An L.A. County sheriff’s deputy caught on camera outside a Lancaster supermarket as he violently threw a woman to the ground face first and then pepper-sprayed her has been found guilty of excessive force.
Trevor James Kirk, 32, of Santa Clarita, was found guilty this week of one felony count of deprivation of rights under color of law and faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison, according to the Department of Justice.
His assault of the female victim, identified in court as J.H., left her with blunt-force head trauma and injuries to her head, arms and wrist, prosecutors said.
In the June 2023 incident, the woman approached Kirk in the parking lot of a WinCo Foods supermarket while he and another deputy were responding to a call of a possible robbery involving a man and a woman, prosecutors said.
The woman used her cellphone to record the deputies arresting and handcuffing a man who matched the description of the male suspect, prosecutors said. She told Kirk that she was livestreaming the arrest on social media and that he was legally required to tell the suspect why he was being detained.
“Kirk then approached J.H. and, without giving any commands, attempted to grab her phone,” prosecutors said. “J.H. turned away, at which point Kirk grabbed J.H. by her arm, hooked his left hand behind her neck, and violently threw her face first to the ground.”
Kirk then pinned the woman to the ground while she yelled for him to stop, prosecutors said. He balled up his fist and told her, “Stop or you’re gonna get punched in the face.”
He then pressed his knee into her neck while providing a misleading radio report that he was in a fight. The woman told him to get off her and said she could not breathe. He proceeded to pepper-spray her twice in the face, prosecutors said.
The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department said in a statement that the deputy was relieved of duty without pay and that his actions were “completely contrary” to the department’s values and standards.
“Law enforcement officers not only take an oath to uphold the law, but are held to the highest standards of accountability and integrity,” stated the department. “No deputy is above the law and any abuse of power which violates the public’s trust will not be tolerated.”
The incident was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Kirk’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 21.
