THREE OF FOUR OAKLAND `RIDERS' PLEAD NOT GUILTY

Three of the four Oakland police officers charged in ``The Riders''
scandal pleaded not guilty Wednesday to assault, kidnapping, filing
false reports and other charges in one of the city's biggest
crackdowns on police misconduct.

Jude Siapno, 32, Clarence ``Chuck'' Mabanag, 35, and Matthew Hornung,
29, entered their pleas in Alameda County Superior Court.

The crimes, which allegedly occurred between June 13 and July 3, were
first disclosed after a rookie officer who had been on duty about
three weeks notified his superiors in early July.

Dressed in suits and ties, the officers smiled and appeared relaxed
before the proceedings. Hornung sat with his parents. The officers
spoke only in response to questions from Judge Marshall Whitley.

Several uniformed police officers also attended in support of their
accused colleagues.

A fourth accused officer, Frank Vazquez, 43, did not appear.
Authorities believe he may have fled to Mexico, where he has relatives.

After the hearing, Mabanag's lawyer, Michael Rains, described his
client as an officer who never missed a day of work during his 10
years on the force, had an exemplary record and could not suddenly
have become a bad cop.

``What we see is a case that's going to largely hang on a rookie
police officer . . . with very little life experience,'' Rains said
outside the courtroom. ``He simply didn't see what he said he saw. He
was not equipped to deal with the rigors of life in Oakland on the
morning shift.''

Rains said the rookie, Keith Batt, who quickly resigned after accusing
the officers, was having a tough time during his initial weeks on the
force and resented Mabanag, his trainer, for being tough on him.

Rains also said police officers are held to a higher standard than
civilians.

``We say officers shouldn't be entitled to bigger rights . . . but I
see that they can be prosecuted when others can't,'' the lawyer said.
Their next court appearance was scheduled for Dec. 20.