U. prepared for verdict in the second King trial

University Police Commissioner John Kuprevich said yesterday that contingency plans are in place to protect University students in the event that the verdict in the second Rodney King beating trial leads to violence. "We're in contact with the Philadelphia Police Department," he said. "The minute the verdict is announced we will be ready. "I do not intend to discuss contingency plans but they are there," he added. Meanwhile, several students, including Black Student League President Kaplan Mobray, said they expect a strong reaction if the four police officers accused of violating King's civil rights in a taped 1991 beating are acquitted. "The media have . . . set up a situation where they're almost pushing for a repeat of last year's rioting," said Mobray, a College junior. "People still feel the pain -- I think there will be violence, though maybe not to the same magnitude." Last year, Los Angeles Police Officers Stacey Koon, Laurence Powell, Theodore Briseno and former officer Timothy Wind were acquitted of using excessive force in beating King, a decision that sparked widespread rioting that left 54 people dead. King, who was stopped after a high speed car chase, was videotaped while being beaten by police officers who believed him to be under the influence of PCP. Mobray added that it would be difficult to gauge what the reaction will be because "when [pain] is in a collective form it can't be predicted." Kuprevich agreed that it would be hard to assess what the general reaction may be like. "The potential for violence always exists based upon the gravity of the situation, but it's hard to predict," he said. "The hope is that if people are upset, they use peaceful and lawful means to express that. Violence, damage to property and injury to others will not be tolerated." Kuprevich added that this time law enforcement officers are prepared and that there will not be a repeat of last year's violent outbursts that occurred "five or six blocks away from campus." Mobray, who described the previous verdict as "a stab in the back for African-Americans," said he anticipated a reaction regardless of the verdict. "Either way there will be a reaction," he said. "Even if they're found guilty, it doesn't mean the pain of last year has gone away -- it could still spark violence." Engineering freshman Manish Verma said he is not very worried about possible violence stemming from the verdict. "I don't think it's a problem because I think they'll be found guilty," he said. "I think there is pressure on the jury to find them guilty." Wharton senior Howard Shohet said he was "apprehensive" about the verdict. "The people who rioted are absolute barbarians -- I don't think there will be rioting here, but there are plenty of people in West Philadelphia who are uncivilized," Shohet said. He added that he hopes people learned last year that "rioting is not the answer."

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