The prosecution is called upon to present their witnesses for the court. Their first witness is George Holliday, the man who filmed the incident.
He claims that he was awoken by the sounds of police sirens and decided to video-tape the encounter outside his window with his new handheld video camera. The full video tape is shown in court, including sections that are difficult to make out due to being shaky or out of focus. He did not witness the beating itself, as he was on the ground with his hands restrained at the time.
His testimony is used by the defense to imply that King was high on PCP. California highway patrolwoman Melanie Singer is called up to testify, as she initiated the chase with King and made the initial arrest before the LAPD officers took over. She testifies that King was being somewhat uncooperative and did not appear to be taking the arrest seriously. It is at this point that Koon and his men arrive, and when King continues not to listen he uses a Taser on him.
She demonstrates the type of baton attack used by Powell against King, and Stone cross-examines her, calling certain aspects of her testimony into question. With its witnesses established, the prosecution then turns to establishing the attitudes and psychology of the four charged officers.
She testifies that she heard a conversation between Powell and King after the beating in which Powell apparently taunts King. An audio tape of Powell calling for an ambulance for King is played, and his audible laughter is used as evidence of inappropriate behavior. The prosecution also attempts to prove that Koon had a similar realization about the inappropriate use of force. The emergency room doctors who treated King, David Giannetto and Antonio Mancia, discuss the nature of the many injuries King sustained, but are unable to specifically link them to the baton attacks when cross-examined.
The prosecution passes its case without presenting a great deal of evidence against Wind or Bresino, and does not call King himself to the stand.
The defense begins its case, and the change of venue from Los Angeles County to Ventura County is discussed, including how it alters juror selection due to the vast differences in ethnic compositions between the two counties.
Koon is called to the stand and says that he immediately took King to be an ex-convict upon seeing his physique. With the jury expected to study the videotape over and over again during the trial, one juror selected Monday said he may find that task unpleasant. Along with the 12 jurors, six alternates were named to step in if any juror leaves the case. Five of those are women; all are white. King, Gates and cameraman George Holliday are among witnesses listed for the long-awaited trial.
It also is likely that several, if not all, of the defendants will testify. In addition to Briseno and Powell, Sgt. Stacey C. Koon and former Officer Timothy E. Wind are charged with assault. Koon and Powell also are charged with filing false reports on the beating.
Along with their testimony, the jurors will hear from numerous police Internal Affairs Division investigators and use-of-force experts, as well as residents of an apartment complex who were awakened last March 3 to the sound of police sirens and then watched as King was struck more than 50 times as more than a dozen officers stood by. Although defense lawyers had hoped that moving the trial to Ventura County would avoid problems created by intense media coverage, the monthlong jury selection process revealed that publicity was equally pervasive here.
Superior Court Judge Stanley M. Only three prospective jurors claimed to have never seen the videotape, which has been shown around the world. A fourth prospective juror, who is a reporter for the Thousand Oaks News-Chronicle and said he had read only one newspaper article about the King incident, was excused from the jury pool Monday.
The majority of the potential jurors also said they knew that Gates was under pressure to resign after the beating, but few said they remembered the work of the Christopher Commission and its recommendations on reforming the Police Department. During a series of daylong hearings in February, the 12 jurors chosen expressed evenly divided views on the King beating and the Los Angeles Police Department.
A year-old computer analyst from Thousand Oaks recalled vividly his opinion upon seeing the videotape of the beating. The defense appeals the denial of their motion. The California Court of Appeals unanimously grants the change of venue motion. The Court also takes the case from Judge Kamins because of an ex parte message he sent to prosecutors: "Don't panic.
You can trust me. He announces that the case will be heard beginning in February. A jury of ten whites, one Hispanic, and one Filipino-American is selected. Six jurors are male, six female. At P. Jury is unable to reach verdict on one charge against Powell.
About P. President George Bush announces that he has ordered the Department of Justice to investigate the possibility of filing charges against the LAPD officers for violating the federal civil rights of Rodney King.
A federal grand jury returns indictments against the four officers. Trial begins in the courtroom of Judge Davies on the charge of violating the civil rights of Rodney King. The federal jury convicts Koon and Powell on one charge of violating King's civil rights. Wind and Briseno are found not guilty.
No disturbances follow the verdict.
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