Eight Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies have been dismissed for their alleged involvement in covering up the assault of a transgender man by a fellow officer.
According to a report by the Los Angeles Times, the incident, which took place in February 2023, involved Deputy Joseph Benza III, who pleaded guilty in December to one felony count of deprivation of rights.
The victim, 23-year-old Emmett Brock, was attacked after a minor incident escalated into violence. Brock reportedly flipped his middle finger at Benza as he drove past the deputy, prompting Benza to abandon his response to a domestic violence call and pursue Brock for nearly two miles.
When Brock pulled into a parking lot in Whittier, Benza grabbed him without speaking, slammed him to the ground, and violently assaulted him. According to authorities, “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.”
Surveillance footage contradicted Benza’s claim that he acted in self-defence after Brock bit him, revealing Brock calmly speaking to the officer before the attack. The assault left Brock with a concussion, contusions, and abrasions.
Brock, a schoolteacher at the time, was initially charged with three felonies, which were later reduced to misdemeanours before being dropped entirely. Despite his eventual vindication, the incident cost Brock his teaching job.
In July 2023, Brock told the Times that he had flipped off the deputy out of frustration after being sexually harassed earlier that day at work, doubting the gesture would be noticed. However, Benza admitted in his plea agreement that he pursued Brock purely out of retaliation.
Following the incident, Benza and other deputies worked to cover up the assault. Text messages revealed that Benza and at least two other deputies discussed deleting incriminating data from their phones to avoid federal investigation. A sergeant reportedly instructed Benza to “toss the phone,” a directive later mischaracterised as a preservation effort.
Benza also falsified his report, claiming Brock’s actions, including an alleged bite, justified the use of force. “My punches had their intended effect,” Benza wrote, a statement he later admitted was fabricated.
The attack gained widespread attention in July 2023 after local media circulated surveillance footage of the incident. The fallout from the investigation led to the dismissal of up to eight deputies for their roles in the coverup.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert G. Luna condemned the actions of Benza and those involved in the coverup.
“It is deeply troubling that a member of our department, who has since been relieved of duty, violated the trust placed in them to uphold the law by abusing their authority,” Luna stated. “These actions undermine the integrity of our department, the trust of our community, and the safety of those we are sworn to protect.”
Benza is expected to appear in court soon, but it remains unclear if additional charges will be brought against the dismissed deputies. Meanwhile, the case continues to spotlight issues of accountability and abuse of power within law enforcement.
