8 Deputies Fired in Trans Man Assault Scandal
At least eight sheriff's deputies have been fired for helping a colleague lie to FBI investigators about the assault of a transgender man.
At least eight Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies have been relieved of duty as federal authorities investigate allegations that they helped cover up the beating and arrest of a transgender man in a 7-Eleven parking lot.
Last month, former Sheriff’s Deputy Joseph Benza III indicated that he intends to plead guilty to one felony count of deprivation of rights under color of law when he next appears in court on January 17, 2025.
The charge, which carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, stems from an incident on February 10, 2023, in which the 36-year-old deputy assaulted and used “excessive force” to subdue and arrest Emmet Brock, a 23-year-old high school teacher, after Brock flipped him the middle finger.
As part of his plea agreement, Benza — who has been released on $50,000 bond — admitted that he lied to FBI investigators, who were looking into Brock’s allegations of civil rights violations, by making false statements about the incident. He also claimed that other deputies and sergeants helped cover up the misconduct.
As previously reported by the Los Angeles Times, Benza consulted with other deputies, who allegedly advised him to omit the fact that Brock had flipped him the middle finger from his report, instead claiming that he stopped Brock for having an air freshener hanging from his rearview mirror.
Benza later told investigators that a sergeant had written “substantive portions” of the incident and arrest report.
In that report, Benza claimed that Brock had bitten him with enough force to break the skin — an assertion that was not backed up by a paramedic’s report or a physician’s assistant at the hospital where Brock and Benza were treated for injuries — in an attempt to justify charging Brock with “criminal mayhem.”
Benza also discussed with other deputies how they would delete text messages and other correspondence about the incident, and their plans to make false statements to FBI investigators, from their phones.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has confirmed that not only Benza has been fired, but so have “multiple”other deputies. According to the Times, officials would not confirm a specific number of deputies who have been fired, but half a dozen anonymous sources told the newspaper that eight people, including several sergeants, have been relieved of duty.
According to prosecutors, Benza allegedly abandoned his response to a domestic disturbance call after seeing Brock flip him off. At one point, he even allegedly called another deputy, telling them that he planned to stop a person who’d flipped him off and that he intended to use force.
After trailing Brock’s car for two miles, Benza followed Brock into the parking lot of a 7-Eleven in Whittier, California, and stepped out of his car to confront the 23-year-old schoolteacher. Video of the incident shows Benza approaching Brock and telling him, “I just stopped you,” without further explanation.
“No, you didn’t,” Brock replied.
Benza then grabbed Brock and “violently body slammed” him into the ground, holding him down and punching him in the head while the 23-year-old screamed and pleaded for his life.
After being taken into custody, Brock was charged with felony counts of criminal mayhem, resisting arrest, and obstruction, as well as a misdemeanor charge of failing to obey a police officer. All charges have since been dropped.
Brock has since filed a federal lawsuit naming Los Angeles County, Benza, and his colleagues as defendants, alleging that he was subjected to false imprisonment, civil rights violations, and assault and battery during the arrest. He has also claimed that he was harassed while being processed at the jail following his arrest, including being forced to show one of his jailers his genitalia, and was placed in a women’s cell despite having undergone gender confirmation surgery. That lawsuit remains ongoing.
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