More Bullshit From The Sinking Register
If you want to get a glimpse of abject stoogery from an employee of a company that another employee has comically referred to as “one of the better news organizations,” take a gander at this drivel from some jackass named David Whiting that was posted yesterday. He’s “reporting” on the mob mentality of those protesting the brutal bludgeoning death of Kelly Thomas at the hands of the Fullerton Police Department. We have noted the bland acceptance of this crime by the Register that has used such gassy descriptions of the lethal attack as “scuffle,” “tussle” and this priceless gem: “the struggle continued until Thomas lost consciousness” (or maybe he just got bored and fell asleep).
First, from the Reg, a scary headline: “Mob Rule Rises After Thomas Death” This is so damned stupid I’ll treat it for what it is – brainless pro-police propaganda. Just like this typical unsubstantiated and utterly irrelevant assertion by Whiting: Sure, there are bad cops. But the vast majority serve with honor and courage.
Reading Whiting’s steaming pile of inaccuracies really makes you wonder whether this clown is actually in the pay of FPD. Let’s hold our collective noses and examine some of it.
Whiting takes exception to those of us who criticize our MIA Chief. According to Whiting, Sellers has been a regular Chatty Cathy, actually having his name mentioned in a two or three press releases issued by Goodrich. Of course we know he hasn’t said anything at all.
Whiting cites a July 11th statement by FPD spokeshole (and cop union official) Andrew Goodrich: a mush-mouth statement (he conveniently ignores all the lies and leaks peddled by this sphincter) indicating the department’s pro-active, hands-0n approach. Alluding to FPD’s immediate attention to this matter, he says the statement was made the day after the Thomas was taken off artificial life support by his dad. But Dave, Thomas was effectively killed on July 5th, six days before this alleged statement; and by July 11th Chief Mike Sellers had long since departed on his two-week vacation (another embarrassing fact omitted by Whiting).
Whiting notes with disdain the “allegations” that the DA’s investigator on the case, Stan Berry, is close personal pals with Sellers, but apparently failed to even make an effort to find out if the “allegations” were true. They must be. The DA didn’t deny it when directly asked.
Once again we are admonished that reasonableness requires that we patiently wait for the investigation to run its course, even though (here’s another inconvenient fact ignored by Whiting) the cops involved refuse to cooperate with the DA.
Protesters are chastised for using intemperate language!
But some of the placards were disturbing. “Who do you call when cops murder?” “Murderers go to jail, murders with badges go on vacation;” “FPD employs murderers.”
Last I checked, “murder” is a word used in a verdict from a jury in a court of law.
Smug bastard, isn’t he? Somehow when we see the picture of a helpless guy whose head has been bashed in by six well-armed, well-fed cops with obvious malice we arrive at the inescapable conclusion that a murder took place. Silly us.
Here’s Whiting’s crescendo of crap:
There are videos in which eyewitnesses state that Thomas died at the bus depot. That didn’t happen. There are statements that officers beat Thomas with a flashlight. The attorney for the officers denies that happened.
Huh? Nobody disputes Kelly was effectively killed at the bus depot – even if taken alive, but brain-dead to UCI, later. Of course the bus riding witnesses didn’t know if he was technically dead or alive. This is just the dirtiest and cheapest chickenshit hair-splitting trick I’ve seen yet from the Police Gang. If Whiting got up off his lazy ass and went to see the bloodstained concrete at the Fullerton bus depot he might not be so fucking glib.
And note also that Whiting is giving credence to statements from the cops’ lawyer. The same cops who refuse to talk to the DA? Did the cop’s lawyer helpfully suggest that a Taser butt might just look like a flashlight to the uninitiated? Wanna place a bet?
It is the duty of the investigators – regardless if they are D.A., FBI or Fullerton’s own – to find out what did happen.
Yes, of course it is their duty. It is also FPD’s duty to serve and protect the public, including Kelly Thomas, rather than bash his brains out in the gutter.
Until then, efforts spent speculating and accusing might be better directed at ensuring that law enforcement is adequately trained to deal with the mentally ill.
Ah, the old misdirection! If only the poor police had better training! No, you useless hack, the issue isn’t ignorance about how to deal with the mentally ill. The issue is that six Fullerton cops Tasered and bludgeoned a helpless human being to death.
You would think even a dim-witted Register employee would get that.
This Whiting guy is a real tool… and we can conclude who’s! What a joke to even call this “reporting”- the article is so poorly researched and so obviously slanted that cow manure is too mild a term for what Whiting is shoveling.
This Guy is Kook!
Definition of KOOK
: one whose ideas or actions are eccentric, fantastic, or insane : screwball
David Whiting is a A$$..
The OC Register has been entrenched in corruption for decades. THEY CANNOT BE TRUSTED.
It is the uncritical approach of people like Whiting that is the reason this happened. While “good conservatives” were busily taking money from law enforcement unions, they looked the other way as these unions became a shadow government. Public sector unions hold the real power in California’s cities and counties. They employ the people who protect us, rescue us, punish us, regulate us, teach (and propagandize) our children – and they elect the politicians who are supposedly going to regulate them.
Conservatives may be right to value and respect law enforcement more than some of the less justifiable arms of big government. But this doesn’t mean they should allow unions to replace citizens as the power behind the authority wielded by police. Conservatives turning a blind eye to the union takeover of police departments is the reason things got so bad.
I respect police officers. But that doesn’t mean policemen who murder – and any sensible analysis of the evidence leads one to that inescapable conclusion – should hide behind union power to escape justice.
“he conveniently ignores all the lies and leaks peddled by this sphincter”
Literary gold!
That sounds like the OC-Register, when I lived there and worked on the issue of sub-standard housing the only reason the reporter talked to me was because my lawyer had caller her previously, when I tried to talk to the reporter about a related issue , on my own,she was too good to talk to me….she was a hot shot court reporter and too good to talk to a lowly peon like me. The issue of tenants living in squalor, and death traps was so common according to her it was not news.????
Well put. I thought the Register was rising — a bit — from the ashes. But apparently not. Whiting normally writes about outdoorsy stuff liking daisies, hiking and rock climbing, and what qualified him to write this piece alludes me. The Reg has crime and court reporters like Larry Welborne who are fairly credible, but you’re right, Whiting failed miserably on this.
I’d also hope that Mickadeit stays away this story. His constant namedropping and inanity is always annoying, and any involvement in this real strategy on his part would be unwelcome. Frank was to have “fought” Whiting last month (the Reg chickened out and axed the event), but apparently the brain damage was done anyway
Love the phrase “crescendo of crap”. Stay at it please. Unfortunately, John and Ken won’t pick up on this as they’re starting a long vaca today, but their subs are OK and Conway has been following the story.
Just goes to show how useless the register has really become.
Why am I not surprised?? Because when I moved to the OC in 03, the first article in the register I read was a nauseating article about a young hispanic man, befriending a rich white family, and how he was such a good little hispanic boy..{.like good negroe,} who didnt speak that “gutter” language, spanish. What century does the OC register live in. what decent reporter would allow such an article using derogatory language like that?
This attitude towards the poor and disadvantaged, allows things like the Kelly Thomas tragedy to happen.
People: If you are subscribing OC Register…cancel your subscriptions NOW!
Wow. That is the most heartbreaking picture I’ve ever seen. I’m from another state and have been hearing about this incident on the news. How can anyone do this to another human being? Why aren’t there policemen trained in how to deal with the mentally ill working with the homeless? I guess the ones who beat him to death out of sheer brutality will have to live with this the rest of their lives.
rose, these cops didn’t do what they did because they don’t know how to deal with the mentally ill. They did it because they are animals who thought they could get away with murder of whom they deemed an expendable human being. As Joe has indicated, the two issues ought not to be confused.
I think they did it for free sandwiches and beer at the Slidebar.
@ 11 ROSE>As president Lincoln once said give a man absolute power and you will see his true character.police have too much power against the people than graft comes into play police have a good old boy club with local business merchants
in this case the slide bar known for drug implication and secret room were FPD cops can have a drink while in uniform.Slid bar wanted kelly to go away because the bar babies did not like him around so the cop friends of slide bar got there wish.
Folks lets not forget that this is a Conservative County. And historically to this point. Conservatives were PRO PRO PRO COP. This whole situation in Fullerton shocks me that a bunch of Republicans are knocking the police. It also shocks me that John and Ken huge right wingers are knocking the Police. But in the end. People will fall back into line and the police will get away with murder.
Now go blame all of this on Obama and listen to Rush Limbaugh.
The liberals in Fullerton have been silent as a graveyard over this whole incident.
Crickets.
The liberals i Fullerton have never been anything bu hypocrites. Pam Keller was oh so fast to loudly protest for her own financial betterment. Couldn’t be bothered to show up for Kelly. Too lazy or too scared.
And there you have it.
You better bet your sweet ass every cop in fullerton is a registered Republican.
I know quite a few that voted for Obama.
there are no libs in fullerton. Fullerton is old Repub town. Why do you think this happened. Look who controls your city.
Look I can pull up voting records and prove it if you want that Repubs control Fullerton.
Ridiculous. Look – this is an issue that transcends Left vs. Right. Liberals are out there in the street in front of the Fullerton Police Station protesting. What do you think those young people with the tattoos and bandanas are, Tea Party? I normally despise Republicans, and the pro-cop culture of Fullerton is deeply Republican, but I shake their hand for stepping up and organizing this resistance. Liberal and conservative together, fighting inhumanity and abuse of power, that is what this is all about!
Incorrect. Repuglicans control Fullerton.
However there has always been a large liberal contingent, many connected to the college and CSUF. I know many of the. Right now they are as silent as Chief Sellers.
What???
Are you dyslexic? What don’t you get? Everybody is pissed off and has a right to be. Conservatives, liberals, Tea Party, anarchists, communists, who cares? 6 People officers brutally beating an unarmed man to death is the issue here, not partisan politics.
I don’t understand your response to my “what?”
I was saying “what?” to the person who claimed liberals have been absent in all of this.
If you see life as Left Vs Right, Conservative Vs Liberal not only are you an idiot but you are a tribalistic knuckle dragging neanderthal.
Kelly died after having contact with the FPD. Period, plain and simple. FPD clearly tried to hide it, don’t know how anyone can’t see that. That’s all I need to be outraged, I don’t have to wait for a trial or investigation to be done, besides, with the dishonesty already surrounding the case we shouldn’t go away until something is done because they can’t be trusted. These pro-cop people call protesters hypocrites, when really, nobody would be saying “Wait for the investigation…or we don’t know anything yet” if were regular citizens doing this to a homeless. Nobody is above or below the law. We have every right to be outraged and protesting.
I couldn’t be more delighted to see this post this morning. I couldn’t believe this garbage when I read it last night. As usual, thank you for staying on top of calling people out on their ignorance.
I have been following this story closely since July 8th, as a friend saw the report and informed me of what had happened to Kelly. At the initial vigil on July 13th one of the witnesses as well as Mr. Bushala came to us and informed us that in fact what the Register had reported was not even close to what had happened. Thus, in the immediate days following the incident, on the few scarce reports of this tragedy by the Register, any comment I left on the website in the comments section that was at the time a polite attempt to correct the facts, was immediately deleted by the “admin” of the Register with a generic message that my comment would not be posted. I knew then it was not a coincidence. I believe it is time for the Register to be included in the cross hairs as one of the perpetrators of this obvious cover up. And I think it should also be made clear by all who attend the protests that the reporters of this publication are no longer welcome to report at these events. That’s my 2 cents on this anyway.
I agree with the fact that they have been irresponsible with their reporting. However, we shouldn’t try to keep them from reporting because it is their right to do so; in fact, it only helps our cause when they get called out on their misinformation.
The latter of your points makes very good sense.
I just question at this point whether it is simple irresponsibility or intentional misreporting.
Yes, it does seem to be so biased and not very well researched that it does cause the public to become suspicious of their intent.
ok no fucken regiter for me i will buy te mammoth times or maybe the london times getting rid of the anything to do with that rag
I have been following the story, from another state. Just want to say that the post is excellent, and I hope that it, and others, will prove effective in keeping the story alive. Perhaps this will be one of the very few times when the police pay for their murderous actions.
# 29 @kevin > it happens all over the USA were is the citizens home land security these maggot cops just got caught finally.
Isn’t this the bicycle story reporter? Seems he is trying to be objective, at first, but then his “cops can do no wrong” attitude comes out. Has he even seen the photo of Kelly or the videos?
There is a group of cop supporters in Fullerton, they are blind, deaf and dumb, they need to wake up and see the facts as they are.
This was a violent attack on a homeless man, not a scuffle.
Sadly there is this odd stench in the air in Fullerton lately, I cannot wait till it is fresh again.
Fullerton Police Dept and Unions has Andrew Goodrich. The Sinking Orange County Registers has David Whiting.
Crooks love to surround themselves with cronies.
Mob mentality would be doing what those thugs in London, etc. are doing and burning down buildings, etc. The thugs in Europe are mad that cops shot a guy who had a gun on him (but did not use it) and they want answers. People want answers but they are doing it in a civilized way, not a mob mentality way. I don’t put much into what the Register says because they think news is anything to do with the Housewives of OC.
“Some want the six officers fired. Others call them murderers. And two Fullerton council members say their police chief should resign.
Let’s pause and consider our legal system’s guiding principle:
Innocent until proven guilty.”
Was Kelly Thomas innocent until proven guilty?? Apparently not. He was brutally beaten and unarmed.
Horrible journalism. No emotion, and heartless.
@#33 FullertonGirl’04 > the fact that the cops stole the video tape makes them very suspicious it was not his property to take he stole a good piece of evidence and has not been returned cops do not want truth to be told and that is been going on for some time.
How about inviting Register columnist Frank Mickadeit to attend Saturday’s rally and to write the real story in his column in the Register next week as a rebuttal to David Whiting’s column. Frank recently was on the receiving end of a public beatdown by fellow columnist David Whiting, and I’m sure he’d appreciate the opportunity to contradict this horse’s ass at any and every juncture.
Yeah, but Frank wouldn’t go unless a rich Republican was handing out cigars.
This blog is 90% anti police and anti police activists. That’s why you hated the article. The article falls back on innocent until proven guilty, and following the law in the process. Dealing with facts and not the activists lies and BS. Problem is the anti police people make half the stuff up to get reactions from fellow nut jobs. It’s a tactic used US wide by these groups. Kelly was contacted as he should of been, he panicked, ran, resisted, fought, and died. Investigation will show if someone or some two cops used excessive force. It won’t be 6. Again, this group will be disappointed when it’s all over be because it won’t be what you are hoping for.
You are a tool. Go to http://www.injusticeeverywhere.com and then tell us what is made up to make cops look bad. The sad part is he probably gets 10% of what cops are really doing to further their criminal enterprise. You do not have to make up anything to see dirty cops everywhere.
You are reading a web page by anti police groups. Of course it looks bad. If I setup a good job cops page it would be 95 times bigger than this page. We all know every industry has 5% bad apples. Weed them out. It’s a process that’s been around forever. So yes, 1-5% of cops are bad. Not all of them.
@#38 corrupt – you dumb shit > when they all stay silent they are all involved and corrupt.Those so called good cops knew what happened but they all chose to stay silent not even an anonymous e-mail.Sorry no excuse they just went on business as usual do defense for that behavior none!!
so it is okay to you that at least (least) 5% of cops set you up and convict you on false charges and break the laws themselves… that gives you a one in 20 chance of being beaten to death on a 100 cop police force… 1 in 20 chance of being falsely accused.. on a 10,000 cop force you have a higher percentage chance of being beaten and falsly accused (500 bad cops)… one thousand good deeds are negated by one false arrest or beating… again you are a tool. I cannot beat my white trash neighbors to death (yeah I have seen drugs and child abuse and reported it) but I guess in your world I could pin on a badge and do what I want….again you are a tool. If the white trash ventures into my home they are dead, guaranteed….
Interesting that you are pushing for people to reserve their judgments until a trial while simultaneously purporting that you seem to know what happened.
No, the article falls back on sloppy and lazy acceptance of the propaganda put out by Goodrich.
Kelly Thomas got no due process, did he. Arrested, tried, executed. All in about 10 minutes.
Say, buddy you are saying the same thing McKinley is saying. Did you see the video, too?
BTW, Rackauckas has said that if the other four stood around and watched they’re guilty, too.
Uh oh.
@#36 trial yet> kelly was “accosted” by a bully tax paid monster Kelly ran because he was threatened he dealt. with cops before the low life cops got a call from there bar buddies at slid bar and decided to just get rid of the problem once and for all.So now more little piggies come to help big bad poppa piggy because he can’t take care of arresting a homeless defenseless man all by his piggy self need i say this big piggy was a decorated ex-marine if this big piggy.while could not take down an 135lb defenseless man what would he do against a real threat! oh and one of the little piggies seen some one recording there piggy beat down so he steals the video from a citizen this piggy is a thief it is not illegal to video tape on public property unless some one gives you the tape you are stealing it.How convenient they did not have the patrol car camera were it could have recorded what was going on they do it for every thing else’ what happened to all the voice recorders the cops use when doing a stop no coincidence it too was not used forgot!. witnesses to many to count think the slide bar is also involved FPD back room drinking No dui’s from that location.But that is just coincidence isn’t it. While i am at it there was no report of any auto break ins that night and kelly had nothing that would insinuate he did communist all of them.!
You just summarized all the rumors and lies pretty good. Now prove them all.
You must not have listened to any eye witness reports on any of this to come up with the criticisms you sight in your post. You also seem pretty unmoved by the basic fact that this man was brutally beaten to death. This is a clear case of excessive force that ended in a mans death. Just what is your point?
@ Trial Yet… Here’s the problem with your approach.
“Kelly was contacted as he should of been, he panicked, ran, resisted, fought, and died”.
Well, lets just take a look at this in pieces….He was approached by a cop because someone suspects Him as a possible criminal, (so far that is the only fact we can say is true although even that is in question because no car was found to be broken into as of yet), So he panicked, I would panic because most times it’s not good when the police want you to stop and drop…(and again from what I know or have read this is from the police report not yet verified), He ran, (again not yet verified), resisted? (even two on one would not have taken much to over power him. He looks to be maybe 160 lbs soaking wet against these two well trained, well armed, been working out religiously ect…) Fought ? (well maybe if I felt my life was about to end I would be fighting also no matter if the badge was there or not, but still not verified) Died…. That we can be sure is the truth, whole truth and nothing but the truth…
Now so far all you have stated is conjecture based on innuendo. Result inadmissible as a valid statement.
Now go back to the drawing board and try again…
Have a nice day!
you re heartless and obviously have some hidden agenda, or some kind of emotional tie to police. SIX men beat him to death. How can you be so cavlier about that? You think its ok? Sick. Just as sick as the monters that did this. ONE cop could have subdued and handcuffed Kelly with limited or no injury at all. Period. That is what they are trained to do. This group will be disappointed? gee, thats really going out on a limb. What really disturbs me, is no end, no matter what happens will disappoint YOU. Im sure somehow you will have your day and say “I told you so” What if this happened to your son or daughter….would you say…”oh well, he panicked and got killed….im on to my next blog” pathetic.
if, for argument’s sake, 6 gang-bangers had beaten an alzheimer’s-suffering granny to a pulp after she resisted giving up her purse, all 6 would be in jail in a heartbeat. innocent until proven guilty. but, yet, jailed until being arraigned (charged by a court.) why the difference for police officers who commit violent acts even while under the color of law? why no jail until charged? this is why people get angry — the semblance of unfair treatment. it’s said over and over that noone — even law-enforcement — is above the law. then, why does the law provide separate and unequal treatment for some offenders (police.) this smacks of injustice. time to change the laws, perhaps, to remove some of the legal protections that seem to cloud the ability to obtain justice when law-enforcement tries their own.
They intended to beat and rob her. There is a difference. Just for arguments sake??
could you please point out the difference? if there was no intent, then the cops couldn’t have beaten thomas. you have to have intent in the first place to execute an action. whether it was pre-meditated is a difference i could see. both the granny in my supposin’ and thomas could, imo, be called victims of opportunity, however.
Interesting Article Here
http://blogs.ocweekly.com/navelgazing/2011/08/john_derek_chamberlain.php
People are correct to be cynical about the DA investigation. People who are no strangers to police brutality cases understand what happens when they conclude and its usually exoneration of wrong doing (just look at Julian Alexander, Julian Collender or Manuel Jamines) Protestors have the right to free speech.
The signs were not that of a “mob.” The press calls any public outpouring demanding democratization a mob — or in the words of PR father Walter Lippman a ‘bewildered herd.’
Here’s an editorial suggestion for the Reggie: “Peaceful protest”
If this has not already been done, will someone please contact the victim’s family in this case and make certain they obtain their own/separate autopsy of the victim, Mr. Kelly? They are not as expensive as you may think, and can be performed at a mortuary of the family’s choosing. There are reputable, private forensic pathologists available to perform a separate examination. DO NOT trust the Orange County Coroner’s Office finding of inconclusive as to cause/manner of death.
I don’t think that’s even necessary. Kelly was in an ICU for five days and was no doubt diagnosed by both emergency/trauma MDs and then by neurologists and brain surgeons. That means MRIs CATs, etc.
The DA and the Coroner can’t fake this.
Does anyone know who paid for his hospital stay? Hopefully the family’s not on the hook for it, but I’ll bet it pushes or exceeds six figures.
MRI’s, CAT’s, X-Rays etc. are no substitute for tangible tissue samples, arterial magnification to identify any disruption of blood flow due to trauma, and magnification of brain matter. There can be blood present in areas where it should not be; not visible to the naked eye or via modern scanning protocol. What I have listed is but a fraction of the reasons to obtain a second autopsy. You get a second opinion from another doctor on the living, it is no stretch to obtain a second opinion on the deceased. Especially when the Forensic Pathologist performing said autopsy is an employee of the County of Orange, CA. Anyone that believes a government forensic physician is not going to side with another government entity is being horribly naive.
@# 39 yea more brotherly code of silence this crap needs to stop especially corrupt judges who are also in on it.this is more crime on crime from the police we are suppose to have trust in.
What a douche bag. Anger with this case and how it’s unfolding is reason for the public to be angered. I will give Whiting one piece and that’s his point that most police officers do indeed ‘protect and serve’. I feel that’s important to keep in perspective, difficult as it may. We need to keep order. Having said that these ‘officers’ were nothing more than rabid animals with badges. They committed a murder and should be tried for murder.
To your point and the point of the person who commented below you, I think it’s important to remember that a person can both support our police force and also be disappointed in what happened and how it has been so mishandled.
By “person below you,” I was referring to EyeNeverSayNo. Though Rich Willamson also makes a valid point.
This guy is funny, the idea that he bothers to observe that Kelly died in a hospital and not at the scene is kind of like the logic that a shooter can’t kill someone..the bullet does that.
I’m a pretty typical conservative south-OC republican, and generally I’m very supportive of law enforcement. My friend and next door neighbor is an LASO deputy. But this murder by six big cops of a mentally ill, and no doubt malnourished, homeless man has me outraged and ashamed. And this article from David Whiting in the Register is the last I will read as a subscriber.
No, you are an easily manipulated idiot who desperately wants to belong to a group.
Stop group thinking and instead take a moment to think for yourself. I can’t stand people who subscribe to a political ideology.
Umm Mr. Anonymous, sorry if it was lost on you but my point was that I self-identify with groups that would normally be sympathetic to law enforcement, and yet in this case I have certainly done as you suggest and reached beyond my normal frame of refrence to conclude that the actions of these oficers was outraegeous and shameful.
Bullshit! Why do Republicans always try to politicize everything? I was AT the protest on Saturday. I’m a liberal! There were SCORES of liberals there. YOUNG PEOPLE AROUND HERE ARE GENERALLY LIBERAL, except for the white supremacists. Like I said, do you really think all those people with the bandanas and tattoos out protesting are Tea Party?
More importantly, who the fuck cares? Why are you trying to score political points? I’m CONGRATULATING Republicans, whom I will forever despise, for finally once in their lives being on the right side of an issue! For once putting common human decency above economic gain and protecting their explotative way of life! Kudos to you guys. Now don’t fuck it up by being partisan, political jackasses.
Get it?!
Calm down. You need to follow the line to the left of the comments. My remarks were directed at #19, not you.
Since I have been to ALL of the protests and vigils I am very well aware that the protesters have included those at both ends of the political spectrum.
As Fred has indicated, Fullerton’s notable liberal “leaders” have been MIA; the country club Repuglicans are in hiding to. They are seem terrified that some of their armed guards have been exposed for what they are.
OK. We will get the liberals more deeply involved, including those at CSUF, rest assured. What you are doing is what progressives always call for, “speak truth to power.” This transcends ideology.
There is a big push going on to show that Kelly’s illness and he’s violent. Oc Register published that his mother had a 5 year restraining order against him. Is this true? Did he ever apart from his family threatened anyone? And one guy who claims that he got upset and cursed and all that? I think this is worth investigating.
Tony, I like your web site alot and think its doing alot of good. I do feel however that the four letter words here are doing a discredit.
Whenever I come to a four letter word, I don’t read it. Voila! A family-friendly blog for my sensitive soul.
If I looked and wrote like David Whiting, I would flush my head down the toilet.
They don’t call it “dead tree media” for nothing.
It makes me wonder why this whiting guy even bothered to puke up his little wad of nothing.
He’s obviously sucking someone’s tailpipe — guys like he always are — but why step into the Kelly Johnson outrage? He didn’t actually think he would change anyone’s mind, did he?
“Mob rule?”
The Kelly Johnson protests have, are, and will continue to be civil, peaceful, noisy, and ongoing until the six are brought to justice.
The Kelly Johnson protests are a model for civilian outrage. We’ll be here long after this whiting jerk is long forgotten.
What a tool. What a jackass.
I will not be renewing my brothers (I am my brothers keeper) subscription to the Register!!
Tell it brother! Whiting’s worst tactic is to concede a few things that would be obvious to any reader so his opinion appears balanced, but then ignore the most important questions to avoid any real journalism.
I could vomit.
Most of them serve with corruption, coverup and tyranny on their minds, is more like it- those so called “honorable” ones would do the same damn thing the FDP animals did if they had the oppotunity-they’re all rotten, covering shitheads yes ALL
If the vast majority of cops are honorable how come none of them have come forward to tell us what really happened?
Bingo. They’re all in serious CYA mode now. Nothing like this has ever happened to them before.
The FPD drove their dirty little lawnmower over an invisible, seething hornet’s nest when they murdered Kelly. They’re flopping and flapping, and they don’t really know what to do.
So for the time being, they’ll do what they always have done — pussy up. But this won’t last forever.
One or two will eventually jump ship and squeal.
Patience, perseverance, and protest.
Please don’t play into the hands of the people who want to push Kelly’s death under the carpet. These people want you to start calling names and speaking hatefully so they can accuse you of being a “mob”. We can let our outrage be known without resorting to foul language and threats. I have written dozens of letters and emails to everyone from the President to the Cable news stations to the Fullterton Police chief. In fact, it was the day after I wrote to him (telling him that the story was all over the Internet) that he put the 6 on leave. There are ways of getting our point across without stooping to their level. (I am from Minnesota — there are people all over the country following this daily. We have to perservere until the end.
too bad they dont listen to nice little letters and smiles. They take kindness for weakness and have proved this over and over, sorry, me thinks your sweet letters wound up in “FILE 13” AKA the trash.
I dont care if the call me mob mentality-or anything else, good. Im not going to be sweet to these Nazi’s anymore, they dont deserve it and they dont care
I think it is interesting that this website has not published this mans history. Have you mentioned his attack on his grandfather that he served time for or how about the choking of his own mother and that she had a 5 year restraing order against him. He was a dangerous man!!
All the negative violent and crime filled past of Kelly is something the small group of activists don’t want to hear about. If Kelly fought them, and they knew his violent nature, it was prolly a good fight. We will find out eventually how bad it was. But the activists don’t want to hear that. They just want to imagine Kelly was a loving person. Even though he was so violent and out of control his entire family even abandoned him years ago. Was his violence and transient life solely due to mental disorders? No. Drugs contributed and may have contributed to his death as well.
How do you know this? Please support your claims.
Kelly was sitting on a bench, chilling, what fight? there was no fight except in the imagination of the fat load animals who killed him and their attorney (s)-those butterbeans could pursue him, they are too fat to run without doubling over after 10 feet- everyone who knew him (except for the lying, cop lovers and trolls) said he was not violent and minded his own business, he was placed on a restraining order by family so he could be put in the system and get some mental help, not because anyone was afraid of him and who cares what he did in his past? who doesnt have a past? you? thats not a reason to kill and torture a man/woman/child/dog
LOL a restraining order so he could be put in the system to get help? Wow. You are really reaching to make him look good now. What a crock. Would you like to put a wager on how many of the cops were fat? You will lose 🙂
And you are desperately trolling here to save your ass.
Talk about reaching. The comments you’re spewing on here are actually kind of funny. I would love to wager on how out of shape you and your cronies are.
yes, a restraining order to get him in the system so he could get help-it was the only way as he refused private help. And the 6 animals are fat butterbean loads-that is a fact unless pictures and videos lie, oh I know, the camera puts on 10 lbs and makes your neck look like a blubbery package of frankfurters and 3 chins-that must be muscle, my bad and LOLOLOL to you and your fat ugly costumed friends
It is reported that his mother called the police on him so she could simply get help with placing him in a facility so he could get help. She is later reported as saying that he was never violent with her.
Another BS rumor and lie. Mom n dad wanted nothing to do with him. They knew what a loser he was. Of course they are going to say he was the best son in the world now. Wouldn’t you?
Speaking of BS rumors and lies, where are you getting all of your information? You are just as bad as those you are condemning for being misinformed if you do not back up your accusations with facts and/or evidence.
Maybe I was there?
Obviously, obviously you were not.
To Obviously:
You OBVIOUSLY know very little about Schizophrenia. Most are NOT violent! I know this because of extensive reading on the subject, as well as having lived next door to a “Board and Care” that housed all kinds of mentally ill, including Schizophrenics. I also worked as a Librarian in a city Civic Center that was full of homeless and mentally ill. We had our resident schizophrenic who would come into the library on a regular basis, and run wildly around the library yelling things to the voices he was hearing. It frightened the patrons. The staff found out that, instead of calling Sheriff’s department, who basically did nothing, all we had to do was tell him to keep it down and he would stop. One day I found paper he had left behind next to an Algebra book. He had been working on problems all afternoon. He was not a loser and it was not his fault that he got sick anymore than it someone’s fault for getting Cancer. You might want to read up on the subject before you open your mouth.
Not true, it was report that he choked her (1st story) 2nd story was that he gently placed his hands around her neck and 3rd story is she does not remember the incident. She would file a restraining order to simply have him removed. She placed the 5 year restraining order because he was violent with her as he was violent with his grandfather and served time for
Face it. He was a violent person. That will be shown in court for his past and for this case. The cops will walk.
cops will be walking alright, into a cell.
I’d like to know more about the attack on his grandfather.
…If this claim has any credibility you’ll post more.
Run his crime record. Pull the case.
Whats the case number and was it filed in orange county?
Maybe the FPD should have offered him a job.
momofboys #67 …….from the sound of your horn, you must be jay cincinelli’s wifey….maybe you will rethink your position when he beats you or one of your children to death because he can no longer take his anger out on random citizens….who gives a fk if he had priors….he was a unarmed 135lb man…the cop that tried to cuff him, couldnt because the other was still beating his head into a mushy pulp…im a 200lb man and wrestled in college and was in amateur mma for years…ive never seen anybody leave a fight, even the ones beaten round after round and knocked out cold, leave in even 10% the condition Kelly Thomas did…my wife could have subdued this man and gotten him into handcuffs, i know for a fact i could’ve got him into a position in seconds for cuffs to be put on and im not a cop even trained for this…this is a very small man vs a cop trained and much heavy than the average man…Mckinley in the video let the cat out of the bag when he said he believed two of them were mostly culpable in the incident…i take it that one of them was that fat cop *jay cincinelli …who done knee drops on a already downed mans face and throat…even in the ring, when we see somebody down for the count, its actually illegal and we can be accountable for manslaughter if we go the extra mile to go for these (well known) death blows. I can’t say its murder because i believe in due process….but the way i see it…i really dont know how the DA and investigators could charge them with anything less than murder 2.
how about a neighbor
Im thinking Jay made you grab your ankles more than once and gave you the old one eye
Obviously- You have no idea what you are talking about.
Maybe Kelly did attack his Grandfather. Maybe mom did have a retraining order on him. It is VERY common for family members to ask the authorities for RO’s and help when a mentally ill person is in the midst of an episode.
What Kelly did, while he was ILL does not give the police the right to murder him!
Some of you people need to grow up….how can a adult cry about a four letter word…where do you live, in candyland…maybe you should go back to watching the little house on prairie. This is a internet blog, maybe you should read a bland article on the oc register about how to quilt your mommy her favorite sweater and leave the real stuff to the grown ups.
UNREAL! “the police officers defense atty denies Kelly was beaten with a flashlight” well we should just give the civil servants an award, drop the investigation….what in the world would you expect the defense atty to say…”after careful consideration, and on the behalf of my clients, we respectfully admit the flagrant and excessive use of a device meant to illuminate the subject, not erraticate” These monsters beat him to death. It is very difficult to believe anything a journalist says, know matter what position is taken. But Mr. Whiting obviously has some hidden agenda, I can’t believe that he is simply that ignorant. There was no “Mob Mentality” there. THere was for sure an emotional, passionate, legal gathering of those that are not going to sit in the lazy chair and watch another cop walk away from his criminal activity. And quite the contrary to Mr Whitings analogy of ones felling towards the police is contigent upon the situation. SHOW UP SATUR
oh sorry, mr defense attorney, His head was split open with the opposite end of a TASER not a flashlight, my bad,
that was after he was tased 5 times. I also believe he was dropped kneed in the face and throat a couple times until his throat was crushed
She says he was acting in a bizzare manor, and she told him to leave, (dont forget he is schizophranic), when she done this he became upset and took off his clothes and pissed on the porch…this is why she got a ro on him. Anybody who has ever been around somebody with this disease knows this is not the behavior of a mentally healthy person..i believe the mother did become frightened and didnt know how to deal with this, which most parents wouldnt, this guy needed to commited to the pysch ward, not given a ro. She should have taken the oppourtunity then and had him dealt with, but failed to do so because i think she was angry and ignored the fact her son was mentally ill.
If you’ve ever actually had to deal with a mentally ill or homeless person, or one high on drugs and alcohol, you’d know how difficult it is to find community resources to help when you need it most! You can’t have someone 5150’d who isn’t an immediate danger to himself or others. Unless the person gives the “right” answers to the Psychiatric Evaluation Team (PET) when they come out to an ER, they won’t admit them. Even when they do, they can only be held for a limited time (like 72 hours) for observation. Kelly’s parents tried many times to get him institutionalized, but he kept getting released once stabilized on medications. You blame the parents when you clearly don’t understand the problem or limited resources available to help them.
I think you will get your bs stuffed down your throat soon momofboys and obvious…you both sound to be either cops or supporters of the murdering 6…but i think you’re gonna see that these guys, especially 2 of them will not walk away from this…i come from a family of cops and i havent heard one of them even come close to saying they supported the actions of these officers…my grandfather a sheriff even mentioned about him using force to get some of the biggest and most belligerent of felons down but has never seen or caused the damage these men caused on a unarmed man….imo kellys past, even if he was violent like you say or was resisting should ever come to this…bottom line, unarmed civilian pummeled and smashed into something unrecognizable.
how about a neighbor who saw all a lot of his violence.
Unarmed whack job high on dope.
You saw Kelly sneeze before? dear god, thats why the cops beat him to death, it all makes sense now. thanks obviously a moron!
once again, I am a neighbor
BFD, momofboys. Congratulations on being a neighbor. Doesn’t change the fact that even a propensity for (alleged, third-party witnessed and/or overheard) violence is not as relevant as you think it is. The fact of the matter is that the FPD was well aware of who Thomas Kelly was and was well aware of his schizophrenia. By definition there are going to be behavioral issues with someone with his diagnosis. That’s why the police are trained to deal with the mentally ill in an appropriate manner — because they are not held to the same standard as the general public because their mental illness debilitates their ability to respond appropriately to every day situations. Instead, these goons took the exact opposite approach and clobbered him. Even assuming the initial stop was warranted and the “takedown” was justified (a stretch, in my mind, given the already discredited accounts of the officers reporting), once he is on the ground and subdued, why continue the beating and tasering? He is yelling in desperation for his father. That doesn’t sound to me like the kind of language or tone being used by someone who is engaging in fisticuffs with the police. Given their prior knowledge of his mental illness, they should have approached it differently and, more importantly, should have stopped immediately once he was subdued. The FPD certainly wants the public to perceive Mr. Thomas as a drug addled and beligerent combatant. Hence their lies about cops suffering broken bones. But even assuming the worst, they had a duty to cease the confrontation as soon as he was subdued. Witness accounts that he was already in cuffs and/or unconscious or knocked senseless indicate that much of the assault occurred after he was a threat.
I hope the orange county medical examiner isn’t in on the coverup…if i was ron thomas id pay for a outside (private) autopsy…i wouldnt trust anybody atm connected to oc and its crooked higher ups.
Ok. Any wager you want. You wil see how fat on the tapes.
Oh yeah? When will that be, do you think?
Trial.
You’re arrogance is really unsettling. You sound like someone who knows they can get away with murder.
Agreed #116 Sean. It is this exact kind of arrogance by unchecked authority that is most frightening. Makes it pretty easy to believe that LE feel like they are above the law, which is precisely what has caused so much outrage in the community. Not all of us are cop-haters. Many of us have friends and family in law enforcement who are equally shocked. Is there a rush to judment? Perhaps. But given the lack of transparency by the FPD here, many level headed and intelligent people are starting to wonder if justice will ever actually be served. Obviously (the poster) is a black eye on real law enforcement and an example of the kind of arrogance that is giving the rest of the law enforcement community a bad name.
Very well said, Concerned.
Minor point: do not call these perpitrators animals; that is unfair to animals everywhere…
I’m not a cop lover either, but come on! LA County Sheriff’s has a whole unit dedicated to arresting the mentally ill, from what I hear (and I’m looking for the link now showing this and can’t find it). Apparently if they think you aren’t with it when they arrest you, they will call out that unit with a psychologist who will come to the arrest. I know that must cost an arm and a leg, but someone in law enforcement somewhere must have realized that you need special training to arrest the mentally ill if LA County Sheriff’s even recognizes it.
Yes, it’s horrific and inexcusable that Kelly Thomas had the shit beaten out of him. Even if you are schizophrenic, you don’t deserve to die like that. Calm down for a second though and realize that a little training could have saved a mentally ill man his life, the city millions of dollars and a lot of jobs also.
The OCR hasn’t been a credible news source for several years.. I’m surprised anyone here bothers reading it.
David should stick with writing his Outdoor columns. This column was garbage.
Can someone please explain to me what “training” has to do with just being a human being with feelings and a heart? I dont need special training to teach me not to beat my cat if she shits on the carpet-for fuck sake
I knew someone who was schizophrenic, but diligently took his meds. He said that when he wasn’t medicated, the world was out to get him. Paranoid delusions were also typical for him. If I were a cop, I would WANT special training to arrest someone who is schizophrenic and is paranoid. If that really is Kelly’s neighbor who posted earlier, he did have a propensity towards violence. Even human beings with feelings and a heart have to be prepared to handle situations that require more than the norm.
I believe that the cops really blew this up because of their lack of training of situations like this.
OC reg. Is good for 2 things only. 1) lining a cat litter box 2) lining the bottom of a birdcage. Its cheaper than Pet store linings.
My daughter used to run from me and cry when she did something wrong… she even cried when I put her in the corner and screamed for her mom…. I did not beat her to death. Guess i would not be a good Fullerton cop.
But your daughter isn’t schizophrenic either. Quite a difference.
@corrupt, did you get “special” training to learn how to deal with a crying kid?
Chrisa, a mom of a schizophrenic son, has a whole blog dedicated to writing about living with a son from schizophrenia. http://chrisahickey.blogspot.com/ She writes about how she felt when she heard about this horrible crime. I encourage all of you to read it.
It doesn’t matter if a “normal” (I know, I know, f*ck the cops) person HAS feelings and a heart when someone with schizophrenia is off their meds and their brain works against them. We’re not dealing with the average person here.
End of rant.
To: ‘dwhiting@ocregister.com’
Subject: “Mob rule rises after Thomas death:” Some comments …
David,
Your attempt at being the voice of reason here is a bit pedantic, I feel. Examples:
• Onlookers to the police beating and tasering said Kelly died at the scene. It didn’t happen.
His throat was severely injured, his brain was deprived of oxygen, he had broken bones in his face, he wasn’t moving, he was put on life-support equipment in the hospital, he never came out of a coma … You want to mince words, David? Perhaps it could be argued that he died at the hands of his dad, who turned off life-support equipment 5 days later?! Whether he died on July 5, or on July 10, the DA can bring murder charges either way. Do you really want to just leave it that the public is fanning the flames? After that injury photo taken by his dad? There are still mainstream media outlets, I would imagine, that haven’t yet shown that photo – too inflammatory against the police, or too disturbing to the readers.
• Kelly wasn’t beaten with the end of a flashlight.
Okay, so it was the back end of a taser gun. The MRI already showed blunt-force trauma. You want to discredit the eye witnesses, who were off a little in the distance at night, just to quibble over WHICH blunt force instrument was used?! Were the observers not spot-on that a blunt instrument was used, and that it did serious damage to Kelly?
• The picture taken by Ron Thomas of Kelly in the hospital showed a battered mess.
Didn’t former Police Chief Pat McKinley already say on CNN that it wasn’t standard police procedure to hit in the face? With Kelly’s face looking like that, you still want to say the public is jumping the gun?! McKinley was positively irresponsible on CNN to say that facial injuries aren’t serious, and heal. Jay Cicinelli might beg to differ on that one. Oh, but wait! He was allegedly the one that drop-kneed Kelly’s neck. But then, he’s not talking to investigators. And the Register can’t report on that yet because of your “journalistic high standards.”
• DA finds no evidence that cops intended to murder Kelly.
Well, a death took place. Yet DA Investigator Stan Berry assigned is a personal / social friend of the Police Chief, and the 6 cops involved have not agreed to talk to the DA Investigator. Police Chief Sellers, who has made no official statements throughout, suddenly goes on “medical leave” today, and McKinley told a media outlet he isn’t expected back. Sellers reportedly took a two-week vacation just following Kelly’s bludgeoning. And you think the public just isn’t patient enough for they “system” to just objectively and honestly take the time it needs to conduct a proper investigation??
I get it that the OC Register and mainstream media have higher standards of corroborating stories and reporting than local activist blogs and Internet sites. But keep in mind who your readers actually are – the general public. Or does that matter? Is the Register more concerned with getting Orange County Govt. officials to talk to them and provide their official press releases than reflecting the real mood of the community?
If you want to dicker over word choices, I would argue that “public outcry” is more accurate than “mob rule.”
Kehwen
La Habra
Good summation. That “article” is a pile of dog crap.
David Whiting is clearly a moron and FPD lacky. Line him up with the others.
Kehwen, I used to write sports for the Register before I was told in 1996 that my services were no longer required by a sports editor (since departed) whom nobody respected. After reading the rubbish that Whiting wrote, I can say with pride that I no longer work at the Register.
Here is what David Whiting wrote me back in response to the e-mail I sent him, above:
“Kehwen – Sorry I failed you on this one. Thanks for your thoughtful note.
Best, David Whiting
Editor at Large”
He’s diplomatic, any way!
But another point I forgot to make when I wrote him, he talked about the presumption of innocence with respect to the 6 cops. But where was that presumption of innocence for Kelly Thomas??? They played judge, jury, and executioner without even having made an arrest!
This is precisely why some of the venerable newspapers of the past are in such trouble! Many won’t publish graphic photos like the one of Kelly for fear of offending delicate sensibilities. It was Bushala’s release of this photo that instantly captured international attention. They use words like “scuffle” instead of “bludgeoning” to appear non-partial and “objective”, thus watering down the obvious to the point of distortion. They’re very slow to pick up the stories the Blogs and Internet have already scooped in detail, because their “journalistic integrity” is so lofty! So as a result, there editions get thinner and thinner, and more journalists have to look for alternatives if they want to work again.
This is precisely why some of the venerable newspapers of the past are in such trouble! Many won’t publish graphic photos like the one of Kelly for fear of offending delicate sensibilities. It was Bushala’s release of this photo that instantly captured international attention. They use words like “scuffle” instead of “bludgeoning” to appear non-partial and “objective”, thus watering down the obvious to the point of distortion. They’re very slow to pick up the stories the Blogs and Internet have already scooped in detail, because their “journalistic integrity” is so lofty! So as a result, there editions get thinner and thinner, and more journalists have to look for alternatives if they want to work again in that field.
Well said Joe. You put my exact thoughts into eloquent words. In my layman terms, this article by ass clown David Whiting is a steaming pile of shit unworthy of the citizens of Orange County. Might as well call OCR the Fox Newspaper.
The next Fullerton City Council meeting, open to the general public, is scheduled for next Tuesday at 5pm. BE THERE FOLKS!!
The oc register is a joke. They dont cover news they protect the crooks.
The register did the same thing proctecting Tom Daly who is a crook wasting taxpayers money and friends if fullerton tony bushala try to get the oc register to write a story but they didnt.
Thats why he hired Jean Pasco so she can hush up the reporters.
The police as an institution are set up to withstand scrutiny for their actions. You need to not give up on this fight because they will continue to get away with murder and nothing will change for generations to come.
There are options but it will take the strength of many. DO NOT GIVE UP!
There is no doubt that David Whiting is an ass. The Register is a collection of asses, illiterates, and clueless reporters who listen to police scanners and type what they hear. They have no followup skills.
In this story this morning, Whiting hearts coyotes too — these vermin are all over the county, killing pets.
For all of its fury, this is a very smart column. Good for you.
I love this prize statement: “Last I checked, “murder” is a word used in a verdict from a jury in a court of law.”
Then by that token Joe Stalin, Emperor Hirohito and Pol Pot never harmed a SOUL.. and Ron Goldman and Nicole Simpson are still walking around healthy.
Sorry, but murder is murder, no matter what the little Men in Black Robes say.
P.S. David Whiting gives new meaning to the word “elite lapdog media…” that’s what happens when public officials can hand-pick to whom they give interviews, and who get denied and rejected.
Corrupt thugs always train the lapdog media to lick the hand that feeds them– that’s why they hate bloggers so much, they can’t be bought, intimidated OR silenced, they only want the TRUTH.
One only wonders what kind of holocaust has gone on right under our noses, because the press is cozy bedmates with the government thugs? We know about the “Third Degree” and other police-torture which went on before Miranda and similar case-law… this case simply seems to be par for the course.