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Podcasts Take Two
How will the holiday break impact the Kelly Thomas trial?
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Dec 20, 2013
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How will the holiday break impact the Kelly Thomas trial?
The defense rested its case on Wednesday, and prosecutors called their final rebuttal witness yesterday. Now , because of the holidays, the jury has been dismissed for a two-week break. We wondered what that might mean for the trial.
Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas shows the jury an image of Fullerton police trying to subdue Kelly Thomas at the Fullerton Transportation Center on July 5, 2011 during the trial of former Fullerton officers Manuel Ramos and Jay Cicinelli on Monday, Dec. 2, 2013 in Santa Ana, Calif. Rackauckas told jurors that Ramos and Cicinelli were responsible for the death of 37-year-old Kelly Thomas in July 2011. Thomas, whose family says was schizophrenic, died five days after the violent confrontation with six officers who responded to a call about a man jiggling car door handles in a transit center parking lot. Ramos is charged with second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter. Cicinelli is charged with to involuntary manslaughter and use of excessive force. Defense attorneys are seeking to introduce evidence that Thomas had a history of violence and suffered from psychotic episodes due to prolonged methamphetamine abuse.
Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas shows the jury an image of Fullerton police trying to subdue Kelly Thomas at the Fullerton Transportation Center on July 5, 2011 during the trial of former Fullerton officers Manuel Ramos and Jay Cicinelli on Monday, Dec. 2, 2013 in Santa Ana, Calif. Rackauckas told jurors that Ramos and Cicinelli were responsible for the death of 37-year-old Kelly Thomas in July 2011. Thomas, whose family says was schizophrenic, died five days after the violent confrontation with six officers who responded to a call about a man jiggling car door handles in a transit center parking lot. Ramos is charged with second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter. Cicinelli is charged with to involuntary manslaughter and use of excessive force. Defense attorneys are seeking to introduce evidence that Thomas had a history of violence and suffered from psychotic episodes due to prolonged methamphetamine abuse.
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Bruce Chambers/AP
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The defense rested its case on Wednesday, and prosecutors called their final rebuttal witness yesterday. Now , because of the holidays, the jury has been dismissed for a two-week break. We wondered what that might mean for the trial.

Yesterday was the last day of testimony in the trial of two former Fullerton police officers charged with the death of Kelly Thomas, a mentally ill homeless man.

The defense rested its case on Wednesday, and prosecutors called their final rebuttal witness yesterday. Now , because of the holidays, the jury has been dismissed for a two-week break. We wondered what that might mean for the trial. 

Loyola Law Professor Laurie Levenson joins the show to explain.