Rodney King, the victim of a brutal beating by multiple Los Angeles police officers in 1991 that was caught on camera and sparked riots after the officers acquittal, was found dead in his swimming pool Sunday.  King was 47.

Police in Rialto, California, received a 911 call from King's fiancee, Cynthia Kelly, about 5:25 a.m., said Capt. Randy DeAnda. Responding officers found King at the bottom of the pool, removed him and attempted to revive him. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital, DeAnda said.

According to DeAnda there were no preliminary signs of foul play and no obvious injuries on King's body.  Police are currently conducting a drowning investigation, to be followed by a full autopsy.

Rodney King was thrust into notoriety when he was brutally beaten by police in a Southern California traffic stop.  Although the beating by multiple police officers was caught on tape, acquittals for the police officers in question prompted some of the worst riots in American history. 

Although over the years the LA riots of 1992 get much of the media play, we must never forget that it was this beating of Rodney King and the lack of punishment of the police that prompted the infamous uprising.

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