Cop who kicked black woman who died gets a 'little more than year' in county jail
LatestA Los Angeles police department officer who was caught on dash cam video kicking a woman in the groin who later died will “likely spend a little more than a year in county jail,” reports the Los Angeles Times.
Prosecutors argued Officer Mary O’Callaghan, a 19-year LAPD veteran, used unnecessary force during the 2012 arrest of Alesia Thomas.
Thomas was already handcuffed when prosecutors say O’Callaghan kicked her three times in the groin and stomach. The officer is also seen grabbing Thomas by the neck at one point in the video.
Thomas is also heard saying “I can’t breathe” in the video.
O’Callaghan thought she was “faking her distress,” prosecutors said. Thomas lost consciousness in the car and never recovered.
O’Callaghan was sentenced to 36 months Thursday morning, with the judge suspending 20 months of her prison term, according to the Times. She’s also credited for the three months she’s also already served.
O’Callaghan did not face charges in connection to the 35-year-old woman’s death.
According to NBC Los Angeles, a coroner could not determine a cause of death, but cocaine intoxication played a “major” role and her interaction with the officers “could not be excluded.”