St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Randy Smith is defending the five deputies who are accused of beating a military veteran in January, saying that they followed protocol during the incident, including the agency's policy on use of force.

Chris Cambre, a 48-year-old Pearl River resident, said he was severely beaten, tased and handcuffed by the deputies on the night of Jan. 21, when law enforcement officials came to check on him at his trailer.