Opinion: Why isn’t Jackie Lacey trying to jail a violent cop caught in the act?

To the editor: It’s been a quarter-century since the Rodney King incident, and still “the beat goes on.” Officer Richard Garcia of the Los Angeles Police Department is captured on video kicking, punching, elbowing and slamming into Clinton Alford Jr., who is prone and being restrained by other officers. (“Video of controversial South L.A. arrest — and a plea deal that allowed an LAPD officer to avoid jail time — prompts criticism,” Aug. 22)

Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey, who appears to have an aversion to actually trying cases, allows Garcia to plead no contest to an assault charge, thereby avoiding jail time. Why wasn’t he charged with criminal battery, which involves the “use of force or violence against another person”? As depicted in the video, his actions certainly went well beyond an “attempt to cause violent injury.”

Lacey clearly dropped the ball. A trial on a charge of battery under color of law would no doubt have produced a result satisfactory to L.A. Police Commission President Matt Johnson, who opined, “I am personally disappointed that Mr. Garcia is not going to be serving time.” Amen.

Noel Johnson, Glendale

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To the editor: Hooray for The Times pursuing release of this video, which exposes the fecklessness of the district attorney’s office for allowing such egregious, criminal police actions to go to a lenient plea.

The district attorney’s responsibility is to provide justice for the aggrieved, not protect the criminal. And LAPD Chief Charlie Beck’s refusal to release the video by insisting that it could “jeopardize the criminal case against Garcia” is even more feckless.

The video would have convicted Garcia in a court of law had our elected district attorney done her job. The sad thing is that there is no one running against her for reelection this year.

Joann Duray, Playa del Rey

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To the editor: Kudos to the media for keeping racism alive and well. Would you have published such a photo on the front page with a headline in large print had the suspect been white or if the police officers were black as well?

I’m not condoning bad police actions. There are bad apples in every profession, regardless of race or color. But I condemn the media for focusing almost solely on “white on black” actions.

Enough is enough.

Gretchen Armato, Santa Barbara

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