LA sheriff must pay $100K for inmate abuse

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A federal jury found Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca personally liable for failing to stop inmate abuse in Men’s Central Jail.

In a federal civil rights lawsuit filed by Tyler Willis, he alleged officers severely beat him while he was an inmate awaiting trial in 2009.

A jury found that Deputies Anthony Vasquez, Mark Farino and Pedro Guerrero, Capt. Daniel Cruz and Sheriff Baca had been “malicious, oppressive or in reckless disregard” of Willis’ rights, according to the LA Times.

The defendants were ordered to pay $165,000 in damages, with Baca paying $100,000.

Sheriff’s officials called the verdict a huge mistake and said they’d appeal, reports NBC Los Angeles.

Follow Carrie Healey on Twitter @CarrieHeals.