“Tears welled up in my eyes when...

“Tears welled up in my eyes when they read the verdict, and tears welled up during the last verdict too. It was like, my goodness, there was a thing called justice, and the American system of jurisprudence does have value. . . . I’m glad the verdicts came in the way they did, but I do feel that all four officers were guilty.”

Rev. John McReynolds, pastor of Second Baptist Church in Santa Ana

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“I hope that in hearts and minds of people throughout the Southland that they see the verdicts as a matter of justice and not retaliation. I hope that people’s hearts will be calm in these days and each one will make a resolve to live with their neighbors in peace.”

Msgr. Jaime Soto, vicar for the Latino community in the Diocese of Orange

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“I think there’s a troubling aspect to this particular verdict, because what it’s saying is that not only are the other two not guilty, but at some level it exonerates the other 23 or 25 officers who stood around and watched the savage beating that Rodney King took. I can’t help but reflect back on that, even if we have a guilty on two of the four.”

Thomas Parham, a psychologist and director of UC Irvine’s Counseling Center and Career Planning and Placement Center

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“If there were only not-guilty verdicts, there was the potential for trouble in Orange County. But the two convictions were most appropriate. I believe that justice has been done and this should place the community at ease. . . . This is particularly important to us, because Orange County is close to being 40% minority. This has taught the police a lesson that we need to understand each other.”

Alfredo Amezcua, legal counsel for the United Gangs Council, a coalition of gang members and neighborhood groups

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“Let’s get down now to the real work. Justice has been served, the community’s not going to riot, so let’s address the issues. This is a moment in time when everybody is listening.”

Joseph White, director of the African-American Studies Program at UC Irvine

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“If the state jury had done what this jury did would there have been a riot? I don’t think so. . . . Last year’s violence was the result of long frustration. It showed that we have not come a long way in working with other races and cultures. It showed that we have a long way to go.”

Harriett M. Wieder, chairman of the County Board of Supervisors

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“I just breathed a sigh of relief. It was nothing to celebrate. Why should you want to celebrate when people are doing the right thing? I thought maybe there is justice after all.”

James Joseph (J. J.) King, chairman of the Martin Luther King Jr. birthday committee for the Neighbors, a group of African-American residents, mostly from South County

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“This chapter comes to a close today, and a new chapter can commence. Los Angeles can proceed to rebuild in a spirit rich with culture and diversity. Our system of justice has worked. Now, we can move on to the future of the region.”

County Supervisor Gaddi H. Vasquez, a former police officer

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“Everybody hoped for an even and fair verdict and after listening to what the verdict was, it seemed to me that it was (fair). I think the nation needs it, the Los Angeles community needs it and the Southern California region needs it. . . . I would say it was even and fair. . . . I don’t envy that jury.”

Fullerton Mayor Molly McClanahan