[quote=svelte][quote=CA renter]
(wrt Rodney King)
…Under no circumstances was the coverage of that case balanced in any way. While I agree that there are horrific cases of unjustifiable police brutality, this was not one of them, IMHO.
[/quote]
From Wikipedia:
After the riots, the United States Department of Justice reinstated the investigation and obtained an indictment of violations of federal civil rights against the four officers. The federal trial focused more on the evidence as to the training of officers instead of just relying on the videotape of the incident… The jury found Officer Laurence Powell and Sergeant Stacey Koon guilty, and they were subsequently sentenced to 30 months in prison, while Timothy Wind and Theodore Briseño were acquitted of all charges.
In other words, CA Renter, you are saying the conviction of the police in court was wrong.
And while I absolutely agree that the rioters should be held accountable also, law officers are granted special status and protection under the law (as they should) and with that comes a higher standard for their behavior.[/quote]
Yes, absolutely, I belive the conviction was wrong. This trial was 100% political, and came about as a result of the riots. I agree with the verdicts in the Simi Valley trial, not this one where everyone and everything was emotionally charged as a result of thousands of thugs who were hell-bent on destroying LA and destroying any possibility of these officers getting a fair trial.
Everybody knew full well that the jury had no choice but to find them guilty, or there would be another riot on their hands.
Don’t get me wrong, I believe some of the officers used extreme force, probably more force than I would have liked; but given the circumstances, they did not act criminally, IMHO.
