It isn’t easy to capture the emotion behind anticipation. I helped my kids set up Christmas today. We got a tree, we hung up lights, we read stories and watched a movie. I answered questions, some absurd, some less so– all sincere. I got out some old sheet music and plinked out a few carols on the ivories and after the kids were put to bed, my wife and I talked about how our parents used to do the same for us.
For many of you, today was a day very similar to mine: Full of anticipation. For others, it was not. For the families connected to three individuals, I imagine today was full of a different kind of anticipation, perhaps of hope for a return of a world before July 5, 2011.
Former Fullerton Police Officers Manuel Ramos and Jay Cicinelli will be in court tomorrow. A jury will examine, almost 900 days after the fact, if the two defendants are guilty of felonies connected with a man they sought to forcibly detain. A man who was combative if not defiant with officers. A man who was beaten with a stick, fists, knees, and feet. A man who was electrocuted, whose face was “smashed to hell” with the handle of a taser, and whose body was crushed by a physical pile of six fully-grown-well-trained-well-equipped members of the Fullerton Police Department. A man who died after volunteering his backpack to officers who knew him. A man without a shirt, without any weapon or means to resist. A man, who was sworn to be protected, who was sworn to be served. A man who was the least amongst us. A man who would have inherited the earth. A man who cried out for his father while blood pooled in his lungs. A man, not so different from you, not so different from the Man many of us aspire to be more like.
We’re going to hear a lot about Kelly Thomas in the next few weeks. We’re going to hear a lot about Manuel Ramos and Jay Cicinelli, too. We’re going to hear a lot of testimony that’s designed to give the jury insight into whose actions were more likely to be just and whose were more likely to be criminal. In short, we’re going to hear about whose life is worth protecting and whose is not.
On December 25th, over 2 billion people will celebrate the birth of a man born roughly 2000 years ago. A man who was born and died homeless, who was labeled insane by his peers, and who was mocked, beaten, tortured, and executed by agents of the state. He offered no physical resistance, was verbally combative if not defiant in the face of his captors, and died naked– crushed by the weight of his body and the blood pooled in his lungs while crying out to his father.
Character is very much in the eye of the beholder, and while Kelly Thomas was certainly no saint, Christ would have never snapped on a pair of latex gloves and threatened to fuck up anyone. Christ would have never smashed anyone’s face to hell with anything, either.
Every life is worth protecting. It doesn’t matter how dirty you are, how smelly you are, where you do or don’t live, how annoying you are, what you did yesterday, or what you did 18 years ago. It doesn’t matter how Christ like you are or aren’t. What matters is that you’re a person and that should be enough.
In a few weeks, we’ll have a verdict. Whatever decision the jury reaches, I hope that their decision is based on their interpretations of the actions taken by equal, fallible, men. I hope their wisdom is biased by the evidence and not by fear, and I hope their conviction to do right includes holding individuals, all individuals, accountable.
But, most of all, I hope that for the next decade or so I get to answer lots of absurd and sincere questions in December like: “How does Santa Claus visit every single house on one night?” I hope I never have to answer why there are two colors of justice in the world: One for those with social standing in Fullerton and one for those without.
Have they already picked the jury, do you know? Or is tomorrow voir dire?
Jury is all ready to go. 8 women and 4 men. Opening statements today. Watch John Barnett knock it out of the park!
******The truth shall set them free.*******
What time does it start?
OK, a small confession — I will be called in for Jury Duty today or tomorrow at the North Court in Fullerton. I was very much hoping that the jury had already been chosen, because I didn’t want to go through voir dire. I presume that I wouldn’t be chosen, but given how much I’ve written about it I could easily be asked questions where my answers could pollute the jury pool — and I wasn’t looking forward to having to twist out of doing so.
9:00 AM, Santa Ana.
Yup. All seated.
Good post.
I am concerned about the timing of this trial during the holidays. It’s like they are hoping that people will not pay attention.
Ryan, great post! General question for you; are you in favor of the death penalty?
I think it has its place and I would argue it’s society’s job to ensure the rights of individuals condemned to die are protected as much as those who aren’t. <– Probably isn't too popular.
I do not subscribe to the school of thought that it serves as a deterrent.
I do not have a rock solid definition for "its place". Perhaps that ambiguity ought to be enough to dismiss the concept entirely for me, but I haven't reached that conclusion yet.
But, in the hopes this doesn't get off track– I think we can all agree that being rude to a cop or doing methamphetamines 18 years ago are not grounds to be beaten to death in a public street without even the courtesy of hearing: "You're under arrest", let alone a jury trial.
Well hey, I appreciate that response. It’s transparent and honest. And it’s not my intention to get this comment thread off the rails.
But might I be so bold as to suggest that the following statement might push you into dismissing the concept entirely?
“Every life is worth protecting. It doesn’t matter how dirty you are, how smelly you are, where you do or don’t live, how annoying you are, what you did yesterday, or what you did 18 years ago.”
It’s that statement that stoked my curiosity, since most conservatives are in favor of the death penalty.
Yeah, I hear you.
How is it that media outlets, the prosecutors and people in General are glued to the video and grotesque aftermath of this senseless murder. But, those same folks find it necessary why to abbreviate “Fuck” ?
It’s OK to watch a man get beaten to death. It’s permissible to listen to his dying screams/pleas for help, but we censor this……word.
In my opinion, this word is key to intent. But, I will leave aside the prosecutorial issues and concentrate on the morality disconnect.
This is FUCKED up.
How come you don’t have the guts to write the word “fuck” in a public outlet under your own name? You’re in no position to criticize anyone over this.
Nice work Ryan. Brings some clarity to the season.
Matt is right, excellent post.
As for the comment about Barnett hitting it out of the park, he didn’t get it past the plate. Schwartz “sounded” better but again, failed. He tried old school tricks such as playing the video clips in extreme slow motion so as Kelly’s arms were flying all over in survival mode, the clip was stopped, “see – he’s going for my client’s weapon”, just as Kelly’s arm went flying past it. I was actually disappointed in Barnett. I expected better.
With this being an election year, Im pretty confident that T Rack would not take the case himself of he did not have a slam dunk case.
*Did anyone notice in all this malaise…..that Fullerton Canceled Christmas because the City Council couldn’t use their Redevelopment Funds….cause Downtown Jerry Brown
took them away? What happened to the Chamber of Commerce and Merchants Association? Wow…..they even had a screaming maniac or lunatic….if you will shouting obscenities on Harbor Blvd., waving his arms and legs around …scaring us touristas who went to the Christmas Fair…..which the City Manager Canceled at the last minute and then has yet to reschedule. This used to be a pretty good town. Now…..not so much!