4/17 1993 – A federal jury in Los Angeles convicted two former police officers of violating the civil rights of beaten motorist Rodney King. Two other officers were acquitted.
On April 17, 1993, a significant verdict was reached in the case of Rodney King, a black motorist who was brutally beaten by Los Angeles police officers during his arrest in 1991. Here are the details:
- Sgt. Stacey Koon (42 years old) was found guilty of permitting excessive force during King’s arrest.
- Laurence Powell (30 years old) was found guilty of using excessive force.
- Officer Theodore Briseno (40 years old) and fired rookie Timothy Wind (32 years old) were acquitted of using excessive force.
- All four officers were innocent of a second charge of aiding and abetting the other officers in the beating.
- The jury’s decision was based on evidence, including a videotape of the incident, which was a convincing piece of evidence123.
As a result of this trial:
- Koon and Powell were sentenced to two and a half years in prison2.
- The mixed verdict was seen as a victory by most civil rights advocates2.
This case had a profound impact on discussions around police brutality and civil rights, and it remains a pivotal moment in American history. The events surrounding Rodney King’s beating and the subsequent trial sparked widespread debate and led to significant changes in law enforcement practices and public awareness14.
Source: BingAI and wiki
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1989 Archive: Chinese troops fire on protesters in Tiananmen Square – BBC News
1970 – Apollo 13 returned to Earth safely after an on-board accident with an oxygen tank.
On This Day in Space! April 17, 1970: Apollo 13 Returns from Aborted Moon Mission
By Hanneke Weitering
ASSOCIATED PRESS
The huge Saturn rocket carrying the Apollo 13 spacecraft lifts off the launch pad at Cape Kennedy, Fla., April 11, 1970.
On April 17, 1970, Apollo 13 returned to Earth after narrowly avoiding a deadly disaster in space. This was supposed to be the third mission to land on the moon.
Astronauts Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert and Fred Haise launched on April 11 and were two days into their trip to the moon when an oxygen tank exploded, and NASA had to abort the mission. When the astronauts called mission control to report the incident, Swigert uttered the famous quote, “Houston, we’ve had a problem.”
With the service module running out of oxygen, they opted to use the lunar lander as a lifeboat. Because the oxygen was also used to power the spacecraft’s fuel cells, they were also running out of power. They shut down all nonessential systems and turned down the heat, and spent four cold, miserable days heading back to Earth. [NASA’s Apollo 13 Mission of Survival in Pictures]
They had to go back into the service module for reentry, and they didn’t know if their heat shield had been damaged by the explosion. Luckily they survived reentry and safely splashed down in the Pacific Ocean.
pennlive.com
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Equal Pay Day – April 17 – AAUW
AAUW Releases State-By-State Rankings for Equal Pay Day
D.C. Has Best Ranking, Wyoming Worst
WASHINGTON – With the release of The Simple Truth about the Gender Pay Gap, the American Association of University Women (AAUW) unveiled new state-by-state equal pay rankings. Updated for the national observance of Equal Pay Day, which marks how far into the current year women must work to match what their male counterparts earned last year, The Simple Truth charts the wage gap in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
The wage gap is narrowest in the nation’s capital, where women have the best earning’s ratio — 91 cents, on average, for every dollar earned by their male counterparts. The state with the worst earnings ratio is Wyoming, where women make 64 percent of men’s earnings. The national average puts women at just 77 percent.
The wage gap costs working women and their families tens of thousands of dollars in lost wages and directly affects women’s retirement security. These numbers are worse for women of color, and The Simple Truth examines racial and ethnic breakdowns. White and Asian women earn, respectively, 82 percent and 88 percent of white men’s earnings. African American and Hispanic women earn much less — just 70 percent and 61 percent of what white men earn, on average.
“Equal Pay Day, which this year falls on April 17, is an unfortunate reminder of how far we have to go to reach true pay equality. The wage gap hasn’t moved significantly in nearly a decade, and at this rate, we’ll be marking Equal Pay Day for the next 60 years,” said AAUW Executive Director Linda D. Hallman, CAE.
In addition to the release of The Simple Truth, AAUW branches across the nation will mark Equal Pay Day by holding rallies, wearing red to symbolize how women’s wages are in the red, handing out Pay Day candy bars, and hosting bake sales with discounts for women.
“The gender pay gap is unlikely to go away on its own. Our publications and tools will empower our advocacy on behalf of women and their families,” said Catherine Hill, AAUW director of research. “The Simple Truth is a useful resource for women, the media, and society at large as we work to address this stubborn inequality.”
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The American Association of University Women (AAUW) advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy, and research. Since 1881, AAUW has been one of the nation’s leading voices promoting education and equity for women and girls. AAUW has a nationwide network of more than 100,000 members and donors, 1,000 branches, and 600 college/university institutional partners. Since AAUW’s founding 130 years ago, members have examined and taken positions on the fundamental issues of the day — educational, social, economic, and political. AAUW’s commitment to educational equity is reflected in its public policy advocacy, community programs, leadership development, conventions and conferences, national partnerships, and international connections.
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