Blows to King Were Excessive, Expert Testifies : Trial: LAPD’s top-ranking use-of-force supervisor rebuts testimony of two defense witnesses. Briseno’s attorney challenges the new witness’s expertise.

The Los Angeles Police Department’s highest-ranking use-of-force supervisor testified Thursday that the vast majority of baton blows and kicks suffered by Rodney G. King were unwarranted under department policy.

Cmdr. Michael Bostic, chairman of the LAPD’s use-of-force review board, was called to the witness stand by prosecutors to rebut the testimony of two defense experts, who contended that the accused police officers were completely justified in the way they treated King in Lake View Terrace last year.

Also testifying Thursday was Dr. Norman Shorr, a surgeon who repaired bone fractures around King’s right eye. The doctor said the facial fractures “more likely” were caused by a blunt object--such as a baton--than a fall to the ground.

Like Bostic, Shorr was a prosecution rebuttal witness used to contradict testimony from defense experts who suggested that the facial injuries could have occurred when King fell to the ground after he was hit by batons.

When Bostic took the stand, Deputy Dist. Atty. Terry White slowly played the videotape of King’s beating, asking him at one point whether the motorist was subdued with excessive force. As the tape played, King could be seen moving toward Officer Laurence M. Powell, who knocked him to the ground with a baton blow. Powell then unleashed about a dozen more blows as Officer Theodore J. Briseno moves into the picture and apparently attempts to push Powell’s baton away.

As King appears to be rising to his knees and Officer Timothy E. Wind prepares to strike him with his baton from behind, Bostic asked the prosecutor to stop the tape. Only about 20 seconds had elapsed from the 81-second videotape.

“From this point forward,” Bostic testified, “I believe (the level of force) is outside the policy of the Los Angeles Police Department.”

On cross-examination, Briseno’s attorney, John Barnett, repeatedly tried to challenge Bostic’s credentials as a use-of-force expert.

Although Bostic had told the prosecutor that he helped design the LAPD’s use-of-force guidelines in 1977, he conceded under Barnett’s questioning that he only drafted the guidelines after significant input from the Police Commission and other top police administrators.

He also said “there are lots of people” inside the Police Department who disagree with the department’s use-of-force policy. Bostic also acknowledged that he based his opinion after only five viewings of the full videotape, which he received last week.

All four defendants have pleaded not guilty. Because White will be attending a family funeral today, the trial has been postponed until Monday.