Iberia Parish Sheriff Louis Ackal, who was accused of encouraging or ignoring the beatings of black jail inmates was acquitted on federal civil rights charges Friday.
Ackal said: Â “When they said that I was not guilty on all four counts, it was a great relief. Â It told me that the jury listened to my attorney.”
His charges included counts of conspiracy, deprivation of civil rights and obstruction of justice.  A prosecutor told the court that Ackal condoned and encouraged excessive force and had no regard for the black community in Iberia Parish.
Jurors heard from some of the ten deputies who pleaded guilty in the case. Â They described beating suspects and inmates and said Ackal knew of their actions and never disciplined them.
Ackals lawyer said that the abuses described were the work of members of a rogue narcotics unit.  He told jurors that the deputies’ claims against Ackal were not credible because deputies had taken plea deals after making false statements before grand juries or in depositions.
Ackal said: “I was hurt because these were some of the guys that I considered to be friends. They were not friends. They were users.”
Ackal’s attorney told the jury that nobody testified Ackal “laid a finger on anyone.”
The case was tried in federal court.
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