The State - News from July 29, 1988

Attorneys representing five Mexican nationals who were allegedly beaten by San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies in Victorville filed a $15-million lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, accusing Sheriff Floyd Tidwell and the deputies of a conspiracy to “cover up the incident.” The lawsuit, filed by attorneys Stephen Yagman and Carlos Juarez, also accuses the deputies involved in the incident, which occurred June 30 and was videotaped by an unidentified witness, of using excessive force. “We have evidence of a cover-up,” said Yagman, who declined to elaborate. Tidwell has said that an internal investigation cleared his deputies of misconduct.