Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com
Six members of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department were found guilty Tuesday of attempting to interfere with a civil rights investigation into the county jails, the Los Angeles Times reports.
The two lieutenants, two sergeants and two deputies face up to 15 years in prison after the jury found them guilty of trying to hide an informant from FBI agents during an investigation into a jail scandal.
Attorneys for the defendants said they were only following orders from superiors.
One of the jurors interviewed after the trial said he believed the sheriff’s officials were following commands but crossed the line.
“At a certain point there are things you can’t do,” said the juror, a truck driver who lives in the Crenshaw district but would identify himself only as Ron.
The conviction is a big victory for prosecutors as they delve deeper into the jail investigation.
