Rodney King
| Rodney King | |
|---|---|
King in April 2012
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| Born |
Rodney Glen King April 2, 1965 Sacramento, California, U.S. |
| Died | June 17, 2012 (aged 47) Colton, California, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Drowning-drug overdose |
| Occupation | Author, Reality TV star |
| Known for | Victim of police brutality |
| Notable work | The Riot Within: My Journey from Rebellion to Redemption |
| Spouse(s) | Daneta Lyles (m. 1985–1988, divorced) Crystal Waters (m. 1989–1996, divorced) |
| Partner(s) | Cynthia Kelley (2010–2012; his death) |
Rodney Glen King (April 2, 1965 – June 17, 2012) was an African American taxi driver who became internationally known after being beaten by Los Angeles Police Department officers following a high-speed car chase on March 3, 1991. A witness, George Holliday, videotaped much of the beating from his balcony, and sent the footage to local news station KTLA. The footage shows four officers surrounding King, several of them striking him repeatedly, while other officers stood by. Parts of the footage were aired around the world, and raised public concern about police treatment of minorities in the United States.
Four officers were charged with assault with a deadly weapon and use of excessive force. Three were acquitted of all charges. The jury acquitted the fourth of assault with a deadly weapon but failed to reach a verdict on the use of excessive force. The jury deadlocked at 8–4 in favor of acquittal at the state level. The acquittals are generally considered to have triggered the 1992 Los Angeles riots, in which 55 people were killed and over 2,000 were injured, ending only when the California national guard was called in.
The acquittals also led to the federal government's obtaining grand jury indictments for violations of King's civil rights. The trial of the four in a federal district court ended on April 16, 1992, with two of the officers being found guilty and subsequently imprisoned. The other two were acquitted again.
King was born in Sacramento, California, the son of Ronald King and Odessa King. He and his four siblings grew up in Altadena, California. King attended John Muir School and often talked about being inspired by his Social Science teacher Robert E. Jones, an openly gay man who was found dead with a fellow student Ronald McClendon. King's father died in 1984 at the age of 42.
July 27, 1987: According to a complaint filed by his wife, King beat her while she was sleeping, then dragged her outside the house and beat her again. King was charged with battery and pleaded "no contest." He was placed on probation and ordered to obtain counseling. He never got the counseling.
On November 3, 1989, King robbed a store in Monterey Park, California. He threatened to hit the Korean store owner with an iron bar, then hit him with a pole. King stole two hundred dollars in cash during the robbery and was caught, convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment. He was released after serving one year of the sentence, on December 27, 1990.
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