LOS ANGELES, June 7 (UPI) -- A Los Angeles policewoman has been convicted of assault for repeatedly kicking a handcuffed woman who later died in a case dating back to 2012.
Mary O'Callaghan, 50, faces up to three years imprisonment. She was charged with felony assault and pleaded not guilty.
O'Callaghan is expected to appeal. She was one of five officers who responded to the South Los Angeles home of Alesia Thomas, 35, in July 2012 to investigate why she surrendered custody of her children, aged 3 and 12 at the time, to police earlier that day.
Thomas reportedly said she was a drug addict and couldn't take care of the children.
Thomas resisted arrest for child endangerment and one officer knocked her to the ground by sweeping her legs out from under her, the police account of the incident said.
A patrol car's video camera captured the altercation, in which O'Callaghan can be seen kicking a handcuffed Thomas in the stomach and groin, and pushing at her throat while in the back of the squad car.
She can be seen on the video breathing shallowly and then apparently not at all. She later died at a hospital.
The coroner's report said Thomas' cause of death was "undetermined," and since prosecutors said they couldn't prove O'Callaghan directly caused the woman's death, they didn't file involuntary manslaughter charges. Traces of cocaine were found on Thomas' body.
O'Callaghan was relieved of duty without pay after the incident and will be sentenced July 23.
