Rodney King, Motorist Whose Beating By Los Angeles Police Officers Sparked US Race Riots, Dead At 47 [Video] *UPDATE* Fiance Says King Was Drinking & Smoking Weed Prior To Death

 

MSNBC

 

Rodney King, the man whose videotaped beating by Los Angeles police officers in 1991 sparked some of the deadliest race riots in U.S.history, was found dead on Sunday, Reuters reported. He was 47.

 

King was found dead in a pool and there were no signs of foul play, Reuters reported, citing California police.

 

King was beaten by Los Angeles Police Department officers on March 3, 1991. A bystander videotaped much of the incident from a distance.

 

Violence broke out after a California jury acquitted three white and one Hispanic Los Angeles police officers in his beating.

 

The riots that erupted on April 29, 1992, were among the most lethal in U.S. history. By the time order was restored, 53 people had died, nearly 3,000 people were injured and thousands of businesses were damaged or destroyed.

 

Nearly a year later, a federal jury convicted two of the police officers of a federal charge of violating King’s civil rights and sentenced them to 30 months in prison. Two other officers were acquitted. King eventually received a $3.8 million settlement from the city, and the case led to sweeping changes in LAPD.

 

King had recently been promoting his just-published memoir, "The Riot Within: My Journey From Rebellion to Redemption."

 

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

 

**UPDATE**

 

TMZ

 

Rodney King's fiancée is telling friends Rodney had been drinking all day Saturday ... and had smoked weed in the hours leading up to his death ... sources close to King tell TMZ.

 

According to our sources, King's fiancée, Cynthia Kelley, is telling friends King was at the house all day drinking, and he smoked marijuana at some point, before she went to bed at 2:00 AM.

 

We're told Kelley says she next saw King at around 5:00 AM when she was awoken by him screaming in the backyard. Our sources say Kelley found King naked, banging on the glass, and she called out to him, "What's wrong, Rodney?"

 

Kelley is telling friends she then went to grab her phone when she heard a big splash. She then went to the backyard and discovered him in the bottom of the pool and called police.

 

Paramedics attempted to revive King, but were unsuccessful.

 

 


 

 

CNN News Coverage

 

 

 

 

Rodney King beating

 

 


 

 

More CNN Coverage

 

 

Follow Me

Join Our Facebook Fan Page Check Us Out On MySpace Follow Us On Twitter Follow Me On Youtube

 

Views: 12946

Tags: 47, Angeles, At, Beating, By, Dead, King, Los, Motorist, Officers, More…Police, Race, Riots, Rodney, Sparked, US, Whose

Comment

You need to be a member of ThisIs50.com to add comments!

Join ThisIs50.com

Comment by Homerohustla on June 19, 2012 at 6:56am
Strange story, i'm not believin'it. Probly there was something elze,it smells like a setup. Unfortunally, i think that truth will never be discovered. Anyway, rest in peace..
Comment by M.K.J... on June 18, 2012 at 5:11pm
IM HEARING IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A SET UP FROM HIS SO CALLED FIANCEE CAUSE HER LIL STORY NOT ADDING UP SMH...
Comment by NotoriousRambo on June 18, 2012 at 4:52pm
RIP RODNEY YOU WERE NO MARTIN LUTHER KING BUT YOU SPARKED A REVOLUTION A SLOW ONE BUT YOU DID IT
Comment by NATE \m/ (-_-) \m/ on June 18, 2012 at 11:56am
r.i.p i told you guys they'd pull a whitney housten style death when will you guys wake up
Comment by Takyla (Tiki) Robinson on June 18, 2012 at 10:50am
RIP Rodney.
Comment by Takyla (Tiki) Robinson on June 18, 2012 at 10:45am
He probably was smoking weed and drinking but I still think something else was going on too.
Comment by Andretti on June 18, 2012 at 8:59am
ONLY 13 DAYS LEFT @Insomniac_T needs everyones help $1 gets the project a step closer. Who will be backer #20 http://kck.st/N7ePvP #INDIE
Comment by hOLLANDjUNGLE on June 18, 2012 at 8:49am
he received $3.8 mil? cot dam!
Comment by BlackEskimo on June 18, 2012 at 6:59am
That doesn't make sense. He's screaming in the backyard naked banging on the glass and next thing she knows she hears a splash. Then she left him in the bottom of the pool until the cops came? No attempt to save his life or try and get him to the top of the pool?
Comment by MimE-FreAK on June 18, 2012 at 4:00am
This story doesn't make sense. Weed and alcohol will not have you pass out in a pool. If anything it's going to wake you up. So there is something more to this. RIP

Members

 


Example Searches:
music, girls, Bentley

Latest Activity

Flash <-Thisis50's Most Hated-> replied to MiC's discussion S.K.I ::: "We Up" is being officially released to radio on May 28 by "Shady/Aftermath/Interscope"...may give the record a bit of life
"STFU go bump yo wack a** Cheif Keef & Gucci Mane, only retards listen to that sh!t"
5 minutes ago
DannyBakks commented on ChasinDatPaper's blog post London Terrorist Tries To Justify Killing Soldier To Cameraman "You Will Never Be Safe" *UPDATE* Suspects Charging Police & Getting Shot Footage Added. Victim ID'd [Video]
"Agreed @ grime"
15 minutes ago
Claudia Violeta updated their profile
20 minutes ago
FUCCOUTTAHURRDA1ULUV2HATE! replied to MiC's discussion S.K.I ::: "We Up" is being officially released to radio on May 28 by "Shady/Aftermath/Interscope"...may give the record a bit of life
"Nnniiggggaaaaa u will b da only stan dissapointed doe... So wtf u talkin bout hoe?!?!"
28 minutes ago
jabbz liked Chris Lopez's blog post 50 Cent Pays Teen From Queens, Young D'aja (Asia) Robinson's Funeral Procession
30 minutes ago
Flash <-Thisis50's Most Hated-> replied to MiC's discussion S.K.I ::: "We Up" is being officially released to radio on May 28 by "Shady/Aftermath/Interscope"...may give the record a bit of life
"well just seen something posted by that video producer, something is dropping soon. but be prepared to be dissapointed."
43 minutes ago
www.Luigi504.com replied to MiC's discussion S.K.I ::: "We Up" is being officially released to radio on May 28 by "Shady/Aftermath/Interscope"...may give the record a bit of life
"I think 50 wants the album out, its just that interscope is in charge, they waiting for 50 to drop something that impacts on the chars before he gets a release date."
45 minutes ago
Profile Iconthisis50 via Twitter
Crooked I on Hip-Hop Being Global; Sweden Students Liking 50 - TI50 http://t.co/fgGFQtjuog
Twitter45 minutes ago · Reply · Retweet

© 2013   Created by 50 Cent.

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service

© 2012   Created by 50 Cent.   Powered by .

Badges  |  Help  |  Terms of Service