LA Deputy Gets Four Month Force Sentence, His Victim Appeals

An L.A. sheriff’s deputy, whose felony excessive force conviction was lowered to a misdemeanor after a push from new US Attorney Bill Essayli, was sentenced to four months in prison.

Trevor Kirk’s case galvanized deputies and became one of Trump-appointed Essayli’s highest-profile position switches since he took office April.

Essayli’s lawyers convinced US District Court for the Central District of California Judge Stephen V. Wilson on May 28 to drop the felony aspects of Kirk’s verdict, leaving him convicted for a misdemeanor. He was sentenced Monday.

Wilson denied Essayli and Kirk’s attempt at a post-verdict plea deal in which Kirk ...