'A Love Song for Latasha': Who was Latasha Harlins? A look at how the teen's death sparked 1992 LA riots
On the morning of March 16, 1991, 15-year-old Latasha Harlins was shot in the back of a head by a Korean-American store owner and clerk, Soon Ja Du over $1.79. Du claimed that Harlins had placed a bottle of juice in her backpack to steal and that she had shot the girl in self-defense, however, eye witness accounts and surveillance footage proved Du's claims to be false. In fact, as Latasha was shot, she held a crumpled $2 bill in her hand. The police concluded that Harlins did intend to pay and after a scuffle broke out and Harlins turned to leave, Du reached for a revolver and shot Harlins from a distance of three feet.
Latasha is the subject of Netflix's latest short documentary, 'A Love Song for Latasha' directed by Sophia Nahli Allison. The documentary features Latasha's family and friends who speak of their experiences with Latasha and celebrates her life.
Harlins had walked to the neighborhood store which was just five minutes away from her home after her grandmother asked her to get some orange juice. After Latasha was shot, Du's husband, Billy Du rushed inside the store. Soon Ja Du was hysterical, screaming that she was being robbed, that the robber had tried to take money out of the cash register. She then seemed to fall unconscious. Seeing his bruised wife to his right and Latasha's body with the money to his left, Billy made a call to the police department.
However, it was Du's trial that would enrage the nation further. Eight months after Latasha was shot, Soon Ja Du was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and the jury recommended that she be sentenced to 16 years in prison. The trial judge, Joyce Karlin, did not accept the jury's sentencing recommendation and instead sentenced Du to five years of probation, 400 hours of community service, and a $500 fine -- which meant that Ja Du would serve no time in prison for the murder of Latasha.
Karlin justified her decision by noting that there were mitigating circumstances in the teen's death. She stated, "Did Mrs. Du react inappropriately? Absolutely. But was that reaction understandable? I think that it was." Karlin 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 Du shot Latasha under extreme provocation and duress and deemed it unlikely that she would ever commit a serious crime again.
Latasha's death was one of the triggers for the 1992 Los Angeles riots. The mayor's office estimated that 65 percent of all businesses vandalized during the riots were Korean-owned, according to reports. Du's store was looted and burned down during the riots and it never reopened.
Latasha's death had also moved Tupac Shakur, who was just five years older than her. He strove to remember Latasha and other child victims of violence in his music. Her death was referenced by him in many of his songs, 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"), 'Hellrazor' ("Dear Lord if ya hear me, tell me why/Little girl like Latasha, had to die."
'A Love Song for Latasha' will be available to stream on Netflix on September 21, at 12 am PST.
