The Rodney King Riots of Los Angeles.
The case of the assault on Rodney King ended in disaster as many angry blacks all across Los Angeles (particularly in South Central LA, Florence, and Normandie) retaliated by looting and attacking many whites. In six dreadful days, 54 people were killed, 2,383 people injured, and 1,312 people were arrested. There was an estimated $700 million in property damage all across the Los Angeles County. Unfortunately, the mischief spread to other parts of this glorious nation. In Atlanta, Georgia, 300 people were arrested as well. America was angry that 22nd day of April 1992.
Rage against the machine, however, was provoked. Rodney King was speeding over 100mph for over 7.8 miles and when police began to chase him, he sped up. When the police finally caught King, they delivered 56 baton blows and six kicks to King in little less than two minutes, whom suffered 11 skull fractions as well as brain and kidney damage. How do we all know this? George Holliday was standing on a nearby balcony, videotaping the entire incident. When the four policemen that assaulted King were acquitted, Los Angeles was ablaze.
The first person arrested that day was Donald Coleman. Donald was arrested for throwing a Molotov coctail into a nearby 7-11, and was sentenced to 19 years and 8 months in prison. The result of the case that angered so many people was the acquittal of two policemen, and conviction of two. The two convicted were sentenced to 30 months in prison at a so-called "white-collar prison", where Wall Street tycoon Michael Milken spent two years.
This prison has no walls, fences, gun towers, or guns. The prisoners have a salad bar and dining room, are offered recreational facilities such as video rentals, gardening, an asphalt jogging track, sand volleyball court, and a weightlifting room. Escapees at this prison are called "walkaways", contrast to other California prisons that have "death fences", where escapees are influenced to serve time by a surrounding electric fence.
