2 LA County Deputies Convicted Of Jail Beating, Cover-Up

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A federal jury in Los Angeles has found two Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies guilty of beating a jail inmate and falsifying records to cover it up.

The deputies were among the latest to be convicted of the more than 20 current or former sheriff's employees charged in connection with a probe of corruption and abuse in the Sheriff's Department.

The jury on Monday found Jason Branum and Bryan Brunsting guilty of three charges apiece including conspiracy to violate civil rights. They could each get up to 40 years in prison.

Prosecutors say the men beat the inmate because he showed disrespect to the deputies in front of a rookie trainee.

Former Sheriff Lee Baca pleaded guilty in February to lying to federal investigators during the broad investigation into the jail system. He's awaiting sentencing.

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