It is so weird that America's criminal justice system was built upon the notion of smart punishment rather than excessive punishment, and, here we are, in a moment when the idea that a police officer, a low level government bureaucrat could possibly be convicted for murder is so out of the norm, the whole world is on pins and needles to see if an obvious murder is in fact deemed a "murder" by the US criminal justice system.
I love the "don't commit a crime if you don't want to get killed by the police" argument some throw out there. The idea of living a country where the police are judge, jury, and executioner is terrifying or supporting the notion that we could/should be executed for misdemeanors is absurd.
Looking back, the most amazing thing about the Rodney King beating isn't the beating or the cops getting off without punishment, it is the fact the public actually gave a shit.