LOS ANGELES -- A Superior Court judge dismissed Wednesday the only charge remaining against any officer accused in the Rodney King beating.
Judge Stanley Weisberg without comment dismissed a charge of excessive force under color of authority against Los Angeles police Officer Laurence Powell.
He dropped the state charge at the request of Deputy District Attorney Terry White. District Attorney Gil Garcetti two weeks ago announced he would be seeking the dismissal because he believed retrying Powell would amount to double jeopardy.
'It's over. The case that caused the city to burn a year ago is over,' Powell's attorney Michael Stone said.
Powell's $30,000 bail, which had been secured with a deed to his father's property, was lifted because the charge was dismissed.
Stone said there was nothing unexpected about Wednesday's hearing since Garcetti had already announced his decision to dismiss the remaining count.
'Larry's more worried about the federal trial and sentencing,' he said.
Powell and Sgt. Stacey Koon were convicted April 17 in federal court of violating King's civil rights by using excessive force against him during his videotaped 1991 arrest. Acquitted of similar charges during the same trial were Officer Theodore Briseno and fired rookie Timothy Wind.
Powell and Koon face up to 10 years in prison and maximum fines of $250,000 when they are sentenced Aug. 4.
A Superior Court jury last year acquitted Powell, Koon, Briseno and Wind of a total of 10 charges alleging assault, excessive force and filing false police reports.
The jurors were unable to reach a verdict on the last count against Powell. Prosecutors could have refiled that case and retry Powell.
The acquittals April 29, 1992, sparked three days of riots that cost 53 lives and $2 billion in property damage.