A former officer with the Veterans Administration Police Department in Los Angeles was sentenced to one year in prison for beating a man with a baton 45 times.
Juan Anthony Carillo, 46, pleaded guilty in July to a misdemeanor charge of depriving a person’s rights under the color of law as part of a deal reached with prosecutors.
“Our Constitution protects all of us from excessive force inflicted by law enforcement officers, and when that standard is violated the Justice Department will take action to vindicate the rights enjoyed by all Americans,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada in a press release. “We deeply appreciate the difficult jobs faced every day by law enforcement officers, the vast majority of whom act with professionalism and integrity.
“But when an officer acts in a manner that violates the civil rights of another person, we will respond to uphold the rule of law and maintain public trust in our system of justice,” Estrada concluded.
Witnesses said the victim, identified as R.V. in court records, could be heard screaming throughout the 41-second beating. The assault, which occurred in January 2022, left the 34-year-old with cuts on both legs and a broken bone in his foot, according to prosecutors.
Carillo arrived to assist another police officer who had detained R.V. The suspect had been seen strolling on medical center grounds holding a clear glass pipe suspected by the officers to be drug paraphernalia, court documents revealed.
Using his 22-inch department-issued baton, Carrillo, of Alhambra, struck R.V. 45 times in about 41 seconds even though, for most of the beating, the other officer was sitting on top of the victim’s body. Prosecutors said he remained still throughout.
Both officers held a distinct size advantage over R.V. Carrillo, who was about 60 pounds heavier, and the second officer was eight inches taller and about 85 pounds heavier than the victim.
“The excessive use of force alleged in the indictment is disturbing and not representative of the high standards and restraint practiced by the overwhelming majority of police officers,” said Donald Alway, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office.
Carrillo was originally charged with deprivation of rights under color of law, resulting in bodily injury and assault with a dangerous weapon with the intent to do bodily harm. He faced a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
The indictment also alleged that Carrillo, one day after the incident, authored a report that “misleadingly and falsely claimed” that R.V. refused to show his hands and “violently” kicked his legs. The officer didn’t include the number of baton strikes he administered.
After the attack, Carillo banged the concrete pavement with the baton several times in an unsuccessful attempt to make it retract, prosecutors said.
“Officers owe a special duty and have a special obligation to keep the trust of the citizens they police,” Judge Wesley L. Hsu said at Friday’s sentencing hearing.
