Rodney King Dies at the age of 47
Rodney King, the man who became famous after his videotaped beating in 1991, is dead at the age of 47. He was reportedly found dead in his swimming pool. King’s fiancee Cynthia Kelly, called police at 5:25 am to report what she’d found. There is no evidence of foul play.
King’s beating after a high-speed chase set the nation on fire, as well as much of Los Angeles. The four officers involved in the beating were acquitted, leading to a racial firestorm and debates for many years to come.
King was 25-years old at the time of the attack. He was on parole for a robbery that took place in April 1991. He said that he was drinking and headed to a friend’s house when he saw a police car following him. Fearing that he might go back to prison, King tried to get away.
“I had a job to go to that Monday, and I knew I was on parole, and I knew I wasn’t supposed to be drinking, and I’m like ‘Oh, my God,’” he told CNN.
When King knew that he wouldn’t be able to get away, he found a place to pull over. That’s when the beating took place. He was stunned and beaten by officers in a vicious manner. The public never would have known what happened had it not been for an amateur videotape taken of the beating that was released to the media.
“I saw all those apartments over there, so I said, ‘I’m gonna stop right there,’” he said. “‘If it goes down, somebody will see it.’”
“We are going to kill you, n***er,” are the words King says he heard from the officers. But officers deny using any racial slurs during the incident.
“We finally caught the Loch Ness Monster with a camcorder,” King attorney Milton Grimes said.
Theodore Briseno, Laurence Powell, Timothy Wind and Sgt. Stacey Koon were indicted on charges of assault with a deadly weapon and excessive use of force by an officer. They were acquitted on the charges by an all-white jury in Simi Valley, a suburb of Los Angeles.
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This is shocking! It is so hard to believe! May God be with all of his family and friends. We remember Well!
Wow! This is very sad news! May he find peace and rest from this world.
R.W.G. Mr. King and peace and blessings to your family.You are truly a good man and now you are at peace with your LORD.
You guys really need to learn how to properly write an article. The title of this article is: Rodney King Dies at the age of 47 yet, you give us no details about his death. The writer doesn’t even say, “No details are available at this time”, if that’s the case. The only thing the writer talks about in this article is the beating of Rodney King. Not his death! Your writers need to go back to school!
My sentiment EXACTLY!!! I read the full article expecting further details about his death and there weren’t any, smh. What kind of mess is this? Well, Rest In Paradise Rodney King, no more pain, sorrow or beatings, you’ve completed your worldly journey.
You’re telling me he’s dead. Ok, but how, and other details of his death are omitted. What gives???
So sad to read this. May he rest in peace.
You are so right Annette W. What lousy reporting. Makes me question whether it is true or not?
I don’t mean this in a bad way if King’s family is by chance reading this, but I’m sure he’s found his way to a better place. I know Rodney became a Christian and his pastor Cecil Murray was my pastor in Seattle for a short time before he moved to Watts in California. This world is such a troubled and cruel place and Rodney has finally found rest. RIP, and God Bless!
Lynn in New Orleans, LA.
What a shame. I pray for his family and love ones who suffered along with Mr. King during his long fight with the issues that tormented him. After he received that beating from those racist cops, that man was never the same. Many people will have to pay for the pain they’ve placed upon black people.
What a shame. I pray for his family and love ones who suffered along with Mr. King during his long fight with the issues that tormented him. After he received that beating from those racist cops, that man was never the same. Many people will have to pay for the pain they’ve placed upon black people.
I wonder how much longer will this kind of dehumanize pain will continue towards our culture.
Often times I hear people talk about how we as a people need to get it together, my question is, how much much more do we need to get together to stop the beating that’s we’ve endured for hundreds of years. We’ve marched, sung, prayed, waited, voted and so much more. NOW WHAT?
I have to agree….I just think the man was never the same after that terrible beating…no one deserved that.I think that he was seriously trying to get his life back on track and I saw him on a few shows and he seemed like a nice dude.I hated to hear this news about his death…maybe his body was just tired…..I am still haunted by that video tape and all the kaos in the streets that followed it….I was right in the middle of all the riots in La when all of it went down…sad…truly sad…..
Awwwwww this is sooo sad. May his soul rest in peace.
“…and so much more.” Indeed. I take it that this is a veiled reference to the rioting that led to dozens of deaths and the destruction of local businesses and housing. What now? There aren’t any easy solutions. Education, political engagement, with leaders that don’t take bribes and sell out their own communities for a few bucks. Why do you allow this: http://articles.cnn.com/2006-05-21/politics/jefferson.search_1_congressman-jefferson-jefferson-aide-fbi-agents?_s=PM:POLITICS
This story is from 2006, and would you please stop speaking to the black community like we would “allow” this. He kept the d**n money in his freezer, which should have tipped your stupid a*s off that he DIDN’T TELL ANYONE! Get it?
WORD HAS IT THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE STILL KEEPING A BEAD ON THOSE THREE COPS AND THEIR FAMILIES FOR REVENGE?
The article did fail to give the information surrounding Mr. Kings death. He was found died in his swimming pool. In a community Cali about 55 miles, away from L.A.
Mr.Rodney King we will be greatly missed. The beating and suffering he endured at the hands of L.A. polices. It will be for
every in our minds. As you have remained in our hearts for many years.
I recently saw Rodney on the Piers Morgan show on CNN. He captivated my attention the entire interview. I walked away feeling what a man. He had poise, dignity and self respect. He spoke about his life and his experiences before and after the beating. That he was thankful it was video taped.
He was so insightful about Trayvon Martin and the cause of his death at the hands of George Zimmerman. Mr. Morgan showed so much love, admiration and respect for Mr. King.
This IS sad! But what I’VE read in at LEAST two comments sounds like you’re looking for some sort of conspiracy OR COVER-UP!! What’s YOUR major malfuction!!??
He was on parole for a ROBBERY. He was drinking and driving, and the terms of his parole were that he would not consume alcohol. He then engaged the officers in a high speed chase. The other people in the car obeyed the officers’ orders and were NOT beaten. He wouldn’t have been either if he had cooperated. When a cop tells you to stay down, you should stay down. Then he got into MORE trouble. Sorry for his family but essentially good riddance.
Wow, are you kidding. He did not deserve the beating he received AT ALL. There is no justification for ONE UNARMED person to be beat in that way by MULTIPLE police officers. WOW, I can’t even believe you said something like that…how disrespectful….shame on you.
@KKKerri:
You know, the whole world saw that tape & I have hardly ever seen anything so vicious & inhumane n my life. Whites for yrs have denied that this kind of behaviour occurs against minorities, & even when its caught on tape they still n their hatefulness endorse it & justify it, even blaming the victims. But I guess I shouldn’t expect any more fr the descendants of ole massa. Many whites don’t see blks as human anyway. U r the same ppl w. the same mindset of ur ancestors who subjected blks to 300 yrs of brutal horrific chattel slavery & another 100 yrs of Jim Crow segregation. The leopard never changes it spots does it KKKerri? These kind of blatant horrific vicious acts of aggression by rogue cops only ever happen to blks. There r countless instances of UNARMED defenseless blks being outright murdered by ARMED police every day. I wish that we could say GOOD RIDDANCE to u & ur kind! Ur race has done nothing but wreak havoc, pain & destruction on every other ppl on the planet since ur sordid existence. RIP Rodney King!
Kerri-
Your comments speak from a true red neck perspective/or a hooded Klansman, which could be black! What goes around, comes around. Stay in the truth!!!
I have no proof, but I don’t understand, Rodney were 47-years of ages n they say he’s died from drowing. Now I say either he drown from from being drunk,high or it’s a murder cover up. It hurts n it’s painful until this day the way Law enforcement does us as a race n the justice system allow it. I feel the reason why they gets away with itd because we as a race allow it, thinking we have arrive . Jes mabe oneday we’ll reelize as long as sumone else control yu’re food,water njob they determine yu’re destiny.
Its a murder cover up! His fiance reported hearing him @ 5am banging on the window outside while naked, then she heard a splash. Also, I have heard by those who knew Mr. King that he was an expert swimmer, so now we r supposed to believe that he drowned n his own pool? What a coincidence that he shows up recently n the media & a wk later he is found dead. This corrupt system is intent on making blks pay who have the audacity to challenge racism & injustice. I am sure that he had a bullseye on his back fr the time that incident occurred 20 yrs ago. No doubt the cont’d drinking was a result of what he had to endure after the immense physical & emotional trauma & pain that he had to deal w. for the rest of his life.
@malik a. Rashid:
Im all n agreement! U speak the truth!
We are in trouble times, and if Obama get reelected, there will be more Polices shooting People in the back; Which is worst, “a beat down, or getting shot in the back?”
PS: In essence, Blacks Men are becoming an endanger species!
PPS: Our black President tell us to be quite, and stop complaining?
oh wow Kerri, the karma will get you, be sure of that. what ahorrible person you are
There are several unfortunate situations that resulted from the police using their side-handled batons on Rodney King that are not frequently discussed. In the long term probably the most unfortunate thing is that many black Americans have come to assume it is okay to disregard police orders. Having previously lived in South Central Los Angeles I know that many police officers were (probably still are) not to be trusted. But disregarding any police order and particularly fighting the police when you don’t like the order is a seriously bad idea. The likelihood of you losing out on that kind of action is very high. If Rodney King had done what the other people in his car had done, follow police orders, there would not have been 50-plus murders and hundreds of businesses burned down in South Central during the riots. Rodney King was partially responsible for those deaths and the results of the riots.
The second situation has to do with the demonstration of black bigotry during the riots. Black Americans, who continue to portray themselves as bigotry victims, demonstrated their own bigotry toward Koreans during the riots. If you don’t know about this, read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1992_Los_Angeles_riots. But I don’t have to read about this black bigotry, I was there. Blacks hated Koreans that operated successful businesses in South Central and it was their businesses that were burned down. This kind of black-on-Korean bigotry has more recently been voiced on Your Black World in relation to Korean businesses selling ethnic (read that black) cosmetic products. The credibility of blacks being victims of bigotry is seriously reduced by black bigotry against others. If you don’t like being the victims of bigotry don’t make other people be victims of your own bigotry. Joseph L. Bass, Ed.D. http://www.abettersociety.info
I cannot believe the ridiculousness and ignorance that comes out of peoples mouths. How can that man be responsible for peoples outrage at the obvious misuse and abuse of power by police. Please tell me what ONE UNARMED, CUFFED man can do that would require MULTIPLE armed, trained police officers to beat him in such a manner! I don’t understand people destroying their own community, but I also don’t understand you saying it’s his fault. You need to pick up a book or too and read about the history of Black people. Perhaps black people were angry because anyone else could come to America and come into “our” communities and be allowed to own businesses and prosper more than we are! Have you read about the black communities that white people burned down simply because they existed! http://www.rosenwaldharlanites.org/Latest/BLACK-WALLSTREET-TULSA-OKLAHOMA-1921.html . Sometimes the more educated people are, the more stupid they are!
Oh plz! An unarmed Sean Bell was shot over 50 times by rogue cops while exiting his bachelor party on the morning he was to be married. Oscar Grant was shot point blank by a rogue cop while lying face down on the ground w. his hands cuffed behind his back & another cop restraining him. An unarmed Orlando Bartow was surrendering on his knees in front of 4 Las Vegas rogue cops in 2003 & was still shot & killed. In 2005 Aaron Campbell was shot n the back by rogue cops while walking backwards towards them w. his hands behind his head. The lists go on & on & on. N most instances cops have rcvd little or no time for these murders. There is no fool like a so called educated fool! U should get ur money back for those insignificant ltrs behind ur name! Spare me that Bill Cosbyesque bullsh*t about how if only we would act right they would stop murdering us n cold blood, which by the way has not ceased since we were drug here during The Middle Passage! I guess that had we not resisted then also they would not have raped, castrated, tortured, maimed, dismembered & sold us off like cattle. U r a fool who obviously doesn’t know a d*mn thing about history. There has been no greater crime against humanity than those crimes visited upon African Americans by whites n this country. So don’t tell me nothin about bigotry & racism cuz whites wrote the book!
just wow…all i can say. and for those of you that are complaining about the article doesn’t get in-depth about his death, they are only writing on what they’ve just heard in the news(CNN perhaps or some media source of that nature because this is all I’ve just heard while watching CNN with Fredricka Whitfield anchoring). But rest to sure, we can almost be certain that this man was still battling alcohol usage and drug usage, which may have been the cause of his death, in which those very same two evil demons have taken out a many others in just the recent past. stay tuned and watch and see if that’s the case that caused his death when the autopsy surfaces and is revealed.
Kerri, it is good that you have thoughts & an opinion, but couldn’t u wait & sleep on it B4 your diarriha of the mouth erupopt. Regardless of his faults and death was knocking on his door, it is sad 2c some1 destroy such a beautiful thing as life. It is more disturbing to hear that another person is cheering the lost of some1 child. Now why don’t your mean behind marinate on that!!!
How sad, Mr. King is dead and the police are still beating young black men in GP! They just had a debate on the “stop and search” law in New York because 90 percent of the people stopped are young black men. So for those of you who think he deserved it, you better not get caught being black. And for the idiot that said he was on parole and drinking, well how did the police know all of that when they started chasing his car. Rodney King really died that night, his life was sad and blacks didn’t want to identify with him because it’s just so PAINFUL!
Wow! Your writer needs to stick to the subject, that’s writing 101. The entire stated nothing about his passing.
Some people are plain stupid or are just bent on mischief.The writer of the very short report gave King’s age,reported of his death in his swimming pool,told readers that his fiancé phoned the police and gave the time of phoning and notified readers that no foul play is suspected.Quite appropriately the writer/reporter then reminded us of who Rodney King was etc.The writer is right and not white.
My condolence to the family. I lost two of my sons and I am acquainted with the pain. Keep your prayers and your heads up. As far as the circumstance, the autopsy will be perform tomorrow and toxicology should return in eight weeks. I pray that he made his peace with King Jesus the creator of all things.
Wow! You ghouls are something else! They were reporting on what they knew at the time. If it’s not foul play–other than living in America– what more do you guys want. ” I got up out of the bed and went looking for him….etc., etc.
Wait on the autopsy!
I wish he’d spent some millions on swim lessons,,I mean he did score with bout 4 million from lapd right…? black power
@Jon:
Whatever he got fr the Lapd, which is one of the most racist police forces n the country, he deserved it, & Ive heard that he was an excellent swimmer. Perhaps he was helped to the bottom of the pool. He has been a hated figure by the corrupt criminal INjustice system & racist whites ever since his brutal taped beating exposed the rampant police brutality that is commonplace n this country against blks. U ppl have a sordid history towards ppl of color & I would put absolutely no dirty deed past u.
They can not beat you anymore rest in peace Rodney
MAY THE PEACE AND PLESSINGS OF HEAVEN REST UPON RODNEY MAY BROTHERLY” LOVE PERVEIL AN EVERY MORAL AND SOCIAL VIRTURE CEMENT HIM IN THE NAME OF THE HOLY SAINT JOHN,MAY HIS SOUL LINGER IN HEAVEN AMONG THE OTHERS THATS THERE ,IT IS A ASDDEN AN SUDDEN DEATH, AN I FEEL THAT THERE MAYBE MORE TO IT THAN MEETS THE EYE, BUT THERE WILL BE VERY LITTLE JUSTICE DONE IN THE WAY OFAN INVESTIGATION,SIMPLY BECAUSE IT IS RODNEY KING” R.I.P RODNEY GOD NEEDEN YOUN MORE!!
MAY THE PEACE AND PLESSINGS OF HEAVEN REST UPON RODNEY MAY BROTHERLY” LOVE PERVEIL AN EVERY MORAL AND SOCIAL VIRTURE CEMENT HIM IN THE NAME OF THE HOLY SAINT JOHN,MAY HIS SOUL LINGER IN HEAVEN AMONG THE OTHERS THATS THERE ,IT IS A ASDDEN AN SUDDEN DEATH, AN I FEEL THAT THERE MAYBE MORE TO IT THAN MEETS THE EYE, BUT THERE WILL BE VERY LITTLE JUSTICE DONE IN THE WAY OFAN INVESTIGATION,SIMPLY BECAUSE IT IS RODNEY KING” R.I.P RODNEY GOD NEEDEN YOUN MORE!!
Very poorly written article. There are no details regarding his death. May he rest in peace.
Rest in peace Mr. King.