The police brutality trial that made national headlines and sparked riots after a vicious beating.
The LAPD trial of 1992-1993
On March 3, 1991, officers of LAPD Timothy Wind, Laurence Powell, and Theodore Briseno stopped Rodney King for a traffic offense. After initially resisting arrest, King was severely beaten by the officers and was hit over fifty times with nightsticks by police.During King's arrest, a bystander filmed the incident for 89 seconds, capturing police officers beating and kicking King even after he no longer was resisting or fighting back. The video of the incident, after being released by the media, created uproar in the country and sparked protests and criticism about police brutality throughout the country.
A grand jury of Los Angeles indicted Officers Briseno, Powell, and Wind along with Sergeant Stacey Koon, for beating Rodney King on March 15, while King was released from custody without charges. These officers were arrested and indicted for assault with weapons and use of excessive force. Since Koon was the commanding officer and did not take part in the assault by himself, he was charged with abetting and aiding. False report charges were also brought against Powell and Koon.
Stanley Weisberg, the judge of the case, was convinced to transfer the trial from Los Angeles to Simi Valley in Ventura County after the incident sparked a huge backlash. On April 29, 1992, the jury consisting of 12 people delivered their verdicts and found Powell not guilty of an assault accusation. The riots in Los Angeles were started by the acquittals, and they spread throughout the country to become the worst civil upheaval of the twentieth century.
After the verdict, violence began in south-central Los Angeles. Rioters halted traffic and assaulted many cars. The LAPD's delayed reaction spread violence throughout the city. Riots and disorders continued for 24 hours. President George W. Bush ordered federal police and military to Los Angeles on May 1. Three days of unrest caused sixty fatalities along with two thousand injuries, burned thousands of homes, and led to seven thousand arrests along with billions of dollars in property damage.
The LAPD officers were charged with violating the constitutional right of Rodney King as per federal law. Powell and Koon were found guilty of using excessive force on King in violation of his basic rights by the federal jury. In spite of the fact that Wind and Briseno were found not guilty. Powell and Koon were given two and half years’ sentence in jail. The jury decided that all four cops were at fault for using excessive force and abuse on King, and they were each forced to pay him $3.8 million in damages. King also received a civil settlement from the city of Los Angeles in the amount of $3.8 million.
Many people believe the 1992–1993 Los Angeles Police Department trial is considered to be one of the most significant trials in U.S. history. It shed attention on the problems of police brutality and racial inequality in Los Angeles. It was also a catalyst for change inside the LAPD, leading to the creation of the Christopher Commission and the hiring of Willie Williams as the department's first African-American police officer.