NCJ Number
141508
Date Published
1992
Length
160 pages
Annotation
This pictorial account of the Los Angeles riots following the acquittal of police officers involved in the beating of Rodney King reflects coverage of the riots by the Los Angeles Times.
Abstract
The chronology of events associated with the trial and subsequent riots is traced, and racial and socioeconomic characteristics of Los Angeles neighborhoods are detailed. The extent of police brutality and questionable conduct toward minority groups in Los Angeles is discussed, as well as the despair experienced by poor and minority citizens. The Los Angeles riots are compared to riots in other urban centers. Consideration is given to the roles played by Los Angeles mayor Tom Bradley and police chief Daryl Gates, individuals who protested nonviolently, political recriminations of the Rodney King incident, looting, the victimization of black-owned businesses by blacks, the targeting of Korean businesses, property destruction, feelings of fear caused by the violent environment, the role of religious leaders in calming the situation, and the support provided to the Los Angeles Police Department by the National Guard. The photography graphically portrays the extent of anger and frustration associated with the riots and the dramatic effects of the riots on people's personal lives.