Video Released Of Deputies Attacking Inmate At Auburn Jail
AUBURN (CBS13) — Video of an attack on a Placer County inmate was released Thursday after the lawsuit from 2017 was settled in court.
The video shows four Placer County Sheriff's Deputies violently attacking a mentally ill inmate, Beau Bengert, inside a suicide-watch cell in the Auburn Jail.
The footage remained sealed in evidence since it was recorded in 2017. It led to the eventual firing of three Placer County officials and a class action lawsuit.
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"The claims went out to over 15,000 people and we got back 498,009 claims of excessive force," said attorney Mark Merin.
Placer County attorneys argued against releasing the video but the judge ruled against them, saying since the case has been settled, there was no jury pool to taint.
The court approved the jury's $1.4 million award in the class action suit Thursday. Bengert was awarded $250,000.
The Placer County Sheriff's Office released a statement Thursday saying in part, "The actions of the officers are troubling and represent conduct that has never been tolerated at our agency....The acts of a few should not tarnish the good work of our jail staff as they strive to serve all of us."