Latasha Harlins was a young African American girl whose tragic death played a significant role in the tensions between the Black and Korean American communities in Los Angeles during the early 1990s. Her story is intertwined with the backdrop of the Los Angeles riots.
On March 16, 1991, Latasha Harlins, who was 15 years old at the time, went to a convenience store in South Central Los Angeles named Empire Liquor Market. The store was owned by a Korean American man named Soon Ja Du.
An altercation occurred between Latasha and Soon Ja Du over a bottle of orange juice. It was alleged that Latasha believed the orange juice was priced too high, and a verbal argument ensued. During the altercation, Du accused Latasha of trying to steal the juice, although security footage later showed Latasha holding money in her hand to pay for the item.
While Latasha was walking away from the confrontation, Du shot her in the back of the head at point-blank range. Latasha tragically died from the gunshot wound. The incident was captured on the store's surveillance camera, and the footage played a crucial role in the subsequent legal proceedings.
Soon Ja Du was charged with voluntary manslaughter for the killing of Latasha Harlins. However, during the trial, Du claimed that she thought Latasha was attempting to steal the orange juice and acted in self-defense. The jury found Du guilty of voluntary manslaughter, but the presiding judge, Joyce Karlin, sentenced her to probation, community service, and a small fine.
The leniency of the sentence caused widespread outrage and further strained the already tense race relations between the Black and Korean American communities in Los Angeles. The tensions escalated, and a year later, in 1992, the city erupted into riots following the acquittal of four police officers involved in the brutal beating of Rodney King.
The death of Latasha Harlins and the aftermath of the trial became symbolic of the injustices faced by the Black community and the perceived lack of accountability for harm done to African Americans in Los Angeles.
It's essential to remember that this information is based on events up to September 2021, and there might have been further developments or new information available since that time.
Resources:
Killing of Latasha Harlins - Wikipedia
The Documentary on Netflix - A Love Song For Latasha
(20) Latasha Harlins -The Real Untold Story - YouTube
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