Posted on 01/14/2014 10:26:39 PM PST by chessplayer
(CNN) -- What is it with juries in high-profile cases in Southern California? Over the years, they've become a national joke. But no one is laughing.
This week, that jury in Santa Ana, California -- a city about 30 miles southeast of Los Angeles -- produced a wave of gasps in the courtroom when it announced that it had found Manuel Ramos, who had been charged with second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter, and Jay Cicinelli, who was charged with involuntary manslaughter and excessive use of force, not guilty on all counts.
What? The beating was caught on a surveillance tape. When you watch those 33 minutes of footage, assuming you can stomach the experience, it's hard to believe that anyone could declare the perpetrators "not guilty." The surveillance camera footage shows Thomas being beaten and stunned with a Taser by police until he was unrecognizable and unconscious.
According to prosecutors, the young man suffered brain injuries, facial fractures, broken ribs and extensive bruises and abrasions. He wound up lying in a pool of blood. He died five days later.
This was not, as Ramos' attorney claimed, a case of police offices simply "doing their job" with "no malice in their heart."
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
All my jury experience tells me that 99% of people can’t handle the idea of judging.
What does a cop have to do to a suspect in order to be convicted of murder? Cook him and serve him for dinner a la Hannibal Lecter? /sarcasm
Proponents of the police state don’t like it when it arrives in their narrow sliver of the world nor when it doesn’t advance their cause.
“,they were only doing their jobs and doing what they were trained to do.”
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Yes, it appears that cops in America are now being trained to be jack-booted thugs. I gather that this has been going on for
the last ten years or so. I think much of it is emulation of the thuggery that is now seen in the movies with most all cops being shown in full swat gear, yelling “get on the ground, get on the ground..NOW!”. The good old boys on the beat are a thing of the past.
Thomas’ father,,,a retired police officer - “This is carte blanche to police officers to do whatever they want.”
He said everyone should be afraid of cops, now.
Oh, wait; vic was white. Man, had me worried there for a minute.
Nothing to see here. Move along.
There should be outrage and protests at the very least. I don’t think it’s a compliment to white people to suggest that they’re more tolerant of being beaten to death by government agents than those silly minorities.
It may be the jurors were genuinely afraid a guilty verdict would result in this pack of armed sadists descending on them in the dark of night.
that reminds me, I need to buy more guns and ammo.
If Thomas was unable to breathe, then how was he able to talk so clearly? He also seemed to be coherent and not having a psychotic episode.
Was he speaking clearly before or after they crushed his thorax (or did they mean larynx?).
The coroner who conducted Kelly Thomas’ autopsy said the homeless man died from lack of oxygen caused by chest compression during his struggle with police.
Thomas became brain dead "due to mechanical chest compression with blunt cranial injuries sustained during physical altercation with a law enforcement officer," Singhania said. “The chest got compressed, that caused [Thomas] not to breathe.”
http://articles.latimes.com/2013/dec/05/local/la-me-ln-kelly-thomas-death-20131205
It may be the jurors were genuinely afraid a guilty verdict would result in this pack of armed sadists descending on them in the dark of night.
Thats what I’ve been wondering, too. Maybe they were threatened. Thomas’ father better watch his back, too. His being a former cop won’t mean jack to the cops set free.
That doesn’t answer my question. Wasn’t he lying to the cops when he said he couldn’t breathe? He was talking loudly and nearly nonstop.
The author of this story is Ruben Navarrette, for those who might be interested.
Everything I have seen on this case, is these cops should go away for a long time.
this appears to be a travesty.
Haven’t heard much about the guy who was being chased and crashed his Corvette in Los Angeles a few weeks ago.
He died, (was murdered), about 10 seconds after he got out of the car.
As usual, unarmed with some mental issues.
Anyone who knows anything about Navarrette should.
I have felt this way before, when Terri Schiavo was murdered by judges and Jeb Bush. And no one went to prison.
I pray for justice for these vile murderers. Yes. That’s a threat.
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