Five LAPD officers under investigation after death of a woman during violent arrest

By: Crimesider Staff
Topics: Daily Blotter

(CBS/AP) LOS ANGELES - At least five police officers are under investigation after Alecia Thomas, 35, died during a violent arrest in which her ankles were bound and an officer stomped on her genitals, police Chief Charlie Beck said. The incident was caught on a patrol car camera.

"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."

According to Deputy Chief Bob Green, Thomas left her 3-year-old and 12-year-old at a police station early in the morning of July 22. She reportedly surrendered custody because she said she was a drug addict who could not care for them.

Later that day, police tracked down Thomas and attempted to arrest her on suspicion of child endangerment, police said.

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.

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.

The LAPD has been under fire lately after an Aug. 21 incident in which officers slammed a handcuffed woman to the ground. That incident was also caught on take and Beck announced Wednesday that he was transferring a captain from his command in response.

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by soshaljustice September 3, 2012 7:09 PM EDT: The militarization of police has long since passed in this country. No need a degree or any intelligence to be a badge with a gun-same as a soldier-any gun for hire in this country is ready for the final anarchy to come, military against the law abiding citizen that is not facing a charge of any crime-know it now-the final coup-there is no other land to travel to get away from this final oligarcharian law of the 1%ers, Abolition lives on...in the 21st century rule of law and justice on the street; Reply to this comment

by frh1951 September 3, 2012 1:19 PM EDT

Yes the Police Chief is confident. In what? Are these cops in jail on a "no bail hold"? Any other citizen would be. Now what will happen is there will be a lawsuit and the LAPD will settle for millions of dollars. Guess what, they are settling their stupidity with our money.

First put the offending cops in prison for murder, then fire the Chief since he was in charge of these criminal,then apologize to the family with a HUGE check in your hand for them.

Cops are becoming more disgusting everyday..........

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by anyyname September 3, 2012 7:13 PM EDT: Until all public contact is videotaped, every citizen is at the mercy of these criminal gangs. She left the children with authorities she rightfully assumed should see to their needs when she could not realistically do so. They murdered her for doing the right thing.

by judymar3 September 3, 2012 12:36 PM EDT

She knew she couldn't care for the children and did what was right. Too many children of addicts are living in squalor, abused, sold to pedophiles and being killed by mothers. I've seen commercials telling mothers to leave their children at a fire station, hospital, church or police station if they can't care for them. The only endangerment she caused to her children was leaving them with the LADP. Now the little ones have no father and no mother. Addict or not, she was their mother who loved them, and I'm sure they loved her.

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by anyyname September 3, 2012 7:17 PM EDT: I agree completely.


by lindie5150 September 4, 2012 8:01 PM EDT: You are so right. Women are told if you think you will harm your children to send them to a hospital or the police, so this woman did what she was told was right, however, who could know the LAPD would be far more dangerous ?! then again, I see the vast difference after living in LA and OC for years and then moving to the midwest where the Police treat you like a human being as opposed to the over zealous, wanna be ninjas of Orange County and LAPD. What a disgrace and a tragedy.


by gadfly65 September 3, 2012 11:28 AM EDT: This is the way the authorities behave and we wonder why distressed mothers are still leaving babies to die in dumpsters. She knew she wasn't treating her children well so she sought help within the law, and the law repaid her by restraining and beating her. Others will take note and children will suffer for it.; Reply to this comment

by LosAngelesCA September 3, 2012 7:41 AM EDT

Blah,blah blah to you armchair quarterbacks. This is terrible. It's possible that the drugs she was on killed her. She did leave her 2 children with the police because she's a drug addict who can not care for them.

I have some advice for all of you. If you come to L.A. and the police want to talk to you, just talk to them, and definitely don't point any weapons. They will get you to speak and they are authorized to do so.

Have a nice day.

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by judymar3 September 3, 2012 12:40 PM EDT: Why should she have been arrested in the first place?


by anyyname September 3, 2012 7:21 PM EDT: Thanks for the invitation but l lived in a 'police state' once, never again.


by animal99990 February 23, 2013 11:15 PM EST: then release the autospy report. she died from the kick to the groin.end of story. i dont know if your trying to defend the cops.or denie that a woman can be killed or injured the same way a man can be from a groin kick. ethier way you failed


by Rodeo_Joe September 2, 2012 11:09 PM EDT: The Truth? LAPD cops kill a woman and walk. That much is a FACT.

It could be you, or your sister. Maybe next, ... maybe.

Nice church going cops. Oh, yea.; Reply to this comment


by estabwary September 2, 2012 10:03 PM EDT: No matter what she did or said (not that mouthing off should matter) but they could have pepper sprayed her. I can't see that anything would justify kicking a retrained person in the genitals.; Reply to this comment


by MickKegeon September 2, 2012 6:57 PM EDT: Sounds like murder.; Reply to this comment


by john92021 September 2, 2012 6:11 PM EDT: lucky they didn't start shooting, could have taken down another doz people.; Reply to this comment


by airman768 September 2, 2012 5:19 PM EDT: just shoot LAPD, chances are you are hitting a bad cop that deserves it. if not better luck next time. they are issueing badges/clubs to anyone who is willing to work for peanuts.; Reply to this comment