By this time, a city-wide curfew had been enforced. She will die in front of your eyes.. WebAllison chose not to include the footage of Harlinss death taken by the stores camera, which was shown on national news and was later used in the trial of the woman who shot her. Menu. How 15-Year-Old Latasha Harlins Murder Over A Bottle Of Orange Juice Helped Spark The L.A. 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. The Harlins family received a $300,000 settlement from Dus insurance company. However, the officers involved in Rodney King's arrest were re-tried. Tupac dedicated his song, Keep Ya Head Up, to Latasha Harlins. 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 think we have a very long way to go. Who is that really benefiting? People think that for Black life to matter, it has to be a cis-hetero life, and until we acknowledge all of the intersections, all of the existences within Black identity, Black women, Black girls, Black queer folks, Black trans folks, Black nonconforming folks, there will never be a solution to this issue. And it still hurts," Ruth Harlins, her grandmother, said. I think thats why movements like #MeToo and #SayHerName have to exist, because people still refuse to think theres a problem. [2] The sentencing was widely regarded as an extremely light sentence, and a failed appeal[3] contributed to the 1992 Los Angeles riots, especially the targeting of Koreatown, Los Angeles, California. Want morePDN? Residents shouted Latasha Harlins name as they torched Korean-owned businesses including Soon Ja Dus own Empire Liquor. "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. We encountered an issue signing you up. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. [31] The distrust ran possibly even further, because in the same editorial the writer exclaims, "The real question is, why was my brother's brains blown out fighting for those Koreans?" 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. And so for me, dismantling means making people uncomfortable and building something completely new. I never want to believe that a film will humanize anyone, because I really believe humanizing comes from folks in their own consciousness. And she had the money in her hand to pay the lady. In memory, especially when trauma is involved, details are blurry, she notes. And I had a basketball game. Koreans in response argued that their attitudes evolved from high crime rates in the area and shop owner fears of shootings and burglaries. [23], The incident and reduced sentencing by the court exacerbated the existing tensions between African-American residents and Korean-American merchants in South Central Los Angeles. In cross-examining Combs and her brother, Lloyd pointed out discrepancies among statements they gave to police the day of the shooting, to the grand jury that indicted Du, and to the jury Monday. I think every single one of them deeply affected me. In the documentary, you juxtapose the voices of Latashas loved ones reminiscing about her life with images of her community today, 30 years later. Did you feel it was essential to the film to center it around those who were close to Latasha? ? Do you find this information helpful? [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. A small donation would help us keep this available to all. So I think we have to move past diversity and understand what it means for Black folks to have power and agency within the industry. How come she can she just die for one bottle of juice?" African American History: Research Guides & Websites, Global African History: Research Guides & Websites, African American Scientists and Technicians of the Manhattan Project, Envoys, Diplomatic Ministers, & Ambassadors, Foundation, Organization, and Corporate Supporters. A Love Song for Latasha was nominated for an Oscar. It took years before Los Angeles was rebuilt and many who live there say little has changed, with huge economic divides still existing in the city. Please try again. Obsessed with Netflix? The film also uses experimental animation and music, such as Nonames striking Dont Forget About Me, in which she sings, I know everyone goes someday/ I know my bodys fragile, know its made from clay/ But if I have to go, I pray my soul is still eternal/ And my momma dont forget about me/ I pray my momma dont forget about me/ I pray my granny dont forget about me.. cultfacts 1.6K 31 dethb0y 3 days ago NSFW 4 dead including 3 teens in murder-suicide khou 1.5K 148 AmethystOrator 7 days ago NSFW MARTINEZ: That's Christina Rogers and Vester Acoff remembering their sister Latasha Harlins. "[41][43] After Denise Harlins was removed from the ballroom, Karlin gave a speech, stating "There are those in the community who demand that we define justice by what is politically correct. The store owner, Soon Ja Du, grabbed her, they tussled, and after Harlins threw the carton on the counter and walked toward the door, Du shot her in the back of the head. I think theres a difference between inclusivity and agency. But Judge Joyce Karlin gave Du probation instead. Feder-Haugabook, A. In 1998, the California State Assembly named April 29 as Latasha Harlins Day. WebLatasha Harlins was remembered Wednesday by a fervent crowd of about 50, including her grandmother, siblings and aunt, at a vigil in South Los Angeles in the place where she was When they rejected her pitch, she says, I knew I had to quit and do this story on my own. Allison had trained as a photojournalist, worked at a newspaper and attended the Eddie Adams Workshop. Advertise | The judges decision exacerbated racial tensions between African Americans and Korean immigrants. Fueling the tension of the neighborhood was a never-ending onslaught of city-sponsored surveillance violence. It was 25 years ago that a 15-year-old girl lost her life over a bottle of orange juice. Some black activists say the incidents stemmed from racism on the part of the Koreans. A Love Song for Latasha is a 2019 American biographical documentary short film directed by Sophia Nahli Allison. Let me go. . The decision fanned the flames of racial unrest, which led to the LA riots. We explained what we were doing, Allison says, and she let us film her daughters with the girl we had playing Latasha that day.. I think that it was." She created a script based on her interviews with OBard and Shinese Harlins, choosing recollections and anecdotes that touched the core of Latasha. She wanted the film to draw viewers into Latashas life and portray her girlhood dreams for the future before it revealed how she died. By the summer of 2017, Allison had edited the first two minutes of the video, which helped her establish the films visual style. White Judge Joyce Karlin, however, gave Du probation, 400 hours of community service, and a $500 fine. Time now for StoryCorps. Judge Joyce Karlin, however, rejected the jurys recommendation and instead sentenced Du to five years probation, 400 hours of community service, and a $500 fine. You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. She was briefly caught but escaped from jail and was never seen again. [13][14] The videotape[15] showed that Du grabbed Harlins by her sweater and snatched her backpack. Your donation is fully tax-deductible. EN. This is real life, Deputy District Attorney Roxane Carvajal had warned the jury. VESTER ACOFF: One of the favorite memories we had was when we used to be in the living room dancing and lip-syncing over music like a talent show. A brother and sister remember Latasha Harlins, a 15-year-old girl who was shot and killed in 1991 by a store clerk in South Central Los Angeles the same month Rodney King was beaten. [35] Many of the targets of looting and destruction were Korean stores; more than two thousand Korean stores burned or looted. In April the following year, just over a year after Latasha's death, the court of appeal upheld Judge Karlin's original sentence. Family members said they hope Latasha's legacy evolves to be about love and justice. The film captures the essence and showcases the fullness of Harlins, something that reports on her death always failed to do. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. 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. Thirty years ago today, four police officers were acquitted in the beating of Rodney King. And Id love to help them create that.. 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. She pitched her idea for a video about Harlins life to her employer, the news website Fusion (now called Splinter). In her book American Dream, Sapphire wrote the poem Strange Juice (or the murder of Latasha Harlins) giving voice to the murdered girl. But security footage and the statements of the eye witnesses directly contradicted her account. Chilling footage then shows Du grabbing Latasha by her jumper and snatching her backpack. What are you hoping that people take away from your documentary about both Latasha Harlins story and the larger concept of Black girlhood? WebLatasha Harlins was killed just a few years after her mother was shot dead in a South-Central L.A. nightclub. Latasha Harlins was born on July 14, 1975, in St. Louis, Illinois. All contents 2023 The Slate Group LLC. ROGERS: I remember we were at the park, and that's where the ice cream truck used to come. [29] While the jury convicted Du of manslaughter, which normally carries a maximum of 16 years in prison, the judge, Joyce Karlin, commuted her sentence to probation and a $500 finethis angered many in the black community, as well as other community members, who felt that the sentencing set a dangerous precedent. 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. I guess it made her think of her mom, said her cousin, Shinese. I want people to remember that Latasha was a girl, that she was a child. Under cross-examination, the officer acknowledged that the blows from the husband probably were not as forceful as those attributed to Harlins. Latasha Harlins was remembered Wednesday by a fervent crowd of about 50, including her grandmother, siblings and aunt, at a vigil in South Los Angeles in the place where she was shot. On a Saturday morning in 1991, 15-year-old Latasha Harlins walked to a market five minutes from her home in South-Central Los Angeles to buy a bottle of orange juice. 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 Thats why the image of Latasha is always changing in the film. It also shows Du pointing a handgun and Harlins dropping to the floor, mortally wounded. All rights reserved. The area was recovering from the recent Watts Riots and Koreans began buying businesses because they were inexpensive and there wasnt much competition. [1] She originally pitched it to a documentary organization she worked for, given the approaching 25th anniversary of Latasha Harlins' 1991 death and the 1992 uprising it fueled. The sister firmly denied Lloyds repeated suggestion that Harlins had threatened to kill Du. Two years after they moved to LA, Crystal and Sylvester split up but in 1985, Latasha's mother was shot dead outside a nightclub by her ex-husband's new girlfriend. [31] Further, the stereotypes of the two groups were a source of contention, with black people often being labeled as economically "dependent", with Koreans and other Asians often labeled economically self-sufficient. Means making people uncomfortable and building something completely new her death always failed to do larger. Ago today, four police officers were acquitted in the area and shop owner of. Think thats why movements like # MeToo and # SayHerName have to exist because. Firmly denied Lloyds repeated suggestion that Harlins had threatened to kill Du showed that Du grabbed by! Viewers into Latashas life and portray her girlhood dreams for the future before it revealed how she died 400 of. Our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information her mom, her... 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