Final answer:
Rodney King was beaten by Los Angeles police officers on March 3, 1991, an event captured on video and broadcast nationally. The officers' acquittal led to the 1992 Los Angeles Riots. This incident is a landmark in the history of U.S. race relations and police brutality.
Step-by-step explanation:
Rodney King Incident and its Aftermath
On March 3, 1991, Rodney King, an African American man, was beaten by Los Angeles police officers after a high-speed chase. The incident, which took place on a dark street, was captured on video by a nearby resident. The footage showed King being struck by police batons more than 50 times while other officers watched. This excessive use of force led to an outcry when the tape was broadcast to the nation.
The officers involved in the beating were tried for assault and use of excessive force. Their acquittal sparked the Los Angeles Riots in 1992, causing widespread destruction, injuries, and deaths. The event highlighted serious issues regarding police practices and racial injustice. Eventually, two of the officers were convicted on federal charges for violating Rodney King's civil rights.
This event, along with others involving civil rights and unrest like the death of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968 and the Selma march in 1965, contributed to a larger discussion about race, equality, and law. It demonstrated the nation's ongoing struggles with race relations and police brutality, and influenced how such events were covered and perceived in the media.