A juror in the Reginald Denny beating case said that verdicts in the case were based on evidence and the law - and not fear of another riot.
With her face in shadow and voice masked, an unidentified juror said Thursday in an interview with KCAL-TV (Channel 9) that concern about community reaction did not influence deliberations in the case."What was taken was the evidence, the evidence we took in testimonies from the witnesses," the juror said.
"We came to our decision based on that, not on peace," she said. "If a riot occurred, it would occur, but we weren't thinking, `Oh, let's have this verdict so that another riot won't break out.'
"It wasn't even on our minds," she said. "That was the last thing on our minds."
The juror said that her perspective on the violence involved in the beating of Denny and other victims changed as the trial progressed.
"The very first time . . . I was just appalled by it. But as I started seeing the victims, and then started hearing the testimony, started seeing the evidence and watching the tape over and over again, I started seeing another side. I went in with an open mind," she said.
The jury convicted Damian Monroe Williams of felony mayhem and four counts of misdemeanor assault in the beating of Denny and others at the outset of the Los Angeles riots. It convicted Henry Keith Watson of one count of misdemeanor assault.
But the jurors rejected several more serious charges against both defendants and deadlocked on an assault with a deadly weapon charge against Watson.
Denny said again Thursday that he was satisfied with the outcome.