Hundreds of events in the 90's were a result of advances in technology, harsh laws overturning across the world, and the distrust between the police and people in lower class neighborhoods.
After the not guilty verdict was given to four white police officers who allegedly used excessive force against Rodney King, an unarmed black motorist, protests and riots filled the Los Angeles streets. Innocent bystanders like Reginald Denny were badly beaten by protesters in retaliation of excessive force used by the police across America. News cameras caught most of the action and viewers saw how the police were not able to enforce the law or protect innocent civilians during tragic times. On the night of April 29, many rioters took the opportunity to burglarize hundreds of stores as they realize the police gave little reaction to the previous violent riots. Korean owned stores were mostly targeted for looting but didn’t have anything to do with the trial. Later on, the four police officers were convicted with violating King’s civil rights and Denny’s attackers were found and convicted with assault and battery. The jury did not find them guilty of attempted murder because the defense said the victim simply fell into the rage mob and was not meant to be attacked.
Prior to the September 11, 2001 attack, the World trade center was bombed in an underground garage on February 23, 1993. Soon after the attack, the FBI went through an extensive manhunt for the suspects and within a few days were found. In March 1994, several Islamic fundamentalists were arrested having ties to the attack. Mohammed Salameh, Ahmad Ajaj, Nidal Ayyad, and Mahmoud Abouhalima were convicted by a federal jury and were all sentenced to life in prison with their involvement in the attack. The head of the attack, Ramzi Ahmed Yousef, was still a large until February 1995 and was arrested in Pakistan. On their way back to the United States, Yousef confessed to an officer that he was the one that planned the bombing and claimed to have set of the bomb. In November 1997, Yousef and Eyad Ismoil, who drove the van that had the bomb in it into the garage, were convicted and were sentenced to life in prison, right across from the Twin Towers.
On April 19, 1995, two anti-government militants, Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols, exploded a truck bomb outside of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 168 children and adults were killed in the attack and 650 people were injured when the building’s north wall was blown off. In the immediate area, 300 other building were damaged. After the investigation began for finding the bombers, an eyewitness gave a tip and lead authorities to charging Timothy McVeigh, a former U.S. army soldier. Ironically, McVeigh was already in jail after the bombing for traffic violations and possession of an illegal handgun. Before he was released from jail, police found out he was the main suspect in the bombing and charged that day. His accomplice, Nichols, turned himself in that same day in Herington, Kansas. McVeigh was sentenced to death on June 2, 1997 and died in 2001. In December 1997, Nichols was found guilty on one count of conspiracy and eight counts of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to life. Nichols entered the courtroom again in 2004 when the state of Oklahoma charged him with 161 counts of first degree murder which included fetal homicide and received 161 life sentences. The Murrah federal building was demolished in 1995 for safety reasons and a memorial now stands near the site.