AP: 8ea5be67-9062-4d20-a3ba-f35d20271491
This July 16, 1992 file photo shows Rodney King being escorted from jail in Santa Ana, Calif. after he was arrested for investigation of drunken driving. King, whose videotaped beating by police in 1991 led to LA race riots, has died at 47. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian, file)

Civil rights symbol Rodney King dead at 47

BY Jillian Raftery  on June 17, 2012 @ 7:52 am (Updated: 9:41 pm - 6/17/12 )

Rodney King was found dead in his home Sunday morning at age 47. His fiancee, Cynthia Kelly, reported the death after finding King in the home's swimming pool.

The announcement was made official to the press early on June 17 by his representative, Suzanne Wickman.

Rodney King is best known as the high profile police brutality victim who was beaten at a DUI stop in 1991 in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Police Department officers Theodore Briseno, Laurence Powell, Timothy Wind and Stacey Koon were tried for assault with a deadly weapon. They were acquitted after trial in a Simi Valley court, causing major riots around the greater Los Angeles area.

In 1993, the same four police officers that were exonerated in the 1991 beating were tried for federal civil rights violations. Officers Koon and Powell were convicted and sentenced to 30 months in prison, while Briseno and Wind were again acquitted.

Unconfirmed reports say that fiancee Cynthia Kelly called 911 at 5:25 a.m. to report that King was unresponsive, laying face down in their swimming pool.

Officers from the Rialto Police Department responded, pulled King out of the pool, and tried to resuscitate him but were not able to revive him.

A definitive cause of death has not yet been announced.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Jillian Raftery, Social Media Captain
Jillian Raftery is a social media captain for the Dori Monson Show. She loves the neighborly vibe of the Pacific Northwest and spends as much time as possible outdoors.
More Local News
Top Stories
MyNorthwest.com - Purpose of Comments statement
Bonneville Media encourages site users to express their opinions by posting comments. Our goal is to maintain a civil dialogue in which readers feel comfortable. At times, the comments can descend to personal attacks. Please do not engage in such behavior. We encourage your thoughtful comments which: have a positive and constructive tone, are on topic, are respectful toward others and their opinions. Bonneville reserves the right to remove comments which do not conform to these criteria.

Comments (35)


  • Add A Comment

  • Paul Kersey wrote...
    Civil rights symbol??
    June 17, 2012 8:29 am
    Maybe we should now rename King County to Rodney King County.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    Rodney King WAS a symbol. But not of civil rights.
    June 17, 2012 8:48 am
    He was a symbol of racial intolerance as a victim thereof. In that, he made an impact on American society. But a symbol only.

    This guy was neither a leader nor a hero. And no RIGHTS evolved from his beating (nor from the trials of the officers).

    What DID come was a little (alas,very little - see 'Mexican piss') understanding that all people should be treated like people.

    A footnote in history - not an icon.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Paul Kersey wrote...
    Rodney King was not a symbol of racial intolerance
    June 17, 2012 8:59 am
    Reginald Denny was.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • HPD 5-0 wrote...
    Good point Paul.
    June 17, 2012 8:53 am
    Yet more political correctness. And he died in his pool? Wow...must be nice.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Snout wrote...
    A symbol of stupidity and racial intolerance.
    June 17, 2012 9:04 am
    He was a jerk. And I don't believe he was targeted because he was a person of color. Cops deal with morons like him every day and a few of them snapped. The racial intolerance came from the "community" who preach racism, "You are a victim. Cops are bad. Korean store owners are bad. Jewish merchants are out to swindle you. Blah blah blah." The race hustlers made this an issue. Cops snap on white losers as well. Do we riot and loot stores? Take a look at yourself and ask who is the racist. Race is only an issue if you pull that dog-eared, over played card. And for some reason we always let you play it.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • cougman wrote...
    excellent snout
    June 17, 2012 12:42 pm
    best take on this i have heard and/or read in a long time...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Paul Kersey wrote...
    If the cops tried chest compressions on him and a video gets out
    June 17, 2012 9:04 am
    it could be another excuse to burn the city and attack innocent bystanders. White people and Koreans best take appropriate precautions.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    And we learned nothing
    June 17, 2012 9:17 am
    The Black community rioted because this incident with King getting viciously beaten struck a nerve with many of them. Yet the PD continues to extract its own punishment on suspects and cities simply consider the law suits that follow as "the cost of doing business". All the while the minority community is forced to live with it.Let me say this to you folks who get upset when minorities speak up about what you consider something of little importance,in our society if your not pushing forward to increase your own interest then you'll be pushed to the rear by someone who is
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • murr wrote...
    symbol??
    June 17, 2012 9:26 am
    Yea right. a symbol of being used as a pawn to push forwatd another agenda. Being used you mean.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • fartforce1 wrote...
    I dont think many blacks feel that he is a civil rights leader.
    June 17, 2012 10:55 am
    but symbol could fit because symbols can be anything from positive to negative in value. He was iconic because of the problem with US police brutality and that led to demonstrations. But he was just a man with problems like many who happened to find himself in the spotlight. Because of King, it has been made a felony to video tape a police traffic stop or an arrest in some areas.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • sportsguru wrote...
    fartforce1
    June 17, 2012 11:23 am

    Thanks, you are correct that not many, but all blacks have never looked at Rodney King as a symbol for civil rights, he was no better than John Williams here in Seattle, as a matter of fact, they were not even suprised by the beating that he took as blacks have been beaten and whipped since they set foot on American soil.

    The straw that broke the camel's back is that it was on video tape and the justice system in Cali still felt the need to show the world that beating a black man with 12 police officers on the scene was legal.

    I personally am offended by the headlines and realize this headline was created for no other reason but to get clicks for the advertisers.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    the world MUST be coming to an end.
    June 17, 2012 4:10 pm
    I agree (sort of) with both fartforce and sportsguru . On the same subject.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • anotherfencewalker wrote...
    A Civil rights "symbol"..
    June 17, 2012 11:19 am
    Sure he was, but not the same kind of symbol that M.L. King, Jesse Jackson, Malcom X, or Al "crazy legs" Sharpton is.. No, but his act succeeded oh-so-well at blowing L.A. up one afternoon. L.A. at that time was a massive emotional keg of TNT ready to go off, waiting for anything to start an anti cop/anti establishment torching and he and the L.A. cops did it. And yes, if R. King is a symbol of civil rights, then so are a handful of those badge wearing thugs who were at that party.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • BigBlackGuy wrote...
    Washington State Intolerance
    June 17, 2012 1:06 pm
    I've visited 5 different major news outlets, and MyNorthwest.com is the only one that's filled with racist rhetoric. And it's ironic that Seattle and it's surrounding areas has this nationwide reputation as liberal, tolerant, friendly environment. How deceptive. I think the Northwest needs a major spotlight to reveal it's cowardliness racist roaches, and rats. May the truth be told.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • bowler84 wrote...
    Come on,
    June 17, 2012 1:24 pm
    Can't we just all get along here? ;>)
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }