On the night of March 2, 1991, Rodney King and two passengers, Bryant Allen and Freddie Helms, were driving west on Foothill Freeway (Interstate 210) in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles. The three men had spent the night watching a basketball game and drinking at a friend’s house in Los Angeles.<sup id="cite_ref-jurist.law.pitt.edu_0-0" class="reference"></sup> After being tested 5 hours after the incident, King's blood-alcohol level was found to be just under the legal limit. This meant that his blood alcohol level was approximately 0.19—nearly two and a half times the legal limit in California—when he was driving.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"></sup>At 12:30 AM, Officers Tim and Melanie Singer, a husband-and-wife team of the California Highway Patrol, spotted King’s car speeding. The Singers pursued King, and the subsequent freeway chase reached speeds in excess of 100 mph.<sup id="cite_ref-law.umkc.edu_2-0" class="reference"></sup> According to King’s own statements, he refused to pull the car over because a DUI would violate his parole for a previous robbery conviction.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"></sup>
King exited the freeway, and the chase continued through residential streets at speeds allegedly ranging from 55 to 80 mph.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"></sup><sup id="cite_ref-usnews.com_5-0" class="reference"></sup> By this point, several police cars and a helicopter had joined in the pursuit. After approximately eight miles, officers cornered King’s car. The first five LAPD officers to arrive at the scene were: Stacey Koon, Laurence Powell, Timothy Wind, Theodore Briseno, and Rolando Solano.
Beating with batons: events on the Holliday video
Screenshot of footage of King beaten by LAPD officers on March 3, 1991
As George Holliday's videotape begins, King is on the ground. He rose and moved toward Powell. Solano termed it a "lunge", and said it was in the direction of Koon.<sup id="cite_ref-report_91.2C_p6_11-1" class="reference"></sup> From the videotape it is impossible to tell whether the movement is intended as an attack or simply an effort to get away.<sup> </sup> At this time taser wires can be seen coming from King's body. As King moved forward Officer Powell then struck King with his baton, the blow hit King's head knocking him to the ground immediately.<sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"> </sup>Powell hit King several additional times with his baton. The videotape shows Briseno moving in to try and stop Powell from swinging, and Powell then backing up. Koon reportedly yelled "that's enough". King then rose to his knees: Powell and Wind continued to hit King with their batons while he was on the ground.<sup id="cite_ref-report_91.2C_p7_13-0" class="reference"></sup>
Koon acknowledged that he ordered the baton blows, directing Powell and Wind to hit King with "power strokes". According to Koon, Powell and Wind used "bursts of power strokes, then backed off". Notwithstanding the repeated "power strokes", the videotape shows King apparently continued to try and get up. Koon ordered the officers to "hit his joints, hit the wrists, hit his elbows, hit his knees, hit his ankles".<sup id="cite_ref-report_91.2C_p7_13-1" class="reference"></sup>
Finally, after 56 baton blows and six kicks, five or six officers swarmed in and placed King in both handcuffs and cordcuffs restraining his arms and legs. King was dragged on his stomach to the side of the road to await arrival of a rescue ambulance.<sup id="cite_ref-report_91.2C_p7_13-2" class="reference"> </sup>Unseen by those involved, the lengthy beating was caught on video by a private citizen, George Holliday, from his apartment near the intersection of Foothill Blvd and Osborne St. in Lake View Terrace. Holliday did not know what he was recording at the time, and only realized later when he played the tape back. He contacted the police about a videotape of the incident but was dismissed. He then went to the news with his videotape.
King exited the freeway, and the chase continued through residential streets at speeds allegedly ranging from 55 to 80 mph.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"></sup><sup id="cite_ref-usnews.com_5-0" class="reference"></sup> By this point, several police cars and a helicopter had joined in the pursuit. After approximately eight miles, officers cornered King’s car. The first five LAPD officers to arrive at the scene were: Stacey Koon, Laurence Powell, Timothy Wind, Theodore Briseno, and Rolando Solano.
Beating with batons: events on the Holliday video
Screenshot of footage of King beaten by LAPD officers on March 3, 1991
As George Holliday's videotape begins, King is on the ground. He rose and moved toward Powell. Solano termed it a "lunge", and said it was in the direction of Koon.<sup id="cite_ref-report_91.2C_p6_11-1" class="reference"></sup> From the videotape it is impossible to tell whether the movement is intended as an attack or simply an effort to get away.<sup> </sup> At this time taser wires can be seen coming from King's body. As King moved forward Officer Powell then struck King with his baton, the blow hit King's head knocking him to the ground immediately.<sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"> </sup>Powell hit King several additional times with his baton. The videotape shows Briseno moving in to try and stop Powell from swinging, and Powell then backing up. Koon reportedly yelled "that's enough". King then rose to his knees: Powell and Wind continued to hit King with their batons while he was on the ground.<sup id="cite_ref-report_91.2C_p7_13-0" class="reference"></sup>
Koon acknowledged that he ordered the baton blows, directing Powell and Wind to hit King with "power strokes". According to Koon, Powell and Wind used "bursts of power strokes, then backed off". Notwithstanding the repeated "power strokes", the videotape shows King apparently continued to try and get up. Koon ordered the officers to "hit his joints, hit the wrists, hit his elbows, hit his knees, hit his ankles".<sup id="cite_ref-report_91.2C_p7_13-1" class="reference"></sup>
Finally, after 56 baton blows and six kicks, five or six officers swarmed in and placed King in both handcuffs and cordcuffs restraining his arms and legs. King was dragged on his stomach to the side of the road to await arrival of a rescue ambulance.<sup id="cite_ref-report_91.2C_p7_13-2" class="reference"> </sup>Unseen by those involved, the lengthy beating was caught on video by a private citizen, George Holliday, from his apartment near the intersection of Foothill Blvd and Osborne St. in Lake View Terrace. Holliday did not know what he was recording at the time, and only realized later when he played the tape back. He contacted the police about a videotape of the incident but was dismissed. He then went to the news with his videotape.
