By Ruth Manuel-Logan on Sep 8th 2010 10:27AM
Rodney King, whose senseless beating by the Los Angeles police became fodder for news outlets worldwide, became engaged to one of the jurors who awarded him a $3.8 million settlement in a civil suit against the LAPD, reported
RadarOnline.
King met former juror
Cynthia Kelley at a pizza shop a day after he was awarded the money.
Reportedly, Kelley was King's strongest supporter during the trial.
When they met, they were both married at the time. After they each got divorced, though, they began a relationship that ended when King agreed to take part in the VH1 reality TV show 'Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew' in 2008. King had admittedly become addicted to PCP and wanted to kick the habit.
On a whim last May, the 44-year-old King decided to call Kelley to see if she was still available, and as luck would have it, she was:
"It just so happened that we reconnected. "It was like we were never apart from one another," Kelley told Radar. "She is a godsend, a blessing in my life," King told the Website. "I don't know what I would have done without her in my life. "I can't wait to make her my wife."
King rose to national prominence back in March of 1992. He was a cab driver chauffeuring two passengers and speeding. Police spotted him and gave chase. King was afraid that since he had been drinking, he would be arrested for drunk driving, so instead of stopping, he decided to try and lose the policemen who were on his trail.
Several other police cruisers and a helicopter were summoned to the scene. When police finally caught up to King, the situation intensified: He refused to exit his car at first, then complied. Officers testified that King reached toward his back pockets and that they thought he was going for a gun. More police approached King and eventually used a stun gun on him.
King was thrown to the ground, and what occurred thereafter became pages for history books: A posse of white policemen began pummeling King, even while he was lying helpless. The 25-year-old cab driver was beaten to a pulp with fists, batons and swift, hard kicks by four officers, while 10 other policemen stood around and watched. Unbeknownst to law enforcement, though, a man had been videotaping the entire incident.
After the merciless beating, King was taken to a hospital, where he was diagnosed with 11 skull fractures, permanent brain damage, broken bones and teeth, kidney damage, and emotional and physical trauma. One of the nurses overheard some of the officers who had accompanied King to the hospital joking and bragging about the number of times he had been struck.
Even though the videotaped footage was aired by news agencies around the world, sparking anger and unrest, particularly in the Los Angeles area, the four policemen involved in King's attack were acquitted.
The acquittals triggered the 1992 L.A. riots, which left more than 50 people dead and resulted in $1 billion in damages. A subsequent federal trial for civil rights violations ended with two of the officers being found guilty and sent to prison, while the other two were acquitted.
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Comments: (365)
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By: Ashley on 9/08/2010 8:06PM
Rodney King was a criminal before and a criminal after. He's a low life criminal who will be divorced within a year.
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By: yo mutha on 9/09/2010 12:57PM
Rodney is so dam cracked up he burned through every dime they gave him. look at his photo. it says he hits the pipe hard. he rides a bicycle around pasadena and should be the ceo of hyundai corp for the advertisement he gave them. my question is, when will this piece of crap go die somewhere?
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By: Jazz on 9/09/2010 10:03PM
Ashley, your the real criminal!!!!!!!!!!
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By: Jane on 9/08/2010 8:52PM
So true, Ashley, so true. He's scum.
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By: Angie on 9/08/2010 10:28PM
Are you just plan stupid how many criminals do you have in your family have four white cops beat the senseless you idiot. And you yourself a probably miserable and lonely yet, you have the nerve to sit back and try and curse another persons happiness. The man did nothing to warrant what they did to him maybe you will understand it better when you get kicked, stumped, beaten etc.
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By: bob on 9/08/2010 9:37PM
i totally agree , he will always be a criminal, but you left one part out. he "will" be divorced in a year, but not before having 2 kids for us to pay for. then, its on to another baby momma.
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By: dana on 9/08/2010 9:27PM
maybe he won't return to his old fables if God forgives us for what we do wrong,why can't we forgive one another? i admire Rodney for his indurance because the man has suffered a lot and no one has a right to beat anyone like an animal.I wish he and his new found love the very best & may
God continue to smile on both of them.
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By: Darlene Union on 9/08/2010 9:20PM
Who are you to judge. The Bible state he without sin throw the first stone. And who are you to judge the Bible also state judge ye not are ye will be judge. What if.........
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By: Cee on 9/08/2010 10:09PM
wow to bob i guess that was supposed to be a racist ignorant comment. I guess another single black woman who has a child is a baby mama that someone has to pay for. What is wrong with you people?- Despite what you think of him, because you dont know him personally to say his a criminal, no one deserves a fractured skull, brain damage, etc.(his list of injuries goes on) when it wasnt necessary.
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By: petiteblog on 9/08/2010 10:20PM
And now two of the cops are criminals as well.
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