Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, April 17, 1993 TAG: 9304170335
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: LOS ANGELES LENGTH: Medium
KING TRIAL VERDICTS POSSIBLE JURY PLANS ANNOUNCEMENT; MAYOR PLEADS FOR PEACE
The jury deciding whether four policemen violated Rodney King's civil rights in his videotaped beating planned an announcement today. Police went on a citywide tactical alert, and churches held all-night prayer vigils in a neighborhood hit hard by last year's riots.It wasn't clear whether the federal jury would report a verdict or a deadlock.
Whatever the result, Mayor Tom Bradley said in a televised address to the city Friday night: "Let's all take a deep breath. Let's all keep cool . . . Keep the peace, because without it there can be no justice."
By day's end Friday, the jury had deliberated 40 hours over seven days. A state jury a year ago took 32 hours to acquit the same four officers of most assault charges in the King beating, verdicts that led to three days of deadly rioting.
Stanley Sheinbaum, a member of the city Police Commission, told The Associated Press he had been informed "there's going to be an announcement from the jury."
Asked if the jury would be returning a verdict, Sheinbaum said, "Is a hung jury a verdict?" Told that it was not, Sheinbaum would say only: "I assume it's going to be a result."
The jurors had gone back to the hotel where they are being sequestered at 4 p.m. The police tactical alert was declared at the same time, said Officer Francine Spada, a police spokeswoman. Officers on duty can't go home until the alert is canceled.
Bradley said the jurors asked to return to court today at 7 a.m. That's 90 minutes earlier than they usually meet. There was no indication why they wanted to come in early.
A police department source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said all of the city's police officers were told to report for duty at 6 a.m. today.
On Friday night, the Police Academy alongside Dodger Stadium was transformed into a staging area for officers and scores of squad cars. At station houses, officers carrying bulletproof vests reported to duty, and lookouts were positioned on station roofs.
National Guard troops also have been standing by all week at armories.
In his brief address, Bradley added a stern message to his plea for peace: "To those who may be itching for an excuse to harm our neighbors, I have this warning: You will not get away with it, so don't even try."
Other community leaders also urged calm.
"Be cool," said the Rev. Cecil Murray of First AME Church in South Central Los Angeles, scene of some of the worst rioting last year.
Murray and others planned an all-night vigil at the church. He said people remained calm and smiling, "but the bottom lips tremble a little bit."
At True Vine Baptist Church in Lynwood near South Central, ministers Carl Washington and John Hopkins began calling congregation members to come to a nightlong prayer vigil.
"We'll be here all night so that hopefully we can start off in the morning with some calm and peace in this community," Hopkins said.
Harland Braun, an attorney for one of the four officers, said he couldn't comment on the jury's expected announcement because "I've been sworn to secrecy."