Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Joseph Benza III, 36, of Corona, has pleaded guilty to federal civil rights violations after an incident involving Emmett Brock, a 23-year-old transgender former high school teacher. According to Metro Weekly, Benza admitted to beating Brock and filing a false incident report as part of a cover-up of the assault.
After Brock made an offensive gesture to Benza while driving past, it led to the deputy abandoning a domestic violence call to take Brock to a 7-Eleven parking lot, where the subsequent assault occurred. With a maximum sentence of 10 years in the waiting, Benza's guilty plea to one felony count of deprivation of rights under color of law was reported by Metro Weekly.
Benza, due in court on January 17, is currently out on a $50,000 bond. As reported by the Los Angeles Times, Tom Yu, his attorney, has expressed support for his client's decision to take responsibility and plans to request probation.
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