Gustavo's Latest 'Orange County Line' for KCRW: On the Demise of Friends for Fullerton's Future

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See you at Taqueria La Bamba!
We have gotten a lot of crap from folks in Fullerton for being pals with Tony Bushala and being fans of his late, great Friends for Fullerton's Future blog (never mind that we probably give that city more unrequited love for its many fine bars, restaurants and people than any other OC 'burb besides SanTana). But the demise of his blog is cause for an overview of the OC blogosphere, a subject I tackled yesterday in my weekly "Orange County Line" commentary for KCRW-FM 89.9.

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Fullerton Police Officer Accuses Acting Chief of Cover Up in Kelly Thomas Killing

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Fullerton Police officer Ben Lira appeared on KFI this afternoon and accused Acting Chief Dan Hughes of a cover up in the immediate aftermath of the Kelly Thomas killing. 

Lira, a 17-year veteran of the city's embattled force, has been on paid leave since circulating an email critical of Capt. Hughes.

"I don't anticipate being there much longer," he told show host Bill Carroll.


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Spokane Police Brutality Case Is Eerily Similar To Fullerton Cop Killing Of Kelly Thomas

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Kelly Thomas
In a case with eery similarities to the 2011 police beating death of Kelly Thomas in Fullerton, a veteran Spokane, Washington cop yesterday received a 51-month prison sentence in the excessive force death of a mentally disable man.

Officer Karl Thompson, 65, lead the charge against 36-year-old Otto Zehm, a school janitor who was falsely accused of a petty crime in 2006 and then hog-tied, severely beaten in the head with a baton and tasered until he died.

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Orange County Register Questions Ron Thomas's Nonprofit Status

R. Scott Moxley
Questions about the money raised by the Kelly Thomas Memorial Foundation and how it's being spent continue to swirl. Two weeks ago, the Weekly wrote about a scuffle of words between Ron Thomas,  father of slain homeless man Kelly Thomas, and Stephan Baxter, organizer of Art With an Agenda. The July art show was held to benefit KTMF and raised $10,000 for the foundation. But as of two weeks ago Baxter, as well as members of Kelly's Army wanted to know where a chunk of that money--promised by Thomas to local charities-- had gone.

Today, the Orange County Register weighed in with questions of its own.

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[UPDATED With Wolfe Pleading Not Guilty:] KFI Says Charges Against Officer Joe Wolfe 'Imminent'

See Update No. 2 at the end of this post on ex-Officer Joe Wolfe being arraigned today on manslaughter and excessive-force charges.

See Update No. 1 on a media report that the Grand Jury will convene to decide whether or not to indict a third officer involved in the Kelly Thomas beating.

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We don't know when, but it looks like Officer Joe Wolfe will be charged for his role in the Kelly Thomas killing. Citing "highly placed sources" familiar with the  case, KFI AM 640 said charges are imminent. Two officers-- Manuel Ramos and Jay Cicinelli--currently  await trial in the case, but many, including Kelly's father Ron Thomas have repeatedly demanded charges be filed against Wolfe as well. 

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[UPDATED: Ron Thomas Eases Tensions] Kelly's Army Fracturing Due to Questions of Money Raised and Ron Thomas

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[See bottom of post for update.]

ORIGINAL POST, Sept. 21, 3 p.m.: After more than a year of police brutality protests that launched a successful city recall election and saw two Fullerton police officers charged with killing mentally ill homeless man Kelly Thomas, Kelly's Army--citizens who banded together to insure justice--has fractured.

Members of the activist group and an organizer of a recent art show held to raise money for the Kelly Thomas Memorial Fund (KTMF) say questions over how donations are being spent have driven a wedge between Ron Thomas, the victim's father, and the group. 
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Stepfather of Taser-Happy Cop Jay Cicinelli Blasts Fullerton for Clearing Kelly Thomas--Ron Thomas Responds!

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John Huelsman, stepfather of former Fullerton Police Officer Jay Cicinelli, went on KFI-AM 640 this afternoon to blast the city council for its decision to clear Kelly Thomas of wrongdoing on the night he was beaten to death. No big surprise! Hueslman viewed the council's move as a pollution of the jury pool which may soon hear his son's manslaughter case. 

On Tuesday, Capt. Dan Hughes, acting chief of police, publicly stated that there was no evidence to suggest Kelly had broken into cars at the Fullerton Transportation Center as was alleged by Slidebar employee Jeanette DeMarco.

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Kelly Thomas is Officially Innocent, Says Fullerton PD, A Year After Killing Him


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Dan Hughes, Fullerton's acting chief of police, delivered a statement last night to the city council, effectively clearing mentally ill homeless  Kelly Thomas of wrongdoing before cops beat him to death on July 5, 2011. 

"There is no evidence, of which the Fullerton Police Department is now aware that Kelly Thomas actually tried to steal anything from any of the vehicles in the lot," Hughes told the council.

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Fullerton Police Department Set to Officially Clear Kelly Thomas' Name Over A Year After His Beating Death

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Ron Thomas is claiming another victory for his son Kelly who died following a merciless police beating last year at the Fullerton Transportation Center.

In an email sent out to media outlets last night, Thomas said Acting Police Chief Dan Hughes will deliver a statement at next Tuesday's City Council meeting clearing Kelly of any wrongdoing in the encounter that ended with the mentally ill homeless bleeding out in a gutter.

"Over the last three weeks," Thomas wrote in the email. "Captain Dan Hughes, acting Chief of Police in Fullerton and I have been working on wording that I have now approved as to clearing Kelly's name."

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[UPDATED with Driver's I.D.:] Fullerton Police Kill Christopher Shull After Chase

See the update at the end of this post identifying the driver.

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ORIGINAL POST, AUG. 28, 10:21 A.M.: A police chase that began early today on the 5 freeway near the 91 freeway interchange ended at a (literal) dead end near Palo Verde Avenue and Artesia Boulevard in Bellflower around 3 a.m., when an officer fatally shot the suspect driver. The law enforcement agency that initiated the chase and whose cop pulled the trigger? The problem-plagued Fullerton Police Department.

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