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The Los Angeles Riots: Independent and Webster Commissions Collections

Los Angeles Coverage of "William Webster & Hubert Williams"

Description : Discussion of the Webster Commission findings between William Webster and Hubert Williams. After the Rodney King trial and subsequent riots, Hubert Williams was appointed as deputy special advisor to the L.A. Police Commission in the evaluation of the police response to the civil disorder in that city in 1992. Former FBI and CIA director William Webster served as special advisor. Webster and Williams led a team of over 100 volunteer attorneys in the production of a report recommending strategies to prevent future disorders and, should they occur despite appropriate planning, how to respond quickly and effectively. Collection Guide : The Los Angeles Webster Commission records Source : 1 Tape of 1: 1/2 inch videotape Rights : Copyright status unknown. This work may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). In addition, its reproduction may be restricted by terms of gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions, privacy and publicity rights, licensing and trademarks. This work is accessible for purposes of education and research. Transmission or reproduction of works protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user. The University of Southern California, USC Libraries, Special Collections attempted to find rights owners without success but is eager to hear from them so that we may obtain permission, if needed. Upon request to specol@usc.edu, digitized works can be removed from public view if there are rights issues that need to be resolved. Digitized by the California Audiovisual Preservation Project (CAVPP) .

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1. Los Angeles Coverage of "William Webster & Hubert Williams" Description : Discussion of the Webster Commission findings between William Webster and Hubert Williams. After the Rodney King trial and subsequent riots, Hubert Williams was appointed as deputy special advisor to the L.A. Police Commission in the evaluation of the police response to the civil disorder in that city in 1992. Former FBI and CIA director William Webster served as special advisor. Webster and Williams led a team of over 100 volunteer attorneys in the production of a report recommending strategies to prevent future disorders and, should they occur despite appropriate planning, how to respond quickly and effectively. Collection Guide : The Los Angeles Webster Commission records Source : 1 Tape of 1: 1/2 inch videotape Rights : Copyright status unknown. This work may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). In addition, its reproduction may be restricted by terms of gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions, privacy and publicity rights, licensing and trademarks. This work is accessible for purposes of education and research. Transmission or reproduction of works protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user. The University of Southern California, USC Libraries, Special Collections attempted to find rights owners without success but is eager to hear from them so that we may obtain permission, if needed. Upon request to specol@usc.edu, digitized works can be removed from public view if there are rights issues that need to be resolved. Digitized by the California Audiovisual Preservation Project (CAVPP) .

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WEBSTER COMMISSION RECORDS

WEBSTER COMMISSION RECORDS

On April 29, 1992, just minutes after a majority-white jury acquitted four LAPD officers of criminal charges in the beating of Black motorist Rodney King, unrest erupted on the streets of Los Angeles. For six days, the city experienced widespread looting, assault, and arson. All in all, more than sixty people died, 2,383 were injured, and close to a billion dollars in property damage was sustained.

During the course of the mayhem and destruction, the LAPD and its chief, Daryl Gates, came under intense scrutiny for using excessive force in the King incident, for failing to prepare for civil unrest prior to the acquittals, and for not reacting swiftly and sufficiently to end the violence. Private citizens, community activists, politicians, the media, and many law enforcement officials cast their doubts as to whether the LAPD was capable of adequately serving and protecting the citizens of Los Angeles.

By a motion adopted on May 11, 1992, the Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners spearheaded an investigation aimed at examining law enforcement's performance in connection with the riots. The board selected William H. Webster, a former federal judge who had served as director of both the FBI and the CIA, to preside over the investigation. Hubert Williams, head of a law enforcement think tank and the former police director of Newark, New Jersey, was named second-in-command. Webster and Williams were assisted by more than one hundred attorneys and a small staff on loan from other cities' police departments. Local news reports announcing the start of the investigation suggest differences of opinion between the commission and Chief Gates about whether the LAPD should be held to scrutiny and blame.

The contents of the Webster Commission records consist of materials collected, analyzed, and created by the panel over the course of its investigation. The commission took into account information obtained from a wide variety of sources, including LAPD officers, other law enforcement personnel, politicians, the media, and community leaders. The links above highlight some of the areas investigated and summarize the conclusions presented in the commission’s report.