The jury in the federal civil rights trial involving Iberia Parish Sheriff Louis Ackal have returned not guilty verdicts.

According to our news partners at KATC, the verdict was delivered this afternoon at the federal courthouse in Shreveport following the five-day trial.

Ackal was on trial on charges of conspiracy against civil rights, deprivation of rights and conspiracy to abuse and obstruct. He and several former employees were accused in a series of inmate beatings that occurred in the chapel of the Iberia Parish jail--where no surveillance cameras are found.

Nine former employees of the sheriff have previously pleaded guilty for inmates beatings.

Several of those former employees testified against Ackal saying that the sheriff ordered the beatings and told them, "they could beat anybody they wanted."

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