Reginal Denny Beater Arrested in Killing

L O S A N G E L E S, July 20, 2000 -- The man convicted of mayhem in the beating of trucker Reginald Denny as the Los Angeles riots got under way in1992 has been arrested for investigation of murder.

Damian “Football” Williams surrendered to police Wednesday, aday after 43-year-old Grover Tinner was found shot to death in analleyway in South Central Los Angeles, police Cmdr. David Kalishsaid.

He said Williams, 27, is believed to have shot Tinner during adrug dispute.

Police are still searching for two men in their 20s inconnection with Tinner’s killing.

Dean Masserman, Williams’ attorney, said his client was innocentand is being targeted unfairly by the Los Angeles PoliceDepartment.

‘High-Profile Trophy’“Mr. Williams is a high-profile trophy and target for theLAPD,” Masserman said.

Williams was acquitted of attempted murder in the Denny beatingbut convicted of felony mayhem, as well as four misdemeanor assaultcounts for attacks on other people during the riot. He served morethan three years in prison.

Denny was dragged from his big-rig truck by several people andbeaten, nearly to death, on April 29, 1992. The attack took placeat the beginning of a riot triggered by the acquittal of four whitepolice officers in the beating of black motorist Rodney King.