OAKLAND COPS TRIED FOR KIDNAP, ASSAULT

A West Oakland Man testified in court on Friday against three former
Oakland police officers accused of conspiring to indict him falsely and
maliciously for a drug crime he says he didn't commit.

Delphine Allen was the only witness who testified in the third day of a
preliminary evidence hearing that will decide whether the defendants,
Clarence Mabanag, Jude Siapno and Matthew Hornung will be tried for
criminal police misconduct.

The defendants, along with suspected ringleader and fugitive Frank Vazquez,
are accused of 34 felony counts in connection with the case. The six
allegations that involve Allen could be considered the most serious, since
they include charges of kidnap and assault against some of the so-called
"Riders."

Friday under direct examination by prosecutor David Hollister, Allen
testified to his experience on June 27, 2000, when he said he was
approached by several police officers as he crossed the street in front of
his house at about 1 a.m.

Allen said he was handcuffed, told that drugs had been found in his back
yard and then beaten. After he was beaten he was taken to a gas station,
where Vazquez tried to get him to sign a statement that said he had kicked
the police car, assaulted a police officer and smoked crack. Allen said he
refused to sign it at first because he hadn't done any of those things. He
said that ultimately he signed, but crossed out the things he didn't do.

Allen said he told a doctor at Highland Hospital what had happened, and
spent three days in jail before he was released .

Mabanag, Siapno and Hornung have pleaded not guilty to all of the charges
against them. Vazquez fled town soon after the charges were announced and
he is believed to be in Mexico.

Defense attorneys are expected to cross-examine Allen next week.