aGameOfThrones
12-10-2013, 10:40 AM
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Roughly three years ago, a man referred to in a federal indictment as "Visitor LF" went to Men's Central Jail to discuss his inability to visit his brother there. Instead, a Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputy allegedly handcuffed him, took him to a break room with no windows or public access, and threw him against a refrigerator.
His arm was fractured in the encounter and he received cuts to his nose and face, according to indictments unsealed Monday. Afterward, four deputies tried to have him falsely charged with resisting an executive officer. The man was detained for about five days and ultimately released without being charged.
It was one among many allegations announced by federal officials as they charged 18 current and former Los Angeles County sheriff's officials with beating inmates and jail visitors, falsifying reports, and trying to obstruct an FBI probe of the nation's largest jail system.
The investigation into corruption and civil rights abuses led to the arrests Monday of 16 of the 18 defendants. The 13 who were arraigned entered not guilty pleas. At least two no longer work for the department.
"These incidents did not take place in a vacuum. In fact, they demonstrated behavior that had become institutionalized," said U.S. Attorney Andre Birotte Jr.
Flanked by some of his top command staff, Sheriff Lee Baca told reporters Monday that he was troubled by the charges and called it a sad day for his department. He said the department would continue to cooperate with the FBI and that deputies who have been charged would be relieved of duty and have their pay suspended.
Among allegations in a criminal complaint and four grand jury indictments:
— Deputies unlawfully detained and used force on visitors to Men's Central Jail, including detaining and handcuffing the Austrian consul general in one instance, and in another, grabbing a man by the neck, forcing his head into a refrigerator, throwing him to the floor and pepper-spraying his eyes.
— Deputies falsified reports to make arrests seem lawful or in one case, struck, kicked and pepper-sprayed an inmate and made false reports to have the inmate charged with and prosecuted for assaulting deputies.
— Deputies tried to thwart the investigation by unsuccessfully seeking a court order to get the FBI to provide documents and attempted to intimidate a lead FBI agent by falsely saying they were going to seek a warrant for her arrest.
View galleryAndre Birotte, U.S. Attorney for the Central District …
Andre Birotte, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, at podium, and Bill Lewis, Assi …
Those charged with conspiracy and obstruction of justice include two lieutenants, one of whom oversaw the department's safe jails program and another who investigated allegations of crimes committed by sheriff's personnel.
They're accused along with two sergeants and three deputies with trying to prevent the FBI from contacting an informant by falsifying records to appear that he had been released when he had been moved to different cells under false names.
http://news.yahoo.com/18-la-sheriff-39-officials-charged-jail-probe-073622415.html
His arm was fractured in the encounter and he received cuts to his nose and face, according to indictments unsealed Monday. Afterward, four deputies tried to have him falsely charged with resisting an executive officer. The man was detained for about five days and ultimately released without being charged.
It was one among many allegations announced by federal officials as they charged 18 current and former Los Angeles County sheriff's officials with beating inmates and jail visitors, falsifying reports, and trying to obstruct an FBI probe of the nation's largest jail system.
The investigation into corruption and civil rights abuses led to the arrests Monday of 16 of the 18 defendants. The 13 who were arraigned entered not guilty pleas. At least two no longer work for the department.
"These incidents did not take place in a vacuum. In fact, they demonstrated behavior that had become institutionalized," said U.S. Attorney Andre Birotte Jr.
Flanked by some of his top command staff, Sheriff Lee Baca told reporters Monday that he was troubled by the charges and called it a sad day for his department. He said the department would continue to cooperate with the FBI and that deputies who have been charged would be relieved of duty and have their pay suspended.
Among allegations in a criminal complaint and four grand jury indictments:
— Deputies unlawfully detained and used force on visitors to Men's Central Jail, including detaining and handcuffing the Austrian consul general in one instance, and in another, grabbing a man by the neck, forcing his head into a refrigerator, throwing him to the floor and pepper-spraying his eyes.
— Deputies falsified reports to make arrests seem lawful or in one case, struck, kicked and pepper-sprayed an inmate and made false reports to have the inmate charged with and prosecuted for assaulting deputies.
— Deputies tried to thwart the investigation by unsuccessfully seeking a court order to get the FBI to provide documents and attempted to intimidate a lead FBI agent by falsely saying they were going to seek a warrant for her arrest.
View galleryAndre Birotte, U.S. Attorney for the Central District …
Andre Birotte, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, at podium, and Bill Lewis, Assi …
Those charged with conspiracy and obstruction of justice include two lieutenants, one of whom oversaw the department's safe jails program and another who investigated allegations of crimes committed by sheriff's personnel.
They're accused along with two sergeants and three deputies with trying to prevent the FBI from contacting an informant by falsifying records to appear that he had been released when he had been moved to different cells under false names.
http://news.yahoo.com/18-la-sheriff-39-officials-charged-jail-probe-073622415.html