The Other Beating – Los Angeles Times story about the fate of George Holliday. Fifteen years after his video of Rodney King was broadcast to the world, he looks back on how that night has affected his life.
George Holliday was the Rodney King videographer. Awakened by sirens just after midnight on March 3, 1991—15 years ago next month—he grabbed his Sony Handycam, stepped out onto the balcony of his Lake View Terrace apartment and captured King’s beating by four LAPD officers. The video triggered a media sensation and, after the acquittal of the officers, helped ignite the riots that led to 54 deaths, 2,383 injuries, hundreds of destroyed buildings and more than 12,000 arrests.
Back then, George was married and a manager at a big plumbing and rooting company. Now he’s twice divorced, self-employed and scraping by. He might have been better off had he stayed in bed that night.