A drug-addicted woman who dropped off her two children at a police station because she recognized that she was unable to care for them was tracked down by LAPD officers who reportedly told her to "get your fat ass in the car," threatened to stomp her genitals, then followed through on that threat.
35-year-old Alesia Thomas is reported to have been "combative." After being stomped in the groin, she suffocated while being taken into custody, and died.
Why do we know about this, and why are five LAPD officers now under internal and criminal investigation in her death? The altercation in front of her apartment was captured by a patrol car's video camera.
This news comes in the same week that Los Angeles Police chief Charlie Beck vowed an investigation into another video that shows two Los Angeles police officers body-slam another woman, Michelle Jordan, 34, for using her cell phone while driving. While the law in California says that using a cellphone while driving is reckless and dangerous to one's self and others, it's not violent behavior (and you've probably done it yourself).
The 5'4" tall mother, who works as a registered nurse, pulled over into a Del Taco fast food restaurant parking lot after being flagged down by the officers for her mobile phone use. She then got out of her car.
Surveillance video from the Del Taco camera shows that two male police officers slammed her into the ground—twice.
Then, they exchange a celebratory fist-bump.
To protect and serve.
