20 Years Later: Rodney King + His Initial Reaction Following The Verdict

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20 years ago, on March 3, 1991, Rodney King was the victim of a beating at the hands of four Los Angeles Police Officers.

At the end of a high speed chase, an intoxicated King and his two passengers were pulled over on the freeway by the California Highway patrol, joined by several police cars and a helicopter.

The officers alleged that King’s behavior led them to believe he was under the influence of the drug PCP. King later tested negative for the drug.

Due to the police’s initial impression for influence of drugs, they maintained that force was required in order to subdue King and get him to comply with their orders.

King was tasered and struck repeatedly with batons; suffering a fractured facial bone, broken ankle, and numerous other bruises and lacerations.

LAPD officers Stacey Koon, Laurence Powell, Timothy Wind, and Theodore Briseno were charged with use of excessive force. Their April 1992 acquittal led to widespread rioting in the city of Los Angeles, as African Americans felt justice had not been served.

20 years later, King’s name still resonates.

The Rodney King beating bought the issue of police brutality and racial profiling to the forefront.

Unfortunately, there are many victims of police brutality and racial profiling that often go unnoticed and will never receive the attention King’s case has.

At least every Black or person of color will say in their lifetime they have been racially profiled by law enforcement.

Last year, over 600,000 people were stopped and frisked in New York, which a large percentage were Black and Hispanic, and only a small percentage out of the 600,000 were actually arrested.

It wasn’t too long ago that we were talking about Sean Bell, Henry Louis Gates Jr., Amadu Diallo, and Oscar Grant, just to name a few  whose cases shined a light to  the racial disparities and discrimination when it comes to the criminal justice system.

Check out Rodney King’s interview with CNN anchor Don Lemon about his initial reaction following the verdict.

Lemon retraces the events of that morning, and the riots that divided Los Angeles and the nation.

Race and Rage – The Beating of Rodney King, debuts Friday, March 4 at 8:00p.m. ET and PT on CNN/U.S. It replays on Saturday, March 5 at 8:00p.m. ET and PT.