Back in The Dock

Prosecutors got a second chance last week in Los Angeles. In a move reminiscent of the 1960s, the Federal Government handed down indictments against the four police officers whose acquittals last April set off the worst riots in two decades. As expected, they are charged with violating King’s civil rights when they arrested him on the night of March 3, 1991.

Three of the men, Los Angeles police department officers Theodore Briseno, Timothy Wind and Laurence Powell, were charged with willfully using unreasonable force. A second count accuses Sergeant Stacey Koon, the supervising officer at the scene, of failing to prevent the assault. The trial date will be set at their arraignment hearing.

The federal case faces the same challenges as the state trial, including the tendency of jurors to sympathize with police officers dealing with events in the line of duty. And while the indictments brought a brief moment of satisfaction to the still-recovering community, Angelenos are already worrying about the consequences of yet another acquittal and whether the prolonged legal process will be worth it. (See related story on page 43.)