Los Angeles, February 2, 2016 - George Hofstetter President of the Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs (ALADS) issued the following statement regarding the acquittal of Deputies Joey Aguiar and Mariano Ramirez who were charged in a four-count federal indictment with kicking former inmate Bret Phillips in the head and upper body, striking him with a flashlight and pepper-spraying him in the face.

"We are mystified by how the jury, upon finding the deputies not guilty of conspiracy, and not finding them guilty of extensive use of force, nonetheless concluded that the deputies filed a false police report regarding the incident. We are confident that their attorneys will explore these inconsistencies as court proceedings continue."

ALADS is the collective bargaining agent and represents more than 8,200 deputy sheriffs and district attorney investigators working in Los Angeles County. George can be at [email protected]