# The King is dead. (Rodney King dead at 47) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 17, 2012, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-is-dead-rodney-king-dead-at-47/625434 "2012-06-17T16:27:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-is-dead-rodney-king-dead-at-47/625434/81 "2012-06-18T05:41:12Z")
Ironically its kinda like the early edited King videos where it looks like the LAPD is beating up on some law abiding random black dude. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-is-dead-rodney-king-dead-at-47/625434/82 "2012-06-18T06:02:28Z")
> [@dnooman](#): > > You’re equally good at ignoring pertinent questions, and snipping statements to meet your needs. > > Shame on you. If you _really_ need me to explain to you why King’s death garnered more attention than the death of the average person, or the average criminal, and why he is thus different from the average criminal, then please let me know. I was trying to give you some credit by assuming that your question was merely rhetorical, but if you truly don’t understand, and would like it explained, then i’ll help you out. If you do want an explanation, let me know if multi-syllable words are OK. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-is-dead-rodney-king-dead-at-47/625434/83 "2012-06-18T06:08:43Z")
> [@ducati](#): > > Let me know when you’ve been a cop for a few years on a fugitive squad, made hundreds of violent felon arrests and fought with some of the most hateful, cop-hating scum Georgia has to offer in order to serve arrest warrants and bring criminals back to jail where they belong. Please include a picture of the feather you used to tickle them into submission. Then we’ll talk. I was a prison guard at Attica. I know the difference between a legit use of force and a beat down. What happened to King was a beat down. Was King a violent thug? Yes. But how were the police officers who beat him up any better? Are you going to celebrate when they die? ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-is-dead-rodney-king-dead-at-47/625434/84 "2012-06-18T06:26:06Z")
The post that was made that brought up all of King’s transgressions… did anyone else notice that there was nothing listed between 2003 and 2011? That says to me that he was, at the very least, trying (and doing a good enough job that he stayed out of trouble for that length of time) to clean up his act. Does that count for nothing in the ‘we don’t have to wish him to hell’ department now that he’s died? For me, I appreciate what he exposed and how he tried to reconcile the factions warring during the riots. Whatever demons he faced, I hope he’s at peace now. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-is-dead-rodney-king-dead-at-47/625434/85 "2012-06-18T06:50:36Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I was a prison guard at Attica. I know the difference between a legit use of force and a beat down. What happened to King was a beat down. > Was King a violent thug? Yes. > But how were the police officers who beat him up any better? Are you going to celebrate when they die? Touché! How many times did those four cops really need to hit him with their billy clubs, inasmuch as he wasn’t on drugs or whatever? I seem to remember what the Eighth Amendment says about “cruel and unusual punishments.” And while we’re on the subject, just what was done to Reginald Denny, who was pulled out of his sand truck near the flash point of the riots? And was he a slimeball like Rodney King is supposed to have been, or is he just guilty of 1) being white and 2) carrying 27 tons of sand in his truck? ---
**Author:** ![Condescending\_Robot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a183cd/32.png) [@Condescending\_Robot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Condescending_Robot)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-is-dead-rodney-king-dead-at-47/625434/86 "2012-06-18T07:05:25Z")
> [@ducati](#): > > He doesn’t, but that’s a debate for another thread. > > Let me know when you’ve been a cop for a few years on a fugitive squad, made hundreds of violent felon arrests and fought with some of the most hateful, cop-hating scum Georgia has to offer in order to serve arrest warrants and bring criminals back to jail where they belong. Please include a picture of the feather you used to tickle them into submission. Then we’ll talk. :rolleyes: Are you confessing to a crime? ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-is-dead-rodney-king-dead-at-47/625434/87 "2012-06-18T13:27:19Z")
> [@dnooman](#): > > He was no Ghandi or Parks, or Theresa, he was a shitball criminal. > > What happened to him is another thread entirely. He was always a menace to society. That’s true, he was much less a menace to society than Mother Teresa [no “h,” by the way], and fewer people suffered because of him. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-is-dead-rodney-king-dead-at-47/625434/88 "2012-06-18T13:29:50Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > That’s true, he was much less a menace to society than Mother Teresa [no “h,” by the way], and fewer people suffered because of him. You forgot to correct his spelling of “Gandhi.” ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-is-dead-rodney-king-dead-at-47/625434/89 "2012-06-18T13:37:40Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > Doesn’t CA have a three strikes law? Yes it does, but three strikes laws only applies to certain felonies. From the list posted earlier in this thread it sounds like most of King’s crimes were misdemeanors and several didn’t result in convictions (and some more were infractions, not crimes). ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-is-dead-rodney-king-dead-at-47/625434/90 "2012-06-18T13:41:04Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > Touché! > How many times did those four cops really need to hit him with their billy clubs, inasmuch as he wasn’t on drugs or whatever? > I seem to remember what the Eighth Amendment says about “cruel and unusual punishments.” > **And while we’re on the subject** , just what was done to Reginald Denny, who was pulled out of his sand truck near the flash point of the riots? And was he a slimeball like Rodney King is supposed to have been, or is he just guilty of 1) being white and 2) carrying 27 tons of sand in his truck? (emphasis mine) We’re actually not on that subject. People keep bring it up to paint the cops as worse to somehow lessen the perceived ‘bad-ness’ of King. King’s worth to society (or lack thereof) stands alone and is independent of the actions of the cops. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-is-dead-rodney-king-dead-at-47/625434/91 "2012-06-18T13:57:49Z")
Rodney King’s life is swimming in irony. I think the world probably is a better place without the guy. If not better, then certainly _safer_. I don’t have a lot of patience for people who can own a rap sheet like his, but I do stop short of being happy about his death. For all his sins, it seems someone in his life is mourning him. > [@Nunzio\_Tavulari](#): > > This promotes the stereotype that victims of beatings can’t swim. If only Bobby hadn’t beaten Whitney … oh wait. I see what you did there. I’m already on the Hell-bound bus for giggling at **billfish** ’s observation that King’s water bill appears to have been current. I’m sure there’s room in here for you. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-is-dead-rodney-king-dead-at-47/625434/92 "2012-06-18T15:26:52Z")
> [@Blackberry](#): > > Yes it does, but three strikes laws only applies to certain felonies. From the list posted earlier in this thread it sounds like most of King’s crimes were misdemeanors and several didn’t result in convictions (and some more were infractions, not crimes). So should they add a “Four fouls and you’re out” law? ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-is-dead-rodney-king-dead-at-47/625434/93 "2012-06-18T15:52:28Z")
Is the LAPD still considering changing its motto from “To Protect and to Serve” to “We Treat You Like a King!”? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![ducati](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cc9497/32.png) [@ducati](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ducati)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-is-dead-rodney-king-dead-at-47/625434/94 "2012-06-18T15:55:33Z")
> [@dnooman](#): > > He was no Ghandi or Parks, or Theresa, he was a shitball criminal. > [@mhendo](#): > > I’m glad you cleared that up. That will certainly give pause to all the people in this thread who have been comparing him to those people. > > Oh, wait, nobody has been doing that. > [@dnooman](#): > > They have not. Nor has anyone called him a martyr, but we need to see this as it is. > > A habitual criminal died today. Many habitual criminals died today, but this one gained public attention. > > Tell me how his death is different from any of the others? > [@mhendo](#): > > You really are very good at setting people straight about arguments that they have never made. > > Kudos to you! > [@mhendo](#): > > Another person who’s _awesome_ at rebutting arguments that no-one has made. > [@dnooman](#): > > You’re equally good at ignoring pertinent questions, and snipping statements to meet your needs. > > Shame on you. > [@mhendo](#): > > If you _really_ need me to explain to you why King’s death garnered more attention than the death of the average person, or the average criminal, and why he is thus different from the average criminal, then please let me know. > > I was trying to give you some credit by assuming that your question was merely rhetorical, but if you truly don’t understand, and would like it explained, then i’ll help you out. If you do want an explanation, let me know if multi-syllable words are OK. Please, Dopers… Can’t we all get along? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-is-dead-rodney-king-dead-at-47/625434/95 "2012-06-18T16:03:32Z")
I would point out that while the videotape caused rage the riots did not start until the LA jury aquitted the cops. Which brings the questions: 1. Was the videotape not the whole story? We were shown bits of it by the media, IIRC the defense showed the whole thing and I recall many folks trying to spin that Rodney was doing a lot of stupid \*\*\*\* the result in further blows. 2. If the 2nd sentence of #1 is not even remotely true, what the hell LA jury? ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-is-dead-rodney-king-dead-at-47/625434/96 "2012-06-18T16:23:10Z")
“stupid \*\*\*\*?” When he first got out of the car, he reached for his back pocket, which is a good way to get shot. Instead, the cops holstered their weapons and tasered him. When he still resisted, they beat him down. This gave the people across the street time to point the video camera onto the scene. But still, something else would have triggered the riots anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-is-dead-rodney-king-dead-at-47/625434/97 "2012-06-18T16:28:59Z")
[http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/lapd/kingarrests.html](http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/lapd/kingarrests.html) ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-is-dead-rodney-king-dead-at-47/625434/98 "2012-06-18T17:03:26Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > Ironically its kinda like the early edited King videos where it looks like the LAPD is beating up on some law abiding random black dude. Juh? Was there a green arrow spliced in that I missed, pointing to him with the caption “Totally random and law-abiding guy who the cops decided to beat”? We saw four cops with batons beating a man who was on the ground. There was no statement or implication of the victim being a monk. All we saw was a senseless beating, and that was all there was to it. Evidence later surfacing that he’d led the cops on a pursuit, etc, didn’t and doesn’t change that. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-is-dead-rodney-king-dead-at-47/625434/99 "2012-06-18T17:26:57Z")
Post # 96 by Slithy covers it. King wasn’t some nice guy pulled over for driving while black (well maybe he was, I forget that detail). But driving while black wasn’t wat got him in big trouble. The cops were dipshits but so was he. If he hadn’t been a dipshit he would not have had the shit beaten out of him. Did he deserve that (for what he had just done)? No. But had he reacted like his passengers it wouldn’t have happened either. In theory I should be able to walk into a bad biker bar and call em all fat fucking loosers with tiny dick issues. I got enough sense to not do that and if I do I don’t deserve a beatdown but that is what I am likely gonna get. King was an idiot. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-is-dead-rodney-king-dead-at-47/625434/100 "2012-06-18T17:34:03Z")
I think I have different expectations from police and bikers. And even if I didn’t, it wouldn’t matter to me whether what provoked them was a dipshit. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-is-dead-rodney-king-dead-at-47/625434.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-is-dead-rodney-king-dead-at-47/625434.md?page=6)