Kelly Thomas' beating case may not be resolved any time soon after all as it seems the three Fullerton police officers involved the homeless man's death have been let off the hook by prosecutors.
Prosecutors refuse to pursue charges against the third police officer accused of the murder of Kelly Thomas after the two former officers accused were acquitted.
The trial for Joseph Wolfe, the third officer accused was pending.
"I don't intend to proceed with another trial when two officers here were acquitted," said Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas in an interview Monday.
Former Fullerton policemen Manuel Ramos and Jay Cicinelli were found not guilty in the murder of Kelly Thomas, a schizophrenic homeless man, by the Orange County jury.
Ramos and Cicinelli were arrested after allegedly hitting Thomas with a baton and a stun gun in a brutal beating that left the homeless man comatose. Thomas died five days following the incident due to his injuries.
Kelly Thomas' father Ron Thomas told reporters he was "stunned by the verdict" and had never seen such a "miscarriage of justice."
The victim's father also suggested that federal authorities should review the case and investigate further.
John Barnett, Ramos' lawyer, said in an interview, "These peace officers were doing their jobs.... They did what they were trained to do."
The jury took less than a full day to deliberate and reach the verdicts.
Rackauckas told the jury that the three former Fullerton officers displayed obvious abuse of their authority on the July evening when they attacked Kelly Thomas.
The coroner's office determined that Kelly Thomas died of brain damage from oxygen deprivation caused by chest compression and other injuries he had sustained during his struggle with the police officers.
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