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On March 3, 1991, four police officers were filmed beating taxi driver Rodney King after a pursuit through the streets of Los Angeles. The video shocked the city, and the events that followed shocked the nation.
George Holiday recorded this scene from his apartment balcony.
It shows LAPD officers beating a man later identified as Rodney King.
King, who was intoxicated, had been caught speeding and initially tried to evade the police. When he finally pulled over and exited his car, multiple LAPD units and a helicopter were pursuing him.
The footage shows four officers using a stun gun on King as well as kicking, and hitting him with their batons upwards of 53 times.
Officers claimed he was resisting arrest.
The officers; Laurence Powell, Timothy Wind, Theodore Briseno and Stacey Koon, were put on trial and acquitted by a majority white jury in April of 1992.
The following three days were marred by riots, looting, arson, and extreme violence across the city of Los Angeles.
Rodney King himself held a news conference during the turmoil uttering the now famous line “can we all get along.”
By the time the riots ended, 55 people were dead and more than 2,000 were injured.
King later settled a civil suit with the city of Los Angeles for $3.8 million.
The four officers were later brought up on federal charges.
On April 16, 1993 two of the officers were found guilty of violating Rodney King’s civil rights and subsequently imprisoned.
The other two were acquitted again.
Rodney King went on to live a relatively quiet life, but had a number of run-ins with the law as the years went on — including a DUI in 2011.
In 2012 he drowned in his backyard pool.
Agencies/Canadajournal
