Rodney King found dead

Rodney King, whose beating by Los Angeles police in 1991 was caught on camera and sparked riots after the acquittal of the four officers involved, was found dead in the swimming pool of his California home today. Rodney King He was 47. Police said King's fiancée discovered him at the bottom of the swimming pool at their Rialto, Calif., home, about 55 miles east of Los Angeles.

Police responded to a call at 5:25 a.m., pulled King out of the pool and attempted CPR, but could not revive him.


King's representative Suzanne Wickman confirmed his death. King's fiancée, Cynthia Kelley (who was a juror in King's lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles in 1994), told friends King spent the bulk of Saturday drinking and "smoked marijuana at some point," before she went to went to bed at 2:00 a.m.

The cause of death is unknown, but police are investigating it as a drowning. Rialto Police Capt. Randy DeAnda said there were no preliminary signs of foul play.

I saw him on TV in April, on the 21st anniversary of his beating and I was like...it's amazing this guy is still alive and enjoying himself after so many people lost their lives in his honor. He didn't ask for people to start that riot that lasted for 5 days and caused a lot of property damage and 55 lives lost, it just happened. He was actually against it but the whole thing was beyond his control.

He got a HUGE chunk of change from that beating so I guess it was a blessing in disguise for him.

May his soul rest in peace...Amen.

Rodney King's badly beaten face by four L.A. Police officers in 1991