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Page 2 NEWS May 1, 1993 Local Leaders Feel Justice Was Served In 2nd Trial By Jayme L. Bradford News Editor Atlanta’s local com munity leaders had mixed emotions over the the Rodney King verdict announced on Saturday, April 17th. Two of the Los An geles police officers were found guilty of federal civil rights vio lations in the video taped beating of King, a black motorist. The two other officers were acquitted of all charges. Sgt. Stacey Koon, the supervising officer at the scene of the beating, was con victed of violating King’s civil rights. Officer Laurence Powell was also con victed for violating King’s civil rights for delivering most of the baton blows. Officer Theodore Briseno and rookie of ficer Timothy Wind were acquitted. Wind was fired after the in cident. Briseno was shown stomping on King at one point, but claimed that he tried to stop the beating. Wind was not shown taking a major role in the at tack. The federal grand jury reached a verdict on Friday afternoon after 40 hours of de liberation. The U.S. District Court Judge, John G. Davies sealed the verdict overnight. “The answer to vio lence is never more violence. Justice has been done in the case of Koon and Powell. America heard and heeded the wake up call,” said Atlanta Mayor, Maynard Jackson. Jackson also said that the students and community leader ship were prepared if the verdict was unfa vorable. lent throughout,” said Jamal Bryant, a Morehouse College student. However, Bryant said that he does not want the ver dict to be forgotten. According to Mayor Jackson, there are only a few police that abuse their power against the many that do the right thing. The officers beat King, 28, after stop ping him for a traffic offense. A neighbor videotaped the beat ing and it was broad casted worldwide. The two convicted officers face up to 10 years in prison and $250,000 in fines. Sentencing will occur on August 4. According to Dr. Joesph Lowry, presi dent of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), the verdict was calm ing, but he said he regrets that Briseno and Wind were not convicted. “The ver dict sends a message that police are to serve as our protectors in stead of our prosecu tors. Police are not to be the judges, juries and executors.” Lowry said the only thing unique about the King incident was the videocamera. “This is a partial re demption of the crimi nal justice system.” In addition, Lowry said that disparities in sentencing must be eliminated. He said he would hate to think about how cynical the system would be if the officers were acquit ted again. Mayor Jackson at tributed the uprising in Los Angeles over the first King verdict to bad government. He said that Los Angeles' mayor, Tom Bradley was cut off from hav ing control over the police department. ., TERESA EDWARDS 3-TIME OLYMPIAN U.S. WOMEN'S BASKETBALL Heating the guys hack in the neighborhood when I was a hid WE RE PROUD THIS CHAMPION made me think I was pretty goo d. But at t h e s a m e time, I WORE CHAMPION FOR THE U S A. always knew it s not about how good I am, hut how good / can he.^^ IN THE 1992 SUMMER GAMES. No violent response was planned to the verdict, according to student represenatives from the AUC, Geor gia State and Emory. “We cannot say ex actly what the plan is, but it will be non-vio- In sports, in life and in our clothes, it takes a little more to make a Champion'.