*On March 20, 1991, grand jury indictments were handed down against Briseno, Koon, Wind, and Powell, the four policemenwho had been videotaped beating helpless mootorist Rodney King on march 3rd. The charges were assault with a deadly weapon and excessive use of force. The menfaced prison sentences of four to seven years. In addition, the public clamored for the resignation of Los Angeles Chief of Police Daryl Gates, and 11 other officers present at the event were under investigation y the L.A. County District Attorney's office, the Los Angeles Police Department's Internal Affairs division and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
defense attorneys fought to remove the trial from the emotionally charged atmosphere of Los Angeles, and in July 1991 the proceedings relocated to Simi Valley, 35 miles northwest of the city.Simi Valley is predominately white and middle-class, a fact reflected in the composition of the jury. Of 12 jurors, 10 were white, one was Latino and one Asian-American. Only two were under 40 years old.
During 29 days of testimony in April 1992, the Holliday videotape of the beating was played for the jury several times. Defense lawyers countered this by calling on law enforcement experts who stated that the actions of the accused were within L.A.P.D. guidelines. In addition, they claimed King was not "compliant," and therefore had forced police to subdue him. Suprisingly, the prosecutors didn't put King on the stand. During the trial, Briseno turned on his fellow officers and testified against them, but despite this, the jury aquitted for all four officers, angering many people in L.A. By late 1992, the men still faced federal civil rights violations charges. *Source: Card Back