National

Los Angeles Sheriff’s Deputies Found Guilty in Jail Beating

Published

11 years ago

June 25, 2015

This undated evidence photo provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office shows a mug shot of Gabriel Carrillo taken by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Two Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies and a sergeant were found guilty Wednesday, June 25, 2015, in the backroom beating of Carrillo, a jail visitor who fellow guards testified already was handcuffed on the ground and covered in blood. (U.S. Attorney’s Office via AP)

AMANDA LEE MYERS, Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Three Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies were convicted Wednesday in federal court in the beating of a bloody, handcuffed jail visitor and an attempt to cover it up.

Sgt. Eric Gonzalez and deputies Sussie Ayala and Fernando Luviano were found guilty of deprivation of civil rights and falsification of records in the 2011 beating of Gabriel Carrillo. Gonzalez and Ayala were also convicted of conspiracy to violate constitutional rights.

The three face at least six years in prison when sentenced Nov. 2.

“An individual who carries a badge and a gun and who uses their authority and power to violate people’s constitutional rights — as was the case here — is one of the worst kinds of criminals and should be brought to justice,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Lizabeth Rhodes, one of the three prosecutors on the case.

The convictions were the latest in a federal investigation of civil rights abuses and corruption at the nation’s largest sheriff’s department.

Nearly two-dozen members of the department, including the former second-in-command, have been charged with crimes ranging from beatings to obstruction of justice.

As a court clerk read the verdicts Wednesday, Gonzalez put his head in his hands.

Defense attorneys said they will appeal the verdicts. “I believe very much in my client’s innocence,” said Patrick Smith, who represents Ayala.

The deputies had said Carrillo had only one cuff on and they had to use force to control him when he became combative.

Jury foreman Tony Tran said he was convinced the trio was guilty after seeing photos that showed bruises and indentations on Carrillo’s hands, proving he had been handcuffed during the beating.

“It was very apparent to all of us that they were guilty,” said Tran, 35.

Tran said he was also swayed by two other jail guards who turned on their colleagues.

Deputies Noel Womack and Pantamitr Zunggeemoge reached plea agreements with prosecutors just before trial and testified that Carrillo was handcuffed the entire beating. They said everyone agreed to tell the same lie about what happened.

Joseph Avrahamy, Gonzalez’s attorney, said their testimony was a tremendous blow to the defense. He added that Womack and Zunggeemoge only pleaded guilty and agreed to testify to get lighter sentences for themselves.

In his plea agreement, Womack described a culture of excessive force and cover-ups at the visitation center of the Men’s Central Jail in downtown Los Angeles.

Womack said Carrillo, who had been at the jail to visit his brother, was not only handcuffed but also face down on the ground and bleeding during the beating. Carrillo had been detained on suspicion of sneaking in a prohibited cellphone.

Womack acknowledged unnecessarily punching Carrillo five times in the leg after hearing another deputy yell, “Stop spitting.”

“The punches were retaliation and intended to inflict pain, and were made because defendant Womack thought he could get away with such action,” according to Womack’s plea agreement.

When writing his report justifying the use of force, Womack knew he would have to lie and say Carrillo wasn’t handcuffed, according to the statement.

The statement blames much of the beating on Gonzalez, saying he directed deputies to “snatch up” and arrest anyone who looked suspicious. Prosecutors said Gonzalez urged deputies to use force on visitors who showed disrespect.

Gonzalez “encouraged and tolerated abuses of the law,” including unreasonable searches and seizures, unlawful arrests, unjustified force and falsified reports, according to the indictment.

Avrahamy said when Gonzalez took charge of the visitation center at the jail in March 2010, “the place was a mess,” with convicted felons and gang members being allowed to visit inmates against policy.

Gonzalez was cleaning things up by arresting prohibited visitors, Avrahamy said.

With the verdicts, 14 members of the department have been convicted of various charges, prosecutors said. Three deputies, all brothers, were acquitted of mortgage fraud.

___

Follow Amanda Lee Myers on Twitter at https://twitter.com/AmandaLeeAP

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Activism

Six Months in, Probate Reform Coalition Marks Progress in Protecting Elders From Financial Abuse

Despite the cited obstacles, NPRC has made some promising inroads towards their mission. NPRC has identified that nationwide the Attorneys General must be engaged and encouraged to implement oversight, protection and enforcement of the law; members find support from each other as they advocate for redress via “letters of compassion” sent to judges, nursing facilities and law enforcement agencies and members are instructed on their rights, how to take constructive action to protect those rights through access to resources that allow them to intelligently represent themselves in court.

Published

4 days ago

June 24, 2026

Oakland Post

NPRC member Stewart E. Handte, a former Mineral County, Nevada, Sheriff and 27-year veteran of police work, currently wears an ankle monitor after he was arrested on kidnapping charges for helping his friend, Roger Hilligus, remove Hilligus’ mother, Susan Hilligus, from a nursing facility after finding her bruised and neglected. NPRC has submitted a “Letter of Compassion” for both Handte and Hilligus requesting that charges be dropped. Courtesy photo.

By Tanya Dennis

The National Probate Reform Coalition, a loose-knit national coalition of advocates, victims, and families dedicated to protecting elder rights, especially within the probate court system, was formed by the Post Newspaper Group (PNG) after more than a decade of reporting on the mistreatment of elders and the plunder of their estates.

In response, PNG Publisher Paul Cobb set in motion a series of monthly town halls to address the problem and propose workable solutions, designating it a “year of action.”

At six months, the coalition has attracted families, advocates, and experts across the nation whose strategies have proven effective in their respective states, and who are moving forward collectively with the mission of engaging judicial, legislative, and enforcement agencies to ensure elders are not exploited or abused.

“The issue of elder abuse is multi-layered”, says NPRC planning committee member Venus Gist. “Elders are our most vulnerable population, next to children, and they are easily exploited by strangers, their own family members, and the judicial system designed to protect them.”

Since January, NPRC has, via monthly virtual meetings held on the first Thursday of each month, clearly defined the issues and formulated workable solutions that can be implemented nationwide.

“There are amazing laws on the books that protect elders and their assets,” said NPRC member Zakiya Jendayi. “The problem is they are ignored, and that lack of oversight has led to systemic abuse in the Probate Court system, not just in Alameda County, but nationwide.

“The scary part is the collusion and wall of silence NPRC has encountered when reaching out to the Judicial Council, legislators, and the State Bar for assistance. It’s so obvious that one hand is washing the other, that they’re protecting each other, that it’s difficult to initiate any type of meaningful reform much less dialogue.”

Stacy Drake, a Texas member, says, “I’ve been looking for help for over 10 years with my situation, and I finally found it within the NPRC coalition. God answered my prayers.”

Broadening its reach within Alameda County, NPRC has invited Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee to assist with outreach, education, and resolution.

“We hope to host an elder abuse/elder protection symposium annually, if not twice a year, to let our elders know that Alameda County and the City of Oakland are a safe place, a place where in their golden years they have no worries regarding exploitation and abuse,” said Cobb. “Society is defined by how the care for its children and elders.”

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UC Berkeley Named Top Public University in the U.S. and No. 7 in the World by ‘U.S. News’

Berkeley has been consistently awarded the distinction of the U.S.’s top public university since the Best Global Universities list was first published in 2014. “A strong position in the Best Global Universities rankings recognizes a school’s profound commitment to world-class research and cross-border academic excellence,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News.

Published

4 days ago

June 24, 2026

Oakland Post

Photo by Keegan Houser/UC Berkeley.

The 2026 Best Global Universities rankings evaluated 2,250 research institutions from more than 100 countries

By Lila Thulin

U.S. News & World Report has ranked UC Berkeley No. 7 in its 2026 list of the best global universities, which assesses more than 2,250 research institutions worldwide.

Berkeley also claimed the honor of top public university in the U.S.

Released on Monday, the list evaluates universities from more than 100 countries on 13 metrics such as global and research reputation (as reported by academics and peers) and number of highly cited scholarly papers.

Berkeley has been consistently awarded the distinction of the U.S.’s top public university since the Best Global Universities list was first published in 2014.

“A strong position in the Best Global Universities rankings recognizes a school’s profound commitment to world-class research and cross-border academic excellence,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News.

The rankings also assess a university’s strength in various subject areas; these assessments are separate from U.S. News’ 2026 Best Graduate Programs rankings released in April.

This year, Berkeley was named in the top three nationally in seven subject areas – environment/ecology, ecology, water resources, physics, computer science, chemistry, and engineering – and in the top five for a total of 17 subjects. Subject rankings are based heavily on scholarly publications and citations as well as reputation.

In September, U.S. News also released its 2026 Best Colleges list, in which Berkeley was also named the No. 1 public institution among American universities.

That honor joins other accolades judging campus to be the best public university in the country, such as those from Forbes, The Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education.

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Lock In Car Price: Avoid Dealer Payment Traps!

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Oakland Post

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Don’t get swayed by monthly payments! Always settle the out-of-the-door price first, including all fees. Only then discuss monthly payments, terms, and potential add-ons. #AutoNetwork #CarBuyingTips #CarSales #DealershipSecrets #Negotiation

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