The City of Fullerton was notified through an Orange County Superior Court filing on March 8, 2021 that former officer Joseph Wolfe has abandoned his appeal of his termination. This follows notification on March 5, 2021 that former officer Jay Cicinelli also abandoned his appeal. Both officers were terminated by the City of Fullerton for their role in the July 5, 2011 beating death of Kelly Thomas, a resident with mental health issues experiencing homelessness.
“I am pleased that this ugly chapter in our history is finally behind the City and our residents,” stated Mayor Bruce Whitaker. “The beating death of Kelly Thomas was tragic on its own, with lasting and continued damage, but the costly and lengthy process to uphold the City’s termination of the involved officers took almost 9 years to resolve.”