officers - The Black Vault

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"I think that this action is going
to help bring about a sense ·or
confidence on the part of the
people that this system is now
working;" Mayor Tom Bradley
said. "They want to see it pursued full time on the investigation of the
to the end.:' . . King beating since the not guilty
But retired Police Chief Daryl F. verdicts were handed down in state
Gates said the federal govern- ~ourt. .
ment's decision to indict the offi- "This is not a normal· case,"
cers was a misuse of the civil rights Parsons. said. "This case has had a
law and risked making .martyi's out profound' ·effect on law e!lforce-·
of the four meri. ·
ment. It's had a profound effect on
"If~,_dump, dumb, dumb," Gates the community. It caused a riot."
said~~I:can't tell you how dumb it In t~e wake of that riot, many
is for lhe federal governlllent t~ go local }!~~ders criticized· Dist.. A tty;
forwardw'ith this." . · . · · Jra .:nejner for. failing to win. con-
Gates~. successor, Police Chief ·victions against the officers. His­
Willi~ L. Williams, declined to torically, ·federal civil rights laws
comment. . oftei:t have been used to charge 1
Most of . the officers and their officers who escaped vigorous local. j
lawyers could not be reached for prosecutions, most notably .in t~~ ,
comm~nt. But Michael P. Ston~. Deep South. ·I
Pov:e~rs.lawyer,' held.~· morning.,·. On Wednesday, however, Bah:d: . · · . . · -
news;;.co:nference '::mg said h~. El$(..:.: • said thefede~l.government!s ~eCi~
"Ldon~t think thei'e's·any ques:.· I
pects that his cl~ent will be ~cquit- ·sion to seek indictments was not ; ti!>.n that for the prose~uUc:>P.: .t6/li'Et.j
ted if·jurQrs can. be persuaded; to . meant as a challenge to the district
.successftil.tli~~ilpe, they V!W.)i~ve·.
focus on th~ evidence'in th'e cruie: A:·:·· attorney. · . . to caQ. Rodney King~ a witness, "
,pale .and drawn Powell stood next . "There has been and is. a very::, ·;~~~J.ilai).;-,s~d~ ... ~'~d: h~ looks fqr- .;
to ~-~ttorpey and reiterated that significant ·federal interest. fro~·· . F~~~ar pi'~secutor~ .• ~o~t!.: -p~t I
• J< up," B~d srud. "The return of thts·\ .. comment Qn whether'}4eY woUld :
"What can I say?. I'm ·not reed indictm:e~t is no in?icf:ment agairis~ call. ID.~~~. bti~.}lieY: ~~·,re~~Wffi.g ;
· · . happy ahount;·but-I know ' .the· efforts of the district attorney's the earlier case (or tdeas·.on-l:iow to ,
I didn't do anything wrong ·so } . office." . c9np4ct pus. 'one. Ait}iQugii't'· t98,~ J'
can't believe they're noing, this . · Prosecutors fl,'om the two offices giyes'the~ ari advantage;·they(.?}S.9·
again to ~e." Powell S;lid. "But :I .. were planning to meet this week to .. fac.e a to'!gl).~r:.b~de.n·tliis.tim~~.· :'._
still stand by the Jact that'! diQn't" , discuss ijle· cases and to figure out · f'tcite pro~~ctito.rs needed·onlY to I
do anything wrong. I .just did what· bow to proceed against Powell. A · show' that excessive force w~ used
I was supposed to do." · state trial date of Oct. 19 has been against King; but their federal
ProsectJtors, however, said they set for Powell's retrial on the counterp;irts need to show that the
1
have reviewed the evidence and· remaining.count of excessive force offi~ers not qnly deprived King of
believe they have a strong case.. . under color of authority, but might. , his c~vil rights but that they ,".willt I
"Th~ federal grand jury .evii;lence be delayed or even ·precluded by ; fully"