An emergency-room doctor says injuries trucker Reginald Denny suffered in a beating at the beginning of the Los Angeles riots were similar to what would have happened to someone in a high-speed freeway accident.
Dr. Paul Toffel testified Tuesday that Denny had about 100 facial fractures and a life-threatening blood clot between his skull and brain when he was admitted to the hospital."He would have died in the field within minutes. The injuries he received were life threatening," Toffel said during the third day of testimony in the preliminary hearing for three men charged in the April 29 beating.
Damian "Football" Williams, 19; Antoine Miller, 20; and Henry "Kiki" Watson, 27, were charged with attempted murder, aggravated mayhem, torture and second-degree robbery for the near fatal beating in the early hours of the riots.
When Denny arrived at Daniel Freeman Memorial Hospital, he was having neurological seizures and convulsions, Toffel said.
"He could not breathe, and he was unconscious," the doctor said. "He had an expanding blood clot below the right side of the skull pressing against his brain, and it was determined that it was life threatening and had to be evacuated."
Toffel also said Denny suffered so much fracturing on the left side of his face that his eye socket, cheek and bones were extending into his sinuses.
"These types of fractures are consistent with someone involved in a high-speed freeway accident . . . who had struck their head on a dashboard," he said.
Denny remained in a coma and near death two days after the surgery to remove the blood clot. He underwent another surgery several days later, and his condition finally improved, the doctor said.
Toffel said Denny still has "neurological deficits" and trouble organizing thoughts and finding words.
While viewing the video of the beating, the doctor identified the kicks and blows that could have caused the injuries.
But defense attorney Alelah Kamran said the injuries Denny sustained could have been inflicted by other people at the Normandie and Florence intersection and not by the three defendants.
"The most significant blow came from a brick or rock (which struck Denny) on the right side of the face. He went down unconscious," Toffel said.
4 officers indicted
Four white police officers have been indicted on federal charges of violating Rodney King's civil rights in the videotaped beating of the black motorist last year.
The grand jury indictment, which was returned Tuesday but unsealed Wednesday by the U.S. attorney, accused Sgt. Stacey Koon and officers Lawrence Powell, Timothy Wind and Theodore Briseno of depriving King of his civil rights while acting under color of law.
U.S. Attorney Lourdes Baird said the investigation into the case was continuing. Each of the four defendants was charged under a civil rights statute that carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.