Grand Jury Indicts Deputy Accused of Punching Man

A Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy who allegedly punched and pointed a gun at a man being treated in a hospital emergency room was indicted by federal grand jury Thursday on charges of violating federal civil rights laws.

The case against Deputy Henry Meyers, 30, was brought after the Sheriff’s Department reported his conduct to federal authorities--an unprecedented action, a federal prosecutor said.

Under the two-count indictment, alleging deprivation of rights under color of law, Meyers could face a maximum of 10 years in federal prison if he is convicted on both charges.

Assistant U.S. Atty. Jeffrey M. Rawitz declined to comment on the case against Meyers.

He said the deputy, a seven-year veteran formerly assigned to the Antelope Valley sheriff’s station, is tentatively scheduled to be arraigned Oct. 6 in U.S. District Court.

The three-page indictment charges that Meyers was on duty when he “intentionally” used “unreasonable force” against Guillermo Soto during a medical examination in the emergency room of the Antelope Valley Medical Center by punching him in the face and pointing a pistol at him.

Neither federal authorities nor the Sheriff’s Department would give any other details of the March 20 incident.

In a prepared statement, Meyers’ defense attorney, Richard G. Hirsch, said it has been Meyers’ “lifelong ambition to be a deputy sheriff. He is devastated by the charges against him.”

Sgt. Steve Smith of the Antelope Valley station said Meyers had been relieved of duty. The department referred the case to the U.S. attorney after an investigation by the its Internal Criminal Investigation Bureau, he said.

Assistant U.S. Atty. Mike Gennaco called that action “unprecedented.” In the past, “cases that were investigated by the Sheriff’s Department were referred to the Los Angeles County district attorney to determine if the case would prosecuted,” he said.

But he said that by bringing the case to federal authorities, the Sheriff’s Department had entered “the beginning of a new relationship between state investigative authorities and federal prosecutors.”