FBI probes civil rights abuse in LA County jails

Federal authorities are targeting the country's largest jail system, even smuggling a cellphone into one facility so an inmate could gather information for FBI agents.

"What we learned is that the FBI, unbeknownst to the Sheriff's department, snuck a cellphone into Men's Central jail in downtown Los Angeles to an inmate informant.. who is believed to have been sharing reports from inside," the L.A. Times' Robert Faturechi told KPCC.

The investigation is one among several the FBI has undertaken recently into the workings of the Sheriff's Dept., including an investigation into an inmate's claim that he had a racist slur etched into his scalp, and that of an A.C.L.U. monitor who says she witnessed guards beating an inmate unconscious.

"What we've seen for years is that there're tons of allegations that come out of the jails," Faturechi said. "They're often hard to substantiate one way or another because you've got a deputy's word against an inmate's and obviously a deputy brings more credibility, and rarely are there independent witnesses."