The Los Angeles County sheriff on Tuesday questioned charges he arranged a concealment of an episode where a delegate stooped on a bound prisoner’s head and said a Los Angeles Times columnist who utilized spilled archives and video to initially give an account of the case is essential for his criminal examination.

The paper’s top editor condemned Sheriff Alex Villanueva’s action, calling it an illegal “attempt to criminalize news reporting.”

“Sheriff Alex Villanueva’s assault on Alene Tchekmedyian’s First Amendment freedoms for doing newsworthy providing details regarding a video that showed a representative stooping on a cuffed prisoner’s head is silly,” Executive Editor Kevin Merida said in an articulation. “We will vivaciously safeguard Tchekmedyian’s and the Los Angeles Times’ freedoms in any procedure or examination brought by specialists.”

The video shows Deputy Douglas Johnson directing inmate Enzo Escalante to move up against a wall in the courthouse. Escalante swings at Johnson and punches him repeatedly in the face. Three other deputies help Johnson wrestle Escalante to the ground and handcuff him.

Johnson was removed from duty months later and is under criminal investigation, Villanueva said during Tuesday’s news conference. No charges have been filed against the deputy.

Escalante has argued not blameworthy to two counts of opposing an official. He is being addressed by the public safeguard’s office, which didn’t promptly answer a solicitation for input. Escalante has recorded a government claim against individuals from the sheriff’s specialty, including Villanueva, that charges his social liberties were abused.