PROSPECTIVE JURORS SAY KING SHOULD TESTIFY

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, February 18, 1993                   TAG: 9302180076
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: LOS ANGELES                                LENGTH: Short
PROSPECTIVE JURORS SAY KING SHOULD TESTIFY
Several prospective jurors in the federal trial of the Rodney King case said Wednesday they think the black motorist should have testified during an earlier state trial about his beating by white policemen.
"I feel if Rodney King had testified, the riots and everything might not have happened because they would have been able to hear Rodney King's side and tell if he was telling the truth," said a black woman prospect.
"I wouldn't have been so shocked and surprised at the verdicts," she said.
The comments came as defense lawyer Michael Stone asked the 12 prospective jurors whether they thought prosecutors in the earlier trial "did not use their best efforts to win a conviction."
A male prospect said, "Rodney King was not called as a witness. . . . I appreciate that he's going to be presented in this trial."
Prosecutors told jurors Tuesday to expect an appearance by King.
The responses came in the second day of jury questioning in the civil rights trial of Officers Laurence Powell, Theodore Briseno and Timothy Wind and Sgt. Stacey Koon. The four are charged in the Mar. 3, 1991, beating that was videotaped and broadcast nationwide. Their acquittals on most charges in a state trial last spring triggered deadly riots.
Some panelists said they feared new riots if the officers are acquitted but insisted it wouldn't affect their judgment.

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB