Five employees suspended in Orange County jail probe identified

SANTA ANA, Calif. — Five Orange County sheriff’s employees placed on paid leave in the wake of a jail inmate’s beating death include a deputy who allegedly watched TV during the assault by prisoners, one accused of lying in a shift log and one who allegedly misled a special criminal grand jury.

Acting Sheriff Jack Anderson said Tuesday that six sheriff’s personnel were suspended this week as a result of the probe, but sheriff’s officials said Wednesday that the total was actually five people.

The suspensions come after the district attorney released a report on the beating death of inmate John Chamberlain, 41. The computer technician was killed by inmates on Oct. 5, 2006, in an attack that lasted up to 50 minutes while deputies sat in a guard station a short distance away.

Nine inmates have been charged in the death, but no sheriff’s personnel have been charged.

Wayne Quint, president of the Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs, said he couldn’t comment because he had not reviewed the specific allegations against the suspended deputies. He said, however, that the union would likely represent the deputies.

Suspended were:

-Deputy Kevin Taylor, who allegedly watched the TV series “Cops” and sent 22 personal text messages during the assault.

-Deputy Jason Chapluk, who allegedly brought movies to work for guards to watch during their shifts.

-Special Officer Phillip Le, who allegedly entered false information into a jail shift log after Chamberlain’s death.

-Deputy Sonja Moreno, who allegedly lied under oath to the grand jury.

-Sheriff’s investigator Jose Armas, who allegedly pressured a deputy into revealing what she told the grand jury.

Anderson has said more deputies and staff will likely be suspended or disciplined during the department’s internal investigation.

The FBI agreed to review Chamberlain’s death after a meeting with Anderson and a representative for the U.S. attorney’s office Wednesday, said John McDonald, sheriff’s spokesman. The agency will decide whether to open a full investigation based on that review, he said.

source: http://www.sacbee.com/114/story/849808.html