LOS ANGELES, CA – A Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy is pleading guilty to federal charges stemming from a February 2023 incident in which he used excessive force against a transgender man in Whittier, California. The officer, 36-year-old Joseph Benza III, faces up to 10 years in federal prison after agreeing to plead guilty to a felony civil rights violation.
The altercation began when Benza, who was responding to a domestic violence call, encountered 23-year-old Emmett Brock. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Brock made an obscene gesture by flipping Benza off as he drove past. Surveillance footage later showed Benza pulling Brock into a 7-Eleven parking lot, where he slammed Brock to the ground and beat him.
Brock’s lawyer, Thomas Beck, has stated that Brock’s gesture was a response to seeing Benza allegedly “berating a woman of color.” The Justice Department affirmed in its press release that Brock’s act was protected under the First Amendment.
“This senseless assault and subsequent attempted cover-up are an affront to our system of justice,” said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada. “When an officer violates someone’s civil rights, it corrodes trust in law enforcement and undermines the work of other officers dedicated to public safety.”
Following the incident, Benza prepared a falsified report that excluded mention of the middle finger and claimed Brock had been stopped for having an air freshener hanging from his rearview mirror. The DOJ further alleged that Benza lied about Brock biting him and coordinated with fellow deputies to delete text messages related to the event.
In addition to the beating, Brock’s attorney has accused deputies of mistreating Brock during booking. Deputies reportedly demanded Brock show his genitalia to verify his identity as a transgender man and then placed him in a women’s cell.
Brock suffered head injuries from the attack, according to earlier stages of the investigation. LA County Sheriff Robert Luna stated that Benza had been relieved of duty and condemned the deputy’s actions for violating the public’s trust.
“These actions undermine the integrity of our department, the trust of our community, and the safety of those we are sworn to protect,” Luna said in a DOJ press release.
Benza is expected to be sentenced after entering his guilty plea, marking a significant case in the DOJ’s ongoing efforts to address civil rights violations by law enforcement.
