Two former Fullerton, Calif. police officers were found not guilty by a jury on Monday in the beating death of a homeless man.
The court case stemmed from where two officers, Manuel Ramos and Jay Cicinelli, were allegedly videotaped by surveillance camera that showed them beating Kelly Thomas to death after using a Taser on him as well, reports CNN. Thomas was homeless and mentally ill.
The two former cops were acquitted off all charges. Ramos was charged with involuntary manslaughter and second-degree murder, while Cicinelli was up for involuntary manslaughter and excessive use of force.
According to Fox News, the acquittals weren't sitting well with Thomas' parents. His mother, Cathy, said she is "Just horrified. He got away with murdering my son. It's just not fair. So I guess it's legal to go out and kill now."
Ramos was being charged with murder since on the surveillance tape, he is shown putting on Latex gloves before saying, "Now see my fists? They're getting ready to (expletive) you up." Thomas tried to run after that and they knocked him down, which prosecutors say started the event towards murder.
The defense had claimed that Thomas wasn't helpless, but rather was violent and dangerous and that he defied a police order and then tried to run away.