Rodney King Deja Vu

http://www.abcnews.go.com/wire/US/ap20040624_278.html

LOS ANGELES June 24, 2004 — Federal and state authorities are investigating the arrest of an unarmed black man who was repeatedly struck with an officer's flashlight, an incident that has sparked comparisons with the 1991 Rodney King beating.

The arrest, captured Wednesday by a TV news helicopter, showed an officer hitting the suspect 11 times with a metal flashlight after it appeared the man had surrendered following a car chase.

The incident occurred just a week after the LAPD said it had successfully implemented reforms mandated by a federal consent decree after the Justice Department identified a "pattern and practice" of civil rights violations by the LAPD.

Police said the man was not seriously injured but did complain that he had been struck in the head and suffered an injury to his nose. He was treated at a nearby hospital.

Deputy Chief Earl Paysinger said the police would investigate to "thoroughly unpeel the layers of this situation until we get to the truth." The FBI and the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office also opened investigations.

A number of community activists expressed outrage over the incident and demanded justice. Civil rights activist Najee Ali compared the incident to the 1991 beating of black motorist Rodney King.

"Here we go again," Ali said. "This is Rodney King all over again."

"How much longer are we going to sit around and watch our brothers and sisters be treated like this?" asked Morris Griffin of the Los Angeles Coalition for Justice and Peace to End Police Brutality Committee.

The suspect, Stanley Miller, 36, of Compton, was arrested for investigation of grand theft auto and was jailed on $30,000 bail, Officer Jason Lee said.

"There is no denying that it looks very bad from what is seen on the video," Police Chief William Bratton told the Los Angeles Times. "But there should be no rush to judgment before the investigations are completed."

Law enforcement sources told the Times that Miller's record included five prior convictions for various crimes, including burglary, attempted burglary and weapons charges.

Four white Los Angeles officers were videotaped beating King. Deadly riots broke out a year later after the officers were acquitted of most charges.

The latest incident began about 5 a.m. when officers began chasing a suspected stolen car. After the suspect got out of the car and ran, he appeared to get down on his hands and knees.

After several other officers arrived, the suspect was forced to the ground, where the videotape showed an officer striking him in the upper body with a flashlight.

Los Angeles police are permitted to use metal flashlights to strike suspects but they are supposed to use only as much force as needed to overcome resistance.

In a departure from past incidents, police declined to release the names of the officers involved, citing legal advice by the city attorney's office.

Paysinger said several officers involved in the arrest would be put on administrative leave. The three officers seen as most aggressive on the videotape are white, Paysinger said, and none are rookies.

Mayor James Hahn was quick to speak out about the latest footage.

"What I saw jeopardizes the work that we have done to try to build that bond of trust between the department and the community," Hahn said. "Now is the day that bond of trust is going to be tested."