Jim Tanizaki draws surprising parallels between George Floyd police trials and Fullerton Police abuse case
On July 5, 2011, several Orange County police officers were involved in the death of a mentally-ill homeless man named Kelly Thomas. The circumstances displayed eerie parallels to the George Floyd murder case, which drew national attention for months in the summer of 2020 and reactions worldwide.
The facts in the case, and why similarities exist:
George Floyd died on May 25, 2020 during an officer-involved incident in Minneapolis. The process of his death was captured on cell phones by nearby civilians. On June 3, Minnesota Attorney General (AG) Keith Ellison, announced the filing of criminal charges against the officers.
The “history” that AG Ellison spoke about has parallels to a 2011 case in Orange County that Jim Tanizaki, then Orange Chief Assistant District Attorney, helped prosecute. Jim wrote a commentary article on the two cases for Asian newspaper Rafu Shinpo.
This article originally appeared in Rafu Shinpo, July, 2020
Read the original story here: ANALYSIS: Prosecuting the Police Officers in the George Floyd Case
Dramatic Homicide Case Covered on Local News Channels
In the mid-1990s, the Orange County District Attorney’s office was called upon to prosecute a heinous child endangerment and accidental death case; then-Senior Deputy District Attorney Jim Tanizaki was lead prosecutor. The case shocked the Southland.
The facts in the case:
In 1994, Steven Gigueres and his wife Kathyleen stood trial for the accidental death of their 4-month old son, Steven, Jr., when they left the toddler alone in the car they were living in with a pet rat. The court determined that the starving animal killed the child by biting him over 100 times and eating parts of his body. Assistant District Attorney Jim Tanizaki was the prosecutor in the case. The couple were convicted of involuntary manslaughter and received 6-year sentences.
Watch clips of local media coverage here:
More Gigueres trial coverage
Jim Tanizaki On Orange County Hate Crimes Panel
A forum on “Hate Crimes and Japan-Bashing” was presented on Saturday, June 27, 1992 to make the Japanese and Nikkei communities aware of the dangers of becoming victims of rising hate crime and increasing Japan-bashing. Among the panel of legal and civil rights experts was Jim Tanizaki, Senior Deputy District Attorney, Santa Ana.
Read the full story here (PDF):
McDonald’s Hate Murder Case Prosecuted by Jim Tanizaki
The facts in the case:
In 1994, a race-based shooting occurred outside an Orange County McDonald’s restaurant, resulted in the death of a customer. Jonathan Kennedy, an alleged associate of white supremacist groups in Orange County, was convicted of 2nd degree murder, along with his then-seventeen year old companion; Jim Tanizaki was the District Attorney’s prosecutor in the case.
Watch clips of local media coverage here:
More coverage of this case from the Los Angeles Times