Last Witnesses Testify in King’s Civil Case

Testimony in the first phase of Rodney G. King’s civil lawsuit came to a close Tuesday as King’s attorney called a sound expert who told jurors he could hear a racial slur on the videotape of the beating.

Attorneys for King and the city are to square off with closing arguments today before the 10-member jury begins deliberations to determine the amount of money King will be compensated for the injuries he suffered when he was beaten by police.

George Papcun, an acoustic phonetics expert for the Los Alamos national laboratory in New Mexico, said he heard the epithet after filtering out the helicopter noise on the audio portion of videotape of the March 3, 1991, beating in Lake View Terrace.

“The phrase, ‘nigger, hands behind your back’ appears on that tape recording,” Papcun testified.

Papcun was called to the stand to rebut earlier statements by Angelika Braun, a German sound expert who said that she could not make out any racial slur. Papcun played a filtered tape for the jurors and many in the courtroom said they heard the epithet.

The city ended its case Tuesday, calling George Brinton, an economist, to testify that King would have earned no more than $500,000 for the rest of his life. The testimony countered estimates from one of King’s witnesses that the former construction worker could have made $1.2 million if he worked to age 65.

Later, Timmy Fowler, King’s parole officer, testified that he visited King shortly after the beating.

“He said he was beaten like a dog and that he never tried to strike the officers,” said Fowler, who described King as confused.

King’s lead attorney, Milton Grimes, asked Fowler if he recalled whether King mentioned racial slurs.

“The officers said, ‘Run, nigger, we’re going to kill you,’ ” the parole officer said.

Fowler, who testified about the incident for the first time Tuesday, said he never relayed the comment to his superiors because he wanted to remain neutral on the issue.

King’s attorneys say that the use of racial slurs during the beating contributed to the emotional pain and anguish suffered by their client.

King is seeking $9.5 million in compensation for his physical and emotional injuries. The city has accepted responsibility for King’s injuries, but its offer to settle the case for $1.25 million was rejected.

After a compensation verdict is reached, the second phase of the trial will determine the individual liability of police officers and other defendants for punitive damages.