Captain Laporin was a Benzite Starfleet officer, who served as a starship commander, during the Second Federation-Klingon War. While attending Starfleet Academy, one of Laporin's classmates was future fellow Starfleet captain, Benjamin Sisko.
In late-2372, Laporin's ship was boarded by the Klingons during a bloody skrimish. The boarding Klingons were merciless to the Laporin's crew as he witnessed his Tellarite helmsman's beheading. Moments later, the same Klingon would tear off the Laporin's breathing device, before killing the captain.
In 2373, Captain Benjamin Sisko would learn of Laporin's fate while on the Klingon outpost, Ty'Gokor, as told by the Klingon soldier who committed it. (DS9: "Apocalypse Rising")
- TNG: "Coming of Age" indicates that Mordock was the first Benzite in Starfleet Academy in 2364. Sisko, however, graduated from the Academy in 2354. Therefore, Laporin, as a Benzite captain, would appear to be an anomoly from fairly established canon. It should also be noted that Laporin was referred to as a "Benzenite", in both the script and as spoken by the character.