Rodney King poses for a portrait in Los Angeles. King, the black motorist whose 1991 videotaped beating by Los Angeles police officers was the touchstone for one of the most destructive race riots in the nation's history, has died. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, File)
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (AP) — The death of Rodney King earlier this year was ruled an accidental drowning and there were multiple illegal drugs in his system, police said Thursday.
Rialto police said the county medical examiner’s report showed King had drugs such as PCP, cocaine and marijuana in his system when he died in June, the San Bernardino Sun reported.
The autopsy report is due to be released later Thursday.
“There’s going to be no surprises. His death was ruled an accidental drowning,” said Rialto police Capt. Randy DeAnda.
King also had a blood-alcohol level of .06 percent.
“The investigation is now completed and basically the autopsy and toxicology reinforces our conclusions,” DeAnda said.
A call from King’s fiancee brought police officers to King’s home in Rialto at 5:30 a.m. on June 17. The officers pulled the 47-year-old King from the bottom of his pool and he was pronounced dead at a hospital.
King was the black motorist severely beaten by Los Angeles police officers in 1991. The officers’ acquittal on beating charges triggered the devastating 1992 Los Angeles riot.
___
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.
