Last week, Deputy Joseph Benza III pleaded guilty in federal court to one felony count of deprivation of rights under the color of law, stemming from his involvement in the February 2023 arrest and beating of Emmett Brock, a transgender man. This plea carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The Los Angeles Times reports that at least eight Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies, including several sergeants, have been dismissed for their roles in the incident, and an FBI investigation is ongoing.
Benza and his former colleagues are accused of covering up details of the incident, including the reason for initially stopping Brock. Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert G. Luna stated that Benza’s actions “undermine[s] the integrity of our Department, the trust of our community, and the safety of those we are sworn to protect.” Benza is due back in court on January 17th; his attorney, Tom Yu, stated he will request probation, acknowledging Benza’s initial use of force may have been justified, but arguing that subsequent actions impacted the overall evaluation of the arrest.
The incident began when Brock, while leaving his job as a high school teacher, passed Benza who appeared to be engaged in a heated exchange with a woman. Brock gave the middle finger; Benza subsequently followed him for nearly two miles, allegedly abandoning a domestic violence call to do so, and called another deputy to state his intention to stop Brock and use force. Video footage provided by Brock’s lawyer shows Benza apprehending Brock in a 7-Eleven parking lot, taking him to the ground, and punching him for approximately three minutes despite Brock’s pleas and claims of non-resistance. Brock sustained bruises, scrapes, and a concussion.
Brock was initially charged with three felonies and one misdemeanor. He also alleged that during booking, officers inappropriately questioned his gender identity. All charges against Brock have since been dropped, and a judge formally declared him innocent.
The investigation revealed inconsistencies between Benza’s initial report—which claimed Brock was about to punch him and mentioned a dangling air freshener as the reason for the stop, omitting the middle finger gesture—and other evidence. Benza also claimed Brock bit him, a claim unsupported by medical reports. Further investigation uncovered group text messages between Benza and colleagues discussing the deletion of information from their personal phones, including a sergeant’s directive to “toss the phone.” In his plea agreement, Benza admitted to discussing the incident report with others and acknowledging that a sergeant wrote “substantive portions” of it.
Brock and his lawyer, Thomas E. Beck, have a pending federal case against Los Angeles County, Benza, and other deputies alleging false imprisonment, civil rights violations, and assault and battery. Brock, who lost his teaching job three days after the arrest, is now working at a homeless shelter and pursuing a master’s degree. While acknowledging the peace of mind brought by the legal outcome, he expressed ongoing anxiety about being pulled over.