The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department on Monday identified the deputies involved in the arrest and beating of an Apple Valley man that was caught on video in April.
The deputies were attempting to serve a search warrant on April 9 when 30-year-old Francis Pusok fled on foot, and then on horseback.
Helicopter footage from KNBC captured the end of the chase, showing Pusok fall off his horse before sheriff’s deputies used a Taser and beat him, appearing to both kick and punch him repeatedly.
The 10 officials involved in the beating were identified in a San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department news release as Sgt. James Evans, deputies Nicholas Downey, Scott Hamilton, David Moore, Dominic Moody, Michael Phelps, Raymond Perez, Tyler McGee, Charles Foster, and Detective William Doemner.
Following the beating, the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to pay Pusok $650,000.
“The sole purpose of this agreement for both parties is to avoid the costs involved in litigation,” board Chairman James Ramos said in a statement at the time of the vote. “This agreement is a fair outcome for everyone involved, including the taxpayers.”
All of the personnel named by the Sheriff’s Department remain on paid administrative as criminal and administrative investigations continued, according to Monday’s news release.
The deputies’ union issued a statement in response to the department’s release of the names, saying the union had “no role” in making the identities public.
The Safety Employee Benefits Association, which represents 3,400 sworn peace officers in San Bernardino County, was providing financial assistance for legal representation for the deputies, according to the statement. The association said it would not release the names of the deputies that planned to use the funds.
“Our job as a union is to support each and every member,” said association President Laren Leichliter. “It is our duty to ensure our members have the same right to legal representation – and the notion of being innocent until proven guilty – as any private citizen would.”
KTLA’s Melissa Pamer contributed to this story.
