Days after a Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputy agreed to plead guilty to beating a transgender man for flipping him off, at least eight colleagues have been relieved of duty amid the investigation into an alleged cover-up, the Los Angeles Times reports. Former Deputy Joseph Benza III of Corona was headed to a domestic violence call when he saw the gesture, abandoned the call and, instead, followed the victim — now identified by the Times as 23-year-old teacher Emmett Brock — to a 7-Eleven parking lot in Whittier. Surveillance video shows Benza throwing Brock to the ground without provocation. As Brock continued to struggle while screaming for help, Benza can be seen on top of him, holding him down and punching him in the head. The altercation lasted around three minutes before the teacher was cuffed and put into the deputy’s cruiser.   L.A. County deputy admits to assaulting, concussing trans man for rude gesture "In his plea agreement, Benza admitted that he lied to the FBI about the incident and alleged that numerous other deputies and sergeants helped obstruct the investigation and cover up the misconduct," the Times reports. Now, eight others have been relieved of duty, including multiple sergeants, the Times discovered. The FBI's investigation is ongoing. Extending your middle finger is considered free speech and is protected by the First Amendment.