OFFICER IN POLICE SCANDAL DENIES CORRUPTION IN CASE

The disgraced policeman who triggered the Rampart corruption scandal made a
surprise witness-stand appearance Thursday, denying misconduct in a 1996
case but saying that 75 percent of his unit's cases were tainted.

Rafael Perez's testimony came during a hearing in which two men were trying
to get their 1996 convictions overturned, saying police planted a gun and
drugs on them during an arrest of four gang members. On the stand, Perez
said there was no misconduct in that case.

Perez was sentenced to a lenient five years in prison for cocaine theft in
exchange for telling prosecutors everything he knew about corruption in the
Los Angeles Police Department.