LAPD Officer Mary O’Callaghan was found guilty last Friday for slapping and kicking a handcuffed Black woman who later died in the back of her squad car. The jury saw a video of the assault and O’Callaghan’s callous treatment of the woman, stating it was enough evidence to convict the former officer.
As reported by the Los Angeles Times, the 2012 arrest of Alesia Thomas occurred after the woman attempted to hand over her 12-year-old and three-year-old children to authorities. Thomas, who suffered from drug addiction and mental health issues, gave her children over as she reportedly felt she couldn’t care for them.
LAPD officers went to Thomas’ home to arrest her on suspicion of child endangerment, which is where the encounter with O’Callaghan took place.
More from the Times:
The prosecution’s case centered on the video, which showed O’Callaghan jab at Thomas’ throat with an open hand and threaten to break her arms and kick her in the crotch. In the video, O’Callaghan then raises her boot and strikes Thomas, whose body shakes in response.
The recording captured Thomas — who asked officers for an ambulance more than 30 minutes before one was called — breathing heavily and repeatedly saying, “I can’t.”
A video from a dashboard camera in another patrol car, which was also played during the trial, recorded O’Callaghan laughing and smoking a cigarette as she peeked inside the car at Thomas, whose legs were tied with a nylon hobble restraint.
“That ain’t a good sign,” O’Callaghan says out loud in the video.
Attorney Benjamin Crump, who represented the family in the case, issued a statement in which they called the O’Callaghan conviction justice. They also hope that the full, unedited video seen by jurors will be made publicly available.
An autopsy showed that Thomas was under the influence of drugs during the time of her death, but the Los Angeles County coroner listed her cause of death as undetermined. O’Callaghan was not charged in Thomas’ death.
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Photo: KTLA
