Bail for Suspects in Slaying Was an Error, D.A. Says : Crime: The comments follow protests that the $20,000 bond for 2 white teen-agers in the death of a black minister was racist.

The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office conceded Tuesday that prosecutors erred last week when they recommended only $20,000 bail for two white youths charged in the shooting death of a black minister but denied that the decision was racist.

“There should have been no bail,” said Sandi Gibbons, spokeswoman for the district attorney. “Our bail schedule calls for no bail in a murder case. Therefore, we feel that the recommendation of the $20,000 initial bail was unjustified. However, it has been rectified.”

The review of the decision to allow low bail was prompted by protests by ministers and community activists in the northeast San Fernando Valley who reacted angrily after learning that the suspects in the July 28 slaying of Carl White, pastor of the Apostolic Temple Church, were initially granted $20,000 bail. They called the low bail “lethal racism.”

Prosecutors allege that White was shot in the back of the head during a dispute with Philip J. Dimenno, 19, and Dana L. Singer, 18, both of Northridge. The suspects allegedly went to White’s house in Chatsworth to discuss a minor traffic accident that had occurred the night before. They were arrested three days after the slaying.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Billy D. Webb, head of the San Fernando office, said he made the decision to initially seek the unusually low bail for the two college students because they lived with their parents, had strong ties to the community and did not appear to be a danger to the public if released. A background search by police had turned up no prior record for either of the suspects at the time.

However, a day after bail was set at $20,000, police discovered both had been cited earlier this year when they were caught trespassing at a city park while armed. Police also learned the gun used to kill White was stolen, and Singer had stolen credit cards in his possession. The bail was vacated at prosecutors’ request and Dimenno, who had already been released on bail, was rearrested. Both suspects are being held without bail pending their arraignment next Monday.

Webb’s decision was reviewed Monday night by Deputy Dist. Atty. Richard W. Hecht, chief of branch and area operations for the district attorney’s office.

“In my opinion, the recommendation that bail should be set in the amount of $20,000 was a mistake and I told Mr. Webb that,” Hecht said. “It was a discretionary call by him. I understand his reasons. But, in terms of the amount of bail, that was a mistake.”

Hecht said he found no indication that Webb was racially motivated. He described Webb as an American Indian who is sensitive to minority issues.

“I regret the issue of race was raised here,” Hecht said. “I don’t find that to be true. Mr. Webb was not aware of the race of the victim until after the bail recommendation had been made. No one asked the question during the discussion because it was irrelevant.”

No disciplinary action will be taken against Webb, officials said.

The announcement by the prosecutors’ office did little to mollify those who had called for an investigation.

“It is so easy to say they made a mistake,” said Bishop Milford Harvey of the Unity Life Christian Center in Lake View Terrace. “But they are professionals and I believe it was a decision that was intentionally made because of the racial situation.”