Laurence Powell

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Laurence Michael Powell (b. 1963) is a former Los Angeles Police officer. He was one of four officers involved in the beating of Rodney King on March 3, 1991.

Powell graduated from Crescenta Valley High School as an honors student and took three semesters in college. He enrolled in the police academy and finished near the top of his class.

On March 3, 1991, Powell and three fellow officers, Sgt. Stacey Koon, Officer Theodore Briseno, and Officer Timothy Wind were seen hitting motorist Rodney King with their batons in Lake View Terrace. Officer Powell was partnered with Officer Wind at the time. Powell was seen swinging his baton like a baseball bat 40 times on King and he hit King on the face, which was against LAPD policy. Sergeant Koon typed on his patrol car computer, "I haven't beaten anyone this bad in a long time."

A year later, the four officers were acquitted on charges of assault with a deadly weapon. The jury deadlocked on Powell's charge of using excessive force. The verdicts led to the 1992 Los Angeles Riots.

The four officers were later indicted on federal charges for violating Rodney King's civil rights. Powell and Koon were convicted and were sentenced to 30 months in prison.

After they were released from prison, Koon and Powell were ineligible as convicted felons to serve on any police force. Powell had difficulty finding work and decided to enroll in school.

Powell refuses to speak about the incident and the trials. He is currently married and has two children.