The document examines the events of the night Rodney King was beaten from the perspective of both the prosecution and the defense. The first section examines the law the jury was instructed to follow in reaching its verdict. In addition, it describes some of the controversial legal issues raised concerning moving the trial to Simi Valley and selecting the jury. Finally, it provides an inside view of how the prosecution and defense conducted the case, their view of the facts, the evidence they presented and the arguments they made. The second section examines reactions to the verdict and explores the role of the media in informing the public about the trial and other legal issues. It describes two cases which followed the verdict: the Federal prosecution of the four officers and the trial of four men accused of beating truck driver Reginald Denny hours after the Rodney King verdict was announced. The document contains discussion topics regarding the case and some of the questions it raises about the American criminal justice system and citizens' understanding of the system. References