LOS ANGELES (AP) - The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected an effort by Los Angeles County to prevent Sheriff Lee Baca from being sued by a man who claims he was stabbed 23 times while jailed.

The Los Angeles Times (http://lat.ms/IolQWj ) says Baca's appeal was rejected without comment Monday.

County lawyers argued that Baca couldn't be held personally responsible for the 2006 attack because he had no personal involvement.

The high court, however, let stand a lower court ruling that said Baca could be sued on grounds that he knew about such violence and didn't try to stop it.

Dion Starr sued Baca and jail deputies, claiming that Latino gang members stabbed him at the downtown Men's Central Jail and that a guard kicked him in the face. [MORE]