FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                          CR
TUESDAY, APRIL 2, 1996                             (202) 616-2765
                                               TDD (202) 514-1888
                                                   (213) 894-6947

                          MEDIA ADVISORY


     WASHINGTON, D.C. --  Deval L. Patrick, Assistant Attorney
General for the Civil Rights Division, and Nora Manella, U.S.
Attorney in Los Angeles today announced that the FBI has opened
an investigation into yesterday's incident in Los Angeles County
involving officers from the Riverside County Sheriff's
Department.

     This investigation into possible criminal civil rights
violations will be conducted jointly with the L.A. County
Sheriff's Department's criminal investigation.  The Civil Rights
Division and the U.S. Attorney's Office are coordinating efforts
in this matter with the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office.

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