Most people never saw the first 13 seconds of the infamous Rodney King beating video. If they had, it might have changed their minds as to the guilt of the Los Angeles police officers involved in the incident that took place on March 3, 1991. Then, again, it might not. And that's one of the points driven home in this excellent report. Years after the altercation, no one agrees on the legitimacy of what actually occurred when L.A.P.D. policemen stopped Rodney King, an African-American, on suspicion of impaired driving. The whole affair mushroomed beyond an isolated incident into trials, urban riots, and a continuing debate on police brutality, race-based justice, and trial-by-media. In addition to presenting the unedited videotape, this documentary features interviews with many of the principals, including King, the police officers, and former L.A. police chief Daryl Gates. Besides reminding us that Mr. King was brutally treated, the point is argued that the officers charged were subjected to double jeopardy by the American legal system, undergoing a California state trial (and acquittal which provoked the L.A. riots) and then a federal trial (in which some of the defendants were found guilty). An ideal program for sparking debate on justice, race relations in the U.S., the appropriate use of police force, and the power of television to raise and shape public perceptions. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud. H, C, P. (S. Fisher)
The Rodney King Incident: Race and Justice in America
(1998) 56 min. $89.95. Films for the Humanities. PPR. Color cover. Vol. 14, Issue 4
The Rodney King Incident: Race and Justice in America
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