SIMI VALLEY : King Juror Remarks Please City Leaders

Simi Valley leaders say the city’s tarnished image has received a boost from comments made by a local woman who served on the federal jury that found two police officers guilty of violating Rodney G. King’s civil rights.

Mayor Greg Stratton said the juror contacted him Sunday, saying she wanted the community to know that a Simi Valley resident was among the panelists who returned guilty verdicts in the federal King beating case.

Some activists had branded the city as racist after last year’s state trial, conducted in Simi Valley, ended in not-guilty verdicts for the four Los Angeles police officers accused of beating motorist King.

After the federal verdicts were announced, Stratton accompanied the woman during an interview with a local Simi Valley newspaper.

The woman, who identified herself only as “Anne,” told the paper, “Every citizen of Simi Valley should be extremely proud to live here.”

The woman, who was concerned about her privacy and safety, requested anonymity and has declined to do further interviews, Stratton said.

The mayor said the juror wanted to help Simi Valley distance itself from the first King beating trial, which triggered riots in Los Angeles.

“We want to be known for other things than being the site of a trial that people have criticized--just as I’m sure Waco, Texas, wants to be known for something other than being the site of their incident,” Stratton said.