The former wife of Rodney King, whose beating by police lead to the 1992 LA riots, says police brutality is just as prevalent today as it was almost three decades ago.
‘Now they’re killing us, then Rodney got beaten,’ said Dennetta King in an exclusive interview with DailyMailTV.
‘It’s worse now because in 30 years since what happened to Rodney the situation with police has gotten worse not better.
‘There’s violence as a result on the streets because those people think they are not being heard, that their lives don’t matter.
‘Now, a black man, George Floyd can be murdered by police in cold blood.’
Dennetta, 55, spoke as violent protests and widespread looting is expected to continue across Los Angeles for a fifth day in wake of Floyd’s death on Memorial Day in Minneapolis.
The former wife of Rodney King, whose beating by police lead to the 1992 LA riots, says police brutality is just as prevalent today as it was almost three decades ago. Pictured: King showing off his bruises in Los Angeles on March 6, 1991
The beating was videotaped (pictured) by a local resident and sent shockwaves across the nation when it was released to the public. Although the four officers were charged with assault with a deadly weapon and the use of excessive force – all were acquitted of the charges
The shock acquittal in 1992 sparked deadly riots across Los Angeles in which 55 people were killed and more than 2,000 injured. Pictured: An man looting in LA in April 1992
Several buildings in a shopping center are engulfed in flames before firefighters arrive as rioting continued in South-Central Los Angeles in the aftermath of the verdicts in the Rodney King assault case on April 30, 1992
‘Now they’re killing us, then Rodney got beaten,’ said Dennetta King in an exclusive interview with DailyMailTV. ‘It’s worse now because in 30 years since what happened to Rodney the situation with police has gotten worse not better. There’s violence as a result on the streets because those people think they are not being heard, that their lives don’t matter. Now, a black man, George Floyd can be murdered by police in cold blood.’ Pictured: Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, leading to his death on Memorial Day
On Saturday afternoon Mayor Eric Garcetti told Angelenos, ‘This is not 1992,’ saying he had no plans to call in the National Guard as thousands of people took to the streets to protest.
The mayor quickly revised his statement later in the day, however, asking California’s governor to deploy 500 National Guard troops to LA – reminiscent of the military presence during the 1992 trouble.
Sadly, Dennetta fears the scenes we’re witnessing on the streets of LA are worse than 28 years ago.
Dennetta, 55, spoke as violent protests and widespread looting is expected to continue across Los Angeles for a fifth day in wake of Floyd’s death on Memorial Day in Minneapolis
And she feels the Los Angeles Police Department has learned little since her husband Rodney was almost beaten to death by four white LAPD officers with batons during an arrest.
She said Rodney, who died in 2012, would also have encouraged people to remain calm if he was still alive – echoing the famous words he spoke in the midst of the 1992 riots in which he called for people to ‘get along’.
Dennetta too calls for the violence and looting in LA to stop, but says the protests against what happened to George Floyd and police violence against the black community must continue.
Floyd, a black man, had begged for help and said he couldn’t breathe as his neck was pinned under the knee of white police officer Derek Chauvin during an arrest last week in Minneapolis.
‘If Rodney was alive today, he would be hurt by what happened to George and the rioting,’ she said.
‘We’re in a worse position now than 30 years ago because our lives don’t matter.
‘I don’t think LAPD has learned from Rodney to this day and I wish that was not the case but it is.
‘I think LAPD is as bad as Minnesota Police.
‘Honestly I do not know where they get some of their officers from.
‘It’s like they deliberately get officers who don’t like minorities. They’re failing because they’re not seriously tackling the racism problem.’
Dennetta too calls for the violence and looting in LA to stop, but says the protests against what happened to George Floyd and police violence against the black community must continue. Pictured: King three days after his videotaped beating in Los Angeles on March 6, 1991
Dennetta was Rodney’s first wife but the couple separated just before his 1991 beating. They remained friends, however up until his death in 2012 – from accidental drowning as a result of taking drugs and alcohol. Pictured: King and Dennetta together in 1996
She said Rodney, who died in 2012, would also have encouraged people to remain calm if he was still alive – echoing the famous words he spoke in the midst of the 92′ riots in which he called for people to ‘get along’
‘The police think they can do whatever they want. They are meant to protect and serve the people but they are serving themselves.
‘I hope the violence does end now otherwise I’m worried someone is going to get killed. I’m scared.’
She added: ‘Please, protest in peace. Violence is not making the point, that’s losing the message.’
Dennetta, the mother of Rodney’s daughter Lora, said the law should also be changed so that more police officers like those that attacked Rodney and George Floyd can be prosecuted.
She said: ‘It’s like the justice system just can’t get them to jail right now, that’s what we as a community need to address.
‘We have to be at the meetings where laws are made so that we have a real voice. Let’s get our people into positions of power, to speak and use their voices.’
Speaking about the shocking death of Floyd in Minnesota over a week ago, she said: ‘I couldn’t believe what I was seeing on the news.
‘It was awful, to see him crying out for his life, his mom.
‘The cop had his hands in his pockets as if it was something he did every day. It hurt my heart.
‘I didn’t think it would be a repeat of ’92 at first but I did when the officers involved didn’t get arrested straight away.
‘All four who were there should have been arrested. Not just the one guy. And he should be charged with first-degree murder, nothing less.’
Floyd, a black man, had begged for help and said he couldn’t breathe as his neck was pinned under the knee of white police officer Derek Chauvin during an arrest last week in Minneapolis
On Saturday afternoon Mayor Eric Garcetti told Angelenos, ‘This is not 1992,’ saying he had no plans to call in the National Guard as thousands of people took to the streets to protest. Pictured: A protester throws a Molotov cocktail on Melrose Avenue in LA on May 30
The mayor quickly revised his statement later in the day, however, asking California’s governor to deploy 500 National Guard troops to LA – reminiscent of the military presence during the 92′ trouble. Pictured: : Workers guard an American Vintage store on Melrose Ave on May 30
Sheriffs deputies in riot gear move down on Melrose Avenue in LA where looting was taking place in the Fairfax District during demonstrations on May 30
People looks on as a bank burns after a protest over the death of George Floyd on May 31 in La Mesa, California
Dennetta, an artist and T-shirt maker who is working with a community group called My Tribe Rise, added: ‘My grandson, who’s named after Rodney, is coming up to a year old and I am afraid for him.
‘Between the gang banging and the police, what’s this country going to be like for him?
‘His mom Lora is doing great things with The Rodney King Foundation. I’m so proud of her and what she’s doing.
‘She wants peace, education and social justice, which I support, and the foundation gives scholarships to African American fathers.
‘She’s unhappy with the violence but she and I understand why it’s happening.’
She said if she could speak to Floyd’s family, she would ask them to find comfort in prayer.
‘What they’re going through, I would say to them pray every day. Ask God to help you, it’s the only thing that can truly help you. They will want to be mad and angry but that is no good for them.’
Dennetta, who lives in San Pedro, California, said she hasn’t been able to attend any of the protests herself due to health problems and she’s also ‘nervous’ about the violence.
‘I’ve been on peace walks with My Tribe Rise and been feeding the homeless and I’m looking forward to continuing that work,’ she said.
Rodney King was almost beaten to death by four white LAPD officers in 1991 following a high speed car chase while he was drunk.
King, who at the time was 25 years old, was tasered, kicked and struck with batons multiple times by the four officers – leaving him with skull fractures, brain damage, broken bones and teeth and kidney failure
– This combination of March 14, 1991 booking photos shows the four police officers indicted for brutalizing black motorist King in a videotaped attack. From left are Sgt. Stacey C. Koon, Officer Theodore J. Briseno, Officer Timothy E. Wind and Officer Laurence Powell. Two served time in prison and all four lost their careers
In this Wednesday, April 29, 1992 file photo, people enter and leave a swap meet in South Central Los Angeles. Violence broke out in the area after four Los Angeles police officers were acquitted on all but one charge for the videotaped beating of motorist Rodney King
The shock acquittal in 1992 sparked deadly riots across Los Angeles in which 55 people were killed and more than 2,000 injured. Pictured: Demonstrators protest the verdict in the King beating case in front of the Los Angeles Police Department headquarters on April 29, 1992
Dennetta believes that the beating he suffered at the hands of the LAPD contributed to his death – and still affects his surviving family today. ‘He never got over the beating,’ she said. ‘None of us have. Nobody who knew him and loved him has got over the beating’
The unarmed 25-year-old was tasered, kicked and struck with batons multiple times by the four officers – leaving him with skull fractures, brain damage, broken bones and teeth and kidney failure.
The beating was videotaped by a local resident George Holliday and sent shockwaves across the nation when it was released to the public.
Although the four officers were charged with assault with a deadly weapon and the use of excessive force – all were acquitted of the charges.
The shock acquittal in 1992 sparked deadly riots across Los Angeles in which 55 people were killed and more than 2,000 injured.
Famously in the middle of the riots, Rodney appealed for calm – appearing on TV to say: ‘People, I just want to say, you know, can we all get along? Can we get along? Can we stop making it horrible for the older people and the kids? It’s just not right. It’s not right. It’s not going to change anything. We’ll get our justice.’
Dennetta was Rodney’s first wife but the couple separated just before his 1991 beating.
They remained friends, however up until his death in 2012 – from accidental drowning as a result of taking drugs and alcohol.
Dennetta believes that the beating he suffered at the hands of the LAPD contributed to his death – and still affects his surviving family today.
‘He never got over the beating,’ she said. ‘None of us have.’
‘Nobody who knew him and loved him has got over the beating.’