Rodney King

American news figure due to being stopped by police as a motorist in a Los Angeles suburb and savagely beaten, captured on videotape by a citizen. The famous video-camera shot reads 12:53:53 (00:54 AM) on 3 March 1991, a shocking documentary that was flashed world-wide. King had nine skull fractures, a broken eye socket, broken bones and nerve damage. With the public outcry, the public demanded the resignation of Police Chief Gates; he refused and stood by his men. The four officers went on trial: Sgt. Stacey C. Koon, born November 23, 1950, a member of the LAPD for 14 years, married with four kids, charged with four counts. Theodore J. Bisceno, born December 23, 1951 or 1952, a member of the LAPD for 9 years, suspended for 66 days without pay in 1987 for using excessive force, kicking and striking a handcuffed man, charged with two counts. Laurence M. Powell, born on August 26, 1962 (date blurred in the article, could be the 25th, 26th or 28th), a member of the LAPD for 3 years, had allegedly made racial slurs and physically abused two black students in February 1991, charged with three counts. Timothy E. Wind, no date known, a rookie who had been the LAPD since May 1990, charged with two counts. Police Chief Daryl F. Gates, August 30, 1926, Glendale, time unknown. He retired on 27 June 1992 after 43 years on the police force. (All from news clippings.) The trial of the four officers concluded with acquittal on 29 April 1992, 3:09 PM PDT. The defence of the officers claimed that King had resisted arrest and force was needed to restrain him. By 5:00 PM, riots had broken out in Los Angeles, blacks smashing and burning stores in violent protest of what they saw as an outrageous injustice. King filed a law suit of millions against the city. In April 1994, two of the officers were convicted of violating King's civil rights and sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison each. King, a construction worker, was arrested again and charged with Driving Under the Influence (DUI) after he crashed his wife's Chevy Blazer into a wall on 21 August 1993. His blood alcohol level was more than twice the legal California limit of 0.08. He was ordered into a live-in alcohol treatment program. On 28 December 1993, he completed three years probation for a store robbery conviction, facing trial on 10 January 1994 on another DUI charge from an accident outside of a Los Angeles nightclub. King's lawsuit trial opened with jury selection on 22 March 1994 to determine how much money he would get in recompense for the beating injuries he received. The City conceded liability and the first phase was to determine the amount of compensation. On 19 April 1994, the Federal jury ordered the City of Los Angeles to pay King $3,816,535.45. His attorney fees will run about $1 million. Given his modest home and various comments that he has made, it would appear that his share was not too great. With an obvious substance abuse problem, King racked up another DUI on 21 May 1995 near New Castle, Pennsylvania where he had attended his father-in-law's funeral. On 5 March 1999, King again made the news, this time for being arrested and charged with spousal and family abuse. From a police call on 31 January 1999, he allegedly struck his 16-year-old daughter and her mom, Carman Simpson. On a prior occasion in 1994, the court had ordered him to pay $2,500 to recompense welfare payments made to Simpson and her daughter. King acknowledged that he was the child's father but said he didn't have the means to pay child support. Much of his $3.8 million went to his lawyers along with an investment in the production of rap music in 1997. On 28 August 2001, he was arrested in Claremont, CA for being under the influence of PCP. In little more than a month, he was again arrested on 29 September 2001 for being under the influence of a controlled substance and indecent exposure. King was found dead at the bottom of his swimming pool in Rialto, California on 17 June 2012. His autopsy results were released, stating he died of accidental drowning, and alcohol, cocaine, marijuana, and PCP found in his system were contributing factors. Link to Wikipedia biography