LOS ANGELES
A Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy has been charged with altering evidence where she allegedly assaulted a man during an arrest in Lancaster two years ago.
“Tampering or destroying evidence tarnishes law enforcement and creates mistrust among the public,” District Attorney George Gascón said.
Nicole Bell, 27, was charged with one felony count each of accessing and altering computer data without permission, altering, planting or concealing evidence as a peace officer and assault by an officer.
On July 30, 2019, the defendant responded to a call in Lancaster. Bell is accused of assaulting a man while he sat in the back of a patrol vehicle.
A family member recorded some of the incident on a cell phone and Bell allegedly deleted the video from the phone, according to the District Attorney’s Office
The case remains under investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.