<P> Davies found that King's provocative behavior began with his "remarkable consumption of alcoholic beverage" and continued through a high - speed chase, refusal to submit to police orders, and an aggressive charge toward Powell . Davies made several findings in support of the officers' version of events . He concluded that Officer Powell never intentionally struck King in the head, and "Powell's baton blow that broke King's leg was not illegal because King was still resisting and rolling around on the ground, and breaking bones in resistant suspects is permissible under police policy ." </P> <P> Mitigation cited by the judge in determining the length of the prison sentence included the suffering the officers had undergone because of the extensive publicity their case had received, high legal bills that were still unpaid, the impending loss of their careers as police officers, their higher risks of abuse while in prison, and their undergoing two trials . The judge acknowledged that the two trials did not legally constitute double jeopardy, but nonetheless "raised the specter of unfairness ." </P> <P> These mitigations were critical to the validity of the sentences imposed, because federal sentencing guidelines called for much longer prison terms in the range of 70 to 87 months . The low sentences were controversial, and were appealed by the prosecution . In a 1994 ruling, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit rejected all the grounds cited by Judge Davies and extended the terms . The case was appealed by the defense to the U.S. Supreme Court . Both Mr. Koon and Mr. Powell were released from prison while they appealed the Ninth Circuit's ruling, having served their original 30 - month sentences with time off for good behavior . On June 14, 1996, the high court reversed the lower court in a ruling, unanimous in its most important aspects, which gave a strong endorsement to judicial discretion, even under sentencing guidelines intended to produce uniformity . </P> <P> Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley offered King $200,000 and a four - year college education funded by the city of Los Angeles . King refused and sued the city, winning $3.8 million . King invested a portion of his settlement in a record label, Straight Alta - Pazz Records, which went out of business . He later went on to write a book and make a movie about his life . </P>

Who said why cant we all just get along