*A controversial post-trial plea deal could allow a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy, convicted of using excessive force, to avoid jail time entirely, reigniting tensions around accountability and justice in law enforcement.
According to ABC 7, Deputy Trevor James Kirk was found guilty in February of felony deprivation of civil rights after body cam footage showed him violently slamming Jacy Houseton (a Black woman) to the ground outside a Lancaster supermarket nearly two years ago. The altercation followed a shoplifting investigation at a Winco grocery store, and the disturbing footage played a central role in the jury’s decision to convict him.
Civil rights attorney Caree Harper emphasized the weight of the verdict: “The jury found that Trevor Kirk was guilty of a felony — felony deprivation of civil rights,” he said at a rally on Tuesday. That conviction carries a maximum sentence of up to 10 years under federal sentencing guidelines.
Despite the conviction, Interim U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, appointed during the Trump administration, has moved to reduce the charge. Essayli is now offering Kirk a plea deal that would downgrade the felony to a misdemeanor. According to Harper, this legal maneuver is highly irregular and arguably unlawful.
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“What the U.S. attorney is proposing and has already filed is an unorthodox — and we argue, an illegal — document to give him a post-trial plea bargain of a misdemeanor,” Harper said.
The proposed deal would cut Kirk’s potential sentence from a decade to just one year, or possibly no jail time at all. Prosecutors have reportedly signaled a willingness to recommend probation. But critics warn the implications go far beyond sentencing.
“People, a misdemeanor gives him his badge back,” Harper noted. Activist Waunette Cullors was more direct: “They are already looking to make this a misdemeanor, put him back on the street, someone that blatantly beats a Black woman at 3 o’clock in the afternoon.”
The plea deal has triggered backlash within the community but found support among some members of law enforcement. Over 20 sheriff’s stations have reportedly rallied behind Kirk, claiming the conviction was unjust and has rattled the department.
Defense attorney Tom Yu dismissed race as a factor in the prosecution, stating: “I think the race card is abused by a lot of people. I think there are racism in this country, like any other country. It is the best country in the world, I’m going to die for it, but I think it is abused by a lot of radical groups.”
Yu further argued the plea deal was always an option, not a reaction to the verdict.
“Offered Deputy Kirk a misdemeanor, no jail time, offer. That was offered in December of 2024, two months before the trial,” he said. “So this was always on the table, and I want the viewers to understand that.”
During a sentencing hearing on Monday, a federal judge listened to arguments regarding Deputy Trevor Kirk’s proposed plea deal but did not issue a decision, My LA News reports. The agreement, which must be approved by U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson, would replace the jury’s felony conviction with a misdemeanor. Prosecutors have indicated they would support a sentence of probation and a fine if the deal goes through. Judge Wilson is expected to release a written decision later this week.
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