January 15, 2014

This video is GRAPHIC. Be forewarned.

After a jury acquitted two officers of beating Kelly Thomas, a mentally ill transient to death, there was collective outrage. This beating made the Rodney King beating seem mild. Yet, the officers were acquitted of all wrongdoing.

Now Thomas' family may still have a chance for justice.

Al Jazeera America:

The FBI plans to re-examine the beating death of a mentally ill California man after a jury acquitted two ex-policemen of all charges in connection with the fatal confrontation, which touched off protests and political upheaval in the city of Fullerton.

A lawyer for Jay Cicinelli, one of the two former officers at the center of the case, said his client would seek to be rehired by the Fullerton Police Department now that he had been cleared of involuntary manslaughter and use of excessive force charges in the 2011 death of 37-year-old Kelly Thomas.

Orange County prosecutors had accused the two men, who approached Thomas near a bus depot to question him about reports of vandalized cars, of turning a routine law enforcement encounter into an unnecessary and savage bludgeoning that cost the unarmed homeless man his life.

Defense lawyers Cicinelli and co-defendant Manuel Ramos, who were acquitted in the case, argued at the trial that Thomas was dangerous and that the officers responded according to their training. They also said the transient suffered from a weak heart brought on by drug abuse.

Since one of the officers is looking to be rehired, let's hope there's something there to help the FBI prosecute these guys.

Watch this space.

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