Net Worth Ranker
What Is Rodney King’s Net Worth?
Rodney King, an American citizen who became a central figure in a highly publicized police brutality case involving the LAPD, had a net worth of approximately $250,000 at the time of his death. This valuation encompassed various assets and financial settlements acquired throughout his life. While specifics regarding the composition of this net worth are not extensively documented, it is known to have included funds from a legal settlement, business ventures, and other income streams. The details of King’s financial journey are interwoven with the significant events that marked his life, from the infamous incident in 1991 to his struggles with addiction and subsequent efforts at rehabilitation.
Financial Background Following the 1991 Incident
The pivotal event influencing Rodney King’s net worth was the March 3, 1991, police beating, which was captured on video by George Holliday. This video sparked widespread outrage and led to a series of legal proceedings. The initial state trial of the four officers involved resulted in acquittals, igniting the 1992 Los Angeles riots, a period of intense civil unrest. Following this, a federal trial was conducted based on civil rights violations. This federal trial found two of the officers guilty, while the other two were acquitted. As a result, Rodney King was awarded a $3.8 million settlement from the city of Los Angeles. In addition to the settlement, King was also awarded $1.7 million to cover attorney fees, increasing the total compensation paid as a result of the trial to 5.5 million dollars.
This settlement was a substantial influx of capital into King’s finances, but details of how these funds were specifically managed and allocated remain somewhat limited. It’s known that King used a portion of the settlement to establish Straight Alta-Pazz Recording Company, a Hip-Hop music label. This venture represented King’s attempt to engage in entrepreneurial activities within the music industry. However, there are no publicly available records detailing the financial performance or specific revenue generated by Straight Alta-Pazz Recording Company.
Aside from the music label, there is little documented evidence detailing how the remainder of the settlement was invested or spent. Given King’s struggles with substance abuse, it is plausible that a significant portion of the settlement was consumed by personal expenses and rehabilitation efforts. The lack of detailed financial records makes it challenging to provide a comprehensive breakdown of how the $3.8 million settlement contributed to his overall net worth over time.
Early Life and Background
Rodney Glen King was born on April 2, 1965, in Sacramento, California. He grew up in Altadena, California, with his parents, Ronald and Odessa King, and his four siblings. King attended John Muir High School, where he showed a particular interest in social studies. His early life was marked by ordinary experiences and familial relationships. In 1984, when Rodney was 19 years old, his father, Ronald, passed away at the relatively young age of 42. Specifics regarding the family’s financial status during King’s childhood and adolescence are not well-documented, making it difficult to ascertain any direct financial influences from his early life.
There are no readily available details about any inheritance or financial support Rodney King may have received from his parents or other family members. As such, the period before the 1991 incident remains largely opaque in terms of financial history. The absence of detailed records necessitates focusing primarily on the events following the police assault as the major determinants of his net worth.
Details of the 1991 Assault and Subsequent Trials
On March 3, 1991, Rodney King and two friends were driving home after an evening of watching basketball and consuming alcohol at a friend’s residence. A police car initiated pursuit when they noticed King was speeding, leading to an 8-mile high-speed chase. The pursuit ended when police officers cornered King’s vehicle. Five officers were present at the scene: Stacey Koon, Laurence Powell, Timothy Wind, Theodore Briseno, and Rolando Solano. George Holliday, a resident in the vicinity, filmed the incident from his apartment balcony, providing visual evidence of the events that unfolded.
The video footage showed the officers repeatedly striking King with batons, while Officer Stacey Koon supervised the arrest. The officers claimed that King resisted arrest, but the video and eyewitness accounts suggested otherwise. King sustained multiple injuries and was taken to the hospital after his arrest. The emergence of Holliday’s video two days later prompted the Los Angeles County District Attorney to charge four officers, including a sergeant, with assault and use of excessive force. The trial was relocated to Ventura County, and after seven days of jury deliberations, the officers were acquitted of assault charges. This verdict led to the 1992 Los Angeles riots, which lasted for six days. Over 60 people died, more than 2,000 were injured, and over 7,000 fires were set.
Following the acquittals, the United States Department of Justice pursued indictments against the police officers for civil rights violations. The trial began in February 1993. Officers Stacey Koon and Laurence Powell were found guilty and sentenced to 30 months in jail, while the other two were acquitted and later dismissed from the LAPD. As mentioned earlier, King subsequently sued the city of Los Angeles and was awarded $3.8 million in damages and $1.7 million in attorney fees. This settlement significantly altered Rodney King’s financial standing, providing him with the most substantial financial resource he had access to during his lifetime. However, the details surrounding the exact distribution and use of these funds are not fully available, making a precise financial analysis challenging.
Later Life, Personal Struggles, and Ventures
In April 2012, Rodney King released his memoir, “The Riot Within: My Journey from Rebellion to Redemption,” in which he described his youth and his account of the 1991 beating and subsequent trials. Financial details related to the book’s sales or any advances he received are not publicly available. It is likely that the book provided some additional income, but the extent of this contribution to his overall net worth is unknown.
Throughout his life, Rodney King struggled with alcohol and drug abuse. After the 1991 incident, he was arrested multiple times, often for driving under the influence. He also faced charges of domestic abuse against his partner, Cynthia Kelley. In 2008, he sought treatment at the Pasadena Recovery Center in California and appeared on the second season of “Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew.” He also appeared in follow-up productions, including as an alumni speaker, after reaching 11 months of sobriety. These efforts to seek rehabilitation likely incurred expenses, which would have impacted his financial resources. However, the precise amounts spent on these programs are not publicly documented.
Details regarding King’s marital life and family are somewhat limited in terms of financial implications. He was married to Daneta Lyles from 1985 to 1988, and they had a daughter together. He then married Crystal Waters in 1989, with whom he also had a daughter. Additionally, he had a daughter with his girlfriend, Carmen Simpson, prior to his marriages. Financial arrangements related to child support or divorce settlements are not specified in available sources. The absence of this information makes it difficult to assess the financial impact of these personal relationships on his net worth.
Death and Legacy
Rodney King died on Father’s Day in 2012. His partner, Cynthia Kelley, found him dead at the bottom of his swimming pool. The autopsy report revealed that he had drugs and alcohol in his system, which, combined with a pre-existing heart condition, likely caused a cardiac arrhythmia that led to his drowning. The circumstances surrounding his death indicate that substance abuse continued to be a significant factor in his life, potentially affecting his financial decisions and stability.
Since his death, Rodney King has become a symbol of police brutality, and his story has been addressed in various forms of art and media. His daughter, Lora King, established the Rodney King Foundation in his memory. Details about the foundation’s financial activities or its impact on the King family’s financial situation are not available. The foundation’s focus is on promoting social justice and addressing issues related to police misconduct, rather than generating financial returns.
In summary, Rodney King’s net worth of $250,000 at the time of his death was primarily influenced by the $3.8 million settlement he received from the city of Los Angeles. While he attempted to invest some of these funds in a music label, the lack of detailed financial records makes it difficult to provide a comprehensive analysis of how this settlement was managed and utilized. Personal struggles with substance abuse and the absence of detailed information regarding other income streams further complicate the assessment of his overall financial standing. The available information paints a picture of a life marked by significant events that shaped his financial trajectory, even though precise details are often lacking.
