The Rodney King incident and verdict revisited: Examining opinion-mobilizing effects using data from Southern California in 1991 and 1992

We revisit the Rodney King incident and verdict to study their effect on confidence in local police using a design-based causal inference approach. apply rigorous state-of-the-art quasi-experimental methods analyze survey data from Southern California Los Angeles 1991 1992 overlapping with two focal events. While we find substantial decrease both after as well verdict, contrary previous research non-quasi-experimental designs, our results demonstrate that loss of caused by varied only modestly ethnicity not at all political orientation. The negative limited extent orientation but ethnicity. Additionally, although there is robust evidence did indeed have effect, this substantially weaker for verdict. Given pre-existing time trend prior acquittal April 1992, it doubtful itself played role mobilizing public opinion. Our shed new light these pivotal events consequences, which are discussed alongside contemporary police-citizen relations.