!" --

I'm more concerned about who these towns are recruiting -- and what the state

is of the mental health of these public servants that we all pay for -- "

[Bonobo]

84. Before and after pics.

This was a brutal murder.

[Juche]

88. Accountability would be nice

But I'm not going to hold my breath.

[L0oniX]

90. OMG ...Thomas ...scary??? No ...it's the cops that are scarey!

It's not just a few bad apples folks. email [e-mail]

[defendandprotect]

102. +1000% --- And, we're all getting that message --- we're crazy enough to kill you -- !!

[flvegan]

94. I do hope that Kelly Thomas has found peace.

My heart goes out to his family and loved ones.

I have nothing else to add, lest it be read back to me in a court of law.

[stockholmer]

112. +100

what a tragic, tragic ending

[DebJ]

105. This man had the misfortune of belonging to what is perhaps

THE last minority which has no voice, and which more often than not either can not speak for itself, or else if it does, no one believes and/or no one will listen. There is very little sympathy or understanding from most people....because no one will ever talk about chronic brain illness. It is still taboo.

If anyone reading this ever knows personally of someone with a chronic brain illness who is hospitalized, PLEASE visit them, PLEASE be willing to speak for them or find someone who can. You would not believe what goes on in some of the top rated psych hospitals, and the patients are helpless unless someone monitors what is going on, and fights for them. It is so very, very, very, very sad.

Thank you so much for posting this story.

[GreenPartyVoter]

130. I see two minority groups there. 1) Mental illness and 2) Homeless. Thank you for encouraging

people to reach out to those they know who have a chronic brain illness. :hug:

[BrightKnight]

118. murder - n/t

[W T F]

126. To be fair, it is has now been updted that no officers bones were broken

Just "soft tissue damage".

[KansDem]

127. I lost it when I heard him calling out for his "Dad" while he was being murdered...

When a grown man wants a parent to help him, it's heart rending...:cry:

[GreenPartyVoter]

129. Oh God! This is unbearably sad.