Testimony by Officer Backs Defendants : Trial: Beating of King did not violate LAPD guidelines, Briseno’s partner says. But under cross-examination he admits uncertainty about what happened.

A policeman testifying as a prosecution witness in the Rodney G. King beating trial bolstered the defense of four officers Tuesday, saying he saw no misconduct at the scene and thought King acted “scary.”

With prompting from four defense lawyers on cross-examination, Officer Rolando Solano accused federal prosecutors of threatening him with indictment for perjury if he persisted in telling the story he first told investigators.

“Who threatened you with a federal indictment for perjury?” defense lawyer Harland Braun asked.

Solano named Assistant U.S. Atty. Steven D. Clymer and said, “He thought I was lying about my testimony.”

“Did he ever indict you for perjury?” Braun asked.

“No,” Solano said.

“And did he ever explain to you why he called as a witness a person he considers a perjurer?” Braun asked.

“No, he did not,” the witness said.

Clymer noted that Solano’s account of the March 3, 1991, beating conflicts with a videotape of the incident on several key points.

Solano acknowledged, for example, that he believes King was standing through much of the confrontation with officers while the video shows him on the ground. He credited the discrepancies to “stress and tunnel vision.”

“So you don’t really know what you saw?” Clymer asked.

“I do have some doubts,” Solano said.

Solano also said he never saw officers hit King in the face. In an earlier trial, he said he could hear the sound of a baton hitting King’s face.

Solano testified Monday that his partner, Officer Theodore J. Briseno, was angry after the beating and said, “The sergeant should have handled it better.”

After long legal arguments, U.S. District Judge John G. Davies instructed jurors to consider that testimony only against Briseno, not against Sgt. Stacey C. Koon. Prosecutors say it showed that Briseno knew something had gone wrong and should have reported it.

Koon and Officers Laurence M. Powell, Timothy E. Wind and Briseno are charged with violating King’s civil rights in the beating that was videotaped and broadcast worldwide. A year ago, the same officers were tried in state court and acquitted on all but one charge, a result that triggered deadly riots.

If convicted, the men each could face $250,000 fines and 10 years in prison.

Solano sat frozen in the witness box, answering almost in a whisper as he came under aggressive cross-examination by Powell’s lawyer, Michael Stone.

Powell struck the most baton blows against King, but Solano answered “yes” to every question indicating that Powell had acted according to his Police Academy training.

At one point, he said he saw King lunge at Koon.

“And what was your reaction?” Stone asked.

“It was scary,” Solano said.

Repeatedly, Stone pointed to police training and Solano agreed that officers are told to use batons on resisting suspects with an aim of breaking bones.

The officer also said the Los Angeles Police Department requires officers to report misconduct in the field.

“And you didn’t report this to anyone?” Stone asked of the beating.

“No,” Solano said.

“And that was because you didn’t see any misconduct?

“No, I did not,” Solano said.

In a parting shot, Clymer asked Solano if he had any training on when not to use a baton. Solano said he did.

“Can you use a baton on someone when he has a hostile stare?” the prosecutor asked.

“No,” the witness said.

“Can you use a baton on a drunk who doesn’t get out of the car fast enough?” he said.

“No,” Solano said.

King, a convict on parole, was drunk the night he led officers on a high-speed chase that ended with his beating.