A California cop now faces a 10-year-sentencing after beating a transgender man who flipped him off, the Department of Justice has reported.
A former deputy sheriff from Los Angeles County, Joseph Benza III, accepted a plea deal on December 17, 2024, after a disturbing incident in which he followed and assaulted a transgender man.
This case has raised significant concerns about the misuse of authority among law enforcement officials.
Details of the Incident
The events unfolded on February 10, 2023, when Benza, 36, was responding to a domestic violence call in the vicinity of Mystic Street and Guilford Avenue in Whittier.
During this time, he spotted a 23-year-old man, identified in court documents as E.B., driving past and gesturing rudely by flipping him off.
Instead of attending to the domestic violence situation, Benza pursued E.B. for nearly two miles, during which he reached speeds of up to 50 miles per hour through a residential area.
E.B. became aware of being followed and called 911 to report the situation.
He eventually stopped in a parking lot, at which point Benza parked behind him and activated his overhead lights for the first time.
Without issuing any commands, Benza approached E.B. and forcefully grabbed him.
The Assault
As E.B. attempted to resist, stating, “Don’t touch me,” Benza reacted violently by slamming him to the ground.
Once on the pavement, Benza mounted E.B. and proceeded to punch him in the head and face multiple times, subsequently slamming E.B.’s face into the ground.
Throughout the assault, E.B. cried out for help, shouting, “You’re going to kill me!,” “I can’t breathe!,” and “Please stop.”
The brutal attack left E.B. with a concussion, bruises, and cuts, along with ongoing head pain and vomiting.
Deceptive Reporting and Cover-Up
After the assault, Benza filed an incident report that was riddled with falsehoods.
In a troubling turn of events, he consulted with fellow deputies about whether to mention the reason for his pursuit—E.B. flipping him off.
Following the advice of three sergeants, he omitted this crucial detail from his report.
Instead, he falsely claimed that he stopped E.B. for having an air freshener hanging from his rearview mirror and fabricated an allegation that E.B. had bitten him hard enough to puncture his skin.
He even cited E.B. for criminal mayhem.
The report was not just misleading; it was part of a larger cover-up.
Benza discussed deleting text messages related to the incident and made false statements to federal investigators.
During an interview with federal authorities in January, he denied seeing E.B. flip him off and downplayed discussions he had with others about the incident report, although he admitted that a sergeant had drafted significant portions of it.
Consequences and Community Response
As part of the plea agreement, Benza pleaded guilty to one felony count of deprivation of rights under color of law, acknowledging his violation of E.B.’s civil rights.
He now faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and is prohibited from seeking future employment as a sworn law enforcement officer at any level—federal, state, or local.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert G. Luna expressed his dismay at Benza’s actions, stating, “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.
These actions undermine the integrity of our Department, the trust of our community, and the safety of those we are sworn to protect.”
This incident has sparked discussions about accountability within law enforcement and the imperative for reforms to prevent such abuses of power in the future.
The community is left grappling with the implications of this case, emphasizing the need for trust between law enforcement and the public they serve.
In the coming days, Benza will make his first appearance in federal court, where he will face the consequences of his actions.
The hope is that this case will serve as a reminder of the importance of integrity and accountability within the ranks of law enforcement.
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