March Protests LAPD Officers’ Jail Terms
A march and rally will be held today at Canyon Country Park to launch a national petition campaign protesting an appeals court order that resulted in longer jail sentences for two former Los Angeles police officers convicted of violating Rodney G. King’s civil rights.
The events, which will feature a speech by Rep. Howard P. (Buck) McKeon (R-Santa Clarita), will be in support of ex-Officer Laurence M. Powell and ex-Sgt. Stacey C. Koon, who have homes in Valencia and Castaic, respectively, according to Dennis Lebman, representing family and friends of Powell.
The U. S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on Aug. 19 ordered U. S. District Judge John G. Davies to resentence the two men, who at that point had served nearly a year of their 30-month sentences.
Rally organizers characterized the resentencing mandate as unjust and plan to petition for Powell’s and Koon’s release.
“This is not really a fund-raising event per se, but we will be selling T-shirts and bracelets there,” Lebman said. Sponsor of the event is the Officer Laurence Powell Defense Fund, based in Santa Clarita.
The march will start at 2 p.m. at the intersection of Soledad Canyon Road and Camp Plenty Road. The marchers will proceed two miles up Soledad Canyon Road to Canyon Country Park, where a picnic will be held. The rally will begin at 3:30 p.m.
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