Cops Vs. Cameras: The Killing of Kelly Thomas & The Power of New Media
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Uploaded by ReasonTV on Sep 21, 2011
NOTE: Because of violent images, viewer discretion is advised.
The autopsy results from the death of Kelly Thomas, a schizophrenic drifter who was allegedly beaten to death by Fullerton, California police will be announced today by Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas.
Rackauckas will also announce whether he will file charges against the officers involved in Thomas' death, following the office's investigation. The confrontation with police took place at a municipal bus station on July 5, with Thomas dying in the hospital five days later. This press conference comes weeks after the Fullerton police refused to answer questions about the case.
Regardless of today's announcements, Thomas' death is a case study of how ubiquitous phones with cameras and the Internet are transferring power from the government, police, and the media to the masses. Images and word of the beating spread not because of official communications but by viral cell phone video of the incident and a horrific hospital photo taken by his father of Thomas in a coma.
After the photo and video were released, the Fullerton community reacted in outrage at city council meetings and at protests outside the Fullerton police department. Whatever charges are filed (or not) today, the death of Kelly Thomas will remain an example of how new media is changing the old guard.
Written and produced by Paul Detrick, who also narrates. Camera by Detrick, Alex Manning, and Zach Weissmueller. Special thanks to Ron Thomas.
About 8 minutes.
Go to http://reason.tv/video/show/2145 for a longer discussion, documentation, and related videos.
UPDATE:
The Orange County District Attorney's Office has charged Officer Manuel Ramos with one felony count of second degree murder and one felony count of felony manslaughter.
Officer Jay Cicinelli faces one felony count of manslaughter and a felony count of excessive force.
For developing news on the Kelly Thomas case, visit http://www.fullertonsfuture.org/ .
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Top Comments
All Comments (593)
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Lovell claims cell-phone cameras indicate a shift in power from police to the individual. This is just factually false. No such shift has occurred at all. One clear indication of this, is the fact that prosecutions and jail sentences of police officers since the trial of the officers in the King case have NOT escalated with the rising number of recorded incidents. All cameras have done, is to make EXPLICIT to us, exactly what we ask cops to do: If a man doesn't cooperate with me, Murder him.
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By putting that King garbage in with REAL innocent people is bullshit.
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It's time to shoot these pig's in the back of their collective heads, then charge their families for the bullets!
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@dsspike51 Thank God the United States Supreme Court said we can film these fuck's! The fuck's that are pigs( aka cops).
My suggestion. Shoot every cop you see! Shoot them in the head and charge their family for the bullet! That's what bastards deserve.
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And that's why police states in the U.S. are passing laws against citizens filming cops.
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@beeqool exactly, the zionist create terrorism among people
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Welcome to the zionist state of terror
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If Justice is not met, this will continue to happen. Police brutallity will only increase with the occupy movement and civil unrest. If we let this go, we are only hurting ourselves. A homeless, mentally disturbed man is beaten to death is only the first step to them beating you to death if you cross thier path. Police should be there to protect us, not instill fear and brutality!?!?!?!
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see, than they come and take your weed...Them fuckers just WANT to be shot.
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FUCK THE POLICE
Shonenut213 4 months ago 43
Fuck cops... rip Kelly.
U cop wonder why citizens don't like u. Urn paid to protect us not kill us
killwavie87 2 months ago 9