Defense Granted Stay in King Beating Case

A state appeals court Monday delayed court proceedings for four Los Angeles police officers charged in the Rodney G. King beating so that it can study a challenge to a decision to keep Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Bernard J. Kamins on the case.

The 2nd District Court of Appeal granted the defense’s request for a stay in the case so it can have time to decide whether to hear the appeal. Defense attorneys have asked that Kamins be disqualified from presiding at the officers’ felony assault trial, saying he has shown bias against them.

An Orange County judge rejected the contention last week. Attorneys for the officers filed an appeal, asking the higher court to consider their argument that Kamins was motivated to make rulings favorable to the district attorney’s office because “he cannot bear to be criticized by the prosecution in the inevitable press release in this high visibility case.”