KEYWORDS: Rodney King, Assault, Police Brutality, Acquitted, Symbol, Forgiving
CONTEXT
King was born in Sacramento, California. He was raised by his parents Odessa King and Ronald King. King attended John Muir High School. His father died at the age of 42 leaving his mother in charge of him and his four siblings. On November 3rd, 1989 King robbed a store:“He got into trouble with the law for the first time when he was 24 years old, after he …show more content…
What happened to Rodney King was horrible. But the implications that came with it some might say was a turning point. There were mixed reactions from everyone: “People were angry for him and identify with him, but with that they are uplifting their own brutality stories. People rose up not for Rodney King. It was more than him. It was us seeing ourselves in him.”(Jennings). He was symbol for police brutality. For everyone before him and after him his experience highlighted the horrible reality of police brutality and abuse of power that blacks in America