I happened to be doing a photo shoot in Fullerton today. When I arrived, there was a hundreds-strong protest outside of the police department. The outrage was over the wrongful death of a man who was (according to multiple eye witnesses and video footage) unjustly beaten by police. Being familiar with the issue, I joined in; first honking and thumbs-upping, and then standing right there on the street corner. I wish I had a sign prepared.

For those out of the loop, a homeless and mentally disturbed man, Kelly Thomas, was killed by police in July. Thomas was reportedly not resisting arrest, even as six police officers repeatedly struck his skull with flashlights, kicked and punched him, and tazed the handcuffed man more than five times. Eye-witnesses claim that officers taunted him while he cried out for his father, a sheriff, who was not at the scene during the murder but described the obvious breach of protocol as, “aggravated murder.” The event was witnessed by as many as 50 bystanders who said the victim was lying on his stomach, unable to move during the violence.

News media was told by Fullerton PD that Thomas was, “attempting to break into cars.” However, others I spoke with said on the night of his death he was, in fact, only being the usual nuisance outside of bars, bumming for cigarettes. One protester, who was familiar with both Thomas and his father, and who was responsible for the viral leak of Thomas’ post-beating photograph, said the car-thieving story was fabricated by officials to distract from the guilt of police brutality. The protester claimed police actually responded that night to a request from a local business, annoyed at Thomas’ loitering, to “do something about this guy.” Purportedly an officer, himself familiar with Thomas, said, “we’ll make sure he never bothers you down there again.” It has been suggested that officers were settling a vendetta for past grievances with Thomas.

God knows. It’s for us to do our best to inquire and convict all guilty persons, with no exceptions made for those within law enforcement. By the way, I’m so disgusted by the fact that, according to the OC Register, “an autopsy failed to determine a cause of death.” Look at the photos, anyone can see the cause: a brutal and repeated clubbing of the face and skull with blunt objects. It’s a sad day when the police have the coroners in their pocket, to cover for their crimes.

The district attorney is seeking witnesses to Kelly Thomas’ encounter with police; anyone with information is asked to call 714-347-8813.