"Rodney King, whose police brutality case in 1991 led to deadly riots in Los Angeles, was found dead in a swimming pool on Sunday in Rialto, California, police told CNN. He was 47. There were no signs of foul play, police say. Gory images of King being beaten by four Los Angeles policemen helped incite six days of fires and looting throughout the city that led to 53 deaths and an estimated $1-billion in property damage. The riots also ushered in years of self-examination and reform efforts in a city whose poorer neighborhoods have long been plagued by gang violence, unemployment and despair."
I'm surprised it took this long for somebody to post this. Then I thought, "Damn, that was over 20 years ago". Anybody around 25-27 and under probably barely remembers it or wasn't even around to hear about it.
Good point. I was 5 during the riots and living in London. But, when I moved to So. Cal in 1997, I learned about it.
Is it wrong that I misread the title as "R.I.P. Don King" and was actually kind of happy that I could post what a truly tragedible and sadimalistic day this was? RIP, Rodney.
Good riddance. He was a criminal who frequently drove drunk and put other peoples lives at risk. He was on parole for armed robbery when the incident happened. Not saying the cops beating him was OK, but the world is a little better off with him out of if
That's too bad. I saw him on the celebrity rehab show, and he seemed like a good guy who worked hard at doing what was right for his family, and getting sober. RIP
The Rodney King riots were one of my first news memories along with Waco... Rodney King was a bad dude I have no sympathy and give no condolences for someone that beat women and his kids. Still screw the police for what they did.
This. Watching him on the show completely caused me to re-evaluate the guy. He was actually a very thoughtful and compassionate person. Flawed, certainly, but it is really striking to me that right after the cops got off and people were rioting, he was genuinely upset that people were getting injured. I'm not sure i'd be able to maintain that perective in his place. I was rooting for the guy, and this bothers me more than 99% of the celeb deaths. RIP
I'm surprised he was that young. I thought of him as a much older guy back then, but of course I was only a teenager and didn't know jack.
Sad that his fiancee heard him screaming for help and couldn't even try to save him because she didn't know how to swim. Studies say that 77% of black women state that they can't swim. I know it messes with their hair and such, but you should at least learn so that you can protect yourselves or loved ones if need be.
I lived thru the LA riots. It was a screwed up time. The riots and the 194 Northridge earthquake were the two things that convinced me to move the hell out of LA and back to H-Town. Trouble is it took me another 4 years to do it! RIP RK.
