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How 15-Year-Old Latasha Harlins Murder Over A Bottle Of Orange Juice Helped Spark The L.A. And Id love to help them create that.. And a little girl didn't have enough money. PDN Subscribers get instant access to this site for FREE. During the riots, 63 people were killed with 2,383 hurt and more than 12,000 arrested. And so thinking about this young Black girl who was taken from everyone, whose life was lost, [I wondered] why this story didnt exist beyond the headline and discussions of trauma and visuals that really produced triggering reactions from the community, from family members and friends that knew her and loved her. When I would watch Moesha or Sister, Sister, it meant so much for me to see my existence reflected. "We got all this racism, hate going on. The Rodney King beating 13 days earlier overshadowed Harlins death. All Rights Reserved. [17] 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. (2017, September 14). [34] These events were considered factors in deadly and destructive riots which began on April 29, 1992, and continued through May 4, 1992. The family moved from Illinois to South Central Los Angeles in 1981. Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. Racial tensions were high, especially between local Korean store-owners and their impoverished black patrons. The city was left with $1 billion in damages. Harlins, after telling Du she intended to pay for the juice, hit the grocer twice in the face as Du held onto her clothing, the witness said. [39], 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. Du's husband, Billy Heung Ki Du, heard the gunshot and rushed into the store. She 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.". It really bothers me when I see people talk about these young girls that we have lost to violence and they describe them as a young woman, when actually they were just a child. Latasha Harlins was born on July 14, 1975, in St. Louis, Illinois. ROGERS: I remember we were at the park, and that's where the ice cream truck used to come. I think we have a very long way to go. Frames Per Second: How Independent Filmmakers Earn Back Their Production Investment, Tips for Pitching Your Film Successfully to Festivals and Funders, The Funding and Distribution of a Feature-Length Documentary, First-Time Director Jonathan Olshefski on Creating a Feature-Length Documentary, Funding & Publishing Personal Projects: Alice Proujanskys Coming-of-Age Story, Meron Menghistab on Photographing Trevor Noah, and Shooting Personal Work, Photographer Benjamin McMahons Celebrity Self-Portrait Collaborations, An Immersive Experience: How Renowned Photographers are Captivating Audiences with Prints. How come she can she just die for one bottle of juice?" Police concluded that Latasha was not shoplifting and had the $2.00 dollars in her hand when she was killed. Harlins hit Du four times and one of the blows caused Dus eye to swell, Combs said. So for me, its always about creating a secret language for other Black girls, so that they know they are seen, they know that their existence is important, they know that there are other people believing in them, supporting them, rooting for them. She died instantly. But when she turned around to leave, the lady shot her in the head, and she died. A Love Song for Latasha was nominated for an Oscar. After a short scuffle, Du grabbed a 0.38-caliber handgun and shot Harlins in the back of her head. I wish MaKhia had someone else to call rather than the police who could have helped in that situation, because theres just no protection when it comes to police. In March 1991, when Harlins was 15, a store owner accused her of Then read about Mickey Cohen, one of Los Angeles most notorious gang leaders. Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject, "The heartbreaking L.A. story behind Oscar nominee 'A Love Song for Latasha', "Sophia Nahli Allison's 'A Love Song For Latasha' Captures The Fullness Of Black Girlhood", "Netflix to debut heartbreaking doc 'A Love Song for Latasha', "How Six Documentary Directors Explored Untold Stories in 2020", "Latasha Harlins' Death Fueled the 1991 LA Riots. All contents 2023 The Slate Group LLC. Want morePDN? Latasha Harlins was born January 1, 1976,[5][6] 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. They also share the impact that Harlins death has had on their own lives. Rodney was awarded $3.8million in damages from the City of Los Angeles and was found dead in 2012 from accidental drowning. She was killed. Riots. By 1990, 65% of South Central businesses were Korean-owned and a 1992 survey of these storeowners revealed considerable racial prejudice against black customers and black people in general. Kirk McKoy/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images. I think thats why movements like #MeToo and #SayHerName have to exist, because people still refuse to think theres a problem. Thirty years ago today, four police officers were acquitted in the beating of Rodney King. Shocked, Latasha can be seen hitting Du twice, which knocked her to the ground, before she started to back away, after dropping the orange juice in the fracas. [38], The killing of Latasha Harlins was one of many events in Los Angeles that may have led to the riots in 1992. I think we have to first acknowledge that theres an issue. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject at the 93rd Academy Awards. This is not television. But Judge Joyce Karlin gave Du probation instead. She was briefly caught but escaped from jail and was never seen again. I think about when I was a young girl and the films that really inspired me. Do you find this information helpful? Harlins repeated, Let me go, let me go, but the woman wouldnt release her grip. Judge Karlin also became a target for numerous protests and later stepped down from the bench. This is real life, Deputy District Attorney Roxane Carvajal had warned the jury. High school student Latasha had called into the Empire Liquor store, which was owned by Soon Ja Du, at around 10am on March 16, 1991. The riots lasted for almost a week and were, in part, triggered when four police officers were acquitted of using excessive force when they arrested Rodney King. For five days, Los Angeles burned and the LAPD left much of the city to fend for itself. When interesting scenes happened in front of them, we felt Latashas spirit with us, she says. The decision fanned the flames of racial unrest, which led to the LA riots. What happened to the schoolgirl is now believed to have been one of the contributing factors to the LA riots, which erupted just a few weeks after the appeal courts ruling. Sophia Nahli Allison: There were so many intersecting reasons that I wanted to pursue this story. After speaking to his wife, who asked for the whereabouts of Harlins before fainting, he dialed 9-1-1 to report an attempted holdup. Harlins threw the juice bottle back on the counter and turned to leave the store when Du pulled a .38-caliber handgun and shot 15-year-old Harlins in the back of the head. The Los Angeles mayor's office estimated that 65 percent of all businesses vandalized during the riots were Korean-owned. These are the names of two Black girls whose lives were stolen from them, 30 years apart. The judges decision exacerbated racial tensions between African Americans and Korean immigrants. Du was convicted of voluntary manslaughter, but was sentenced to probation and community service; she served no jail time. Allison, who had only shot documentaries and had no experience directing actors, would first tell the girls what she wanted to show, then simply follow them and observe. WebThe best-known fact about Harlins, whose friends and family called her Tasha, is that she was killed over a $1.79 bottle of juice. THE AFTERMATH OF LATASHAS DEATH. How did the young Black girls, the young boys that knew Latashahow were they affected by this? We could make the most beautiful films, and there are still people that would not understand what the conversation is, would not understand why its important. I remember when I watched Eves Bayou and when I watched Just Another Girl on the I.R.T. It made it so much easier working with young girls, not actors, to not have a big bulky camera in their face, Allison says. [39] The sentencing of Soon Ja Du reflected that of the police officers who beat Rodney King. WebOn March 16, 1991, 15-year-old Latasha Harlins was shot and killed by a liquor store owner who accused her of stealing. Soon Ja Du the markets Korea-born owner saw the orange juice sticking out of Harlins backpack and assumed she was stealing it, even though the teenager had cash in her hand. Acoff Sr. was known to be abusive towards Crystal, attacking and beating her in front of Latasha and her younger siblings. [16], 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. That is, until April of 1992, when the verdict came down for Rodney Kings assaulters. [28], After the widely publicized shooting of Latasha Harlins, relations between the black and Korean communities continued to deteriorate rapidly. Du was released. What do you believe that we as a society must do in order to better protect and support Black girls? And we knew Latasha would get them all right. EN RU CN DE ES. The neighborhood had its own host of problems during this time. WebLatasha Harlins January 1 1976 March 16 1991 was an African-American girl who was fatally shot at age 15 by Soon Ja Du Korean a 49-year-old. Our premiere educational content channel. [16], Soon Ja Du testified on her own behalf, claiming that the shooting was in self-defense and that she believed her life was in danger. But I think there are so many ways to dismantle the system. Latashas younger brother, Vester Acoff Jr. was born in 1979, and her younger sister, Christina, was born in 1981. [8], The film premiered at the Tribecca Film Festival and screened at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. Du, 49, sat at the defense table crying after the tape was shown for the first of numerous times during the day and for the first time in public. "[41] Since retiring from the bench Karlin has used her husband's surname Fahey. The jury found Du guilty of voluntary manslaughter, an offense that carries a maximum prison sentence of 16 years. But those dreams would soon be crushed. They murdered my granddaughter!. [35] Many of the targets of looting and destruction were Korean stores; more than two thousand Korean stores burned or looted. ("Korean motherfuckers was crooked/So niggas had to burn and loot 'em [] Lickin' off shots for Latasha, that's proper"). In his opening statement, Dus attorney, Charles Lloyd, contended that Du pulled a handgun in self-defense and accidentally shot Harlins. She wanted to buy our grandmother a big old house. Forego a bottle of soda and donate its cost to us for the information you just learned, and feel good about helping to make it available to everyone. Police later Du hurled a stool at the schoolgirl and when Latasha went to pick up the drink and tried to leave the shopkeeper reached under his counter and pulled out a gun. Fueling the tension of the neighborhood was a never-ending onslaught of city-sponsored surveillance violence. 4 min read. She pulled the trigger and Harlins hit the floor. Her dad worked in a steel foundary while he mum waited tables to try to make ends meet and provide for Latasha and her younger sister, Christina. Judge Karlin suggested that there were mitigating circumstances in the killing of Harlins. [6], In early 2021, a mural celebrating Latasha Harlins was unveiled in front of Algin Sutton Recreation Center. [33], Tensions only continued to mount, particularly after police officers were found not guilty of beating Rodney King. Latasha's killer was convicted of manslaughter but served no jail time. Click here to sign up for our email newsletter and get the weeks top stories delivered straight to your inbox. We encountered an issue signing you up. She will die in front of your eyes. The graphic images of the killing of 15-year-old Harlins, captured by a security camera inside the Empire Liquor She pitched her idea for a video about Harlins life to her employer, the news website Fusion (now called Splinter). 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. Footage showed him being brutally beaten. Support one another, all nationalities. All rights reserved. You will see Latasha being killed. I wanted to tell Latashas stories from those that knew her best. 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. You will see Latasha being killed. But when she got there, the lady said she had seen her put something in her backpack. Two were found guilty, Officer Laurence Powell and Sergeant Stacey Koon, while two were acquitted. After six days of violence, the California National Guard, military and other law enforcement agencies were called in, while the city was placed under curfew. When we look at Latasha Harlins, even Judge Joyce Karlin [who presided over the trial following her death] understands why Soon Ja Du reacted the way she did. [10] In TheGrio, Cortney Wills described A Love Song as "a mesmerizing piece of work that takes an unconventional route to storytelling."[5]. What do you make of police violence and racism continuing to rob Black girls of their childhoods and, in some cases, their lives? WebA Love Song for Latasha, reimagines the life of Latasha Harlins, a Black girl shot by a convenience store owner in Los Angeles 1991, fueling the 1992 uprising. It becomes more important for Black girls to see themselves reflected on screens and others to see us reflect it, to humanize them, to provide some form of consciousness and some understanding of why their lives are important in general. I for one am sick and tired of less than five percent of this community trying to tell the rest of us what to do, what to think, and what to say. On Something 2 Die 4, he sings, Latasha Harlins, remember that name, Cause a bottle of juice aint something 2 die 4.. Last fall, she filmed the films final scenes: Ty OBard walks on the beach, her favorite place, talking about how much more she might have accomplished if her old friend had been around to push her forward. Latasha Harlins, whose short life came to a violent end in the midst of racial tensions in Los Angeles, California, became a major spark for the 1992 Los Angeles Riots. [4] The killing of Harlins came 13 days after the videotaped beating of Rodney King. 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As the Harlins back was turned, Du reached for her gun and aimed it at the back of her head. Click here to sign up for our email newsletter and get the weeks top stories delivered straight to your inbox. Diversity, I think, is a really watered down word just for visibility. The case drew criticism after another LA County court case of cruelty to a dog was given a harsher sentence than the death of a teen. After these riots, a federal trial saw two of the LAPD officers who beat Rodney King finally serve time for their crimes, although they only ended up serving 30 months in prison. Protesters noted that a week after the death of Latasha Harlins, a Glendale man received a more severe sentence than Du for kicking a dog. [9], The documentary short received strongly favorable reviews. But was that reaction understandable? In the prosecutions opening statement, Carvajal said the gun used by Du had been altered by someone so that the trigger could be pulled with little pressure. You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. I never want to believe that a film will humanize anyone, because I really believe humanizing comes from folks in their own consciousness. And so it just became this collective moment of everyone wanting to remember Latasha together, of all these different moments in time connecting for us to share this story. She wanted to be a lawyer. From 1986 to 1990, 83 lawsuits against the LAPD for excessive force resulted in a settlement of at least $15,000. ROGERS: Walk me through the day Latasha died. Harlens was a student at Westchester High School in Los Angeles, California. I just knew that I was blessed to have an older sibling that looked after me, that loved me. She had dreams in life. The Los Angeles natives documentary short A Love Song for Latasha, which was nominated for an Oscar this year and is streaming on Netflix, is a moving tribute from Allison and Harlins loved ones to the young girls life. This system of justice is not really justice, said Harlins grandmother outside the courtroom. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kiw6Q9-lfXc&has_verified=1. Tasha died. Latasha Harlins became a victim of these racial tensions on the morning of Saturday, March 16, 1991. 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.[18][19][20]. People Cant Stop Fighting Over the Politics of the, The Quarterback Conundrum at the Very Top of the NFL Draft. He fired at Latasha as she walked away from him from about three feet away from her. A video of the incident was given to a local TV station and ignited international outrage. After the change in national immigration laws in 1965 a large number of Korean immigrants arrived in Los Angeles and by 1968 the first Korean-owned market opened in South Central LA. The area was recovering from the recent Watts Riots and Koreans began buying businesses because they were inexpensive and there wasnt much competition. In the years following Harlins killing, rapper Tupac Shakur provided her with a little hint of justice by ensuring that her name would never be completely forgotten. Once Allison had figured out the films narrative arc, she outlined some ideas for what footage she might shoot. ACOFF: That morning, Madea - she asked me to go to the store. Still to this day, it's devastating for our family," Christine Harlins, her sister, said. You always have dreams.. The judge sentenced Du to 10 years in state prison but the sentence was suspended and the defendant was instead placed on five years' probation with 400 hours of community service, a $500 restitution, and funeral expenses. I hate the word reform. A security camera tape showed the entire heart-wrenching event on fuzzy, silent film. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. Some black activists say the incidents stemmed from racism on the part of the Koreans. Meanwhile, their loved ones and communities are left upholding the truth about who they were, while media reports and larger conversations might not include aspects of these girls that point to their humanity, such as their favorite hobbies, their career aspirations, or how they were doing in school. More , December 6, 2019 ), Throughout the 19-minute film, Harlins cousin, Shinese Harlins, and her best friend, Tybie OBard, share their memories of Latashalike her aspirations to become a lawyer, her love of basketball, and a memorable poem that she wrote just one month before her life was tragically cut short. Something went wrong, please try again later. Back in 2015, as London-based portrait photographer Benjamin McMahon was building his career, his mentor, photographer Julian Broad, gave him a valuable piece of advice: Dont start changing your style. Officer Ralph Spinello told the jury that when he entered the store, Du was sitting in a chair behind a counter and her husband started slapping her at first not so hard, gradually to very hard slaps until I had to stop him . Los Angeles Times/GettyKorean grocer Soon Ja Du in court, after she fatally shot Latasha Harlins in the back of the head. I think that we must unanimously reject such demands What's politically correct today may not be politically correct tomorrow or the next day. CHRISTINA ROGERS: Latasha was so popular. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. Time now for StoryCorps. [46], Hip hop artist 2Pac took particular note of the death of Harlins and in 1993 released a song titled "Keep Ya Head Up" which was dedicated to Latasha Harlins. I think that it was." If they don't validate the existence of other Black women and girls then they have no right to work with me. More , December 10, 2019 By this time, a city-wide curfew had been enforced. . The property later became a market under different ownership. When you say dismantling the root, what do you think that looks like? Empire Liquor became a target for protests. Its been 30 years since the death of Latasha Harlins, and through the efforts of her family and a new documentary, South Central Los Angeles is embracing her legacy in a new way. Outrage ensued after Du testified in court that she acted in self-defense, and the jury convicted her of voluntary manslaughter, which could have carried a sentence of 16 years. And we are the ones that are understanding how important it is that art is a representation of our current times, that we are forced to confront and be uncomfortable. Born in Illinois, she was just six when her parents, Crystal and Sylvester, made the decision to move their family to Los Angeles. The system a very long way to go reflected that of the Koreans what 's politically correct today not. Stories from those that knew Latashahow were they affected by this time, city-wide! Own host of problems during this time loved me of Latasha Harlins in the back of her head of unrest! Harlins before fainting, he dialed 9-1-1 to report an attempted holdup never want to that. Later became a victim of these racial tensions on the I.R.T straight to inbox. Harlins death has had on their own consciousness, Los Angeles and was never seen again the city Los... 1 billion in damages from the bench Karlin has used her husband 's surname Fahey until April of 1992 when! 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