The city of Fullerton, California is in turmoil over an incident that occurred July 5th, in which a schizophrenic homeless man named Kelly Thomas was killed during a physical incident with six members of the Fullerton PD. He was reportedly stopped by police in connection with a report of someone breaking into cars. There was a short chase before he was tackled by approximately 6 officers. When it was over, Thomas was dead, his face severely beaten. Witnesses claim that officers unnecessarily beat Thomas while he was on the ground. The case is now being investigated by the Orange Country DA and the FBI. Meanwhile, the police chief, Michael Sellers, has gone on medical leave amid charges of a cover-up. Protests are on-going and the city council is under fire. Two of the council members have called for the chief's resignation. Those who have not are under public fire. There is at least one video of the incident, which has not yet been released.
Well, in the midst of all this, the boss of the OC Human Relations Commission, Rusty Kennedy, himself a life-long resident of Fullerton, has finally spoken.
Sort of.
On August 16, Kennedy made this statement before the Fullerton City Council:
http://egov.ocgov.com/vgnfiles/ocgov/Human%20Relations/Docs/Kennedy_Addresses_Fullerton_City_Council_08.11.pdf
Some of the local bloggers in Fullerton are reporting that Kennedy is a pal of one of the council members, Pat McKinley, who is also a former Fullerton chief of police. This is not to imply that Kennedy is pro-cop. On the contrary, I know of one time back in the 80s that Kennedy invited a representative of the Santa Ana PD Officers Benevolent Association to appear before his commission for a "friendly chat". During the "friendly chat", Kennedy and his henchmen (and women) pummled the police representative over accusations of unfair treatment of minorities in Santa Ana (which is heavily Hispanic). Of course, it didn't matter that the officer himself was Hispanic. He took a beating (figuratively speaking) from the politically- correct commission.
At any rate, I am not connected with anybody in Fullerton and have chosen to let the facts of the Thomas death play out. As a former military policeman, Customs and DEA agent, I have been involved in many similar apprehensions. I know what is involved when it happens, but I also recognize that when the resistance stops, so must the force. What I have heard and read in the media is disturbing to me, yet I prefer to let the facts play out. I am sure the truth will emerge.
Excellent Larry. This is a great example to bloggers who jump to conclusions and paste half-baked speculation all over cyberspace, whipping up a frenzy of fear. Is there any other place in America besides Fullerton that you are not familiar with?
ReplyDeleteWho the hell is Larry?
ReplyDeleteMis-spelling. I was typing in haste. Compliment meant for your honorable self, Gary.
ReplyDeleteconsidering rusty kennedy earns a six figure salary, I may assume he would say something; another this n that moment from rusty. Pat McKinley current Fullerton councilmember and retired fullerton police chief has or still does serve on the Orange County Human Relations Commission. Kelly Thomas was unfairly targetd by Fullerton police because he was mentally ill and homeless and considered a nuisance by the local businesses that he hung around. Yet, rusty kennedy, refuses to say this is a hate crime when it blatantly meets criteria for a hate crime defined under the law. rusty kennedy is quick to yell hate crime to the media if someone writes a racial, ethnic, religious, gender epithet on a public wall or sidewalk. Yet, the police beating on a man because he is disabled by mental illness and is homeless is not a hateful act? The ADA and Unruh Act defines mental illness as a disability and thus qualified Kelly Thomas as a disenfranchised minorites. As for Rusty's recommendation of Gennaco, he is doing the bidding of his masters, the city councilmembers who support rusty's commission and in exchange rusty protects their FPD from civil rights abuses. City of Fullerton is paying Gennaco to review this incident and officially input his conclusions to rebut the findings and conclusions of the FBI. All Gennaco needs to do is inject enough dout as to whether the FPD committed a crime; a total whitewash of Kelly's death.
ReplyDeleterusty says "the issues emanating from the tragic death of Kelly
ReplyDeleteThomas in a confrontation with Fullerton Police." The definition of confrontation is face to face, from eyewitness accounts and videos, Kelly had his back to the police running from them, and then the only thing confronting Kelly's face was the sidewalk where he was being punched into it by the FPD. Why the sugar coating on this beating when earlier this year, rusty was telling the media, without a shred of evidence, that roving groups of hate mongers were terrorizing Orange county. In fact, it was a mentally ill, 57 year old woman acting alone; just her and her spray paint can. something is wrong with this big picture.
"The truth will emerge." Only when tax payer funding dries up for the Fullerton city council. As long as these civic leaders have access to the money in fullerton's city coffers, they may buy as many "independent investigations" from civil rights experts, attorneys and others to refute what the FBI and Ron Thomas' attorney conclude; Kelly thomas was beaten to death by fullerton police
ReplyDeleteIn 2008, I wrote a letter to Kennedy complaining about anti-semitic hate speech at UCI and the fact that the university was turning a blind eye to it. Rusty sent me back a nasty gram excoriating me for criticizing the university. In my view, Rusty takes a selective view of hate that he will speak out against. This is the same guy who attended the Durban conference in South Africa and feted Yasser Arafat (who was considered a hater by more than a few folks).
ReplyDeleteWhatever he does, it isn't worth a six figure salary.
ReplyDeletePeople in OC get along just as well or not just as well whether there were an OCHRC or not. It's $300,000 down a rat hole.
ReplyDelete