Getting Beyond April 29, 1992

Two developments in the aftermath of the Denny trial make sense--and could provide Los Angeles with a bit of a breather.

First, Henry K. Watson has pleaded guilty to his criminal behavior at Florence and Normandie avenues in last year’s riots, so Los Angeles will escape a rehash of those horrible events, including the inexcusable beating of truck driver Reginald O. Denny.

Watson faced the possibility of a retrial because the first Denny case jury deadlocked on a charge that he had also assaulted another trucker, Larry Tarvin. That same jury convicted Watson and Damian M. Williams of lesser charges stemming from the attack on Denny and others, all of whom were assaulted because of their race.

In the second development, Judge John W. Ouderkirk rightly denied a bail reduction because of the greater seriousness of Williams’ convictions and his record. Williams remains in jail awaiting sentencing.

Both defendants were obviously very much in the wrong. But a retrial would not have guaranteed additional convictions and would have prolonged tensions exacerbated by the controversial trial.

Dist. Atty. Gil Garcetti had decided to prosecute Watson again but the pragmatic county prosecutor accepted a plea bargain including a sentence of lengthy probation, community service and the 17 months Watson spent in jail before the verdicts. That seems wise. After all, Watson had no earlier history of violence and he has apologized to Denny, Tarvin, Fidel Lopez and the other victims who were forced to run that gantlet of rage on April 29, 1992.