Ron Thomas has agreed to a settlement of $4.9 million in the wrongful death civil suit brought on behalf of his late son, Kelly Thomas.
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Fullerton City Attorney Richard Jones said in a written statement the final settlement amount was still pending final approval by the city’s insurers.
Fullerton settled the civil case on Monday, the day the trial was scheduled to begin. However, he said if the unnamed insurers agree to the settlement, it means “no city funds” will be spent.
The Council approved the settlement after an hourlong closed-session meeting, but city officials had little to say about it terms.
District Attorney Tony Rackauckas charged officer Manuel Ramos with second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter; and officers Jay Cicinelli and Joseph Wolfe involuntary manslaughter and excessive use of force.
“We know the truth, and I wanted that truth brought out”, Kelly Thomas’s father, Ron Thomas, said at a news conference. Had the case gone to trial, the officers would have been forced to testify. The victim’s parents are divorced and litigating separately.
Ron Thomas sued over the 2011 death of his homeless and schizophrenic son.
He added that he planned to continue working with charity and other organizations and pushing for fair policing, improved treatment for the mentally ill and policy reform, especially peace officers’ Bill of Rights laws, state laws that generally allow officers a certain amount of time before they must talk to investigators.
The Thomas case generated national attention, in part because the incident was captured on grainy video and the officers’ audio recording devices. Cicinelli jolted Mr Thomas with a stun gun and used the butt end to hit him in the head and face.
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Thomas was declared brain-dead the night of the struggle – July 5, 2011 – and was taken off life-support machines five days later.
