Alejandro Franco v. Michael Gennaco, et al.

Alejandro Franco sued Davie Chang, Anthony Pimentel and Kris Cordova on civil rights violations theories under 42 U.S.C. 1983 claiming that Defendants violated his civil rights when they pepper sprayed him with pepper spray when he was a jail inmate in the Los Angeles County jail. Plaintiff contended that the deputies tortured him for having complained about dirty laundry. Plaintiff claimed that the deputies handcuffed him, removed him from his cell in his underwear, and took him to a secluded exercise room. There, they punched him repeatedly in the face, ripped his shirt, and when he refused to apologize to the deputies, they pinned him on the floor, pulled down his boxer shorts, and pepper-sprayed his anus and testicles.



When the deputies took the witness stand during trial, they asserted their right against self-incrimination and refused to answer any question.



A sergeant who investigated the incident testified that he found several inmates who confirmed Plaintiff's account of having been taken away in handcuffs and who confirmed that when Plaintiff was brought back to his cell he had a ripped shirt and injuries on his face.



Defendants' defense focused on Plaintiff injuries and they asserted that Plaintiff's psychological injuries were pre-existing and/or caused by other traumatic events in his life.

Plaintiff's verdict for $405,000.00.

Jeffrey Whiting, Ph.D., Santa Monica, California, psychology

Ted D. Evans, Ph.D., Encino, Californa