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5 LAPD Officers Under Investigation After Female Cop Kicks Woman in the Genitals & She Suffocates to Death

Aug. 31, 2012 7:05am Billy Hallowell

Alesia Thomas After Female LAPD Officer Kicks Her in the Genitals

Photo Credit: FILE

LOS ANGELES (TheBlaze/AP) — The Los Angeles Police Department is having a tough week. Yesterday, TheBlaze reported about two police officers who may have used excessive force when they body slammed a woman into the pavement.

Now, there’s yet another story about police brutality brewing. At least five police officers are under investigation after a woman died during a violent arrest in which an officer stomped on her genitals, police Chief Charlie Beck said.

“I take all in-custody death investigations very seriously,” LAPD Chief Charlie Beck said Thursday in a statement to the Los Angeles Times. “I am confident we will get to the truth no matter where that leads us.”

Alesia Thomas died July 22, after she left her 3-year-old and 12-year-old at a police station, surrendering custody because she was a drug addict who could not care for them, according to Deputy Chief Bob Green.

Police tracked down the South Los Angeles resident and were trying to arrest Thomas on suspicion of child endangerment, police said. The incident was caught on a patrol car camera.

One officer knocked her to the ground by sweeping her legs out from beneath her and two other officers then handcuffed Thomas behind her back and attempted to lead her to a patrol car, according to the department’s official report. Two other officers also arrived at the scene.

Green said Thomas was a large woman and officers used a “hobble restraint device” — a strap that was wrapped around her ankles.

Green confirmed to the Times that during the struggle to get Thomas into the back of the patrol car, a female officer kicked Thomas in the genitals. Once Thomas was in the car, the video shows her breathing shallowly until she draws her last breath.

KTLA-TV is reporting that the woman suffocated to death during the incident:

The Los Angeles Times has more:

The department’s official account said the officers immediately notified paramedics. It is unclear whether the officers attempted to resuscitate her and how much time passed before paramedics arrived to render medical aid. Thomas died shortly after being transported to a hospital. [...]

Four police officers and the sergeant were removed from field duties immediately after the incident and investigators from the department’s Internal Affairs unit opened an investigation into the death, Green said. One arm of the investigation will collect evidence prosecutors will consider when deciding whether to bring criminal charges against any of the officers, while another will look into whether the officers violated the department’s policies on using force and other aspects of taking a suspect into custody.

Beck wants to investigate whether she was intoxicated at the time of the altercation, or if her death may have been caused by a medical condition.

As mentioned, this is the second incident of alleged brutality that was caught on video and that is being investigated this week. In the previous case, two officers were shown slamming a handcuffed mother and wife to the ground. Beck announced Wednesday that he was transferring a captain from his command in response to that incident.

–

RELATED:

Shock Surveillance Video Shows LAPD Officers Body-Slamming ‘Defenseless Woman’ Into the Pavement During Violent Arrest

In CONTROL, Glenn Beck presents a passionate, fact-based case for guns that reveals why gun control isn’t really about controlling guns at all; it’s about controlling us. Find out more HERE.

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Comments (143)

rangerp
Posted on August 31, 2012 at 9:20am
My apologies for my first comments. It was a dumb thing to say, and not very Christian like.

It is the system I hate, not the people on it.

James 1:19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

I wish that would have popped into my head before hitting the “reply” button.

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TexPat
Posted on August 31, 2012 at 9:17am
If anyone is counting it is most likely a toss up as to whether LAPD or the fed govt. has more law suits against them. And we wonder why the LAPD and many law enforcement agencies are feared and disliked by many citizens. Internal investigations are nothing more than a cover up. No one can investigate themselves and come up with an honest result.

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- blazingaway
  Posted on August 31, 2012 at 10:54am
  The state doesn’t want to deal with your children or your problems.
  They want to pass laws so they have the right to control you, punish you fine you, tax you and employ more and more people to increase their power and Careers! They can then justify bigger and bigger salaries, benefits and remitment packages. The end game will be citizens killing them to end their pathetic, parasitic life. If we had fewer laws, fewer programs and put more and more of the government into the private sector we could peacefully end a lot of this abuse. But then we need the size of our soda’s regulated, the amount of salt we eat and on and on and on.
  
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rangerp
Posted on August 31, 2012 at 9:15am
I went back and read the article again. If I could delete my above comments, I would.

I will at least give this lady credit that she took her kids to the police, and gave up custody. By the Grace of God, I was never a drug addict, and that should cause me to be humble, and not cocky. I would have prefered to see this lady get help, get saved, get off drugs, and go back and raise her children in a healthy and productive environment. Welfare has done much to hurt those that are on it, and it is a wicked cycle.

Prayers for her children and family. I hope they can break the cycle of drugs, welfare, and violence.

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AJAYW
Posted on August 31, 2012 at 9:14am
You’re a sick puppy

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nonliberal
Posted on August 31, 2012 at 9:12am
That don’t look like a woman to me.

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- RobbieTLHughie
  Posted on September 1, 2012 at 10:49am
  Restoring love, right? You’ve got some serious balls. I hope you realize how lucky you are to be protected by a screen name when you say stupid crap like this.
  
  Report this comment
chicago76
Posted on August 31, 2012 at 9:05am
Cops love to beat up drunks and druggies. They make lousy witnesses. Can’t remember what happened. It is how many, get their jollies.

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- Dirty Harry
  Posted on August 31, 2012 at 10:08am
  That…is a fact!
  
  Report this comment
- blazingaway
  Posted on August 31, 2012 at 10:41am
  Cops who beat up the defenseless are truly sick and should be fired … we don’t need to empower this sort of sickness, cops need to be put on a video leash that records everything they say and do.
  
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chicago76
Posted on August 31, 2012 at 8:59am
Unfortunately, when you call the police, you may be the first suspect.

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chicago76
Posted on August 31, 2012 at 8:57am
Everyone wants to think tyranny comes from the President. Not necessarily. Tyranny comes from any government that does not hold those who work for that government responsible for the wrongs they do. When government, whether intentionally or thru neglect, allows those in power to abuse that power without holding them responsible for that abuse then there is tyranny.

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- midwesthippie
  Posted on August 31, 2012 at 9:11am
  …the police are a UNION…they are told to back off and not arrest violent OWS by the UNION boss… no violent flash mob arrests…back off say the UNION boss…NBP, no arrests…but go ahead and stomp the life out of young women…
  
  Report this comment
Individualism
Posted on August 31, 2012 at 8:54am
this is what a terrorist looks like *same song tune as this is what a democracy looks like*

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Irishtech
Posted on August 31, 2012 at 8:53am
When affirmative action became more important then hiring the best people for the job crap like this started becoming common. But forget I said that its on politically correct.

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chicago76
Posted on August 31, 2012 at 8:51am
This is Obamanation. The police are just as crooked as the criminals. Who do you go to? Ask the Mexicans. They try to live in an Obamalikenation and they all run here. In Mexico you can’t tell the good guys from the bad guys, so you don’t trust either. Two signs of tyranny. People disappear. Government takes guns from the people. Both are true of Mexico. Just because the “President” does not authorized it does not mean that tyranny does not exist. The tyranny can come from those minor government players, such as police officers, who are not held accountable by their leaders.

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SammyStutsfruckle
Posted on August 31, 2012 at 8:42am
Which proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that people in California have their head up their azz.

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watashbuddyfriend
Posted on August 31, 2012 at 8:29am
Regardless of the one causing the death of another, as in this case, the Police Woman must answer for her actions, and those who assisted her!

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meltzen
Posted on August 31, 2012 at 8:24am
the thing is if your heavy set and you have handcuffs on your wrist behind your back and stuffed in a little car with no room. you have to be bent over…im pretty sure her lungs could not get any air…but im not condoning of the police officer kicking her…..in the womans mind she was doing the right thing by dropping her kids off at the police station due she could not care for them because of her addiction.

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Sloburn
Posted on August 31, 2012 at 8:11am
American’s are so afraid of EVERYTHING that they have allowed thugs to be policemen. Who are you afraid of now, punk?

In every encounter with a armed and dangerous officer be very very meek, and do everything they tell you, preferably before they ask. The object of this game is to emerge on the other side still breathing and with all of your fingers and toes still attached to your body, if you do you win. During this encounter keep foremost in your mind that these people are armed, like using weapons, and will lie about their and their fellow thugs actions to protect each other. You on the other hand are by yourself and have not a friend in the world.

This is the world you wanted, a thug on every corner protecting you from the bad guy, good luck.

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- Marengo Ohio Patriot
  Posted on August 31, 2012 at 8:44am
  So well said!!!
  
  Report this comment
TheRiflemanNextDoor
Posted on August 31, 2012 at 8:07am
Many poor and financially troubled American black folk have serious health complications. Hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, sickle cell disease, obesity complications, poor health maintenance etc They are a lot more fragile than one might think, especially their women folk… and the police should consider this before using excessive force.

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jonhova
Posted on August 31, 2012 at 8:05am
What can you say…she resisted arrest so obviously she deserved to die. The cops really showed her who’s boss.

But since it wasn’t your friend or family that they murdered no big deal; after all she was just a junky, right? Cops don’t discriminate folks, they will brutalize you, your friends and family like any common criminal, at the drop of a hat should you say or do anything they don’t ‘like’ should you be unfortunate enough to find yourself involved with them.

Yes there are good respectful cops, HOWEVER, all the “good cops” will stand there side by side with the murderer and defend her actions. You know it’s true.

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- Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
  Posted on August 31, 2012 at 8:18am
  Bingo. You can’t be a “good cop” and look the other way. “I never assaulted citizens so I’m a good guy”. But what you could also say is, “I watched people I work with assault citizens and I did nothing.”
  
  People and cops always talk about how brave they are. But the truth is that they are not on many levels. It takes courage to stand up for what is right and to turn in or even arrest your co-worker and partner. It’s easy to say nothing and it smacks of cowardice on a moral level.
  
  If a cop sees a guy with a gun stomping on a woman’s genitals (yeah, I know it was a gal in the story) or body slamming handcuffed citizens he’d have a duty to intervene and arrest the person. He has a badge on? Oh. Well that just gets a fist bump then.
  
  Report this comment
- jonhova
  Posted on August 31, 2012 at 8:51am
  Thank you. That’s exactly how I feel. They have this “take care of your own” mentality. If a cop is committing a crime it is YOUR DUTY to stop him/her, and for God’s sake don’t cover it up and/or defend it!
  
  I KNOW it’s a tough job and you cops deal with the WORST of society all day, every day; but you are not above the law.
  
  Report this comment
MistyMountainGranny
Posted on August 31, 2012 at 7:58am
I propose that anytime a police offier is involved in a physical confrontation he or she is tested for steriods. From what I understand there is use of steriods among some of these police officers and steriod use goes hand in hand with violence. This as gotten out of control and something needs to be done. And why are they being transfered after incidents like this, instead of being fired and charged? We the people need to start asking questions and demanding answers.

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Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
Posted on August 31, 2012 at 7:51am
Before all of you start posting you need to understand a few things:
1. I sure those officers could “feel her resisting”. Even though she wasn’t they could feel subtle muscle movements that suggested she was really resisting that a camera can’t see.
2. It is the thin blue line that keeps us all safe from people like Alesia. What if she had shot up a school?
3. Police work is hard and thankless.
4. Police get stressed out.
5. You talk back to the cops and you get your groin stomped fool!
6. No matter what a cop does, another cop will not arrest them. Fist bump…yeah brotha!

So before you start bashing police, know your role serf. Lick the badge or get thumped. This is Stasi 2012 and if you don’t like it we’ll stomp your groin too.
/sarc

In all seriousness, if you really believe that the economic reckoning is coming, be it in a year or 20 years, then you must also know that the social event will come with it. Our American spring is going to happen whether we want it to or not. These people, the Stasi, are going to have to pick a side. The state or the people. I think we all know what most will pick. I mean it isn’t too hard.

Seriously people, the cops live among us. Start holding them accountable. The system sure doesn’t. Don’t let them just blend into society with us. You wouldn’t tolerate child molestors living near you right? Why sit in silence while the Stasi do this and then wave at you in the driveway?

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- Tractorboy
  Posted on August 31, 2012 at 8:11am
  Yeah she was resisting, wink, wink, and so was her groin, that’s why that needed stomping. True professionals.
  
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- progressiveslayer
  Posted on August 31, 2012 at 8:50am
  ROTHBARDIAN I like your style brother,we need to go shootin some time.
  
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- Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
  Posted on August 31, 2012 at 9:36am
  That would be great. I’d like that too. I forget, are you a Texan?
  
  Report this comment
- progressiveslayer
  Posted on August 31, 2012 at 10:02am
  No,it would be quite a journey for one of us I’m stuck in communist controlled Michigan.
  
  Report this comment
- Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
  Posted on August 31, 2012 at 11:29am
  Dang Prog. That’s too bad. Would have been so much more feasible if I was still in the Democratic People’s Republic of Cleveland.
  
  Report this comment
grimmster
Posted on August 31, 2012 at 7:47am
Well, i see encinom is already all over this one…….
As Apple Bite said, not enough info to make a judgement.Blaze how about setting yourself apart from other news agencys, investigate deeper, and follow up on stories,more often…..

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- state_iron
  Posted on August 31, 2012 at 8:09am
  The Blaze doesn’t investigate, that’s not their job. Their job is to inflame the kooks who know all about how to be a cop, and how to handle violent and agressive people but just never wanted to.
  
  This site can’t make up it’s mind what it is. Most conservatives I know are law-abiding and cop supporters. They’ve never have any bad experience with the police beyond maybe a traffic citation.
  
  These police bashing articles belong on the huffington post and OWS sites.
  
  Some Blaze editor must have been arrested for exposing himself or something….
  
  Report this comment
- hidden_lion
  Posted on August 31, 2012 at 8:22am
  State_iron-
  The problem is allot of cops are not themselves law abiding. And the honest ones stay silent. This kind of thing happens all too often. All police depts need to go back to one sheriff and a couple of deputies. When needed they can deputize a posse for larger problems. Our current police precincts are nothing more than paramilitary occupiers.
  
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- Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
  Posted on August 31, 2012 at 8:28am
  @State_Iron (how appropriate)
  
  You’re right. We should ALWAYS assume that cops are 100% correct in everything they do. Furthermore if they aren’t (which is impossible) we should never report it. We should just pretend like it never happened and lick their badges like the good little serfs we are.
  
  The only bashing in these articles are police bashing citizens. No wait, my bad. The only bashing are union thugs bashing citizens. Spare us, really.
  
  You don’t protect us. You protect the “state” and the special interests of the state. For example, John Corzine. Robbed us blind. Executives at Solyndra stole our kids money. ETC. I don’t need protection from Alesia. Stomping a boot in her groin does nothing to protect me. I need protection from my government. I can take care of myself when it comes to Alesia. In fact, if that criminal element does show up on my doorstep the only thing the cops will do is put down the donut and fill out a police report at the scene.
  
  You all aren’t part of the solution. You want to protect us then do it. But you’d rather kiss @$$ to the chain of command and government that hurts all of us so that your union negotiated pension still gets paid. Fine. You make that choice but spare us the drivel about cops being good guys. You are state muscle for a fee. Period. The fact you don’t like these stories is why cockroaches don’t like the kitchen lights.
  
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jujulyly
Posted on August 31, 2012 at 7:42am
Judging by the treatment the police handed out to this woman – the dangerous thing she did with her children was to leave them at the police station. Are they scraping the bottom of the barrel for police recruits?

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midwesthippie
Posted on August 31, 2012 at 7:32am
…alright RANGERP…how do you defend this…

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Cranky
Posted on August 31, 2012 at 7:31am
So this woman has the presence of mind to take her children to a place of safety (?), a police station, because she’s a drug addict. For this she gets brutalized? Something doesn’t add up here. I didn’t watch the video because seeing this sort of thing unfold pains me. The coroner will determine why she died.
In any event, she’s shackled and doesn’t need to be kicked at all.

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- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on August 31, 2012 at 7:50am
  The above video is just a local TV news report. It is safe to watch, and the police video has not yet been released.
  The woman in question dropped her children off at the police station then returned home. Didn’t quite follow the exact time line, but the police attempted to arrest her at home, during which time she did resist. I’m also looking forward to hearing more about this too.
  
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- Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
  Posted on August 31, 2012 at 7:58am
  So I guess boots are preferable to tasers right?
  
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Apple Bite
Posted on August 31, 2012 at 7:26am
So what was she supposed to do, leave her kids alone some place to fend for themselves?

I want to know more about this story. IF what they say is true, that she left her kids at the police station because she feared she could no longer care for them, the right thing to do for the police is to call child protection services and take the case from there, not run after her and beat her to death. Find the woman some help to get off the drugs, and ensure the kids safety in the meanwhile…

But more info is needed to make a better judgment call on this one. Shady reporting over the last 4-6 years have me 2nd-3rd guessing the media now. Can’t trust their reporting much anymore. And it’s just plain sad we can’t get the truth anymore like we used to.

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- Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
  Posted on August 31, 2012 at 7:56am
  Does the fact that the cops already lied in the report give you some idea that maybe they aren’t the greatest of people? Whatever these jerks call the blue wall of silence or some crap…they get their story straight and lie together. They falsify reports to mask their crimes and cover for each other. But God forbid its ever you word vs. a cop.
  
  More information? Sure. But the facts remain that 5 officers killed a woman and stomped on her crotch and then lied about it in a police report.
  
  Report this comment
- cemerius
  Posted on August 31, 2012 at 7:59am
  Truth is what you can use your 5 senses on. Of course sight is suspect if you are watching it on TV or gleaning info from only one Blog……Open minds will win the day and the MSM will have its reckoning….
  
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Dirty Harry
Posted on August 31, 2012 at 7:25am
Cops are not your friends, people. The sooner you grasp that uncomfy fact the safer you and your family will be.

They see their job as to generate revenue and mete out punishment. Period.

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- Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
  Posted on August 31, 2012 at 8:00am
  ” In the previous case, two officers were shown slamming a handcuffed mother and wife to the ground. Beck announced Wednesday that he was transferring a captain from his command in response to that incident.”
  
  But wait, the system works. Bad cops are weeded out. Look at what happened in that other case. In fact, LAPD probably went too far in punishing the chain of command there. They actually “transferred” the supervisor of those cops. Bit harsh don’t you think? I mean if they keep “transferring” cops nobody will ever want to become a cop.
  
  Report this comment
- huey6367
  Posted on August 31, 2012 at 8:07am
  Obviously you don’t like the police. So don’t call them when you need them.
  
  Report this comment
- hidden_lion
  Posted on August 31, 2012 at 8:25am
  Huey-
  I would never call the cops for any reason. they are more likely to shoot you than they are to help you.
  I take care of myself and my family.
  
  Report this comment
- Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
  Posted on August 31, 2012 at 8:30am
  @Huey,
  
  The only reason we “need” them is because the laws have limited our ability to defend ourselves “legally”. I can defend myself and my family. I’m armed to the gills and trained. I “need” cops because if we actually did defend ourselves the cops come and arrest the survivors.
  
  When seconds matter cops will be there in minutes.
  
  Report this comment
- scootervanneuter
  Posted on August 31, 2012 at 11:24am
  Riiight.
  The next time somebody so much as snatches your Fritos you’ll be on the phone to the cops in the blink of an eye.
  99% of all cops are the friends of the innocent and law-abiding. If you’re a slimeball, you may want to call somebody else -
  
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- Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
  Posted on August 31, 2012 at 12:14pm
  “The next time somebody so much as snatches your Fritos you’ll be on the phone to the cops in the blink of an eye”
  
  And therein lies the problem. I’m fully capable of protecting my Fritos. If someone came after them I could easily shoot them in the face. Bet you nobody comes for my fritos again. But, the police would come for me, not the body. The police have manufactured the demand for their services by preventing people from protecting themselves. I’m supposed to thank them for that? No, not happening.
  
  Report this comment
- BoiseBaked
  Posted on August 31, 2012 at 2:10pm
  I’m sick of hearing about bad cops. Hey cops, if you can’t respect the public you swore to serve and protect, quit because you’re a menace doing more harm than good. If you can’t keep from losing your temper and brutalizing somebody, sometimes to death, especially women in handcuffs, quit because you’re worst than a unhinged coward. If you can’t rush in and defend the public from a gunmen, opting to hide behind your squad car and waiting for the SWAT team to arrive, quit because you picked the wrong profession. If you can’t bring down a perpetrator without shooting up a crowd of innocent bystanders, quit because having you at a crime scene is more dangerous than not. If you think you didn’t sign-up to risk your life in the face of extreme danger, quit because you missed the point of the career you chose. They’re many more in line to take your place that get what being a cop is about.
  
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