European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 10, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday May 10, 1992 the stars and stripes a Page 3 King trial aftermath Gates regrets not using deadly Force los Angeles police chief Daryl Gates Speaks at a news conference on Friday. Los Angeles api if police chief Daryl Gates could do it Over he acknowledges he would have used a deadly Force during parts of the uprising that occurred in the aftermath of the Rodney g. King beating trial. Gates also conceded Friday that he made a mistake in attending a political fund Raiser the night the rioting began. But he placed most of the blame for slow police response on South Central Field commander it. Mike Moulin. Meanwhile National guard and Federal troops were to remain in the area at least through the weekend to prevent a repeat of the riots sparked by the acquittal it of four White current and former police officers in the beating of King a Black Motorist. Looting and arson which resulted in thousands of fires contributed to an Asti mated $785 million in damage. Gates explanation of the los Angeles police departments response was criticized by some Community leaders who called for his immediate resignation. He said he has no plans to leave before his scheduled june retirement which he announced last year following the uproar Over the King beating. A the knew there was going to be violence. He is a control Freak. Where was the control a said Angela of a criminal defense lawyer and spokeswoman for the korean american Community. Democratic state sen. Diane Watson said a this City cannot afford this kind of leadership or Lack  a spokesman for mayor Tom Bradley said be would have no comment on Gates remarks until the five member police commission which oversees the department and is appointed by the mayor completes an investigation of the Early hours of the riot. Bradley ordered the probe. Gates said officers and commanders were warned not to provoke anyone. But he said Moulin waited too Long to bring in More forces. Moulin has strongly defended his decision to hang Back saying he had insufficient forces and was concerned for his officers lives. A we regret the fact we did not go in and do what we should have done Quot Gates said referring to a South Central intersection where airborne television cameras first caught scenes of motorists being dragged out of vehicles and attacked by rioters. On scene officers a chose not to use deadly Force and backed away. We did not move our people out of the command Post As quickly As we ought to but we were somewhat overwhelmed by the tremendous  a had we to do it Over again we would have used deadly weapons to get into that a Gates said. A at that particular intersection we were much too  during the nearly hour Long news conference at police Headquarters Gates mounted a vigorous defense of rank and file officers. A it was not a question of nerve a Gates said. A they would have faced anything. They were withdrawn by their leadership. They grumbled about that. Some said hey Aln wish they  they almost revolted. In some senses i business is booming at . Gun stores los Angeles up sales of guns and ammunition have soared at a Hollywood gun store that even had police officers buying extra equipment to protect themselves during recent riots. A people Are scared. They be seen what can happen and they want to defend themselves a said by gun store owner Barry Kahn who said his sales increased 50 percent since the riots began april 29. Hundreds of people bought everything from $200 shotguns to cheap revolvers he said. Kahn who lived in los Angeles during the Watts riots in 1965, said every time there is unrest or a major crime spree a people go for  most of his customers were first time gun buyers. Land officers who were out manned and outgunned in the riot zones also came in to buy equipment he said. A we even had Ultra left Wing Liberal pacifistic pro gun control types buying weapons because they came to the realization that Law enforcement could not protect them a Kahn said. Some stores incorporated the riots into their advertisements. One and in the sports Section of the daily news read a the government wont protect you. The police can to protect you. Its your life. Your family. Your  in the right hand Corner of the same gun world and a Small handgun was superimposed on a newspaper with the headline . Burns. 51 dead. Thousands  store manager Scott Ehredt who prepared the and said the riots showed that a the police can to protect  a nothing has Ever made it clearer that self defense is your own responsibility than these riots a Ehredt said. If Reginald Denny the White truck Driver attacked by Black youths had been armed the attackers would have left him alone he said. A if he had waved a gun or shot one of in them they would have run on to the next Guy a Ehredt said. But the store manager said he was not trying to play on Peoples fears to make a Quick Buck. Sales had increased Only 5 recent in his Van Guys store since the voting and arson began he said. A the real profit is for the people who own the guns Quot Ehredt said. Under California Law a person buying a gun must wait 15 Days before picking it up. An application form is sent to the state department of Justice which runs a background Check for a criminal record or history of mental illness. A in 99 percent of the cases the person checks out a Ehredt said. Verdicts not racist decisions prosecutor in King Case says los Angeles apr the Lead prosecutor in the Rodney g. King beating trial says he did no to get a single juror he wanted on the non Black panel but he maintains that the verdicts were not racially motivated. Deputy District attorney Terry l. White also defended the decision not to Call King to testify saying King made several statements shortly after the beating that could have been used to Challenge him on the stand. The jury found the four White current and former officers not guilty of assault april 29 in the beating of King a Black Motorist. The jury deadlocked on one count against officer Laurence Powell. A these jurors were very pro Law enforcement Quot based on their responses to jury questionnaires White said in fridays los Angeles times. A they were people who believe there is this a thin Blue line separating Law abiding citizens from the Jungle a the criminal element. A they Are people who put police officers on a Pedestal. They have had very positive experiences with police officers even when they get a traffic  the jurors a 10 Whites one hispanic and one asian american a shunned the main evidence in the Case including the videotape of Kings beating that was broadcast nationwide White said. Nonetheless White who is Black said a i done to want anyone to believe we think the verdicts were racist decisions. I have no evidence they were based on the color of the prosecutor or the color of or.  White 35, defended the decision he made along with co counsel Alan Yochelson and District attorney Ira Reiner not to Call King to testify. A King said he had not been drinking not been speeding had pulled Over immediately when he saw officers following him in no Way resisted. And that it was not a racial incident a White said. In fact King had been driving Well Over the Legal limit was legally drunk led police on a High Speed Chase and did not immediately comply with police orders after he was apprehended. The prosecutor said he also worried that defense lawyers would have been Able to Tell jurors that King had a criminal  to run Seattle minister says Seattle apr not even a City that a often ranked As one of the nations most liable could escape the rage that spewed from the Rodney g. King verdict. That some local leaders say should serve to Wake up people who think racism and inner City neglect Arentt realities across the United states. A where Are you going to run a asked the Rev. Samuel b. Mckinney who preaches at mount Zion Baptist Church in Seattle a heavily Black Central District. A they ran to the Simi valleys. The Simi valleys will not meet our Justice for inner City  Seattle where Blacks make up about 10 percent of the population of 515,000, was among the harder hit cities during riots that followed the acquittal of four Whites in the los Angeles police beating of King a Black Motorist. Police arrested 180 people in two nights of rampage in downtown Seattle and in the trendy freewheeling Capitol Hill neighbourhood. Youths smashed store windows looted goods overturned cars set several buildings on fire and pelted a police station with rocks and other objects