# 011990

Frozen in Time: Riots in Los Angeles - Lessons Learned and Progress Made

The history of Los Angeles includes a number of racial conflicts that have erupted into violence.

On Wednesday, August 11, 1965, two California Highway Patrol motorcycle officers saw a car make a wide turn. An African American motorist pulled up alongside the patrolmen and reported that the driver of the car was drunk. This incident set in motion a series of events that escalated into what became known as the Watts Riots.

Six days later, 34 people, including 25 African Americans, had died, more than 1,000 people were injured, 600 buildings were damaged or destroyed, and there was an estimated $400 million in property damage. Rioters looted stores, set fires, and beat innocent bystanders. The riots were not quelled until the National Guard was sent out.

On March 3, 1991, a videotape was made of a young African American man being beaten by LAPD officers. When the videotape hit the news, the city was poised for another crisis. The four LAPD officers were acquitted by a Simi Valley jury in April 1992 and the City of Los Angeles again erupted into riots and flames. In six days, 53 people were killed, more than 2,000 were injured, and property damage exceeded $2 billion.

It is now been more than twenty years since the 1992 riots and almost fifty years since the Watts riots in 1965. Our distinguished panel will discuss the impact of these events on the relations between the African American Community and the Los Angeles Police Department.

Panel members include:

Judge Raymond Fisher of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and deputy general counsel to the Christopher Commission, which examined the structure and operation of the LAPD;

Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck;

Civil rights attorney Connie Rice who has played a pivotal role in community relations; and

Bill Boyarsky, a respected journalist and former City Editor of the Los Angeles Times.

Anthony De Los Reyes of Pocrass & De Los Reyes LLP will moderate the discussion. Tony is a member of the Senior Lawyers Section's Executive Committee and a former member of the Los Angeles Police Commission.

Please join us for a fascinating discussion of where Los Angeles has been, where it is now, and where it is going.