LASD Deputies Face Justice for Violence Against Trans Man
After years of courtroom battles and federal investigations, the Sheriff’s Deputy who assaulted Emmett Brock and his coworkers who helped cover up the assault face some measure of justice.
by Alyssa Steinsiek
Nearly two years ago, a transgender man was violently assaulted and wrongfully arrested by a deputy with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Following this heinous violence and civil rights violation, multiple sheriff’s deputies aided in an organized cover up to protect their colleague from the consequences of his actions. Just before Christmas, the deputy responsible for the assault pleaded guilty, and eight LASD sheriff’s deputies were relieved of duty for their part in the scandal.
On February 10th, 2023, Emmett Brock flashed a cop the middle finger on his way home from work. Deputy Joseph Benza then followed him to a convenience store parking lot and, once Brock was out of his car, violently threw him to the concrete and wrestled with him, pinning him to the ground and punching him more than once. Benza demanded that Brock put his arms behind his back, which he could not do because of the way he was being restrained, and eventually handcuffed him and marched him back to his cruiser.
“Even when I did get them out the way he wanted, he continued to punch me,” Brock told the Los Angeles Times. “He just kept saying, ‘Stop resisting, stop resisting.’ I didn’t understand why he was shouting that because I wasn’t resisting.”
Brock was taken to a hospital, where he was treated for his injuries (including a concussion), and later charged with three felony crimes: mayhem, resisting arrest, and obstruction. He was also charged with misdemeanor failure to obey. At the police station, Brock explained that he is transgender, and was forced to expose himself to a female police officer, at which point they placed him in a women’s holding cell until his girlfriend and family posted his bail. Following the event, Brock was fired from his job as a high school teacher.
In April of 2023, Brock appeared in court, where his charges were reduced to two misdemeanor charges: resisting arrest and battery on an officer. Benza claimed that Brock tried to bite him repeatedly and appeared poised to punch him, despite the fact that Benza is nearly twice his size and was wearing body armor and carrying a gun. The LASD cleared Benza of any wrongdoing after a presumably farcical internal investigation.
In August of 2023, prosecutors dropped their case against Brock. Then, in March of 2024, Brock was declared “factually innocent” of the charges by a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge in the process of litigating against the department both for Benza’s unlawful violence, and his superiors’ blatant attempts to cover it up.
Finally, in December, Benza pleaded guilty to one felony charge for violating Brock’s civil rights through use of excessive force. He also admitted to falsifying his arrest report, and to repeatedly lying to the FBI during a federal investigation. The investigation also revealed the extent of the attempted cover up, such that Benza was instructed by a sergeant to dispose of his cell phone, and “substantive portions” of his arrest report were written by another party. Less than a week later, eight LASD sheriff’s deputies (including multiple sergeants) were relieved of duty for their part in the cover up.
Though police violence is not uncommon in any department in America, where police kill over a thousand citizens (primarily nonwhite) every year, the LAPD and LASD have a particularly lengthy and revolting history of targeting and harming minority Angelinos. Excessive force regularly goes unreported by department members, and excessive violence is rarely punished. Los Angeles county’s Sheriff’s Department is well known as one of the most violent and criminal law enforcement agencies in world history.
Like any other minority group, a history of harassment and violence leads most LGBTQ+ people to mistrust and fear the police. Though Emmett Brock’s assault was horrific, he is lucky to have survived it, and luckier still to see any amount of justice for it. Many don’t survive such incidents, and most never see the police punished for their wrongdoing.
After his wrongful firing, Brock returned to graduate school and expects to complete his master’s in sociology this year. He currently works as a youth engagement specialist at a homeless shelter, and is grateful to see justice done on his behalf.
“There are no words to describe this feeling,” he told The LA Times. “I never thought I would see the day that there would be justice for this.”
Alyssa Steinsiek is a professional writer who spends too much time playing video games!
