Puerto Rico jury convicts 4 police officers of federal civil rights charges in beating death

4 Puerto Rico police officers convicted in beating

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — A jury in U.S. federal court has convicted four Puerto Rican police officers in the beating death of a man in their custody.

The victim, Jose Antonio Rivera Robles, was beaten to death at a gas station in July 2003 after he reportedly stole a police car.

The officers from the San Juan police department were convicted Thursday on charges including felony civil rights offenses and obstruction of justice.

The four defendants — Aaron Vidal Maldonado, Juan Morales Rosales, Carlos Pagan Ferrer and Jose Pacheco Cruz — face sentences of 10 years to life in prison.

Two other officers previously pleaded guilty to felony federal civil rights charges in the case and are to be sentenced next month.