A Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department deputy has consented to plead guilty to a charge of using excessive force against a transgender man, a move that represents a clear violation of the victim's federal civil rights. According to a statement from the Department of Justice, Joseph Benza III, 36, of Corona, who at the time was assigned to the Norwalk Station, faces a felony count of deprivation of rights under color of law.
In the incident, which took place on February 10, 2023, Deputy Benza responded to the gesture of E.B., a 23-year-old transgender man, who had extended his middle finger—a protected expression of free speech—by abandoning his initial call and engaging in a pursuit that culminated in a violent confrontation. Weighing significantly less than Benza, the victim sustained injuries including a concussion, as well as multiple contusions and abrasions. Martin Estrada, the United States Attorney, emphasized the role of law enforcement officers and the consequences of their actions, stating, “This senseless assault and subsequent attempted cover-up are an affront to our system of justice," as per the U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California.
Benza's plea agreement details how he pursued E.B. for over a mile before initiating a questionable traffic stop, which eventually led to the brutal assault. The agreement states that "Defendant Benza then violently body slammed Victim E.B. onto the ground. Once Victim E.B. was on the ground, defendant Benza mounted Victim E.B., punched Victim E.B.’s head and face multiple times, and pressed Victim E.B.’s face into the pavement." Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert G. Luna lamented the erosion of public trust, telling the public, "These actions undermine the integrity of our Department, the trust of our community, and the safety of those we are sworn to protect," the U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California noted.
Federal prosecutors Susan S. Har and J. Jamari Buxton of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section are assigned to the prosecution of the case. Benza, facing up to 10 years in federal prison for the felony civil rights offense, is scheduled to appear in federal court in the immediate future.
