"I couldn't sleep at night. This week 25 years ago, policemen were acquitted in the savage beating of African-American Rodney King. I felt like I was in another world. He was 47 years old at the time. That case, known as the Rampart scandal, led to federal oversight, and a number of reform efforts were adopted in the following years, including implicit bias training, de-escalation efforts, community outreach work, audits, improved data collection, training on community policing, and increased diversity of the force. Five days of riots, arson and looting ensued, fueled by deep-rooted tensions that persist today. The 1992 LA riots were the worst domestic insurrection in American history. Suzanne Wickman, a representative . The next day, the FBI opened an investigation, and the head of the LAPD promised an inquiry. Police alleged that King resisted lying down on the ground, and after Koon yelled for officers to stand back, he fired his Taser twice at King. [3] On his release, he spoke to reporters from his wheelchair, with his injuries evident: a broken right leg in a cast, his face badly cut and swollen, bruises on his body and a burn area to his chest where he had been jolted with a stun gun. After the beating, King continued to struggle with alcoholism and had several more run-ins with police over the years. Kelly told the Rialto, Calif., police that King was possibly under the influence of marijuana and alcohol when he died. But when he talked with the desk officer about having witnessed an incident of police brutality and asked about the state of the driver, he was met with disinterest and dismissal. An uninvolved individual, George Holliday, filmed the incident from his nearby balcony and sent the footage to local news station KTLA. After four white police officers were acquitted for the beating of Rodney King in April 1992, protests turned violent as the LA riots left 53 dead, 2,000 injured, and thousands incarcerated. Instead, we saw police double down on violence and brutality telling the world, Dont believe your lying eyes. It reminded us that the truth wasnt really important to a system that put targets on the backs of Black people., Marina Vergara, who grew up in South LA in the 1980s, said she still feared police harassment when she returned to the neighborhood today: The only thing that has changed is who is wearing the badge. Reginald Denny, a white truck . Armour said the riots had been followed by some financial investments in South LA, but no meaningful LAPD reforms. [37], At a press conference, announcing the four officers involved would be disciplined, and three would face criminal charges, Los Angeles police chief Daryl Gates said: "We believe the officers used excessive force taking him into custody. LAPD in recent years has faced scrutiny from a new wave of activists who have organized against police killings of civilians, discriminatory arrests and traffic stops, harassment and surveillance of Black and Latino residents, and militarized responses to protests. The police union president, Craig Lally, called BLMs campaign laughable in a statement, saying it was one of the most undemocratic, authoritarian ploys there are and adding: They have zero ability to disband our union [We] will continue to fight for the rights of working-class Americans.. [15][16][17] By this point, several police cars and a police helicopter had joined in the pursuit. More than two decades after being brutally beaten by police officers, in May 2012, King discussed the incident with The Guardian, stating, "It's not painful to relive it. Los Angeles CNN Rodney King's death in June was the result of accidental drowning, although alcohol, cocaine, marijuana and PCP found in his system were contributing factors, authorities. Vergara rallied in support of a new BLM campaign last week, pushing to have law enforcement unions removed from the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, an umbrella group, with the goal of eventually dissolving the unions. [25], At this point, Holliday's video recording shows King on the ground after being tasered by Koon. Through it all, Rodney King was just a man trying to find his way in the world. Koon reportedly said, "Stop! [73], In May 2008, King checked into the Pasadena Recovery Center in Pasadena, California, where he filmed as a cast member of season 2 of Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew, which premiered in October 2008. In July 1995, he was arrested by Alhambra police after hitting Crystal with his car and knocking her to the ground during a fight. He rises and rushes toward Powellas argued in court, either to attack Powell or to fleeand King and Powell collided in a rush. Some would see him as a hero and a martyr, while others would maintain that he was a criminal and a villain, but the police's infringement on King's rights and dignity would become a lasting symbol of the reality of police brutality. His work with Dr. Drew Pinsky would continue in Sober House, and during one episode, King revisited the place of the 1991 assault. He was released on December 27, 1990, after serving one year in prison. In the claim King later filed with the city, he reported having suffered multiple skull fractures, broken bones and teeth, kidney damage, brain damage, as well as physical and emotional trauma. Astrological Sign: Aries, Death Year: 2012, Death date: June 17, 2012, Death State: California, Death City: Rialto, Death Country: United States, Article Title: Rodney King Biography, Author: Biography.com Editors, Website Name: The Biography.com website, Url: https://www.biography.com/crime-figure/rodney-king, Publisher: A&E; Television Networks, Last Updated: October 19, 2020, Original Published Date: April 2, 2014. This time, in April 1993, a jury found Koon and Powell guilty, with Wind and Briseno being acquitted once more. Movie director John Singleton, who was in the crowd at the courthouse, predicted, "By having this verdict, what these people did, they lit the fuse to a bomb. Who Is Suspected Pentagon Leaker Jack Teixeira? The officers Laurence Powell, Timothy Wind, Theodore Briseno and Stacey Koon were charged with criminal offenses, including assault with a deadly weapon. Now, King Jr. says that while he's aware that the trial in Minneapolis of former Police Officer Derek Chauvin is winding down with closing arguments Monday, his thoughts are with the panel of 12. I'm comfortable with my position in American history. [61] He concluded that Officer Powell never intentionally struck King in the head, and "Powell's baton blow that broke King's leg was not illegal because King was still resisting and rolling around on the ground, and breaking bones in resistant suspects is permissible under police policy. "I just felt the support throughout the world not just here in America but the letters and the positive comments and feedback that I was getting since the beating. CNN George Holliday, the man who shot the infamous video of Los Angeles Police Department officers beating Rodney King more than 30 years ago, has died, his friend tells CNN. Instead, in the late 90s, the LAPD was caught in a vast corruption, abuse and drug dealing scandal, in which police framed civilians and falsified reports, leading to more than 100 wrongful convictions. [34], King was taken to Pacifica Hospital after his arrest, where he was found to have suffered a fractured facial bone, a broken right ankle, and multiple bruises and lacerations. The trial was moved to Simi Valley, a predominantly white suburb of L.A. In the end, King's toxicology report was negative for PCP. Thats enough! This belief is actually a crude regurgitation of a myth started by Dr. Hamilton Wright in 1910, which claimed that Black people experienced superhuman strength under the influence of cocaine. Its the same old disproportionate stops, targeting, harassment, brutalizing and killing., We were hopeful that this kind of confirmation of our experiences would mean that there would be justice and meaningful change, Abdullah, of BLM, said of the King footage. King, who was on parole for robbery at the time, led police on a high-speed chase before the incident occurred. [27], Koon acknowledged ordering the continued use of batons, directing Powell and Wind to strike King with "power strokes". I had to learn to forgive. It was one of the first videos to capture this form of abuse that was so common. With police brutality still a contentious, emotive issue, historian Benjamin Houston investigates. On March 3, 1991, he was beaten by Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers during his arrest after a pursuit for driving while intoxicated on the I-210. A mistrial is declared on one count against Officer Powell", "Shielded from Justice: Los Angeles: The Christopher Commission Report", "Beating Case Unfolds, as Does Debate on Lawyer", The Police Verdict; Los Angeles Policemen Acquitted in Taped Beating, "History called it a riot, but this doc argues it was actually an uprising one that continues today", "Once Upon A City: The 1992 riot that served as a wake-up call for police", "Rodney King Testifies on Beating: 'I Was Just Trying to Stay Alive', "Koon v. United States, 518 U.S. 81 (1996)", "A look at prominent figures in 1992 riot, where are they now", "Koon, Powell get two and half years in prison", "The Supreme Court: Sentencing; Court Upholds Sentence in King Case", "LOS ANGELES: 2 Passengers in King's Car Settle Suits for $55,000", "Passenger With King on Night of Beating Is Killed in Car Crash", "The L.A. "[On his brutal beating by L.A.P.D. Stop! Rialto police conducted a drowning investigation. We just gotta. Police in Rialto received a 911 call from Kelley at about 5:25a.m. It was like being raped, stripped of everything, being beaten near to death there on the concrete, on the asphalt. Authorities say there was no evidence of foul play. First published on August 23, 2012 / 2:07 PM. I just knew how it felt to be a slave. [8] King's father died in 1984[9] at the age of 42. Born in Sacramento, California, in 1965, Rodney King grew up mostly in Pasadena, where his family moved soon after his birth. [20] His bloody baseball cap was turned over to police. But once the video was in the hands of the media, it couldn't be swept under the rug. George Holliday, who famously captured footage of the late Rodney King being beaten by the Los Angeles Police Department in 1991, has reportedly died after contracting COVID-19. the death of George Floyd at the hands of police is also filmed by . Residents of Los Angeles erupted into a fury that had been mounting over the years, especially towards the police, who were seen as an oppressive rather than protective force. They say I deserved it. I had to let go, to let God deal with it. They pursued King with lights and sirens, and the pursuit reached 117mph (188km/h), while King refused to pull over. King advocated for a peaceful end to the conflict. According to NPR, the unrest started less than three hours after the verdicts were reported. The officers testified that they tried to physically restrain King before the starting point of the videotape, but King was able to throw them off physically. In the last two years, officers have been accused of falsely labeling civilians as gang members in databases, citing fabricated information. The officers pulled him out of the car and beat him brutally, while amateur cameraman George Holliday caught it all on videotape. We'll get our justice. He later married and had a daughter with Crystal Waters. During the next one minute and 19 seconds, King is beaten continuously by the officers. [39] The jury was composed of ten white jurors, one biracial male,[40] one Latino, and one Asian American. It's just not right. It causes more stress to build up anger. Davies said that only the final six or so baton blows by Powell were unlawful. - Rodney King died as the result of an accidental drowning, according to the San Bernardino County Coroner's official report released Thursday. Two of the four officers, Stacey Koon and Laurence Powell, were given guilty verdicts (via History) and served 30 months in prison for their crimes (via Time ). [32], Several "copwatch" organizations subsequently were started throughout the United States to safeguard against police abuse, including an umbrella group, October 22 Coalition to Stop Police Brutality. The chief of the Memphis police warned on Friday that the video of officers beating Tyre Nichols is "perhaps worse" than the infamous footage of Rodney King being attacked by police in Los. The cops received a 911 call from Cynthia Kelly, Rodney's fiancee, around 5:25 AM. (PDT). "[91], Al Sharpton delivered the eulogy at King's funeral. However, police phone messages would show that in response to an incident immediately before the King beating, officers described it to the command center as "right out of Gorillas in the Mist," a statement which the prosecutor would bring up to demonstrate a pattern of racist behavior. On May 7, federal prosecutors began presenting evidence to the federal grand jury in Los Angeles. However, just a few months after the book came out, King was found dead in his pool at age 47 by hisfiance Cynthia Kelly. The suit seeks a jury trial and . King, a Sacramento native, died in Rialto on June 17, 2012, of what was . His appearance was aired in the third-season episode "Triggers". The 17 other LAPD officers who were there and did nothing to prevent the beating faced no repercussions. Marines, Army soldiers, and the National Guard were also brought in to monitor the streets. I felt like I was in another world. [81], The BBC quoted King commenting on his legacy. Still, he could not find anyone interested in seeing the video. Recent data has repeatedly shown that LAPD officers stop and search Black and Latino residents at significantly higher rates than white residents. And in the last month, the LAPD has been twice forced to apologize first after officers allegedly circulated an offensive meme mocking George Floyd, then after the chief admitted he gave hugely inaccurate data to the LA Times that falsely suggested a major decline in controversial traffic stops. During the riots, President George Bush had promised that charges would once more be brought against the officers. Videotape of the incident shot from a nearby apartment. As a result, King was frequently tired and unresponsive in class, which led the school to place him in a disabled learning class. 2012 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. His daughter, Lora Dene King, attending a viewing of the Nichols footage.
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