admin, Author at Friends For Fullerton's Future

October 20, 2012October 20, 2012Our Town

Fullerton Stories Posts Inside Information; Finally Gets Comments

Fullerton Stories published a story here about Hampton, Blatney and Craig- the three who participated in the Kelly Thomas killing, being “cleared” by the FBI. The author also quotes an unnamed “source” that 12 to 18 officers received some sort of discipline as a result of their actions on July 5, 2012”.

Of course they got the year wrong. The cop defenders seem to have lost track of the fact that Thomas was killed fifteen months ago.

The article is full of quotations and “inside information” of the sort that normally falls under the heading of POBAR protected, unless, of course it can be used in a self-serving way. Here the whole point is to show that the three accomplices are squeaky clean and deserve to be back on our streets looking for trouble; and that the FPD has meted out discipline and cleaned its own befouled nest. Gee, one of them rolled Kelly on to his side to help him breath; Hampton even got tased, poor chap.

But hey, finally Fullerton Stories actually had some comments! And they reiterated how concerned they are for their family’s safety knowing that three cops who piled on Thomas and who did nothing to save his life are back to work. I’ll summarize the comments here:

Citizens of Fullerton are angry that three coward cops who assisted in the murder of an innocent man and who did nothing about are working the streets of Fullerton as if nothing had happened.

Apparently Acting Chief Danny Hughes is still more concerned with protecting his boys than the value of the life of a human being.

The real heroes in this community are the courageous people who have been protesting every Saturday in front of the police station to have the three fired!

Justice for Kelly!

October 16, 2012A Step in the Right Direction

We Get Mail

by admin118 Comments

Dear Madam Mayor & Council Members,

We cannot pretend that Fullerton is serious about reform when those involved in the murder of Kelly Thomas, the illegal arrest and imprisonment of Veth Mam, and the many other documented cases of police misconduct, are still employed by FPD. We contend that you as our representatives at city hall, now being fully aware of the extent of misconduct by certain officers, that it is your duty above all else to protect the citizens of Fullerton, including those that may now feel targeted because of their public involvement in seeking justice for Kelly Thomas. There will be members of the community who will not comply to the orders of Officer Kenton Hampton, Sgt. Kevin Craig and Cpl. James Blatney, as they feel that these officers do not hold any moral authority over them. This reality puts all residents and peace officers in danger, and makes any contact by these men with the general public unwise. The adoption of the attached resolution by you, and the eventually firing of any officer who cannot live up to the ideals of a post Kelly Thomas Fullerton Police Department, will not only benefit all residents of Fullerton, but it shall restore public faith in the department itself. In doing so you will stimulate public trust to the benefit to those other officers who have always conducted themselves professionally. Professional officers with good intentions deserve to work in an environment which is free of the stigma that the continued employment of these accomplices in a taped public execution places on the entire department.

Only by publically setting standards for peace officers which embody excellence in public service and respect for all Fullerton citizens, and by demanding the termination of all those who represent the worst of FPD’s past, can we move forward with confidently that reform and change has resulted from the tragic murder of Fullerton resident Kelly Thomas on July 5^th, 2011. The city attorney, while perhaps well intentioned, has an established propensity to filter his advise through the fear that one of these subpar officers may litigate on grounds of wrongful termination. We advise this council to also consider what may result if any of the officers in question, who have now returned to active duty, are again involved the death or injury of one of our citizens. Prudence dictates that they must be removed before they are given another opportunity to harm the public and burden the city with additional million dollar settlements.

Civility and healing will come to Fullerton when our leaders are responsive to the public and we are not required to pry every hint of justice that this case has brought forth over the last 14 month from the clinched fists of a stubborn leadership at city hall, the DA’s office or FPD. Today we present you with yet another opportunity to partner with us in seeking justice. We urge you to take advantage of this opportunity.

Respectfully submitted by

Stephan Baxter, Fullerton CA

www.ArtWithAnAgenda.org

October 12, 2012Fullerton City Council Candidates

In Your Mailbox

by admin49 Comments

This alert appeared today in the mailboxes of Fullerton Republican households. Click to enlarge.

And for the rest of you, a letter from the esteemed Dr. Jonathan Taylor of CSUF:

October 12, 2012October 12, 2012A Step in the Right Direction

OC Weekly Names Travis Kiger “Best New Public Official” of 2012

by admin129 Comments

Click here to read more of the Weekly’s “Best Of”.

Congratulations Travis!

October 12, 2012October 12, 2012Law N Disorder

Joe Wolfe’s Indictment

by admin98 Comments

Here is the 400 page transcript that was released yesterday.

Read the transcript of the grand jury indictment of Joe Wolfe

I did notice in the testimony on page 103 that Captain Dan Hughes had received a copy of the Kelly Thomas killing video that very night…yet those police officers who are now being charged with murder and excessive force were not put on leave until nearly four weeks later, just a few days after Supervisor Shawn Nelson had asked the FBI to get involved.

October 5, 2012October 5, 2012Chronic Failure

An Ominous Cloud Forms Over The New Community Center

by admin62 Comments

Oops! The new Fullerton Community Center opens up tomorrow, but this news alert might put a damper on the festivities. It turns out the state has rejected redevelopment funding for the project even though it’s already been completed, meaning the city’s troubled general fund may be on the hook for an extra $19 million that it does not have.

It looks like a generation of reckless redevelopment spending has led us to a very dark place.

RDA Woes Trigger Fullerton, Calif., Downgrade

Friday, October 5, 2012 | as of 12:53 PM ET

Standard & Poor’s downgraded Fullerton largely based on California’s rejection of its recognized obligation payment schedule for the city’s role as successor agency to its former redevelopment agency.

California cities could elect to become the successor agency to their RDAs after legislation dissolving the agencies went into effect early this year.

S&P lowered the city’s long-term rating to AA-minus from AA and assigned a negative outlook to lease revenue bonds issued by the Fullerton Public Financing Authority.

Standard & Poor’s also lowered its long-term and underlying ratings to AA-minus from AA on Fullerton Redevelopment Agency certificates of participation and the city’s previously issued revenue bonds.

“The negative outlook reflects what we view as the city’s exposure to previously state-rejected redevelopment projects which, if not approved, could affect Fullerton’s credit fundamentals in the future,” analysts said in the report. “In addition, city officials estimate some continued structural imbalance in the general fund, despite some previous budget reductions to offset historical revenue declines.”

A portion of the disputed bond proceeds has not been spent, but $22 million was used to build the city’s community center.

The state rejected that as a valid redevelopment project because the city, as opposed to its redevelopment agency, had signed the contracts with the developer as was the city’s practice pre-dissolution, according to the report.

The city has resubmitted its request to the state Department of Finance, but if it rejected again, the city could be on the hook for $19 million.

However, city officials told analysts that it would use reserve money from the city’s general fund to cover the bond payments.

Analysts credited Fullerton for continuing to budget appropriate amounts in the general fund to fund both its Series 2010A bonds, which were backed by federal subsidies that now may not be available, and on the COPs issued for the RDA.

The 2010A debt was issued as federally taxable recovery zone economic development bonds. The city has budgeted for the full cost of payments on the bonds regardless of whether it receives the federal subsidy.

October 1, 2012Boohooism

Dead People For Flory

by admin67 Comments

Jan Florys Head — Invasion of the body snatchers?

It seems that Jan Flory is bringing a little bit of charming Chicago politics to Fullerton, i.e. raiding cemeteries for supporters. Now you know why we have a category called “Deadheads.”

Here is Flory’s 2012 voter guide:

Opps. Bob Root is dead. So is Gwen Ferguson; likewise Majorie Pogue!

Did you spot any others?

Also of high amusement value are the names of me and my ex-wife! How I got on the list is anybody’s guess since I have never given Flory authorization to use my name for anything.

I believe this is just a matter of utter incompetence, but it isn’t surprising. When Flory says she is ten years older and 10 years better she is half right.

September 27, 2012Law N Disorder

Officer Joe Wolfe Indicted for Involuntary Manslaughter, Excessive Force

by admin279 Comments

Well, that’s former officer Wolfe to you. Here is the D.A.’s announcement:

THIRD FORMER FULLERTON POLICE OFFICER ARRAIGNED ON INDICTMENT FOR BEATING-DEATH OF 37-YEAR-OLD HOMELESS MAN

SANTA ANA – A third former Fullerton Police Department (FPD) officer was arraigned today after Orange County District Attorney (OCDA) Tony Rackauckas obtained an indictment from the Orange County Grand Jury against him for his criminal participation in the July 2011 beating-death of 37-year-old homeless man Kelly Thomas.

Former Officer Joseph Wolfe was indicted Sept. 24, 2012, on one felony count of involuntary manslaughter and one felony count of the use of excessive force. He faces a maximum sentence of four years in state prison if convicted. Per the statutory bail amount, Wolfe surrendered on $25,000 bail. The defendant is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing Nov. 2, 2012, at 9:00 a.m. in Department C-40, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.

The first two defendants in this case, then-Officer Manuel Ramos and then-Corporal Jay Cicinelli (see below), were charged Sept. 21, 2011, in Case #11CF2575. Since that time, the OCDA has actively continued its investigation and legal review and decided to seek an indictment against Wolfe following extensive legal and factual analysis and development of evidence.

The Orange County Grand Jury heard testimony from 10 witnesses and examined 113 exhibits of evidence over three days beginning Sept. 19, 2012, before returning an indictment on Sept. 24, 2012.

The law requires that grand jury transcripts, including any evidence or testimony, to be sealed until 10 calendar days have passed from the date of receipt of those transcripts by the defense. Due to this restriction, the OCDA is legally prohibited from discussing any information related to the grand jury proceedings at this time.

September 20, 2012September 20, 2012Law N Disorder

Fullerton Police Chief (Finally) Clears the Name of Kelly Thomas; Cicinelli’s Step-dad Not Happy About It.

by admin302 Comments

This piece was sent in yesterday by an FFFF reader who calls himself Brandon. I’ve also included a video of the acting chief making the city’s announcement.

Well it took 14 months but the Fullerton Police Department finally admitted what many had suspected since the beginning- Kelly Thomas was not doing anything wrong the night he was harassed and eventually beat to death by 6 Fullerton Police Officers. According to a statement made by Fullerton acting chief Dan Hughes, “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.”

While this information is not surprising to anyone who has been reading the Friends for Fullerton’s Future blog over the last year or so, it is a victory toward holding the officers involved in the beating death accountable. A large part of the defense of the two (and soon to be possibly three) officers currently facing charges in the case rests on Thomas’ “criminal” behavior on the night he bludgeoned, electrocuted, and suffocated to death by six of Fullerton’s finest. With this admission by Chief Hughes, the lawyers for Manuel Ramos and jay Cicinelli will likely have a difficult time trying to convince a jury that Thomas was asking for his deadly beating that night. Of course the attorneys representing the ex-officers will no doubt still try to paint Thomas as a dangerous criminal whom their clients were afraid of that night. But when you are defending one of the most heinous, callous murders ever caught on tape, you have to draw at straws in order to have a chance at getting your clients off.

While many are no doubt happy to see the FPD finally confirmed what they had been suspecting and postulating on for over a year, relatives of the accused are not among those rejoicing. John Huelsman, the stepfather of Cicinelli tried to blame the current Fullerton City Council for directing Hughes to make the statement. “This is a criminal matter,” Huelsman told reporters. “These guys can go to prison… and the City Council just said they’re guilty because Kelly Thomas was innocent.” Talk about overstating the obvious. Mr. Huelsman’s incredulity at the fact his step-son could possibly be complicit in the murder is rather amusing given all of the evidence supporting it. And I don’t think the Fullerton city council has to tell anyone that your step-son and his comrades are guilty. We’ll let the video evidence and eye witness reports do that.

September 17, 2012A Step in the Right Direction

FFFF Welcomes Cynthia Ward’s “THINK for Yourself” Blog To Our Blogroll

by admin73 Comments

When I first met Cynthia Ward, we were engaged in a harsh disagreement over a particular county clerk who was posturing himself as a candidate for OC Supervisor. Things got ugly, as they do. But after the dust settled, both Cynthia and I realized that we actually had more in common than not.

So we quickly became friends and ever since then I have been enjoying Cynthia’s cutting honesty and fearless resolve. Today’s I’d like to introduce Cynthia’s new blog, “Think for Yourself, OC.” Please take a look.

I am a truth-teller. It gets me in trouble. But if you ask me if a dress makes you look fat, I will tell so, and help select another, before you go on television and realize it for yourself. My real friends are expected to be truthful with me as well. A secret shared will be taken to my grave, but lie to me, and it will end up here…on these pages… especially if you are tasked with the stewardship of public resources. I am a registered Republican who disdains the local GOP power structure, a born-again Christian who supports everyone’s right to spend their lives with the partner of their choosing. I am a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister. I am a loyal friend to those who merit that friendship and when crossed I am a bitch with a capital C. I do not fit into a box, nor do I see others through the stereotypes that politics and public affairs so often tries to shoehorn us into. I think for myself, and so do you. Welcome to our shared space in this world.

-Cynthia Ward