O.C. sheriff's investigation finds no evidence of cat Tasering

A necropsy found no evidence that Orange County sheriff's deputies at Theo Lacy Jail used a stun gun on a cat, the Times' Stuart Pfeifer reports:

Orange County sheriff's officials have found no evidence to prove that deputies used a Taser electric stun weapon on a stray cat at the Theo Lacy jail in Orange, a spokesman said today.

Last month, the department disclosed that it was investigating inmate reports that deputies had shocked a cat with a Taser and that the decomposed carcass of a cat was found on the jail grounds.

Two newly hired deputies who had been assigned to Theo Lacy were discharged from the department after the investigation began, but there was no indication that their termination was related to horseplay with the Taser.

Deputies Joseph E. Mirander and Duy X. Tran each ended their employment with the Sheriff's Department on April 17, county personnel records show. Both had been assigned to Theo Lacy.

The department has been under fire recently for its treatment of inmates and its use of Tasers.

Sheriff's Deputy Jason Chapluk testified to a grand jury in August that the "Tased and Confused" episode of the TV program "Cops," in which officers use Tasers on suspects, was a favorite for deputies to watch on the job at the jail.

--Tony Barboza