On March 16, 1991, Latasha Harlins, a 15-year-old African-American girl, was brutally shot and killed by Do Sun-ja, a 51-year-old Korean woman, in Vermont Vista, Los Angeles.
Wiki/Biography
Latasha Harlins was born on Thursday, January 1, 1976 (age 15 at the time of her death) in East St. Louis, Illinois, United States. Her family moved from Illinois to South Central Los Angeles in 1981. Latasha was a student at Westchester High School in Los Angeles.
Family and Race
Latasha Harlins is African American.
Parents and siblings
Latasha Harlins’ father, Sylvester Vester Acoff Sr., worked in a steel foundry, and her mother, Crystal Harlins, worked as a waitress at a local tavern in South Central Los Angeles. She has two younger siblings: a brother, Vester Acoff Jr., and a sister, Christina. Her father, Acoff Sr., abused her mother, Crystal Harlins, and he often beat her in front of Latasha and her siblings. Eventually, their marriage ended in 1983. On November 27, 1985, Latasha’s mother, Crystal Harlins, was shot and killed outside a nightclub in Los Angeles. After that, Latasha was raised by her grandmother, Ruth Harlins.
die
On the morning of Saturday, March 16, 1991, Latasha Harlins was shot and killed by a Korean woman, Soon Ja Du, at the Empire Liquor Store in Vermont Vista, Los Angeles.
Shunzidu Empire Wine Shop
According to reports, Ms. Dou, the owner of the Empire Liquor Store, said that she saw Harlins put a bottle of orange juice into her backpack and asked Harlins if she was going to pay for it. Harlins replied, “What orange juice?” So Ms. Dou grabbed Harlins’ sweater, accused her of stealing, and took her backpack. Harlins responded with two punches and knocked Ms. Dou to the ground. Harlins then stepped back, but Ms. Dou angrily threw a stool at her, but missed Harlins. Harlins then picked up the orange juice bottle that fell in the chaos, but Ms. Dou snatched the bottle from her. Harlins then turned and tried to leave, but Ms. Dou took out a revolver from under the cash register and shot Harlins in the back of the head. Two witnesses refuted Dou’s statement, saying that Dou never asked Harlins if she intended to pay for the orange juice, but instead called her a “bitch.” After reviewing the store’s surveillance video, the police concluded that Harlins had money in her hand at the time, so she intended to pay for the drink.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kiw6Q9-lfXc
The trial and verdict of the Du Shunzi case
Shunzi Dou testified on her own behalf, claiming that she fired the shots in self-defense because she believed her life was in danger. Dou’s testimony was contradicted by two eyewitnesses and a video recovered from the store’s security camera. The video only showed that Dou shot Harlins as she tried to leave the store empty-handed. On November 15, 1991, the jury convicted Dou and returned a verdict stating that Dou had fired the shots voluntarily.
Soon Ja Du and her husband Billy Heung Ki Du
Because Du was guilty of manslaughter, the jury recommended the maximum sentence, 16 years. However, trial judge Joyce Carlin did not approve the jury’s recommendation and sentenced Du to five years of probation, 400 hours of community service, and a $500 fine. The court said Du committed the crime under extreme provocation and that Du’s past experience with robbery impaired her ability to act rationally in the situation. In July 1992, after the Los Angeles riots, the Harlins family received a $300,000 settlement.
Joyce Carlin
In the mass media
Hip-hop artist Tupac Shakur dedicated the song “Keep Ya Head Up” to Latasha Harlins. Since then, he has frequently mentioned Harlins in songs such as “Something 2 Die 4”, “Thugz Mansion”, “I Wonder If Heaven Got a Ghetto”, etc. American writer Sapphire wrote a poem “Strange Juice” in her book “American Dreams”, referring to the murder of Latasha Harlins. In 2020, Netflix released a documentary titled “A Love Song for Latasha” to commemorate the life of Latasha Harlins.
Facts/Trivia
- Joyce Karlin disagreed with the jury’s recommendation of 16 years in prison, but she said
Was Ms. Du’s reaction inappropriate? Of course. But was it understandable? I think it was.” Carlin added, “Now is not the time for revenge… Whatever the sentence the court imposes, Ms. Du will be punished every day for the rest of her life.”
- Thirteen days before Harlins was killed, American man Rodney King was also violently enforced by the Los Angeles Police Department. Both deaths triggered the Los Angeles riots in 1992. The decision to sentence Doo to five years of probation caused public outrage in Los Angeles, and a large number of Korean-owned companies were attacked.
- The Los Angeles Police Department’s ballistics report also stated that the pistol used by Du was modified so that the pressure required to pull the trigger to shoot was much less than that of an ordinary pistol.
- During the 1992 riots, Du’s shop was looted and burned and never reopened. Later, the property became a market operated by different owners.
- Latasha Harlins is buried next to her mother at Paradise Memorial Park in Santa Fe Springs, California.
Latasha Harlins’ grave
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education