Hurdle Cleared in Recall Over Kelly Thomas

The effort to recall three Fullerton City Council members highlights a clash between old school campaigning and 21st century technology.

Special Section: the Kelly Thomas Case

After months of soliciting signatures on recall petitions, supporters say they have more than enough to qualify for the ballot.

But those signatures need to be verified, something Councilman Don Bankhead hopes won’t happen.

Bankhead and councilmen Richard Jones and Pat McKinley have been targeted for recall.

The councilmen are accused of a lack of leadership when they downplayed the beating death of Kelly Thomas at the hands of Fullerton police officers.

Thomas, a 37-year-old mentally ill homeless man, was hospitalized July 5, 2011 after a fight with Fullerton police, caught on video, at a bus depot.

Kelly died five days later, after being taken off life support.

One officer was charged with second-degree murder. A second officer was charged with involuntary manslaughter.

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