You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. Latasha King was just 15 when she was shot dead by a shop owner one Saturday morning - her death is widely thought to be one of the contributing factors to the 1992 LA Riots and Netflix series, A Love Song for Latasha, tells her tragic story. 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. 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. Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject, "The heartbreaking L.A. story behind Oscar nominee 'A Love Song for Latasha', "Sophia Nahli Allison's 'A Love Song For Latasha' Captures The Fullness Of Black Girlhood", "Netflix to debut heartbreaking doc 'A Love Song for Latasha', "How Six Documentary Directors Explored Untold Stories in 2020", "Latasha Harlins' Death Fueled the 1991 LA Riots. But when she turned around to leave, the lady shot her in the head, and she died. Riots. However, the trial judge, Joyce Karlin, sentenced Du to five years of probation, 10 years of suspended prison, 400 hours of community service, and a $500 fine.[18][19][20]. [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. But I think there are so many ways to dismantle the system. And thats the only way for us to really begin to engage with inclusivity. But those dreams would soon be crushed. Allison began applying for grantsand getting several rejectionsin 2017. And so I think thats when the nation has to really acknowledge how many of the folks here have been complicit in watching and witnessing young Black girls be stripped of their lives. Du concluded Harlins was attempting to steal, and did not see the money Harlins held in her hand. Beverly White and Heather Navarro, Family Gathers on 25 Year Anniversary of Latasha Harlins Death, NBC Los Angeles, March 16, 2016; Brenda Stevenson, The Contested Murder of Latasha Harlins; Justice, Gender, and the Origins of the LA Riots, Los Angeles Review of Books, July 23, 2017; Andrea Ford, Settlement Awarded to Harlins Siblings but Not Father, Los Angeles Times, July 29, 1992. The officers shot him twice with Taser stun darts and then brutally beat him with batons before handcuffing him. 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Harlins turned to walk away when Du took out a gun and fired. How do I challenge traditional rules of documentary so that Latasha can live in her fullness, and show evidence that she existed?. And Im someone that deeply wants to interrogate and reimagine parts of the archive that are left intentionally blank or that are erased or destroyed. "[7] The day of the shooting is depicted in animation, intercut with VHS tape static, to heighten the sense of memory despite the lack of any home movies of Harlins. The short documentary film A Love Song for Latasha (2019) gives some biographical background on the life of Latasha Harlins, drawing on memories from her cousin and her best friend. EN. Not enough has changed", "FindLaw's California Court of Appeal case and opinions", "Latasha Harlins' name sparked an L.A. movement. I wanted it to feel intimate and personal and not invasive at all.. ACOFF: That morning, Madea - she asked me to go to the store. But when she got there, the lady said she had seen her put something in her backpack. A Love Song for Latasha was nominated for an Oscar. MaKhia Bryants murder really makes me upset. Send me updates about Slate special offers. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. In the aftermath of the riots, LAPD's chief of police, Daryl Gates, resigned and rival gangs called a temporary truce, including the Crips and the Bloods. I think every single one of them deeply affected me. Harlins was 15-years-old in 1991 when she died instantly after being shot at the time by 51-year-old, Soon Ja Du, who accused her of attempting to steal the juice. I guess it made her think of her mom, said her cousin, Shinese. They came to StoryCorps to remember her. Support one another, all nationalities. [29] In the eyes of many in the black community, it was tragic that Soon Ja Du did not receive any jail time for her crime. (2017, September 14). I do identify as a Black queer woman, so thats something Im always still searching for. She picked the juice up from the floor, where it had fallen, placed it on the counter, and walked away. At just 15 Latasha Harlins had known more than her fair share of tragedy. Photography equipment news and reviews, business and technical advice from top pros, industry news and much more, delivered to your inbox each week. She was just that smart. But she didn't belong [on the bench] anyway. And I had a basketball game. What are you hoping that people take away from your documentary about both Latasha Harlins story and the larger concept of Black girlhood? ), Throughout the 19-minute film, Harlins cousin, Shinese Harlins, and her best friend, Tybie OBard, share their memories of Latashalike her aspirations to become a lawyer, her love of basketball, and a memorable poem that she wrote just one month before her life was tragically cut short. Soon Ja Du's store, Empire Liquor, was located at the intersection of West 91st Street and South Figueroa Street, Vermont Vista, Los Angeles,[10] and was normally staffed by Du's husband and son. Webhow old is alec and kaleb on the shriners commercial. 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. [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. In April the following year, just over a year after Latasha's death, the court of appeal upheld Judge Karlin's original sentence. The jury found Du guilty of voluntary manslaughter, an offense that carries a maximum prison sentence of 16 years. 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. Riots. ROGERS: She was killed. I never want to believe that a film will humanize anyone, because I really believe humanizing comes from folks in their own consciousness. I said: This cannot be the only way that this young girl exists. She did some research, and found Harlins cousin and then her childhood friend. Du's husband, Billy Heung Ki Du, heard the gunshot and rushed into the store. Jasmine M. Ellis: What inspired you to make A Love Song for Latasha? Udeorji advised Allison on sound editing and music licensing, and helped her with logistics, locations and casting during the two years she was shooting the film., At a gathering of filmmakers, Allison met Janice Duncan, who had worked as a director and producer on fictional features. Steph Cha's novel Your House Will Pay centers on the aftermath of the murder of a 16-year-old African-American girl in South Central Los Angeles. I want people to remember that Latasha was a girl, that she was a child. She pitched her idea for a video about Harlins life to her employer, the news website Fusion (now called Splinter). Official Trailer For Netflix Original 'a Love Song For Latasha', Tensions were already at breaking point in LA, Rodney King was arrested and beaten by police officers. I remember when I watched Eves Bayou and when I watched Just Another Girl on the I.R.T. Finally, 2,000 troops from the California National Guard were called in, and the 1992 riots came to an end. 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. The Harlins family received a $300,000 settlement from Dus insurance company. Latasha Harlins voice isnt heard in the film. (Los A video of the incident was given to a local TV station and ignited international outrage. One, as an L.A. native, this is a story that was important, one that had not been discussed in the fullness of who Latasha was. [29] However, while tensions had exponentially increased because of the killing of Harlins, they were built on existing conflict that had been present in the community. The same month that King was beaten, 15-year-old Latasha Harlins was shot and killed by a store clerk in South Central Los Angeles. WebLATASHA HARLINS CCTV FOOTAGE. Latasha Harlins was born on July 14, 1975, in St. Louis, Illinois. The graphic images of the killing of 15-year-old Harlins, captured by a security camera inside the Empire Liquor Market in South-Central Los Angeles, drew gasps in the packed Superior Court courtroom where grocer Soon Ja Du is being tried for murder. Protesters noted that a week after the death of Latasha Harlins, a Glendale man received a more severe sentence than Du for kicking a dog. This may have been the last known photo taken of Latasha Harlins. Born in Illinois, she was just six when her parents, Crystal and Sylvester, made the decision to move their family to Los Angeles. Want morePDN? Du was tried and convicted of We encountered an issue signing you up. Karlin and Du's son also attended that ceremony. WebOn March 16, 1991, 15-year-old Latasha Harlins was shot and killed by a liquor store owner who accused her of stealing. Witnesses testified that once inside the store, Latasha [1] At the time, security camera footage of Harlins' death was broadcast widely on television news, but Allison's work does not include it. Allison showed the cut to Duncan, and asked her to be the projects creative producer. She shot the footage herself, usually using a handheld Canon 5D Mark III. Latasha's killer was convicted of manslaughter but served no jail time. The Los Angeles mayor's office estimated that 65 percent of all businesses vandalized during the riots were Korean-owned. Police concluded that Latasha was not shoplifting and had the $2.00 dollars in her hand when she was killed. [21] Furthermore, Karlin deemed that Du's capacity to act rationally in the situation was undermined by her experience with past robberies. Latasha Harlins (January 1, 1976 March 16, 1991) was an African-American girl who was fatally shot at age 15 by Soon Ja Du (Korean: ), a 49-year-old Korean-American convenience store owner. WebAP. [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. They lived near 89th St. and Broadway, just a few blocks from where Latasha would be killed ten years later.[7][8]. [17] The Los Angeles Police Department ballistics report also found that the handgun Du used was altered in such a way that it required much less pressure on the trigger to fire than an ordinary handgun. This system of justice is not really justice, said Harlins grandmother outside the courtroom. So it was this really beautiful coming together with a community, and of me engaging with my own childhood, my own path. Sixteen-year-old Bryant was shot and killed by a police officer in Columbus, Ohio, on April 20, 2021. A year later, residents of Harlins neighborhood took to the streets in outrage. In memory, especially when trauma is involved, details are blurry, she notes. 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. WebLatasha Harlins January 1 1976 March 16 1991 was an African-American girl who was fatally shot at age 15 by Soon Ja Du Korean a 49-year-old. Du hurled a stool at the schoolgirl and when Latasha went to pick up the drink and tried to leave the shopkeeper reached under his counter and pulled out a gun. It also shows Du pointing a handgun and Harlins dropping to the floor, mortally wounded. 30 years later, her first memorial is up", "Conflict Brings Tragic End to Similar Dreams of Life: Shooting: An immigrant grocer is accused of murdering a girl, 15. You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. The videotape of the incident lasted less than a minute, but showed Harlins and Du grappling at the store counter in a dispute over a bottle of orange juice. She was trying to walk out the door, said Lakeshia Combs, Alis sister and another witness. Meron Menghistab on shooting "A Day in the Life of Trevor Noah" for Vice.com, and his strategy for staying busy. The buller hit the 15-year-old in the back of the head and she was killed instantly. Du, however, grabbed the girl by the sweater, and the two began to fight. A security camera tape showed the entire heart-wrenching event on fuzzy, silent film. When she wanted to give up, I thought: But Latashas story deserves to be told. In the spring of 2018, she landed a grant from Glassbreaker Films. In reality, Latasha had been carrying the money to pay for the drink in her hand. All rights reserved. She wanted to buy our grandmother a big old house. And theres no protection for Black girls when we have to rely on a system that is deeply rooted in white supremacy. "[41] Since retiring from the bench Karlin has used her husband's surname Fahey. Rather than shooting crisp, clear frames that offered a literal recreation of what youre hearing, she wanted to combine the voiceover with fleeting images that suggest visual memories. Du claimed to have asked Harlins if she intended to pay for the orange juice, to which Du claimed Harlins responded, "What orange juice?" [41] After the Los Angeles Times endorsed one of her opponents in her re-election campaign, she wrote a letter to the newspaper, saying "[I]f judges have to look over their shoulders as they decide a case; if they have to test the political winds in order to arrive at a politically correct verdictthen the judicial system and the freedoms it guarantees will be destroyed. [7][9] Their unstable marriage eventually ended in 1983. The childrens maternal grandmother, Ruth Harlins, then raised Latasha and her siblings. Set up your online access now. On the morning of March 16, 1991, though, Harlins did plan to make a purchase. WebThe only video that exists of her is the grainy surveillance footage that captured the last minutes of her life. Hannah McKennett is a Dublin-based freelance writer that is dedicated to traveling the world while writing about it. This is not the movies, said Deputy District Attorney Roxane Carvajal before showing the tape in court. 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