Ronald Stokes, April 27, 1962

Ronald Stokes was a Los Angeles, California resident who had worked hard for a drycleaning business, supporting his family and many others in the community when he was wrongfully accosted by police officers who mistakened him for a criminal. He had never been arrested and was known for his strong work ethic. By the time the exchange between him and police occurred he lay dead, after being beaten while he was in handcuffs and a delay in the ambulance arriving 45 minutes later.