Biography

Rodney Glen King was a motorist who, while videotaped by a by-stander George Holliday, was beaten by Los Angeles police officers during an arrest on March 3, 1991. King was kicked and hit 56 times with police batons and electrically shocked using Taser guns. In addition to the three officers personally involved, 24 other law enforcement officers watched the beating. April 29, 1992, the officers were acquitted by a jury in a verdict that shocked much of the country. The verdict triggered massive rioting in Los Angeles which left hundreds of buildings severely damaged or destroyed and dozens dead. Then on August 4, a federal judge sentenced LAPD officers Stacey Koon and Laurence Powell to 30 months in prison for violating King's civil rights. The other officers were not convicted and there was no rioting.

His police beating on March 3, 1991 took place outside the biker bar seen in Terminator 2 : Le Jugement dernier (1991). They were actually filming the night of King's beating.

Was awarded $3.8 million because of excessive force when arrested in 1991.

Has been arrested several times for drug infractions, violence, and motoring offenses since his infamous 1991 videotaped police beating.

When the media referred to him as Rodney King, it was believed to be in error, as his friends and family usually referred to his as Glen (his middle name).

(in reaction to the riots) People, I just want to say, you know, can we all get along? Can we get along? Can we stop making it, making it horrible for the older people and the kids?...It's just not right. It's not right. It's not, it's not going to change anything. We'll, we'll get our justice....Please, we can get along here. We all can get along. I mean, we're all stuck here for a while. Let's try to work it out. Let's try to beat it. Let's try to beat it. Let's try to work it out.

I saw my hometown burning that day.

I don't see how you can grow as a world without being able to get along with people. So many people is hating out there and it's not making a difference.

I know and value what it means to wake up and be alive and to share my story. I'm so blessed to be here and to be able to talk about it.

I'm a religious person. I remember my mom told me: 'Vengeance belongs to God. It's up to him to wreak vengeance.' It's hard for me to get to that point, but that's the work of God.