Latasha Harlins (1976-1991) was a 15-year old African American girl shot and killed on March 16, 1991, by Soon Ja Du, a Korean American store owner. Year 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar. ... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... is the 75th day of the year (76th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar. ... A Korean American is a person of Korean ancestry who was either born in or is an immigrant to the United States. ...

Summary

The South Los Angeles store, Empire Liquor, was normally staffed by Du's husband and son. However, on the morning of the shooting, Du was working behind the counter because her son had received death threats from local gang members against whom he was testifying in court and her husband was out resting in the family's van. Harlins' death came just 13 days after the videotaped beating of Rodney King by Los Angeles Police Department officers. South Los Angeles South Los Angeles is the official name for a large geographic and cultural portion lying to the southwest and southeast of downtown Los Angeles, California. ... Rodney Glen King (born April 2, 1965 in Sacramento, California) is an African-American taxi driver who, in 1991 was stopped and then beaten by Los Angeles Police Department officers (Laurence Powell, Timothy Wind, Theodore Briseno and Sergeant Stacey Koon) after being chased for speeding. ... LAPD and L.A.P.D. redirect here. ...

In a video captured by the security camera in the store, Latasha Harlins was seen putting a US$1.79 bottle of orange juice into her backpack, with the top of the carton protruding. Du observed this action by Harlins, but apparently did not notice that Harlins had then approached the store's counter with money in her hand. Empire Liquor had experienced frequent incidents involving criminal activities such as shoplifting and burglary, as did most^{[citation needed]} grocery markets in the area. Du confronted Harlins and grabbed Harlins' by the sweater and attempted to confiscate her backpack by force. Harlins responded by punching Du at least three times, knocking Du to the ground. Du then threw a stool and immediately reached under the counter to retrieve a handgun. Harlins threw the orange juice onto the counter, turned and started to leave the store. Du fired once, hitting Harlins in the back of the head, and fainted.^[1][2][3] For other uses, see Orange juice (disambiguation). ...

Du's husband, Billy Heung Ki Du, heard the shot and rushed into the store. After speaking with his wife, who claimed to have been robbed, he dialed 9-1-1 to report the shooting and supposed theft. Paramedics soon arrived. However, it was too late; Harlins was dead, her two dollars still in her left hand. This article is about the emergency telephone number. ...

Du testified on her own behalf, but her words were contradicted by the videotape and the statements of the two witnesses present at the time.^[4] Du was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and was subsequently sentenced to: five years probation, four-hundred hours of community service, and US$500.00 fine. The sentence was decided by Judge Joyce Karlin however the jury in Du's trial recommended a 16-year jail sentence. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into manslaughter. ... Judge Joyce A. Karlinis a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge who hears felony criminal cases at the county courthouse in downtown Los Angeles. ...

Impact

The incident and sentencing by the court exacerbated already existing tensions between African American residents and Korean American merchants in South Central Los Angeles. Those tensions would prove to be one of the catalysts of the 1992 Los Angeles riots. During the course of the riots, Empire Liquor Market was burnt to the ground, along with many other businesses. For other uses, see Los Angeles riots (disambiguation). ...

Tupac Shakur has referenced Harlins and her killing in several songs, including "Thugz Mansion," (Little Latasha's sure grown, tell the lady in the liquor store that she's forgiven, so come home), "I Wonder If Heaven Got A Ghetto," and "Hellrazor" (dear Lord if ya hear me, tell me why, Little girl like LaTasha, had to die, She never got to see the bullet, just heard the shot, Her little body couldn't take it, it shook and dropped, And when I saw it on the news I see busta girl killin 'Tasha, Now I'm screamin fuck the world). The Harlins shooting is believed to be what fueled Ice Cube's song Black Korea. Tupac Amaru Shakur (June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known by his stage names 2Pac, Makaveli, or simply as Pac, was an American artist renowned for his rap music, movie roles, poetry, and his social activism. ... OShea Jackson (born June 15, 1969), better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American MC, songwriter, actor, screenwriter, and film director. ... This page is about a person. ...

References

1. ^ Slain Girl Was Not Stealing Juice, Police Say: The incident in which the 15-year-old was killed by a market owner was captured on a security system videotape.
2. ^ A Senseless and Tragic Killing: New tension for Korean-American and African-American communities
3. ^ Merchant Charged in Girl's Fatal Shooting
4. ^ 911, TV Tapes Tell Different Tales in Killing of Teen-Ager Murder trial: The Korean store owner told a police operator that the black girl had tried to take money. But the security recording conflicts with that version.

External links

• Whose Sister Are You: Latasha Harlins, Soon Ja Du, and Joyce Karlin, A Case Study of Multicultural Female Violence and Justice on the Urban Frontier (PDF, 37 pages)