Officer Brutality Charges Dropped

Brutality charges against a Pasadena police officer and a former officer have been dropped because of questions over the credibility of the principal witness, a prosecutor said Wednesday.

Officer Christopher Vicino, 27, and his former partner, James Ballestero, 32, were being tried in connection with a 1986 melee at the Community Arms apartment complex. The city eventually paid $1.3 million to four residents to settle a civil rights suit.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Larry E. Mason said he moved to drop the misdemeanor charges after evidence surfaced to cast doubt on the claim of witness Steve E. Rivers that he was unnecessarily beaten and that he did not resist arrest.

Rivers admitted he had been drinking heavily the night of the incident and made conflicting statements on the witness stand, Mason said, and the prosecution learned that he has a history of running from police and resisting. Rivers is in jail awaiting trial on a charge of selling cocaine to a police officer.