Manuel Ramos, a former Fullerton police officer acquitted of felonies in the beating death of mentally ill transient Kelly Thomas, won’t be prosecuted on unrelated domestic violence charges, the Orange County Register reported this week.
Fullerton police arrested Ramos, 41, last month on charges of misdemeanor domestic violence.
But a spokeswoman for District Attorney Tony Rackauckas said no charges will be filed because prosecutors can’t prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Ramos was guilty of domestic violence, according to the Register article.
Ramos and another former Fullerton police officer, Cpl. Jay Cicinelli, were acquitted in January 2014 of felony changes in the July 2011 beating death of Thomas. Ramos had been charged with second degree murder and involuntary manslaughter.
Voice of OC reported Aug. 5 that the internal affairs investigation into Thomas’ death determined Ramos, Cicinelli and a third officer, Joseph Wolfe, violated a series of department policies, including use of force, in the beating.
Ron Thomas, father of the 37-year-old Kelly Thomas, is suing the city of Fullerton and officers involved in his son’s death, including Ramos. That trial is scheduled to begin Aug. 24.
A federal civil rights investigation launched soon after Thomas’ death still is pending.
You can contact Tracy Wood at twood@voiceofoc.org and follow her on Twitter: @TracyVOC.