Benefit Set for Officer in King Beating : Police: Antonovich, Dornan and other conservatives support fund-raiser for Laurence M. Powell. ACLU says their involvement is offensive.

The evening after former Los Angeles Police Officer Laurence M. Powell--convicted in the videotaped beating of Rodney G. King--is to be released from a halfway house, he will be honored at a “homecoming welcome” fund-raiser hosted by an array of conservative politicians.

The dinner, scheduled for Dec. 14 in a private banquet hall at the Los Angeles Police Academy, is prompting criticism from civil rights activists concerned that the lawmakers--including county Supervisor Mike Antonovich, presidential candidate Rep. Robert K. Dornan (R-Garden Grove) and state Sen. Richard Mountjoy (R-Arcadia)--are supporting a convicted felon.

“It’s offensive and incredibly stupid for public officials to become involved in a welcome home fund-raising dinner like this,” said Ramona Ripston, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California. “It’s particularly stupid when the racial divide is so large and confidence in the police is so low.”

But Antonovich, the event’s “homecoming chairman,” said his office received more than 100 calls Friday from constituents supporting his fund-raising role, and only a handful of critical calls.

“Our phone messages are about 30 to 1 in support,” said the supervisor, who is seeking reelection in 1996. “Many legal experts agree that the Powell case was a case of double jeopardy. . . . I believe it was a complete miscarriage of justice.”

A similar fund-raiser for Powell held at the Police Academy in June raised about $20,000, according to Richard Delgaudio, the president of the Washington-based Legal Affairs Council, a conservative legal defense fund that has organized both banquets.

Powell and former LAPD Sgt. Stacey C. Koon were convicted in August, 1993, of violating King’s constitutional rights and each was given a 30-month prison sentence.

The federal convictions followed not guilty verdicts in state court, in which Powell, Koon and two other officers were charged with assault and excessive use of force in the King beating. The verdicts in 1992 touched off days of deadly rioting and led to the federal charges.

Powell and Koon, who is due to be released Dec. 14 from a federal prison in Oregon, still face the possibility of additional prison time. The U.S. Supreme Court is reviewing the sentences handed down to the two former officers, which were less than half of the 70- to 82-month terms recommended in federal sentencing guidelines.

In a solicitation printed on stationery topped by the Los Angeles County seal, Antonovich begins his pitch to prospective supporters by writing: “The law enforcement community has been taking a beating lately,” and continues by asking for support in raising $25,000 to help Powell pay his bills.

“This will be both a show of support and an effort to pay off Larry’s old legal bills,” Antonovich wrote. “You can bet the national news media will be watching to see what support Larry gets on his release from prison. Please be there to shake Larry’s hand and thank him for his sacrifice for our community.”

At the top of the letterhead, the words “Not printed at government expense” are displayed.

In addition to Antonovich, Mountjoy and Dornan, other conservative luminaries who have signed on to support the dinner are Rep. Howard P. (Buck) McKeon (R-Santa Clarita), state Sen. Don Rogers (R-Palmdale) and former Rep. William Dannemeyer.

With the exception of Dornan, most of the politicians are expected to attend or contribute to the fund-raising effort. Dornan said he will be too busy campaigning.

On Friday, Dornan and a spokesman for McKeon said they had decided to help out because of the possibility that Powell will be sent back to prison if the Supreme Court deems his sentence to have been inadequate.

Dornan called the possibility “triple jeopardy”--a reference to the state and federal trials.

“It was bad police work, and I’ve always said that,” Dornan said during an interview Friday. “Their careers should have been destroyed, they should have forfeited pay, but I was against them spending a day in jail, and I’m against this triple jeopardy.”

Armando Azarloza, McKeon’s spokesman, said the congressman does not mind flak from civil rights groups. “Buck is constantly under fire from civil liberties groups all the time,” he said. “Any attack we get from civil liberties groups we think of as a badge of honor.”

That sentiment was not shared by all of McKeon’s constituents. One Santa Clarita resident, who declined to give her name, said she was embarrassed. “It makes us all look like crackers up here,” she said, using slang for an unsophisticated white person.

Powell still owes about $154,000 in legal fees to his former defense attorney, Michael P. Stone. Stone has said that if Powell can raise $50,000 at the dinner, he will forgive the rest of the fee.

Further aiding Powell’s efforts, the Legal Affairs Council, which in the past has also assisted former Lt. Col. Oliver L. North, has agreed to contribute $25,000 if the dinner raises $25,000 on its own.

The Police Academy facility is operated by the Los Angeles Police Revolver and Athletic Club, a private nonprofit group with 11,000 members. Although the Academy Club is privately owned, it is on city-owned land and operates under a city-issued permit. An LAPD spokesman said the department has no position on the affair.

Ed Powell, the former officer’s father, who is himself a retired county marshal, said he found the support of lawmakers refreshing.

“Our cause is becoming one that is being shared by many people in high places,” he said. Delgaudio of the Legal Affairs Council said steak will be the main course for Powell’s party.

“It’s nice symbolism,” he said. “He gets two years for just doing his job. The least we can do is to treat him to a steak dinner.”

Times staff writer Julie Tamaki contributed to this story.