Killing of Kelly Thomas

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Kelly Thomas (April 5, 1974 – July 10, 2011) was a homeless white man diagnosed with schizophrenia who lived on the streets of Fullerton, California. He died five days after being severely beaten by six members of the Fullerton Police Department, whom he encountered on July 5, 2011, in what was later described as "one of the worst police beatings in [US] history." Medical records show that bones in his face were broken and he choked on his own blood. The coroner concluded that compression of the thorax made it impossible for Thomas to breathe normally and deprived his brain of oxygen. Officer Manuel Ramos was charged with one count of second-degree murder and one count of involuntary manslaughter; Corporal Jay Cicinelli and Officer Joseph Wolfe were each charged with one count of felony involuntary manslaughter and one count of excessive force. All three pleaded not guilty. A judge declined to dismiss the charges against the officers in January 2013, finding that "a reasonable person could...

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