Rodney King, key figure in 1992 LA riots, found dead in swimming pool

"South Los Angeles"

That used to be a nice town.

Nessie - Har!

So no mention of the weed plants the found in his house....

"Why can't we all just get a bong?"

So no mention of the weed plants the found in his house....

Now I can wait for TMarie to call me racist...

Why? Nothing you said commented on his race - perhaps that was all in your head?

She is one lucky woman!! RIP??

married a woman who sat on the jury that awarded him millions. there's a woman you can trust.

Put yourself in their position -- you finally stop a suspect travelling at a high rate of speed who is combative --

The problem is not that they beat him when he was combative (if he was). The problem was that they continued to ruthlessly beat him after he was subdued. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW1ZDIXiuS4

Those cops were out of control.

Only Japanese TV had the courage (at the time) to show the entire car chase on the news. King was speeding through residental neighborhoods at 80+ mph endangering the lives of countless individuals. US news reports made it sound like he was going 5 mph over in a School Zone. All the police were exonerated in the incident for using justifed force to subdue a combative suspect. Put yourself in their position -- you finally stop a suspect travelling at a high rate of speed who is combative -- I don't think you are going to read verses of the Bible to him. Now I can wait for TMarie to call me racist...

If a body truly was "found" (or "seen"??) at the bottom of the pool than he was either already dead when pushed in or for some reason unable to stop taking in water.

I've heard on the radio today that a neighbour reported there was shouting and he told his son to go inside at around 3 am. Then there was yelling and then there was a splash. That sounds like foul play or murder to me. We'll see more as details emerge, but I thought he was drunk and drowned.

He has some wise comments about life and living it, except for the ones about alcoholism.

“I still drink a little bit — not as much as I used to, just a little bit — but with some of the programs I went to, it taught me how to put the brakes on. If you can’t stop, you’ve got to learn how to put the brakes on before it takes over you. Don’t look back. Take one day at a time. Know your path. And if you don’t have a path, take a ride downtown to the tore-up areas and see some of the people struggling. Be thankful that you can still be able to function. Look at other people and learn from them.”

http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/305441-1

Got to LA a few weeks after the riots and saw the devastation. On one corner a man was selling T-shirts that said "Lets treat or LAPD Like Kings". At that time and for those officers can't think of a better statement. He had his share of problems but he never stopped trying to improve himself and that is a lot more than can be said about a lot of people out there. Peace to you Rodney..........

King came across as sober, engaged...

Rehab workers also described him as a kind, gentle soul who struggled with addiction but had...

Houston, we have a problem...

"A rich man's way to die though. I wouldn't mind having a pool outside my house..."

It would have to include an exotic sports car too....

Only then would it be a tragedy :)

I wouldn't be so quick to believe "reports" or "through the years." Going by firsthand impressions, King came across as sober, engaged and contented in his newly published autobiography and interviews related to the book tour. Rehab workers also described him as a kind, gentle soul who struggled with addiction but had never wavered from an attitude of reconciliation and for people to overcome and forgive. RIP

The poor man obviously struggled with demons. I was in Korea when the rioting broke out and spent days watching my hometown burn with nothing but undecipherable Hangul to inform me. Fortunately, it seems LA has changed much for the better since then; a similar incident is highly unlikely. Rodney King was no saint, but his plaintive phrase, "Can't we all just get along?" sparked much-needed soul searching amongst the plethora of LA social groups.

He died a hero in my book. A few choice words from him at the time could have made things alot worse, and after the beating he took it would have been hard to blame him.

I read reports that was he high and drunk.

The cops were outright wrong to beat this guy but Rodney showed through the years he was nothing but a thug. 47 is young but I am just surprised it didn't happen soon.

A rich man's way to die though. I wouldn't mind having a pool outside my house...

". As the uprising spread to the city’s Koreatown area, shop owners armed themselves and engaged in running gun battles with looters."

And immortalised by GTA San Andreas.

The man lived a chequered life but certainly his beating brought to light the chronic corruption and racism in the LAPD at the time.

RIP

47 is too young...