officers - The Black Vault

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.• Reaction: Many cite videotape of~qng and ·3Sk~· -~
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:how jury could acq~it officers. A few voice satisfaction; :
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'By AMY WALLACE zation of truth.".~ : :·
and DAVID FERRELL
The verdicts drew ·fervent reac-
;TIMES STAFF WRITERS
tidn virtually everywhere. A Wide.:
~ ly outnumbered minority voice~
i Outrage and indignation swept satisfaction with the acquittals.
The city Wednesday as citizens rich Among them was Barbara Wil-
·and poor, black and white, strug- Iiams, who stood with friends out-
.gled to reconcile the acquittals of side the courthouse after the verl6ur
Los. Angel~s ~olice Dep~t- .. diet. exP~~~D..8 h~r s_ypP-Qrt for tlie
ment officers With the alarmmg, four LAPD officers. . ~­
-v~olent.images captured.on a l~te- . · "I'm glad they got off," she.said. 1
mgh~ Videotape. . "They did what they were ·trained
"If something in you can die, that to do:" . . . .··· .
something died," said the Rev. But overwhelming sentiment
Cecil L. Murray, who, like count- . ·against the acquittals poured forth
Jess others, sat spellbound before a· ;almost immediately-both in the
te~evision screen as verdicts were 'inner city and -in outlying, largely
;read that cleared the officers of white suburbs. Rose Brown, 43, of
:crimi.nal wrongdoing in last year's. Los Angeles, who drove to the Simi
·beating of black motorist Rodney Valley courthouse to hear the ver-
G. ~ing. · -diets, said: "I'm not only shocked,
Surrounded by a small group of but I'm hurt for Americans ·as a
.other clergymen in a basement people. . : . I don't think Rodney
meeting room of his First African King was on trial, but 1 think
Methodist Episcopal Church in :America was on trial." ·
South-Central Los Angeles, Mur- Brown then presaged the .viaray
could only close his eyes, \len.ce. ~hat would break out later in·
fighting back tears, and Jabel the parts of the ~ity, saying: "I am not
verdicts a tragedy. · ·given· to ·riot,··but you just watch.
"Not because it's unbelievable" Something's going to break."
he added, echoing the cynicism a~d .- Li,nda-}qhnso~ Phillips, another
bitterness that sprang from homes, ·Lo~ :~:~g;l~. r~sident who attended
-streets and meeting halls through- the ti'ial s fma~ day, ru,~hed. fr~I'fl
out L9s Angeles, "but because it is .the courtr?om tr:t te~s. The color
believable .... You think rational of your .skm determmes the degree
peOple will be at least semi-ration- bf j?,st~ce you get," she said ~~tteral.
You think civil people will be at ly. Its a shame ~at Amenca has
least semi-civil. But to come back ,gotten to the .pomt where people
~nd see them completely white- .believe what .~hey ·pear an.d. not
washing something that the whole what tlle;y _s~~· , ·., . . . ,.
world :Witness.ed-this is a brutali-
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(Indicate page, name of
newspaper, city and state.)
IDS Al\fGEI.ES TIMES
IDS ANGElES, CA
Oat~: THURS., 4/30/92
Edition: FRONT SECTION PAGE 1
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TiUe:
VERDICTS GREETED WITH
OUTRAGE AND DISBELIEF
Character: 44Aor
CIBssffication: 80-33B
SUbmitting Office:
LOS ANGELES
MAY 04 1992
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