officers - The Black Vault

... FD·35CHRev. 5·8·81)
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.Crowd turns out
to support Gates
Chief says airing of video may prevent fair trial
LOS ANGELES (AP)..:... Chief
·Daryl F. Gates urged televjsion
.stations to stop showing a videotape
of police officers beating
an unarmed black man, saying
it will prevent those charged in
the case from receiving a fair
trial.
During a rally outside the
Police Academy Sunday, Gates
condemned repeated airing of
·the videotape, which shows
·white officers savagely beating
Rodney King, 25, with nightsticks
after stopping him for an
alleged speeding violation.
Three white police officers
and a sergeant face felony assault
charges in the March 3
incident, which prompted a-federal
probe of the department.
, "They cannot have a fair trial
if the tape continues to be
played," Gates said.
Gates told the cheering
throng he would not bow to civil
rights groups that have demanded
his resignation.
"When I do decide to retire, it
will be because I can no longer
take that flag and present it to a
wife or husband or little kids
Ieft behind because a mother or
father (police officer) was shot
down by criminals. But I guarantee
you it is not now," Gates
.said.
:· Speakers at the rally included
civil rights attorney Gloria
The Asst~ciated
Nearly 2,000 people voiced
their support for Chief Gat~s
at the rally.
Allred and actor Chad Everett.
The chiefs own remarks were
interrupted several times by
chants of "Gates Must Stay."
Demonstrators carried banners
and signs in red, white and
blue, reading "Proud to be
LAPD."
Civil rights activist · Allred
said Gates should not step down
without due cause.
"He deserves more than a
lynch-mob mentality that says
Chief Gates is guilty," she said.
Meanwhile, the FBI plans to
question all 200 officers at the
NEWS CHRONICLE
D~~ . 25 1991
Edition: MON • ' MAR '
FRONT SECTION, PAGE 3
Title: CROWD TURNS OUT TO SUPPOR
GATES
Character:
or
Classification:
Submitting Office:
LOS ANGELES
Indexing:
8 0-3 3 B
SEARCHED INDEXED ___ 1
SERIAUZEO FILEO·----I
MAR 28 1991
FBI -
LOS ANGELES
police station where the four
officers charged in the vicious
beating are based, a police
spokesman said.
Gates on Friday ordered personnel
at the Foothill Division
to cooperate with the FBI,
which is seeking to determine if
a pattern of civil rights abuses
·exists, said Lt Fred Nixon.
FBI spokesman Jim Nielson
refused comment Sunday except
to say, "We are conducting
an investigation of allegations
of violations of civil rights."
,.. '~ " "- • '~ •• #.
· '].'he Los Angeles Police Protective
League advised officers
they have the right to have an
attorney present during FBI
questioning and should tell.FBI
agents they are cooperating
"under duress," according to a
union statement.
"The sole purpose of these
interviews is to prosecute police
officers," the union said.
Lt. George Aliano, the
league's president, said that
despite the leg~I advice, the
union welcomed the FBI inves-
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