L.A. sheriff's deputy pleads guilty to civil rights violation in assault on transgender man
latimes.com — December 19, 2024, 03:01 AM UTC
Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy Joseph Benza III pleaded guilty to a civil rights violation for using excessive force against Emmett Brock in 2022. This plea comes nearly two years after the incident, which was captured on video. Benza, 36, admitted to lying to the FBI and falsifying his incident report. He faces a maximum of 10 years in federal prison. Previously, an internal investigation had cleared him of wrongdoing. Brock, who was wrongfully charged after the incident, expressed relief at the outcome. He has since been found innocent and is pursuing a master's degree while working at a homeless shelter.