Denny Meets Watson on ‘Donahue’ : Television: The truck driver said he doesn’t hold a grudge against his attackers and pleaded for greater racial tolerance. Watson apologizes for the beating.

Truck driver Reginald O. Denny, whose televised beating during the Los Angeles riots shocked the nation, sat down with one of his attackers Monday and pleaded for greater racial tolerance.

Denny, who said he did not hold a grudge against his assailants, appeared on the syndicated “Donahue” television program with Henry Keith Watson, 29, one of those charged in the brutal attack on April 29, 1992.

Television pictures showed Watson with his foot on Denny’s neck as the white truck driver lay in the street comatose after he was dragged from the vehicle during the worst riots of the century.

His lawyer has said that Watson was caught up in the hysteria after the acquittals of four white police officers in the first trial for the beating of black motorist Rodney G. King. Two of the four were later convicted of federal charges.

While Watson was low-key during the show, Denny was animated, showing no malice and arguing for improved racial relations. He said the attack was not personal.

“It’s no big deal. I’m alive,” Denny said.

“We just walked into the mess that somebody had created a long time ago,” he said of racial tensions in the community and the nation.

Watson was acquitted of most charges during the seven-week trial, but agreed last week to plead guilty to a charge of assault, a count on which the jury had been deadlocked.

Watson repeated his recent apology to Denny over the beating and said “Mr. Denny has been outstanding. The things he said were just incredible.”

But the largely white audience was hostile to Watson.

“Had you ever beaten anybody before?” one woman asked. “No,” Watson replied.

After Watson repeated his apology, he looked at the crowd and said: “You all happy now? Everybody happy?”

Like the verdict in the first trial of the police officers, the not-guilty verdicts on most counts for Watson , including attempted murder, had surprised many legal experts.

The show also featured two jurors in the Denny trial, which had been criticized for focusing on technicalities and ignoring the basic elements of the case.

Jury forewoman Carolyn Walters said the panel could hear the chants of angry supporters of the defendants while deliberating. But she said the jury was not swayed by any fear of violence.

“Our job was to do the right thing; that was all we were concerned with,” she said.

Denny also talked about the physical damage caused by the beating. He said because of a fracture in the sinus cavity, he is susceptible to a cold virus entering his brain, causing life-threatening illnesses.

“I have a surgeon assigned to me for the rest of my life,” he said.

He also appeared bemused by his celebrity status. “I wish everybody could have that . . . It’s kind of fun,” he said.

The participants appeared in two “Donahue” shows to be broadcast later.