At the intersection of Florence and Normandie in South Central Los Angeles,
on April 29th 1992, the now infamous LA riots broke out. When the people in the area
heard the news that a not-guilty verdict was reached for the alleged beating
of Rodney King by police officers, the South Central Riots began. The
first sign of trouble came when the owner of Tom's Liquor at Florence
and Normandie called the police. A few hours later, it was reported that
young people were attacking vehicles that were driving through the area
but no police were at the scene.
At 6:30 p.m. that night, protests began at the police headquarters in Parker
Centers. Half an hour later, the news filmed a truck driver being dragged
from his truck and beaten. Then, five hours after the first riot began,
the LAPD started to send officers out, but there were not enough vehicles
to get them to their assignments. Over the following six days, 53 people
were killed and over $1 billion was lost in property damage.
The 29th marks the 20 year anniversary of this tragedy. Rodney King, who
became the symbol of the riots, has dealt with drug addiction and alcohol
abuse. A book about his life will appear on shelves entitled "The
Riot Within." Two of the police officers who were accused of police
brutality but were found not guilty, were later convicted and sentenced
to 30 months in prison. These events two decades ago serve as a reminder
that the justice system does not always do what it is supposed to do.
If you have been treated unfairly, you should talk to a Los Angeles criminal
defense lawyer from our team at Martinian & Associates Inc. For a
free consultation,
contact a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney as soon as possible.