Editing Stacey Koon
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{{Villain Infobox | {{Villain Infobox | ||
| | |Image = MV5BOTc1NjU5ZmQtNjYyZS00YWNiLWI5ZGYtNjg1NmJiZGU5ZWNjXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjUxMjc1OTM@. V1 UY1200 CR85,0,630,1200 AL .jpg | ||
|fullname = Stacey Cornell Koon | |fullname = Stacey Cornell Koon | ||
|origin = Lynwood, California, U.S. | |origin = Lynwood, California, U.S. | ||
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==Biography== | ==Biography== | ||
===Rodney King beating=== | ===Rodney King beating=== | ||
On 3 March 1991, Rodney King was pulled over by the Los Angeles Highway Patrol while driving drunk. As King was arrested by Officer Melanie Singer, LAPD officers Stacey Koon, [[Laurence Powell]], [[Timothy Wind]], [[Theodore Briseno]] and Rolando Solano (who did not participate in the beating) arrived and announced that they were taking command. Koon then ordered the other LAPD officers to "swarm" King in order to overcome potential resistance. As they did so, King stood up and was tasered by Koon to get him back to the ground. When he got up again he was kicked down and beaten by Powell. Koon then ordered the other officers to subdue King with "power strikes". Powell, Wind and Briseno obliged, beating King's wrists, knees, elbows and ankles with their batons and kicking him until he was unable to get back up. He was then handcuffed and dragged to the side of the road to await an ambulance. | On 3 March 1991, Rodney King was pulled over by the Los Angeles Highway Patrol while driving drunk. As King was arrested by Officer Melanie Singer, LAPD officers Stacey Koon, [[Laurence Powell]], [[Timothy Wind]], [[Theodore Briseno]] and Rolando Solano (who did not participate in the beating) arrived and announced that they were taking command. Koon then ordered the other LAPD officers to "swarm" King in order to overcome potential resistance. As they did so, King stood up and was tasered by Koon to get him back to the ground. When he got up again he was kicked down and beaten by Powell. Koon then ordered the other officers to subdue King with "power strikes". Powell, Wind and Briseno obliged, beating King's wrists, knees, elbows and ankles with their batons and kicking him until he was unable to get back up. He was then handcuffed and dragged to the side of the road to await an ambulance. | ||
===Aftermath=== | ===Aftermath=== | ||
King was treated for a fractured skull and leg and multiple burn marks from when he was tasered. Nurses at the Pacifica Hospital where King was treated testified that the officers accompanying him had bragged about how many times they beat him. Overall, he had been hit 33 times and kicked seven times. | King was treated for a fractured skull and leg and multiple burn marks from when he was tasered. Nurses at the Pacifica Hospital where King was treated testified that the officers accompanying him had bragged about how many times they beat him. Overall, he had been hit 33 times and kicked seven times. | ||
George Holliday, an amateur videographer, had filmed the arrest and beating from his apartment. The video was given to KTLA TV and immediately became a national news story and one of the most infamous incidents of police brutality in history. | George Holliday, an amateur videographer, had filmed the arrest and beating from his apartment. The video was given to KTLA TV and immediately became a national news story and one of the most infamous incidents of police brutality in history. | ||
Koon, Powell, Wind and Briseno were indicted, arrested and charged with assault and excessive use of force. Due to the extensive media coverage of the incident the trial was held in Simi Valley rather than Los Angeles to avoid juror bias. On 29 April 1992, after seven days of deliberation, the jury acquitted Koon, Powell and Wind and were unable to reach a verdict on Briseno. | Koon, Powell, Wind and Briseno were indicted, arrested and charged with assault and excessive use of force. Due to the extensive media coverage of the incident the trial was held in Simi Valley rather than Los Angeles to avoid juror bias. On 29 April 1992, after seven days of deliberation, the jury acquitted Koon, Powell and Wind and were unable to reach a verdict on Briseno. Prosecutor Terry White theorized that the acquittal was due to the jury being desensitized to the violence, as the defence had repeatedly played the footage in slow motion during the trial. After the verdict was read out, Koon had to be escorted to his car by county sheriff's deputies in order to protect him from angry protestors. Within hours rioting broke out across Los Angeles and lasted for six days, resulting in 63 deaths and 2,383 injuries. | ||
===Civil rights trial=== | ===Civil rights trial=== | ||
Following the riots, the Department of Justice announced an investigation into the four officers for federal civil rights violations. All four were indicted by a federal grand jury on August 4, 1993. Testimony was heard from King himself, George Holliday, Rolando Solano and several others. Koon himself also took the stand to insist he had acted within protocol by ordering the officers to beat King. In addition he claimed that King had attempted to throw them off when he stood up the first time, hence why he had tasered him. | Following the riots, the Department of Justice announced an investigation into the four officers for federal civil rights violations. All four were indicted by a federal grand jury on August 4, 1993. Testimony was heard from King himself, George Holliday, Rolando Solano and several others. Koon himself also took the stand to insist he had acted within protocol by ordering the officers to beat King. In addition he claimed that King had attempted to throw them off when he stood up the first time, hence why he had tasered him. | ||
Ultimately, Koon and Powell were convicted of violating King's civil rights. All four officers were sacked by the LAPD soon after. Koon and Powell were sentenced to 2.5 years in prison. | Ultimately, Koon and Powell were convicted of violating King's civil rights. All four officers were sacked by the LAPD soon after. Koon and Powell were sentenced to 2.5 years in prison. This was controversial because federal sentencing guidelines recommended a sentence of at least 10 years; however, the United States Supreme Court ruled that the court's sentence was within its power to impose. | ||
===After conviction=== | ===After conviction=== | ||
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Since completing his sentence, Koon has gone on to work as a limo driver. He was forced to install an alcohol interlock on his limo in 2018 after being arrested for drunk driving. He has stated that he does not regret his actions and maintains that the media and community leaders were to blame for the riots and that his actions were completely legal. | Since completing his sentence, Koon has gone on to work as a limo driver. He was forced to install an alcohol interlock on his limo in 2018 after being arrested for drunk driving. He has stated that he does not regret his actions and maintains that the media and community leaders were to blame for the riots and that his actions were completely legal. | ||
[[Category:List]] | [[Category:List]] | ||
[[Category:Male]] | [[Category:Male]] | ||
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[[Category:Lawful Evil]] | [[Category:Lawful Evil]] | ||
[[Category:Xenophobes]] | [[Category:Xenophobes]] | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:Fallen Heroes]] | ||
[[Category:Sadists]] | [[Category:Sadists]] | ||
[[Category:Wrathful]] | [[Category:Wrathful]] | ||