Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Video Of Deputy Body-Slamming Trans Driver Who Allegedly Flipped Him Off Sparks Outrage

Twitter screenshots from police brutality video of Emmett Brock and Joseph Benza
@keribla/Twitter

The deputy claimed he stopped and arrested Emmett Brock over his car's air freshener, but lawyers for Brock claim it was retaliation for giving the deputy the middle finger.

A disturbing video has surfaced showing a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy violently throwing a transgender man to the ground during a traffic stop. The incident, which occurred back in February, has recently been obtained by local news outlets, sparking outrage and calls for accountability.

In the video, the deputy—identified as Joseph Benza—is seen pulling up behind the man's parked car at a 7-Eleven convenience store in Whittier, just southeast of Los Angeles.


He quickly approaches the man as he exits his vehicle, telling him:

“Come here. I just stopped you."

The man, identified as Emmett Brock, objects to the deputy's actions and resists, pleading for him to remove his hands:

“No you didn’t. Get your hands off me."

However, the deputy forcefully takes him down to the ground and pins him face-down while demanding that he put his hands behind his back.

You can watch the video below.

CONTENT WARNING: Police brutality and anti-LGBTQ+ violence.

Throughout the encounter, Brock can be heard shouting that he's not resisting and asking the deputy to stop. His attorney, Thomas Beck, has stated that during the incident, Brock was punched repeatedly in the head, leading to a concussion.

Beck contends that the physical force used was entirely retaliatory and unjustified, telling Fox 11:

“[Benza] must’ve punched [Brock] eight to 10 times in the head, maliciously. There was no reason for the contact. It was purely retaliatory.”

Benza's arrest report claimed that he stopped Brock for having an air freshener hanging from his rearview mirror. Many states have laws against obstructing the driver's view with objects, but civil rights advocates argue that such pretexts are often used to unfairly target minorities during traffic stops.

Brock was taken into custody on various charges, including mayhem, causing serious injury to a deputy, resisting arrest, and failing to obey a lawful order.

While being booked into a holding cell, he faced further humiliation when he was forced to physically expose himself to the staff after they questioned his gender identity. He was later placed among women, raising concerns about the treatment of transgender individuals in custody.

According to Beck, the incident was "retaliatory" in nature, stemming from an obscene gesture Brock made at the deputy during an earlier encounter. Beck further stated that Brock had called 911 to verify whether the person following him was indeed a sheriff's deputy or an imposter, as the vehicle had not activated its lights for a legitimate traffic stop.

Despite the nature of the video and the allegations, Benza was cleared of wrongdoing after an internal investigation conducted by the Sheriff's department. One sergeant described his use of force as "objectively reasonable."

However, in light of the video's release and public outcry, the department has confirmed that a new internal investigation is underway.

Many have condemned Benza's actions and issued calls for justice.



The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has issued a statement expressing its commitment to taking "all use-of-force incidents seriously" and said it is investigating the matter.

However, the department declined to provide further comments at this time due to "pending litigation" related to the case.

As the situation unfolds, activists and advocates are calling for greater accountability and transparency within law enforcement agencies to address incidents of violence and potential bias during interactions with the public, especially vulnerable communities like transgender individuals.

Transgender individuals have been subject to more violence and discrimination over the last year as a result of a widespread Republican effort to limit their participation in public life and deny them life-saving gender affirming care.

Transgender people can get help through the Trans Lifeline at https://www.translifeline.org/ or call US: 877-565-8860 Canada: 877-330-6366

More from Trending

Jesse Watters
Fox News

Jesse Watters Dragged After Adding Another Mind-Boggling Rule For 'Real Men'

Fox News host Jesse Watters, who is apparently an authority of what it means to be a manly man, gave jazz hands to make a point about how "real men" should or shouldn't wave.

The target of his ridicule was Tim Walz, the enthusiastic Democratic Minnesota governor and vice presidential candidate who often greets the public by raising both hands in the air to wave.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots of crowd at town hall and Rep. Mike Flood
@MorePerfectUS/X; KETV NewsWatch 7

GOP Rep. Goes Viral For His Response To Crowd Chanting 'Tax The Rich' At Town Hall

Nebraska Republican Representative Mike Flood was criticized following his incredulous response to a crowd that chanted "Tax the rich!" during a town hall meeting.

The Columbus High School auditorium hosted the town hall on Tuesday evening, drawing "nearly 380" attendees, according to local network KETV Omaha. The event was lively, with Flood facing both sharp criticism over Trump administration policies and some appreciation for showing up in person.

Keep ReadingShow less
Elon Musk
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Awkward Typo In Elon Musk's Bizarre 'Education Department' Trump Meme Is A Total Self-Own

Billionaire Elon Musk was widely mocked after he celebrated President Donald Trump's executive order to begin to dismantle the Department of Education (DOE) by posting a meme of Trump at the department's grave, only for an awkward misspelling to get all the attention.

Polling indicates that eliminating the Education Department is largely unpopular, with 60% of registered voters opposing the move, according to a Quinnipiac University survey conducted March 6-10. Support stands at 33%, with opposition particularly strong among Democrats—98% oppose it, while just 1% support it.

Keep ReadingShow less
JB Pritzker; Donald Trump
Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images; Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Dem Governor Reveals Trump's Bonkers Demand In Exchange For Equipment During COVID

Illinois Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker revealed during a speech this week that he clashed with President Donald Trump during the first Trump administration after Trump promised necessary medical equipment during the COVID pandemic on the condition that Pritzker praise him publicly.

Five years ago, the United States was grappling with the initial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The country had entered shutdowns that had severe economic consequences, leaving businesses and industries on the brink of collapse.

Keep ReadingShow less
Scrabble tiles spelling the word scam
Scam spelled with scrabbles on a wooden table

People Break Down How They Realized An Entire Industry Was A Total Scam

We unfortunately live in a world where scams are on the rise.

Thankfully, some of them are pretty easy to detect, such as an automated call from the IRS telling you a warrant is out for your arrest, or an email claiming to be from Amazon or the USPS asking for your credit card information, only to look closer and see the email address is a yahoo account.

Keep ReadingShow less