King Crime Record Not Admissible : Trial: Judge bars attorneys for LAPD officers from telling jury why motorist was imprisoned. They may mention that he was on parole, however.

SIMI VALLEY — Lawyers for four police officers charged in the beating of Rodney G. King were barred Wednesday from informing jurors about King’s criminal record, including his imprisonment for robbery.

But with opening arguments scheduled to begin today, Superior Court Judge Stanley Weisberg ruled that defense attorneys may tell the jury that King was paroled from prison 63 days before the March 3, 1991, beating in Lake View Terrace.

“The nature of the convictions and the facts underlying them are not admissible,” Weisberg said. “I’m trying to prevent unnecessary character assassination of a participant in this trial.”

The defense lawyers were seeking to introduce evidence on King’s criminal record in hopes of showing that King had a tendency toward violence.

Lawyers for three of the officers said they would argue that at the time of the incident, King acted out of fear that an arrest would result in his return to prison on a parole violation. King, however, has said that he feared for his life during the beating and tried to run from the officers.

Sgt. Stacey C. Koon, 41, and officers Laurence M. Powell, 29, Timothy E. Wind, 31, and Theodore J. Briseno, 39, are facing charges of assault in the beating. Koon and Powell also were charged with filing false reports on the beating. All have pleaded not guilty to the charges

If convicted, the men face sentences ranging from four to eight years in prison. Koon, Briseno and Powell are on suspension from their jobs. Wind, a rookie, was fired.

Court records show that King was arrested in November, 1989, for the robbery of a Monterey Park grocery store. Grocer Tae Suck Baik testified that King threatened him with a tire iron. He was charged with robbery and assault and later pleaded guilty to second-degree robbery. He was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison and released in December, 1990, after being credited for time already served.

Terry White, the lead prosecutor, said defense attorneys planned to present as evidence of King’s “reckless character” offenses for which King was never convicted.

But Paul DePasquale, Wind’s attorney, said there is evidence that King recklessly used a motor vehicle as a deadly weapon--an action which would demonstrate that he had a violent character.

Powell’s lawyer, Michael Stone, told reporters that a now-famous videotape of the beating contains footage never shown to the public and that evidence, supported by eyewitnesses, will demonstrate that King attacked the officers.

White said, however, that the accusation that King attacked the officer is subject to interpretation.

“That didn’t give them the right to beat him,” White said. White added that he will play the entire videotape during his opening statement.