One of the two former Fullerton, California police department officers acquitted this month in the brutal 2011 beating death of Kelly Thomas has for years been receiving a $40,000 annual pension from the city of Los Angeles.
Before becoming an officer of the law in the small Southern California city of Fullerton, Cicinelli got his start within the ranks of the LAPD. His career there ended early, however, when the rookie cop was shot in the face in 1996 just three weeks after graduating from the police academy, costing him his left eye.
The man convicted of shooting Cicinelli, Raul Jimenez, ultimately was sentenced to life in prison for that crime. With the LAPD unable to find a place for the one-eyed officer, however, Cicinelli settled with the city and agreed to retire early in exchange for around 70 percent of his annual salary as part of a disability pension .... http://rt.com
