A shocking not-guilty verdict in the Rodney King case sparked riots. From Casey Anthony’s sobbing to Michael Jackson’s eye dabbing, see how suspects in high-profile trials greeted their “not-guilty” verdicts.
Four LAPD officers, Lawrence Powell, Stacey Koon, Timothy Wind, and Theodore Briseno, were accused of mercilessly beating a black man, Rodney King. They said King was resisting arrest, but an amateur photographer captured video of the officers beating King for 81 seconds while other cops looked on. But a jury with no black members cleared three officers of the charges. The resulting rioting killed 55 people, injured more than 2,000, and caused more than $1 billion in property damage.
Reed Saxon / AP Photo
Amanda Knox was cleared of murder charges in Italy on Oct. 3, 2011, nearly four years after being arrested for the murder of her roommate, Meredith Kercher. Once the verdict was read, Knox broke down in tears and had to be helped from the courtroom by two people. Later Knox’s sister said, “We’re thankful that Amanda’s nightmare is over. She suffered for four years for a crime she did not commit.” While Kercher’s family issued a statement saying, “We respect the decision of the judges but we do not understand how the decision of the first trial could be so radically overturned. We still trust the Italian judicial system and hope the truth will eventually emerge.”
Tiziana Fabi, Pool / AP Photo
Casey Anthony was found not guilty of the murder of her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee. Anthony famously failed to report her daughter missing for 31 days and came up with a string of lies that misled officials—leading many to conclude that she had killed the toddler. But the jury reached a not-guilty verdict after less than 11 hours of deliberation, and without asking to review a single piece of evidence. Upon hearing the verdict, Anthony cried quietly, before breaking down into sobs and hugging her lawyer. One prosecutor said of the verdict, “We’re disappointed with the verdict today, and surprised. We know the facts and put in every piece of evidence that existed. Our team did an exemplary job. I’m proud of the job they did.”
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O.J. Simpson was found not guilty of the murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Simpson, and Ronald Goldman, after the jury deliberated for less than four hours. Crowds around the courthouse cheered once the verdict was announced, and Simpson, who had been in jail for 473 days, was set free. Goldman’s father, Fred, said, “I deeply believe that this country lost today. Justice was not served.”
Myung J. Chun / AP Photo
In 2005 pop star Michael Jackson was cleared of child-molestation charges that could have sent him to prison for 20 years. The jury deliberated for almost 32 hours. Cameras were not allowed inside the courtroom, but reports indicated that Jackson dabbed his eyes with a tissue once the verdict was announced, while fans outside the courthouse cheered. As Jackson left the courthouse, his lead defense attorney said, “Justice was done. The man’s innocent. He always was.”
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Actor Robert Blake broke down in tears after a jury cleared him of his wife’s murder in 2005. He wept, hugged his lawyers, and then sat trembling at the defense table until he was dismissed from the courtroom. When asked how freedom felt, Blake said, “It don’t feel bad.”
Nick Ut / AP Photo
R. Kelly was accused of making a nearly half-hour-long sex tape with an underage girl. But the jury took only hours to decide that the identity of the girl on the tape was inconclusive and found Kelly not guilty on 14 counts. Kelly reportedly cried as the verdict was read and repeatedly said, “Thank you, Jesus.”
M. Spencer Green / AP Photo
