The trial is underway for two former Santa Barbara County Jail guards allegedly caught on camera assaulting an inmate.
Christopher Johnson and Robert Kirsch were indicted on federal excessive force and obstruction of justice charges last year shortly after the Sheriff's Office concluded an internal investigation and fired the two from their custody deputy positions. Johnson and Kirsch, who face prison time if convicted, have pleaded not guilty. The trial began Tuesday in Los Angeles and is expected to conclude Thursday.
In their pre-trial memo, prosecutors say that on June 17, 2013, inmate Charles Owens and Johnson had an argument over Owens's day room time. The verbal confrontation escalated to the point that Johnson decided to move Owens to a different holding cell. He was assisted by Kirsch. Owens reportedly continued to mouth-off at the deputies as they walked to another part of the jail.