Death of Latasha Harlins

Latasha Harlins (July 14, 1975 – March 16, 1991) was a 15-year-old African-American girl who was unlawfully shot and killed by Soon Ja Du (Hangul: 두순자), a 51-year-old female Korean store owner. Harlins was a student at Westchester High School in Los Angeles. Harlins' death came 13 days after the videotaped beating of Rodney King, and Du was fined $500 and sentenced to probation and community service but no prison time for her crime. Some sources cited the shooting as one of the causes of the 1992 Los Angeles riots.

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, and her husband was outside resting in the family's van.^[1]

Du observed Harlins putting a bottle of orange juice in her backpack. Police say that Du erroneously concluded Harlins was attempting to steal, and evidently did not see the money Harlins held in her hand. The police reached this conclusion after speaking with the two eyewitnesses present and viewing the videotape of the incident, recorded by a store security camera.^[2][3] Du grabbed Harlins by the sweater and snatched her backpack. Harlins then struck Du with her fist three times, knocking Du to the ground. After Harlins backed away, Du then threw a stool at her. Harlins then picked up the orange juice that dropped during the scuffle, threw^[4] it on the counter and turned to leave. Du reached under the counter to retrieve a handgun, then fired at Harlins from behind at a distance of about three feet (one meter) and shot her in the back of her head, killing her instantly. Du's husband, Billy Heung Ki Du, heard the shot and rushed into the store. After speaking to his wife, who asked for the whereabouts of Harlins before fainting, he dialed 9-1-1 to report an alleged holdup.^[5]

Du testified on her own behalf, stating that it was self-defense and that her life was in danger, but her testimony was contradicted by the statements of the two witnesses present at the time and the security camera video which showed her shooting Harlins in the back of the head as Harlins was attempting to leave the store. However, the Los Angeles Police Department ballistics expert report also found that the handgun Du used was altered in such a way that, compared to an ordinary handgun, much less pressure on the trigger was necessary to result in firing.^[5]

On November 15, 1991, the jury, believing that Du's shooting was fully within her control and she fired the gun voluntarily, found Du guilty of voluntary manslaughter, an offense that carries a maximum prison sentence of 16-years. However, trial judge, Joyce Karlin, sentenced Du to five years of probation, four hundred hours of community service, and a $500 fine.^[6][7][8]

Judge Karlin suggested that there were mitigating circumstances. She stated, "Did Mrs. Du react inappropriately? Absolutely. But was that reaction understandable? I think that it was." The judge 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." The court also stated that Mrs. Du shot Ms. Harlins under extreme provocation and duress and probably would never commit a crime again.^[9]

A state appeals court later unanimously upheld Judge Karlin's sentence.^[10]

Impact

The incident and reduced sentencing by the court exacerbated already existing tensions between African-American residents and Asian-American merchants in South Central Los Angeles. Those tensions were later interpreted by some members of the public and activists as being one of the catalysts of the 1992 Los Angeles riots, with the mayor's office estimating that 65 percent of all businesses vandalized were Korean-owned.^[11][12][13] On August 17, 1991, while Du was awaiting trial, a small incendiary fire occurred at her store.^[14]

During the 1992 riots, Du's store was burned, and it never re-opened.^[15]

Tupac

Hip hop artist Tupac Shakur also took particular note of Harlins' death and in 1993, released a song entitled "Keep Ya Head Up" which was dedicated to Latasha Harlins. Thereafter, Shakur made frequent mention of Harlins in his songs, including 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 Cato...") and "Hellrazor" ("Dear Lord if ya hear me, tell me why / Little girl like Latasha, had to die").^[16][17]

Ice Cube

Rapper Ice Cube composed a song about the incident for his album Death Certificate entitled "Black Korea".^[18]

References