SIMI VALLEY : Man Plans to Protest Police Officers’ Trial

A man who identified himself as a Ku Klux Klan member has written to Simi Valley officials saying his group plans a local protest against the trial of four Los Angeles police officers accused of beating motorist Rodney G. King.

City Manager Lin Koester responded Wednesday with a letter informing the writer that the upcoming trial will be held not in Simi Valley but in the federal courthouse in Los Angeles, city officials said.

Simi Valley police also said they plan to contact state and federal hate-crime investigators to determine whether the letter-writer is affiliated with the Ku Klux Klan.

“We’re going to do everything we can do legally to prevent this or any other hate group from coming to town,” said Lt. Dick Thomas.

The letter-writer, who said his group plans a 60-minute protest Jan. 30 at the East County Courthouse in Simi Valley, identified himself as John Varela. City officials said his return address was a post office box in Bakersfield. Varela could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

The four Los Angeles officers were found not guilty of most charges during a trial that was moved earlier this year to Simi Valley. The new trial stems from separate federal charges.

Simi Valley officials said they are concerned about a possible Ku Klux Klan rally because the city spent about $100,000 to protect white supremacist Richard Barrett of Mississippi when he conducted two rallies in the city earlier this year. In his letter, Varela also requested police protection.