on March 3, 1991, after the L.

A. highway patrol pulled Rodney King, a black motorist, over after a short high-speed chase, four (white) Los Angeles police officers took over the responsibility of the arrest by delivering 56 blows on King's head, body and limbs in a beating that took 81 seconds before he was handcuffed and taken to the hospital with severe injuries to his head, body and legs.

After a nearby resident accidentally filmed this beating while testing out his new video recorder, he took the tape to the police department where it was not accepted. After that, he took it to a television station, which put the tape on air. This led to charges brought against the four officers; however, the trial was to be held in Simi Valley, a 96 percent White suburb of L.

A. Ironically, the trial was held in Simi Valley, rather than L.

A., to avoid possible bias against the defendant.

The trial began on March 5, 1992. The jury of 10 Whites, one Korean, and one Latino, after watching the video, unanimously agreed that the officers were using reasonable force and had the policemen acquitted on most of the charges. This verdict brought about a six-day riot in the streets of Los Angeles, which ended on May 4, 1992.

The 1992 Rodney King case raised expert attention to the problem with jury trials, that amateur jurors are irrational and inconsistent, and that jury trials are long and expensive. However, the King case raised attention most notably for the lack of minorities in the selected jury. Reform proposals range from juror education programs to eliminating the jury. Though many reform proposals for the jury selection process has been made, not many have been passed.