DAVE's NOTE: Lee Minikus was a motor rider working in the South LA CHP Office when I was the July 1971-Jan 1972
Message From Dan Rosen to CHP1010:
Just received a call. Lee Minikus #2307 passed away this morning after a valiant battle with leukemia and lung cancer. He was residing in Bellingham WA. Not much info at this time. Will keep everyone apprised as info becomes available. He was a strong supporter of CAHP Widows & Orphans Charity.
Watts Riots-http://en.wikipedia.org/
Inciting incident
On the evening of Wednesday, August 11, 1965, 21-year-old Marquette Frye, an African American man behind the wheel of his mother's 1955 Buick, was pulled over by white California Highway Patrol motorcycle officer Lee Minikus on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. Minikus was convinced that Frye was under the influence and radioed for his vehicle to be impounded. Marquette's brother Ronald, a passenger in the vehicle, walked to their house nearby, bringing their mother, Rena Price, back with him. When Rena Price reached the intersection of Avalon Boulevard and 116th Street that evening, she scolded Frye about drinking and driving, he recalled in a 1985 interview with the Orlando Sentinel. The situation quickly escalated: Someone shoved Price, Frye was struck, Price jumped an officer, another officer pulled out a shotgun. Backup police officers attempted to arrest Frye by using physical force to subdue him. After rumors spread that the police had roughed Price up and kicked a pregnant woman, angry mobs formed.[6][7] As the situation intensified, growing crowds of local residents watching the exchange began yelling and throwing objects at the police officers. Frye's mother and brother fought with the officers and they were eventually arrested along with Marquette.After Price's and the Frye brothers' arrests, the crowd continued to grow. Police came to the scene to break up the crowd several times that night, but were attacked by rocks and concrete A 119-square-kilometer (46-square-mile) swath of Los Angeles would be transformed into a combat zone during the ensuing six days
No comments:
Post a Comment