She is known for having sentenced Soon Ja Du, the merchant who shot Latasha Harlins in the back of the head, to only five years' probation and 400 hours of community service, with no jail time. Adaeze Nkechi Nwosu's debut novel, Heal the Hood, is about the 1992 Los Angeles riots. Latasha died with $2 in her hand. In justifying his directive, he said "[t]his was such a stunning miscarriage of justice that Judge Karlin cannot continue to hear criminal cases with any public credibility. Harlins then picked up the orange juice bottle that dropped during the scuffle, Du snatched the bottle from her, and Harlins turned to leave. Du was the Korean-born shop owner responsible for Latasha's death. What happened ️ Latasha placed a bottle of orange juice in her backpack, and security footage later revealed that she had money in her hand to pay. Soon Ja Du, the store clerk, assumed she was stealing it and shot her in the back of the head,” sources say. [17] Furthermore, Karlin deemed that Du's capacity to act rationally in the situation was undermined by her experience with past robberies. Latasha's cousin Shinese Harlins Reveals her story about the details regarding what really happened to Latasha before and after her death 29 years ago on [7], Shortly before 10:00 am on Saturday, March 16, Harlins entered the store. But she didn't belong [on the bench] anyway. Latasha struck Du twice and pushed her down. "[31] The Harlins family held vigils outside the Du residence every year on the anniversary of her sentencing. The two eye-witnesses of the event contradicted Du’s claims and stated that Du never asked Harlins’ intentions to pay for the orange juice, instead she called her a “bitch.” After viewing the videotape of the store security camera, the police concluded that Harlins intended to pay for the beverage as she held money in her hand. ... , Soon Ja Du) was very shocking, that this woman got no jail time for killing a teenager. But in a shocking turn of events the trial judge rejected the sentence recommendation and sentenced Du to 5 years probation, 400 hours of community service, and a $500 fine. Judge Karlin suggested that there were mitigating circumstances in Harlins's death. five years of probation, 400 hours of community service, a $500 restitution, and funeral expenses. The court stated that the crime was committed under extreme provocation and that Du’s capacity to act rationally in the situation was undermined by her past experiences with the robberies. While disapproving the jury’s recommendation of 16 years of imprisonment, Joyce Karlin stated. A state appeals court later unanimously upheld Judge Karlin's sentencing decision, 3-0, on April 21, 1992, about a week before the LA riots. SOON JA DU . On March 16, 1991, Harlins was shot and killed by 51-year-old Soon Ja Du, who erroneously accused Harlins of trying to shoplift a bottle of orange juice. [31] After the Los Angeles Times endorsed one of her opponents in her re-election campaign, she wrote a letter to the newspaper, saying "[I]f judges have to look over their shoulders as they decide a case; if they have to test the political winds in order to arrive at a politically correct verdict—then the judicial system and the freedoms it guarantees will be destroyed. The death of her mother had a devastating impact on Latasha who began to rebel and argue with her maternal grandmother and her maternal aunt Denise. [15] Karlin resigned from the bench in 1997. https://www.good.is/articles/latasha-harlins-rodney-king-anniversary However, Joyce Karlin, the trial judge, did not approve the jury’s recommendation and instead sentenced Du to five years of probation, 400 hours of community service, and a $500 fine. "[31], https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/common-ground-brenda-stevensons-the-contested-murder-of-latasha-harlins/, https://caselaw.findlaw.com/ca-court-of-appeal/1769555.html, "Conflict Brings Tragic End to Similar Dreams of Life : Shooting: An immigrant grocer is accused of murdering a girl, 15. She didn't do nothing! Reportedly, Du claimed that she observed Harlins putting an orange juice bottle in her backpack and asked Harlins if she intended to pay for it, to which Harlins replied, “What orange juice?.” Therefore, Du grabbed Harlins by her sweater, accused her of stealing, and snatched her backpack. In March of 1991, 15-year-old Latasha Harlins was killed by one of many house owners of the Empire Liquor comfort retailer in Los Angeles, Calif. Latasha had entered the shop to purchase a container of orange juice for $1.79 when she was fatally shot by Quickly Ja Du, who assumed that she was going to steal the drink. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 51-year-old Soon Ja Du Korean-born female was the convenience store owner of "Empire Liquor Market Deli" located on 91st and Figueroa st. in South Central Los Angeles, California. Denise Harlins, Latasha Harlins' maternal aunt, led protests outside Karlin's home and the Compton courthouse. As Du was guilty of voluntary manslaughter, the jury recommended the maximum prison sentence for the crime, which was 16 years. However, on the morning of the shooting, Du was working behind the counter, and her husband was outside resting in the family van. Soon Ja Du's store, Empire Liquor, located at the intersection of 91st St. and Figueroa Ave. Vermont Vista, Los Angeles,[6] was normally staffed by Du's husband and son. Du’s testimony was contradicted by the two eye-witnesses and the video which was revived from the store security camera. The property later became a market under different ownership. The family moved from Illinois to South Central Los Angeles in 1981. Harlins turned to walk away when Du took out a gun and fired. Latasha Harlins got her first memorial yesterday, a mural in South Los Angeles. [9][10] The videotape[11] showed that Du grabbed Harlins by her sweater and snatched her backpack. Soon Ja Du and her husband joined the Valley Korean Central Presbyterian Church in North Hills, Los Angeles, and even became the deacon and deaconess there. When Latasha was six years old, her father took a job in a steel foundry while her mother worked as a waitress in a local tavern. Du was tried and convicted of voluntary manslaughter in Harlins' death. [12], Du testified on her own behalf, claiming that the shooting was in self-defense and that she believed her life was in danger. What happened ️ Latasha placed a bottle of orange juice in her backpack, and security footage later revealed that she had money in her hand to pay. Latasha Harlins' murder is mentioned and referenced several times in the novel since it was one of the causes of the LA Riots. She was killed. Harlins then picked up the orange juice bottle that had dropped during the chaos, but Du snatched the bottle from her. WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO LATASHA HARLINS? Soon Ja Du started off working as a couch assembler, and then, turned into a crotchetier in a garment factory, St. John Knits. Du's husband, Billy Heung Ki Du, heard the gunshot and rushed into the store. 4 Min Read. She is known for having sentenced Soon Ja Du, the merchant who shot Latasha Harlins in the back of the head, to only five years' probation and 400 hours of community service, with no jail time. The gunshot struck Harlins in the back of the head, killing her instantly. At the time of her death, Latasha was a student at Westchester High School. Soon Ja Du is a Korean woman who co-owned the Empire Liquor Store in Vermont Vista, Los Angeles. Du reached under the counter, retrieved a revolver, and fired at Harlins from behind at a distance of about three feet (one meter). Her shooter was Soon Ja Du, a Korean American grocer in South Central Los Angeles. On November 15, 1991, Soon Ja Du was convicted for voluntary manslaughter and was potentially facing up to 16 years behind bars for the incident. Du was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and sentenced to five years' probation by Judge Joyce A. Karlin of Los Angeles County Superior Court. In 2020, Netflix released a documentary titled ‘A Love Song for Latasha,’ celebrating the life of Latasha Harlins. [5][3] Their unstable marriage eventually ended in 1983. She stated, "Did Mrs. Du react inappropriately? A jury found Du guilty of voluntary manslaughter, with a maximum sentence of 16 years in prison. After Du was found guilty, Judge Joyce Karlin sentenced her to time served, 400 hours of community service, a $500 fine, and five years of probation. "All you people sitting, applauding over a child killer," Harlins yelled. Du was convicted of manslaughter in November of 1991, according to a separate article in The New York Times, but Superior Court Judge Joyce Karlin (who is … Soon Ja Du is a Korean woman who co-owned the Empire Liquor Store in Vermont Vista, Los Angeles. [18] In July 1992, the Harlins family was awarded $300,000 in settlement. [24] Latasha Harlins is buried next to her mother in Paradise Memorial Park, Santa Fe Springs, California. Two eyewitnesses --9-year-old Ismail Ali and his 13-year-old sister Lakeshia Combs-- disputed that claim, saying that Du called Harlins a "bitch" and accused her of trying to steal, to which they claimed Harlins replied that she intended to pay for the orange juice. Protesters noted that a week after Latasha Harlins' death, a Glendale man received a more severe sentence than Du for kicking a dog. The Los Angeles Police Department ballistics report also stated that the handgun used by Du was altered in such a way that it required much less pressure on the trigger to fire than an ordinary handgun. When Harlins struck Du multiple times and pushed her away, Du threw a stool at her. The shopkeeper, Soon Ja Du, accused Harlins of trying to steal the juice before a scuffle broke out between the two. Joyce Karlin-The trial judge in Du vs Harlins case, Did Mrs. Du react inappropriately? Soon Ja Du, her face beginning to swell and discolor from the four punches Harlins landed during a brief struggle between the two, ostensibly over a $1.79 bottle of orange juice, crouched on top of the counter trying to see where Harlins had fallen. However, the trial judge, Joyce Karlin, sentenced Du to five years of probation, 10 years of suspended prison, 400 hours of community service, and a $500 fine.[14][15][16]. [2][non-primary source needed] The death of Latasha Harlins, which was recorded on security footage, and the later sentencing and failed appeal, are considered to have contributed to the 1992 Los Angeles riots, especially the targeting of Koreatown, Los Angeles. The maximum sentence for that charge was 16 years in prison, which the jury recommended. I think that it was." The shooting happened just 13 days before the Rodney King riots. [8] After speaking with the two eyewitnesses present and viewing the videotape of the incident, recorded by a store security camera, the police concluded that Harlins intended to pay for the beverage with money in hand. [31], Denise Harlins interrupted an awards ceremony at the Biltmore Hotel for Du defense attorney Charles Lloyd. In November of that year, Du would be convicted of involuntary manslaughter, but would walk out of an L.A. courtroom with only five years of probation, 400 hours of community service and a $500 fine. Harlins then backed away, but Du angrily threw a stool at her, but it didn’t hit Harlins. Latasha was shot at the age of 15 in 1991 by a Korean American convenience store owner named Soon Ja Du. On the morning of Saturday, March 16, 1991, Soon Ja Du shot Latasha Harlins, a 15-year-old African-American girl in the Empire Liquor Store, in Vermont Vista, Los Angeles. Soon Ja Du Wiki, Age, Husband, Family, Biography & More, George Stinney Jr. Wiki, Age, Death, Family, Biography & More, Emma Coronel Aispuro Wiki, Height, Age, Boyfriend, Husband, Family, Biography & More, Chris Watts Wiki, Age, Girlfriend, Wife, Children, Family, Biography & More, Derek Chauvin Wiki, Age, Wife, Family, Biography & More, Rose Bundy (Ted Bundy’s Daughter) Wiki, Age, Family, Biography & More, Tou Thao Wiki, Age, Wife, Family, Biography & More, Ted Bundy Wiki, Age, Death, Girlfriend, Wife, Children, Family, Biography & More, Derek Chauvin Wiki, Age, Wife, Family, Biography …, Chris Watts Wiki, Age, Girlfriend, Wife, Children, …, Emma Coronel Aispuro Wiki, Height, Age, Boyfriend, …, Rose Bundy (Ted Bundy’s Daughter) Wiki, Age, …, George Stinney Jr. Wiki, Age, Death, Family, …, Ted Bundy Wiki, Age, Death, Girlfriend, Wife, …, Tou Thao Wiki, Age, Wife, Family, Biography …. Harlins then turned around and tried to leave, but Du retrieved a revolver from under the cash-counter and shot Harlins at the back of her head. But was that reaction understandable? Soon Ja Du leaves court with har husband Billy Hong Ki Du. The video exclusively showed that Du shot Harlins when she attempted to leave the store empty-handed. "[31][32] Karlin was re-elected to the Superior Court bench. Harlins then struck Du with her fist twice, knocking Du to the ground. Soon Ja Du, the matriarch of the family that ran the store, was working the cash register. What happened ️ Latasha placed a bottle of orange juice in her backpack, and security footage later revealed that she had money in her hand to pay. Sapphire, in her book American Dream wrote the poem Strange Juice (or the murder of Latasha Harlins) giving voice to the murdered girl. Both sought to overcome adversity", "Liquor Permit Denied at Site of 1991 Killing", The People, petitioner v. The Superior Court of Los Angeles County, Respondent; Soon Ja Du, Real Party in Interest, "A Senseless and Tragic Killing : New tension for Korean-American and African-American communities", "Merchant Charged in Girl's Fatal Shooting", "Legal Audio Opinions and Courtroom Video - LexisNexis Courtroom Cast", "Videotape Shows Teen Being Shot After Fight : Killing: Trial opens for Korean grocer who is accused in the slaying of a 15-year-old black girl at a South-Central store", "Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 Historical Timeline", "Judge Who Gave Probation In a Slaying May Be Moved", "U.S. Looks Into Korean Grocer's Slaying of Black Published", "Grocer Given Probation in Shooting of Girl", People v. Superior Court of Los Angeles County (Du), "LOS ANGELES : Family of Latasha Harlins Wins $300,000 Settlement", "African-Americans, Koreans Try to Heal Deep Wounds", The L.A. "[30], Karlin became the target of protests and an unsuccessful recall campaign. Latasha Harlins (January 1, 1976 – March 16, 1991) was a 15-year-old African-American girl who was unlawfully killed by Soon Ja Du (Hangul:두순자), a 51-year-old Korean American convenience store-owner. [1]The Contested Murder of Latasha Harlins jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_56218_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_56218_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top right', relative: true, offset: [0, 0], }); Her father was a doctor, and her mother was a nurse. The property later became a market under different ownership. In July, post the 1992 Los Angeles riots, the Harlins family was awarded $300,000 in the settlement. The sentence was suspended and defendant was placed on probation under certain terms and conditions. Although the maximum sentence was 16 years, Judge Joyce Karlin sentenced Du to time served,[1][unreliable source?] In 1981, Soon Ja Du and her husband, Billy Heung Ki Du, purchased a convenience store, Empire Liquor Store, in San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles. Absolutely. Two neighborhood children ran terrified from the store.3 Latasha was shot at the age of 15 in 1991 by a Korean American convenience store owner named Soon Ja Du. Soon Ja Du follows Christianity. On Monday, December 15, 1958, Soon Ja Du got married to Billy Heung Ki Du. Du concluded Harlins was attempting to steal, and did not see the money Harlins held in her hand. They lived near 89th St. and Broadway, just a few blocks from where Latasha would be killed ten years later.[3][4]. Soon Ja Du testified on her own behalf, and she claimed that she shot Harlins in self-defence as she believed that her life was in danger. AP. However, Judge Joyce Karlin awarded her quite a simple sentence: a $500 fine, 400 hours of community service, and 5 … “Du, herself, had been on … Soon Ja Du was born on Saturday, December 27, 1941 (age 79 years; as of 2020), in North Chungcheong Province, South Korea. In a written statement, Karlin, 46, now a judge in Juvenile Dependency Court, said she was ending her seven-year judicial career to spend more time with her family. Karlin's rulings in the case prompted Los Angeles County District Attorney Ira Reiner to instruct his deputies to effectively bar Judge Karlin from trying cases by invoking a statute to remove a judge for any reason. However, on the morning of the shooting, Du was working behind the counter, and her husband was outside resting in the family van. Gabriel Kahane composed a song about the incident entitled "Empire Liquor Mart (9127 S. Figueroa St.)". Steph Cha's novel Your House Will Pay centers on the aftermath of the murder of a 16-year-old African-American girl in South-central Los Angeles. During the 1992 Los Angeles riots, Du’s store was looted and burned down, and it never reopened. On November 15, 1991, the jury found Du guilty and delivered the verdict stating that Du fired the gun voluntarily. At the time, 15-year-old Latasha Harlins was killed by Soon Ja Du, a Korean woman who owned a south Los Angeles store. (Never Ignorant Getting Goals Accomplished) Lyrics | Genius Lyrics, "True to the Game: Ice Cube's 'Death Certificate, "Unusual Threat for a Judge in a Bitter Slaying Trial", "Judge Who Gave Probation in '91 Killing Quits", "The Conquest of Hate : By Turning Conflict Inside Out, a New Breed of Mediators Finds a Way of Bringing Peace to the City", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Killing_of_Latasha_Harlins&oldid=1015588721, African-American–Asian-American relations, Articles lacking reliable references from March 2021, Wikipedia articles needing factual verification from March 2021, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 2 April 2021, at 09:54. Latasha Harlins got her first memorial yesterday, a mural in South Los Angeles. I think that it was.” Karlin added, “this is not a time for revenge…and no matter what sentence this court imposes Mrs. Du will be punished every day for the rest of her life.”. On November 27, 1985, Crystal was brutally shot dead outside a Los Angeles nightclub by Cora Mae Anderson, Acoff's new girlfriend, leaving Latasha and her younger siblings in the care of their maternal grandmother, Ruth Harlins. [12], On November 15, 1991, a jury found that Du's decision to fire the gun was fully within her control and that she fired the gun voluntarily. Du accused the young … [13] The Los Angeles Police Department ballistics report also found that the handgun Du used was altered in such a way that it required much less pressure on the trigger to fire than an ordinary handgun. On March 16, 1991, Soon Ja Du fatally shot a 15-year-old African-American girl, Latasha Harlins, in her convenience store. The reasons for what happened stem a lot from the social and economic conditions in South Central LA, Compton, Inglewood and other areas. [20][21][22] On August 17, 1991, while Du was awaiting trial, a small fire occurred at her store. Soon Ja Du's store, Empire Liquor, located at the intersection of 91st St. and Figueroa Ave. Vermont Vista, Los Angeles, was normally staffed by Du's husband and son. She then moved to Juvenile Dependency Court, a transfer she had requested before the Du case. Du physically grabbed Harlins by the sweater and attempted to take her backpack. [23], During the 1992 riots, Du's store was looted and burned down, and it never reopened. Karlin added, "this is not a time for revenge...and no matter what sentence this court imposes Mrs. Du will be punished every day for the rest of her life." Thereafter, Shakur made frequent mention of Harlins in his songs, including in tracks like "Something 2 Die 4 (Interlude)" ("Latasha Harlins, remember that name... 'Cause a bottle of juice is not something to die for"), "Thugz Mansion" ("Little Latasha, sho' grown/Tell the lady in the liquor store that she’s forgiven/So come home"), "I Wonder If Heaven Got a Ghetto" ("Tell me what's a black life worth/A bottle of juice is no excuse, the truth hurts/And even when you take the shit/Move counties get a lawyer, you can shake the shit/Ask Rodney, Latasha, and many more"), "White Mans World" ("Rest in Peace to Latasha, Little Yummy, and Kato"), "Hellrazor" ("Dear Lord if ya hear me, tell me why/Little girl like Latasha, had to die")[26][27] and "N.I.G.G.A" ("Korean motherfuckers was crooked/So niggas had to burn and loot 'em [...] Lickin' off shots for Latasha, that's proper"). [19], The incident and reduced sentencing by the court exacerbated the existing tensions between African-American residents and Asian-American merchants in South-Central Los Angeles. The court also stated that Du shot Harlins under extreme provocation and duress and deemed it unlikely that Du would ever commit a serious crime again. "Latasha was defenseless. Absolutely. https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/tragic-death-black-teenager-latasha-22706808 Yesterday marked 29 years since Korean store owner Soon Ja Du shot and killed 15-year-old Latasha Harlins.’ Du shot Harlin’s in the back of the head over a $2 bottle of juice March 1991 in South Central, L.A. Two weeks after King's beating, Korean American grocer Soon Ja Du fatally shot 15-year-old Latasha Harlins after a dispute over a bottle of orange juice. Harlins reciprocated to this by punching Du twice and knocking her down to the ground. Despite claims of self-defense, two witnesses and the security camera footage showed that Harlins was walking out of the store with her back turned at the moment Du fired the weapon. Du claimed to have asked Harlins if she intended to pay for the orange juice, to which Du claimed Harlins responded, "What orange juice?" After speaking to his wife, who asked for the whereabouts of Harlins before fainting, he dialed 9-1-1 to report an attempted holdup. The killing happened on March 16, 1991, just over two weeks after four police officers brutally beat Rodney King. Defendant was sentenced to ten years in state prison. The couple has three children; two sons, Joseph and Michel, and a daughter, Sandy, who was a theological student at Biola University in 1991. Those tensions were later interpreted by some members of the public and activists as being one of the catalysts for the 1992 Los Angeles riots. Latasha Harlins was born January 1, 1976 in East St. Louis, Illinois, to Crystal Harlins and Sylvester "Vester" Acoff Sr. Latasha had one younger brother, Vester Acoff Jr. and one younger sister, Christina. Two weeks after King’s beating, Korean American grocer Soon Ja Du fatally shot 15-year-old Latasha Harlins after a dispute over a bottle of orange juice. When Latasha Harlins walked into Empire Liquor on the morning of 16 March 1991, owner Soon Ja Du was serving two other customers. [28], Rapper Ice Cube composed a song about the incident for his album Death Certificate entitled "Black Korea".[29]. Harlins approached Du with $2 in her hand. There is lots of sympathy for the Harlins family, people would feel the same way if their daughter had been shot. Du confronted Latasha and physically attacked her. Karlin and Du's son also attended that ceremony. The judge gave her probation, 400 hours of community service and a $500 fine. Soon Ja Du with her husband Billy Heung Ki Du. But was that reaction understandable? Soon Ja Du was arrested but found guilty of voluntary manslaughter, not murder. Though she faced a maximum sentence of 16 years in prison, she did not have to spend time behind bars following the conviction. But her testimony was contradicted by the statements of the two witnesses present at the time, as well as the store's security camera video, which showed Du shooting Harlins in the back of the head as the teenager turned away from Du and attempted to leave the store. "I have been honored to spend the last 20 years serving the public but now I want to devote time to my family," Karlin wrote. After Harlins backed away, Du angrily threw a stool at her. Acoff Sr. was known to be abusive towards Crystal Harlins, attacking her in front of Latasha and her younger siblings. A judge sentenced her to probation, saying she was in fear from earlier robberies. [25], Hip-hop artist 2Pac took particular note of Harlins's death and in 1993 released a song entitled "Keep Ya Head Up" which was dedicated to Latasha Harlins. Du observed Harlins putting a $1.79 bottle of orange juice in her backpack. Soon Ja Du and her family migrated to Los Angeles in 1976 when she was 35 years old. Defendant Soon Ja Du was convicted of voluntary manslaughter in the killing of Latasha Harlins, a customer in defendant's store. Latasha was shot at the age of 15 in 1991 by a Korean American convenience store owner named Soon Ja Du. Upon hearing of retirement, Harlins' aunt Denise stated, "I'm glad to hear that she's removed herself from the bench and that she's retired. Harlins' death came 13 days after the videotaped beating of Rodney King. The jury found Du guilty of voluntary manslaughter, an offense that carries a maximum prison sentence of 16 years. She graduated from a university in Seoul, South Korea, where she studied literature. Latasha died with $2 in her hand. Her death had a profound impact in South Central Los Angeles. 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St. ) '' Du 's son also attended that ceremony younger siblings video showed. Wife, who asked for the whereabouts of Harlins before fainting, he dialed 9-1-1 to report an holdup... La riots that ceremony, he dialed 9-1-1 to report an attempted holdup referenced several times in back. From earlier robberies studied literature two weeks after four police officers brutally beat Rodney King n't [! The gunshot and rushed into the store to probation, 400 hours of community service and $... Judge gave her probation, 400 hours soon ja du what happened to her community service, a transfer she had before. In 1981 was tried and convicted of voluntary manslaughter, with a sentence. Court bench before the Du case Harlins reciprocated to this by punching Du twice and knocking her down to ground..., accused Harlins of trying to steal, soon ja du what happened to her funeral expenses by a Korean convenience... Got no jail time for killing a teenager maternal aunt, led protests outside Karlin 's home the...

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