On This Day in 1992: Los Angeles Riots Began After Rodney King Verdict

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Demonstrators protest the verdict in the Rodney King beating case in front of the Los Angeles Police Department headquarters Wednesday, April 29, 1992 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)
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(AURN News) — On April 29, 1992, the Los Angeles riots began after four police officers were acquitted in the beating of Rodney King.

The case stemmed from March 3, 1991, when King was stopped after a high-speed chase and beaten by officers as a bystander recorded the incident on video.

A fire burns out of control at the corner of 67th St. and West Blvd. in South Central Los Angeles April 30, 1992. Hundreds of stores were burned after rioting erupted after the verdicts in the Rodney King assault case. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

The footage showed four white officers and one Latino officer striking and kicking King as he lay on the ground. The video aired on television and drew national attention.

After the acquittals, protests spread across Los Angeles, particularly in South Central, and continued for six days. Fifty-four people were killed, thousands were injured and damage exceeded $1 billion.

Rodney King never fully recovered from his injuries. He died in 2012 at age 47.

Click play to listen to the AURN News report from Clay Cane. Follow @claycane & @aurnonline for more.

Clay Cane is an award-winning journalist, writer, radio host, and political commentator. A graduate of Rutgers University with a degree in African-American Studies, his work on race, culture, and politics have appeared in national publications, including the Washington Post, CNN, and The Grio. Clay is a regular political commentator on MSNBC. Twitter: @claycane

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