Former Veteran LAPD Officer Sentenced For Beating Handcuffed Women Who Later Died

The officer charged was frustrated in trying to retie the women, threatened to break her arm, shoved her on the chest and throat and kicked her in her stomach and then her groin.

Ex-LAPD officer Mary O’Callaghan

A former veteran Los Angeles police officer was sentenced Thursday to three years behind bars for kicking and shoving a handcuffed woman who later died, but a judge has suspended 20 months of the term, meaning Mary O’Callaghan will only have to serve about 16 months in county jail.

She’s been given credit for already serving about three months.

O’Callaghan, 50, was given credit by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Sam Ohta for already serving about three months in custody. At her own request, O’Callaghan was taken into custody June 5, immediately following her conviction on a charge of assault by a public officer. She had been relieved of duty by the department.

In court Thursday, O’Callaghan apologized to the mother of the victim, 35-year-old Alesia Thomas.

“Mother to mother, I am extremely sorry for the loss of your daughter,” O’Callaghan said. “Not a day goes by that I don’t pray for her. I pray for her every day. I pray for her children.”

Thomas’ mother then stood up and with tears streaming down her face asked O’Callaghan to walk toward her so she could give her a hug, but the judge stopped them, saying contact was not allowed. Families on both sides had tears in their eyes.