officers - The Black Vault

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Department. He has not changed this view in light of
the King case.
"We still feel that his is a powerful story with
national appeal," Applebaum said this week. "He was
controversial before this incident. He obviously is no
lesssonow." ·
There has been no discussion, Applebaum said,
about rushing the book into print. He said the
autobiography will be published in 1992 at the earliest.
Despite Bantam's optimism, New York literary
agent David Vigliano and others predicted that the
publisher would have to reconsider .,its contract if
Gates is driven from office. ·
"If it doesn't kill the book, it makes it very difficult
.for .him to have the kind of bestseller he would have if
lie were to survive the pressure and land on his feet,"
Vigliano said.
Several literary agents said that in order to sell, the
book must deal with the King incident and police
brutality -and, in fact, this episode might eventually
make for a hotter commodity. The controversy already
has generated an enormous amount of national
publicity for Gates-almost none of it positive-but-a
widely recognized name is almost a requirement for a
successful autobiography. ·
"I'm sure the story he had to tell is very different
\ than the story he is going to have to tell," said West
·Coast agent Frederick Hill, president of Frederick Hill
Associates. "I think a book on [the King] story is going
to be a hell of a lot more interesting than a book on his
life."
Gates and Bantam negotiated an advance ."in the
ballpark" of $300,000, police spokesman William Booth
confirmed in December. Earlier this month, Gates
reported on financial disclosure forms that he had
received $35,000 from Bantam in 1990. The 64-yearold
chief is paid a $168,000-a-year salary and will
receive an annual pension of $117,000 when he retires."
Under standard book contract language, Gates
would get future advances as he submits material to
Bantam, which would have the option of rejecting the
book at any time, according to sources in the
publishing industry. The book will cover major events
.. since Gates joined the Police Department 42 years ag9,
including his experiences as a field commander during
the Watts riots, Booth said.
Publishing sources agreed that the best way for
Gates to produce a bestseller will be to remain as chief
and reflect on ways he tried to turn around the
department a year later. ·
"In so many ways, this controversy is going to
. damage his image," said Michael Hamilburg, a Los
Angeles literary agent. "But he could turn it into a
plus, especially if he rides it out. If people conceive of
· him as a law ~d order guy who stands up to the world
of crime no matter what has happened •.• he is going
to be a hero like Ollie North.''