THE KING BEATING: OFFICERS ON TRIAL : Before They Report, They Have to Park : News coverage: Confusion reigns as 45 broadcast vans try to find space at downtown site of King case trial. Police threaten to impound some vehicles.

The world may be watching the downtown Los Angeles federal courthouse through television’s eye.

But as the Rodney G. King civil rights trial got under way Thursday, camera crews there to record the scene were keeping their eyes on their TV vans.

They were hoping to prevent their trucks from being impounded by police as confusion over where to park 45 broadcast vans added to the circus-like atmosphere outside the Roybal Federal Building.

“Get somebody down here quick,” Fox Television Network cameraman Bill Schiffmann pleaded to his studio as officers prepared to tow away his satellite transmission truck. Schiffmann lacked a union card--and the proper driver’s license--to move the huge vehicle himself.

Schiffmann asserted that police told him they wanted TV trucks moved from a Temple Street red zone because “the chief’s coming back from making a speech at the Police Academy and we want things to look good,” a contention authorities later denied.

KABC-TV cameraman Dave Kunz was preparing to go on the air live when officers told him to move because he was parked too close to a Temple Street crosswalk.

“I was 10 feet away. But they were ready to hook up the tow truck,” Kunz said. “The towing was really unfair. We’d already gotten a $55 parking ticket. The towing was a bullying tactic.”

Police rousted KCBS-TV cameraman Joel Takarsh from a parking spot needed for his van’s microwave signal to reach a receiver atop Mt. Wilson.

“I asked the officer, ‘Were you on vacation last week? We parked here every day during the jury selection,’ ” Takarsh said.

A federal court policeman brushed off ABC-TV engineering supervisor Scott Schulman when he protested the threatened impounding. Schulman said broadcasters had negotiated with federal and local authorities for a month to get permission to park near the courthouse.

“His comeback was, ‘I don’t like the news media. Go ahead and violate my civil rights,’ ” Schulman said.

Lt. Dennis Weniger of Federal Protective Services promised to investigate Schulman’s complaint. Weniger said of the officer: “I may have him flying a desk for a while.”

Los Angeles police denied that the parking crackdown was prompted by fears that Chief Willie L. Williams would see illegally parked news vans. Officers said TV trucks were blocking access to Fire Department water hookups at the Roybal Building.

“We recognize the media’s rights. But public safety comes first,” Sgt. Ken Mainor said.

News crews rushed for the Roybal Building courtyard when they finally got parked. Cameras are not allowed in federal courthouses, which means footage for the evening shows must be recorded outside.

They had four hours to kill before there was any footage to shoot, however. Producer John D’Amelio of the school TV service “Channel One” relaxed with a newspaper in a beach chair. Photographer Laurie Fernandez of KVEA-TV did exercises to keep warm. “I can’t load up on coffee--I’m afraid to leave to go to the restroom,” she said.

Twenty-nine TV cameras and about 100 news people descended on defendant Stacey C. Koon and lawyer Ira Salzman when they finally stepped outside shortly after noon.

It turned out that public safety was also on the minds of passersby who watched the ensuing spectacle.

“I think this sort of coverage sways public opinion too much,” said law clerk Lori Kenyon of Santa Monica. Sloppy reporting might lead television viewers to incorrectly prejudge the case. And that could again lead to violence, she suggested.

Gwen Cheek, an immigration office clerk from Moreno Valley who works in a nearby building, agreed. “I’m worried about the effect of all this attention. All the media here are just going to start up a whole lot more problems.”

Then, gazing at the cameras, she asked: “Do you think I’ll be on TV?”