officers - The Black Vault

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charge of assault under color of authe
indktment as "unconscionable thority, said(,Wednesday he is inno-
evening.
No violence related to the indictments
was reported as of Wednesd
cent of the charges.
a,n immoral," motivated by poli- "I didn't do anything wrong," day afternoon,. an LAPD spokesman
said.
tiCS.
Baird insisted politics played no Powell said. "I can't believe they're
role in the indictments, saying the doing this again to me. I did what I Investigation continues
case is being handled by career was supposed to do in that situapros~cutors
"who have absolutely tion." Baird said the investigation was '
no· political stake in this whatsoev- Briseno said the indictment was continuing and that other indicter.·~
, .unexpected. ments were "very likely" but she
The indictment accuses Powell, "Very surprising," Briseno told declined to comment on specifics
Briseno and Wind of acting under reporters gathered outside the fed-. of the case or evidence.
color of authority to "willfully eral courthouse. "Definitely not Stone said Powell's defense
strike with batons, kick and stomp ready for them." would be the same.
Baird said the officers were invit- "I don't see this case as any difo
d ney R
bodily injury"
Gl en King,
and
...
depriving
resulting
him
in
e
d
to surrender to authorities today ferent from any other police use of
of his civil rights. in Federal District Court in Los force case," Stone said. "It's simply
A second count accuses·Koon- Angeles, and an arraignment has a question of use of force and
the supervising officer at the scene been scheduled for Monday. whether or not it is reasonable."
of the March 3, 199l beating _ of The officers are expected to be Mounger also denounced the inpermitting
the other three officers released on· personal recognizance dictments.
to beat King and violate King's ci- guarantees. "I understand the politics about
vii rights. . Powell was seen entering the it, but I don't think it's legally cor-
If convicted, each officer faces up courthouse-Wednesday to talk to a rect or morally correct," Mounger
·to 10 years in prison and a pretrial services representative. A said. "This was a case of a police
$250,000 fine, prosecutors said. pretrial services official declined to officer trying to arrest a suspect .... ;
Stage set for trial
comment on the meeting; but and it was within th~ par~meters. of i
Powell's lawyer, Michael P. Stone, th~ law. For th~m tcr ~~~rge him!
The federal indictment .sets the said his client was hoping to ar- twiCe·- once m stat~ court and.
' stage for a reprise· of a v entui:~ range a release on his own recogni- ·again in federal court- is uricori-.
1 1
County Superior Court trial that' zance. scionable and immorill~'; ~' ' ·' •
cleared the officers on 10 of 11 Koon's ~tto.rne.y, Darryl E. Charlie Parsons, agent-i'n,-cJtarge
criminal charges and sparked three · Mounger, sa1d hts chent would sur- of the FBI's Los Angeles office said
· days of rioting that left 60 dead and render .today. Attorneys for Wind . as many as 17'FBI agents have' bee~
caused more than $800 million in and Bns~no could not be reac~ed .working on the King case·full time!
· damage. for comment. since it was revived after the not- 1
·;'.'There will be· some optimism ~odney King was at a friend's· -guilty·verdicts.. . .·~;;·.