A Black man claims he received an beating by Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies that left him with eye damage and other extensive facial injuries has filed a civil rights lawsuit against the county. The lawsuit filed last week in federal court in Los Angeles, Christopher Bailey claims that in May 2020, he was dragged out of his car during a traffic stop in Inglewood by two deputies and assaulted without any warning or reason according to The LA Times. Four other deputies joined in the beating as Bailey lay on the ground, according to the lawsuit.

Bailey, 37, had several teeth knocked out requiring multiple surgeries to repair fractures to his face, his lawyers said.  In an interview, Bailey says the assault has forced him to take a leave from his job at a private company that sorts mail for the U.S. Postal Service.

“It wasn’t justified and I want justice — to hold them accountable for what they did to me,” he said. In a statement, the Sheriff’s Department declined to answer questions about the alleged incident.

“All use-of-force incidents which result in injury are unfortunate,” the statement said. “Due to this pending litigation and under advice of counsel, we are unable to offer further details at this time.”

According to the lawsuit, on May 4, 2020, Bailey was driving home from work about 2 a.m. when he was stopped on Prairie Avenue for allegedly straddling the road’s lanes.

Two deputies allegedly pulled Bailey out of his car “and, without warning, proceeded to assault and batter” him, punching Bailey multiple times in the face and using a chokehold, according to the lawsuit.

Bailey was unarmed and had nothing in his pockets or hands, the lawsuit says.

Four other deputies came to the scene, punching Bailey’s face, abdomen and back, kicking him while he was on the ground and repeatedly tasing him with a stun gun, the lawsuit claims. The beating, the suit said, lasted several minutes. One of Bailey’s attorneys, Brian Dunn, says that after the incident, the L.A. County district attorney’s office, at the time was under Jackie Lacey, charged Bailey with three felony counts of resisting arrest. Along with two marijuana-related misdemeanors. A couple of the charges were recently dropped. Bailey pleaded no contest to and was found guilty of the other misdemeanor and a vehicle code violation. Another attorney for Bailey Toni Jaramilla, dismissed an allegation — which she says was included in a Sheriff’s Department report about the incident. The claim alleges Bailey moved his elbow backward when he was out of the car and struck one of the deputies in the head.

Bailey “complied with all directives,” Jaramilla said. The lawsuit claims Bailey never attempted to strike a deputy with any part of his body. Bailey’s lawyers sent The Times video recorded by a bystander, which they say shows Bailey face bleeding and eyes swollen and being lifted into an ambulance.

“He doesn’t even look human,” someone is heard saying on the video.

The lawsuit is looking for damages for battery, negligence and deprivations of civil rights based on excessive and unreasonable force according to the The Times. Jaramilla says Bailey’s defense team is calling for the district attorney’s office to file criminal charges against the deputies involved.

“We are aware of the case and are reviewing the allegations,” Alex Bastian, a special advisor to Dist. Atty. George Gascón said.

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