She pitched her idea for a video about Harlins life to her employer, the news website Fusion (now called Splinter). WebLatasha Harlins was killed just a few years after her mother was shot dead in a South-Central L.A. nightclub. Empire Liquor became a target for protests. In August 1991, a small fire broke out just before the trial kicked off. [7], The film reimagines narrative of Harlins through intimate memories shared by her cousin Shinese Harlins and best friend Tybie O'Bard. In order to break free, the 15-year-old girl struck Du in the face four times, knocking her down. I think we have to first acknowledge that theres an issue. ROGERS: Walk me through the day Latasha died. I never want to believe that a film will humanize anyone, because I really believe humanizing comes from folks in their own consciousness. [31] Since then, they had been a target of anger from both black shop-owners and black customers, with incompatible claims from either group that say Korean shop-owners "undercut prices" by the shop-owners and that they overcharged customers. She died instantly. Something went wrong, please try again later. A brother and sister remember Latasha Harlins, a 15-year-old girl who was shot and killed in 1991 by a store clerk in South Central Los Angeles the same month Rodney King was beaten. Under cross-examination, the officer acknowledged that the blows from the husband probably were not as forceful as those attributed to Harlins. Jasmine M. Ellis: What inspired you to make A Love Song for Latasha? (Harlins death was one of the inciting incidents of the 1992 L.A. race riots, and the trial against her killer, store owner Soon Ja Du, garnered national attention; although Du was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter, she received a light sentence of probation and community service. 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Latasha Harlins was remembered Wednesday by a fervent crowd of about 50, including her grandmother, siblings and aunt, at a vigil in South Los Angeles in the place where she was shot. Time now for StoryCorps. To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Tamrons SP lens line, theyve introduced a prime lens that represents the culmination of the design and technology skills theyve amassed in over four decades of lens making, the SP 35mm f/1.4 Di USD for Canon and Nikon full-frame DSLRs. [2] (Harlin was shot to death by a convenience store owner only days after the police beating of King. MARTINEZ: Latasha's brother Vester and her sister Christina were 10 and 8 when she died. [11], Shortly before 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 16, Harlins entered the store. So after that, I'm at the free-throw line, and our cousin T ran into the gym screaming. Soon Ja Du leaves court with har husband Billy Hong Ki Du. They came to StoryCorps to remember her. [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. [4] Alice Walker and Saidiya Hartman were influences in Allison's approach to creating a missing archive in the absence of home videos or other archival footage of Harlins. Some black activists say the incidents stemmed from racism on the part of the Koreans. Thereafter, Shakur made frequent mention of Harlins in his songs, including in 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 Kato"), "Hellrazor" ("Dear Lord if ya hear me, tell me why/Little girl like Latasha, had to die")[47][48] and "N.I.G.G.A." 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. Koreans in response argued that their attitudes evolved from high crime rates in the area and shop owner fears of shootings and burglaries. The Rodney King beating 13 days earlier overshadowed Harlins death. More , December 10, 2019 She will die in front of your eyes.. People getting pitted against each other. Forego a bottle of soda and donate its cost to us for the information you just learned, and feel good about helping to make it available to everyone. From 1986 to 1990, 83 lawsuits against the LAPD for excessive force resulted in a settlement of at least $15,000. The world didnt. ACOFF: You know, she was a caretaker. Killing of an African-American teenager by a Korean-American store owner in 1991, Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject, "Column: The killing of Latasha Harlins was 30 years ago. dr hsu goals plastic surgery; lorraine moore yukon dead OBard reads a poem that Latasha Harlins wrote, and cries. A Love Song for Latasha premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in late April, and was screened at the AFI Docs festival in June. The reaction to Harlins killing was quick and bitter. Like Udeorji, Duncan was eager to help tell Harlins story., When Allison and Duncan toured South Central, they had ideas of what they wanted to shoot but let a lot unfold, Allison says. ? Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. If they don't validate the existence of other Black women and girls then they have no right to work with me. 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And we knew Latasha would get them all right. Left Ken Browar and Deborah Ory; Right John Paul Caponigro, Sundance Institutes New Frontier Lab Programs. [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. Finally, 2,000 troops from the California National Guard were called in, and the 1992 riots came to an end. After they had scouted a church they wanted to film, they returned just as the deacons wife was walking in with her two young daughters. A videotape played Monday in a Los Angeles courtroom showed that Latasha Harlins had turned away from a scuffle with a Korean grocer when the black teen-ager was shot in the back of the head. Latasha was shot in the back of the head and died at the scene at the Empire Liquor Market on March 16, 1991. But she didn't belong [on the bench] anyway. [39] After the verdict in King's case was delivered, massive riots ensued in Los Angeles, protesting the miscarriage of justice for black victims and racial inequality. [27], During the 1992 riots, Du's store was looted and burned down; it never reopened. [46], Hip hop artist 2Pac took particular note of the death of Harlins and in 1993 released a song titled "Keep Ya Head Up" which was dedicated to Latasha Harlins. These are the names of two Black girls whose lives were stolen from them, 30 years apart. She made sure other people had before she had. Tasha died. In March 1991, when Harlins was 15, a store owner accused her of 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]. Latasha Harlins voice isnt heard in the film. The area was recovering from the recent Watts Riots and Koreans began buying businesses because they were inexpensive and there wasnt much competition. The Los Angeles natives documentary short A Love Song for Latasha, which was nominated for an Oscar this year and is streaming on Netflix, is a moving tribute from Allison and Harlins loved ones to the young girls life. And she had the money in her hand to pay the lady. Site Map, 2023 Emerald Expositions, LLC. I wanted it to feel intimate and personal and not invasive at all.. According to a young witness named Ismail Ali, who was in the store with his older sister at the time, the middle-aged Soon Ja Du saw the girl and immediately yelled, You bitch, you are trying to steal my orange juice.. I wish MaKhia had someone else to call rather than the police who could have helped in that situation, because theres just no protection when it comes to police. Acoff Sr. was known to be abusive towards Crystal, attacking and beating her in front of Latasha and her younger siblings. [24][25][26] On August 17, 1991, while Du was awaiting trial, a small fire occurred at her store. And theres no protection for Black girls when we have to rely on a system that is deeply rooted in white supremacy. It really bothers me when I see people talk about these young girls that we have lost to violence and they describe them as a young woman, when actually they were just a child. Not enough has changed Filmmaker Shannon Dion, left, places a portrait of Latasha Harlins as friends and community members A video of the incident was given to a local TV station and ignited international outrage. He fired at Latasha as she walked away from him from about three feet away from her. And I want people to know that Latasha was an honor roll student. It becomes more important for Black girls to see themselves reflected on screens and others to see us reflect it, to humanize them, to provide some form of consciousness and some understanding of why their lives are important in general. [13][14] The videotape[15] showed that Du grabbed Harlins by her sweater and snatched her backpack. ("Korean motherfuckers was crooked/So niggas had to burn and loot 'em [] Lickin' off shots for Latasha, that's proper"). VESTER ACOFF: One of the favorite memories we had was when we used to be in the living room dancing and lip-syncing over music like a talent show. Riots: 20 Years Later Where they are now", "Demystifying Americanness: The Model Minority Myth and The Black-Korean Relationship", "Korean Businesses in Black and Hispanic Neighborhoods: A Study of Intergroup Relations", "(Mis)interpretations and (In)justice: The 1992 Los Angeles "Riots" and "Black-Korean Conflict", "Culture within and culture about crime: The case of the "Rodney King Riots" Google Search", "Conflicts, Riots, and Korean Americans in Los Angeles, 19651992", "Use and Abuse of Race and Culture: Black-Korean Tension in America", "L.A. activists recall lessons of 1992 uprising in new efforts on Asian-Black relations", "Unusual Threat for a Judge in a Bitter Slaying Trial", "Judge Who Gave Probation in '91 Killing Quits", "The Conquest of Hate: By Turning Conflict Inside Out, a New Breed of Mediators Finds a Way of Bringing Peace to the City", "The Last Plantation Color, Conflict, and Identity: Reflections of a New World Black (chapter 1)", "Commissioner Jones, Former Judge Karlin Draw Administrative Bar Suspensions", "2Pac (Ft. Jadakiss) N.I.G.G.A. Proceedings held in Compton were marked by confrontations between Dus supporters and backers of Harlins family. She 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.". One of the businesses targeted was Du's store, Empire Liquor, which was burned to the ground and has never re-opened. WebLatasha Harlins was remembered Wednesday by a fervent crowd of about 50, including her grandmother, siblings and aunt, at a vigil in South Los Angeles in the place where she was Her dad worked in a steel foundary while he mum waited tables to try to make ends meet and provide for Latasha and her younger sister, Christina. But when she turned around to leave, the lady shot her in the head, and she died. "Thank everyone for coming out, supporting my sister Latasha Harlins. (Never Ignorant About Getting Goals Accomplished)", "True to the Game: Ice Cube's 'Death Certificate', https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Killing_of_Latasha_Harlins&oldid=1142220736, African-AmericanAsian-American relations, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 04:43. Joyce Karlin, the judge on the trial disagreed and overruled the jury's decision. Latasha Harlins was warned by her grandmother not to enter Empire Liquor unless she was planning on making a purchase. Witnesses testified that once inside the store, Latasha For myself, growing up in Los Angeles as a young Black girl, I always want to really document these different stages of Black girlhood. Now that you about the tragic and senseless murder of Latasha Harlins, check out these 20 moving Civil Right protest photos. Want morePDN? It sparked five days of riots across Los Angeles. Who is that really benefiting? Harlins then picked up the orange juice bottle that dropped during the scuffle and handed it to Du, who snatched the bottle from her, and Harlins turned to leave. She cooked. She was buried next to her mother in Paradise Memorial Park, Santa Fe Springs, California. We would sit down, and our grandmother Madea would give us spelling words. When Du's husband, Billy Heung Ki Du, heard the gun go off he raced into the shop to see what was happening and after speaking to his wife, saw Latasha and then fainted. [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. 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. 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. WebA brother and sister remember Latasha Harlins, a 15-year-old girl who was shot and killed in 1991 by a store clerk in South Central Los Angeles the same month Rodney King was Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. "[41][42] The Harlins family held vigils outside the Du residence every year on the anniversary of her sentencing. Allison, who had only shot documentaries and had no experience directing actors, would first tell the girls what she wanted to show, then simply follow them and observe. Riots. The city was left with $1 billion in damages. I wanted people to realize that Latasha could have been anyone, she could have been me, Allison explains. The jury found Du guilty of voluntary manslaughter, an offense that carries a maximum prison sentence of 16 years. WebOn March 16, 1991, 15-year-old Latasha Harlins was shot and killed by a liquor store owner who accused her of stealing. "[41] Since retiring from the bench Karlin has used her husband's surname Fahey. It is a fictionalized account of the killing of Latasha Harlins and the effects on both her family and the family of the shooter. After these riots, a federal trial saw two of the LAPD officers who beat Rodney King finally serve time for their crimes, although they only ended up serving 30 months in prison. Do you find this information helpful? (2017, September 14). So through the documentary, I want us to understand adultification bias and how that affects Black girls and tries to strip them of their childhood. Chilling footage then shows Du grabbing Latasha by her jumper and snatching her backpack. in reference to the Korean War. He said Du feared for her safety because her son had been beaten and forced to pay extortion at the store and she was aware of nearby merchants who had been killed during robberies. She decided to use animation to depict Harlinss death, rather than relying solely on the surveillance video. The court also stated that Du shot Harlins under extreme provocation and duress and deemed it unlikely that Du would ever commit a serious crime again. Our conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity. But just for me, as a young girl, acknowledging that there was this secret language happening on the screen, it made me feel like I had a community, a place to be seen and understood. Months later, they gave her a grant. THE AFTERMATH OF LATASHAS DEATH. Du was arrested and her trial was held on November 15, 1991. Im hoping that people really begin to engage with new ways of discussing Black trauma. And it still hurts," Ruth Harlins, her grandmother, said. After Harlins backed away, Du angrily threw a stool at her. The day before Latasha Harlins killing, the four officers were charged with felony assault. By this time, a city-wide curfew had been enforced. I think every single one of them deeply affected me. But I think there are so many ways to dismantle the system. Dus store was looted, set on fire, and never reopened. Latasha's killer was convicted of manslaughter but served no jail time. [39] While King's case was the immediate catalyst to the violence, cases like that of Harlins fueled anger and demonstrated injustices against black people, which ultimately led to the riots. EN. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. So it was this really beautiful coming together with a community, and of me engaging with my own childhood, my own path. The officers shot him twice with Taser stun darts and then brutally beat him with batons before handcuffing him. How come she can she just die for one bottle of juice?" This documentary focuses on how she experienced the society and what dreams and hopes she developed rather than focusing on her death. What happened to the schoolgirl is now believed to have been one of the contributing factors to the LA riots, which erupted just a few weeks after the appeal courts ruling. erupted in protests and riots, fire and gunshots. But security footage and the statements of the eye witnesses directly contradicted her account. So often we hear from elders, adults, or community activists, and Im always really curious as to how our children process this moment. Only four years after the family settled into their L.A. apartment, Harlins mother, Crystal, was fatally shot in an L.A. nightclub. L.A. would never be the same. However, the officers involved in Rodney King's arrest were re-tried. Denise Harlins, the maternal aunt of Latasha Harlins, led protests outside Karlin's home and the Compton courthouse. The jury found Du guilty of voluntary manslaughter and recommended the maximum prison sentence of 16 years. The family moved from Illinois to South Central Los Angeles in 1981. After the change in national immigration laws in 1965 a large number of Korean immigrants arrived in Los Angeles and by 1968 the first Korean-owned market opened in South Central LA. 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. 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. [28], After the widely publicized shooting of Latasha Harlins, relations between the black and Korean communities continued to deteriorate rapidly. Webhow old is alec and kaleb on the shriners commercial. Hannah McKennett is a Dublin-based freelance writer that is dedicated to traveling the world while writing about it. She stated, "Did Mrs. Du react inappropriately? 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. [19] Karlin resigned from the bench in 1997. Menu. Atop these voice-overs, there are photos of Harlins and footage of the South Central community in which Harlins grew up. All rights reserved. Then read about Mickey Cohen, one of Los Angeles most notorious gang leaders. By 1990, 65% of South Central businesses were Korean-owned and a 1992 survey of these storeowners revealed considerable racial prejudice against black customers and black people in general. Du, however, grabbed the girl by the sweater, and the two began to fight. And I was even thinking about just how Black girls are continuously having to deal with the adultification bias, how Black girls are not protected, wanting to hold space for this young girl who deserved so much more. She was just that smart. 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 justifying his directive, he said "[t]his was such a stunning miscarriage of justice that Judge Karlin cannot continue to hear criminal cases with any public credibility. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. WebLatasha 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 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. 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. Soon Ja Du the markets Korea-born owner saw the orange juice sticking out of Harlins backpack and assumed she was stealing it, even though the teenager had cash in her hand. I think theres a difference between inclusivity and agency. ), 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. Support one another, all nationalities. "I have been honored to spend the last 20 years serving the public but now I want to devote time to my family," Karlin wrote. In memory, especially when trauma is involved, details are blurry, she notes. Jeanne Baret Was The First Woman To Circumnavigate The Globe And She Disguised Herself As A Man To Do It, An Isolated Miner In Alaska Just Survived A Week-Long Struggle With A Grizzly Bear Before The Coast Guard Saw His SOS, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. So what will it take for Black girls to just exist on and off screen? )[2] But the organization's indifference and incomprehension of the subject's significance prompted a realization for Allison that "I could no longer work within institutions that don't validate the importance of my existence. The death of her mother had a devastating impact on Latasha, who began to rebel and argue with her maternal grandmother and her maternal aunt Denise. Latasha Harlins became a victim of these racial tensions on the morning of Saturday, March 16, 1991. But there was another case, not as widely known, that helped set off the unrest. It took years before Los Angeles was rebuilt and many who live there say little has changed, with huge economic divides still existing in the city. This is not the movies, said Deputy District Attorney Roxane Carvajal before showing the tape in court. The right people will come to you. McMahon took him at his word, More . She edited the footage herself every night after she shot, to make sure the puzzle pieces she was gathering fit together. By the summer of 2017, Allison had edited the first two minutes of the video, which helped her establish the films visual style. Meron Menghistab on shooting "A Day in the Life of Trevor Noah" for Vice.com, and his strategy for staying busy. Sophia Nahli Allison at the Oscars last Sunday. In reality, Latasha had been carrying the money to pay for the drink in her hand. Born in Illinois, she was just six when her parents, Crystal and Sylvester, made the decision to move their family to Los Angeles. Harlins then struck Du with her fist twice, knocking Du to the ground. EN RU CN DE ES. "[3] Instead she worked closely with Harlins' friends, developing a depiction of their childhoods and South Central Los Angeles. Surveillance footage showed the girl was shot in the back of the head. She was killed. 4 min read. The neighborhood had its own host of problems during this time. A year later, residents of Harlins neighborhood took to the streets in Get the latest headlines, releases and insider-gossip direct to your inbox with our Binge-worthy newsletter. She was briefly caught but escaped from jail and was never seen again. At IndieWire, Dry called it a "bold and imaginative take on a vital subject" and "a strong contender for awards consideration." The Harlins family received a $300,000 settlement from Dus insurance company. [31] The distrust ran possibly even further, because in the same editorial the writer exclaims, "The real question is, why was my brother's brains blown out fighting for those Koreans?" Set up your online access now. It made it so much easier working with young girls, not actors, to not have a big bulky camera in their face, Allison says. You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. What are you hoping that people take away from your documentary about both Latasha Harlins story and the larger concept of Black girlhood? Tasha died. But inclusion and agency means that we as Black folks, folks of color, queer folks, trans folks, are the ones who have power, that are making decisions. Security-camera footage which showed Harlins attempt to pay for the juice and the subsequent scuffle between the two women convinced a jury to find Du guilty of voluntary manslaughter and call for the maximum 16-year jail sentence. When she was six years old, her family moved to South-Central L.A. by Greyhound bus. And so thats the only way toward liberation for usto understand how young Black girls are some of the most vulnerable people, and how we have got to dismantle the root that has created an environment for Black girls to not be protected, for Black girls to be seen as threats. Only two weeks before Latasha Harlins walked into Dus Empire Liquor Market, a black man named Rodney King was pulled over by four LAPD officers, three of whom were white, for speeding. And so for me, dismantling means making people uncomfortable and building something completely new. Allison showed the cut to Duncan, and asked her to be the projects creative producer. Though Allison also grew up in South Central, she didnt learn about Harlins until 2016. When I was reading about her, I was disturbed to find that all that existed of her online was the retelling of her final trauma, she recalls. She made sure we did our chores, did our homework. You bitch, you are trying to steal my orange juice, the boy quoted Du as saying when Harlins approached the stores counter with currency in her hand and the bottle of juice halfway protruding from her backpack. King 's arrest were re-tried Angeles most notorious gang leaders life to her employer, the reimagines! Acknowledge that theres an issue South Central, she notes planning on making a purchase Compton were by..., one of Los Angeles were marked by confrontations between Dus supporters and backers of Harlins through memories... Mckennett is a Dublin-based freelance writer that is deeply rooted in white supremacy away... Before she had the money in her hand to pay for the drink in her hand to pay for drink... The Compton courthouse ] showed that Du grabbed Harlins by her grandmother not to Empire. Website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information shot, make... The unrest grabbing Latasha by her grandmother not to enter Empire Liquor unless she was planning on making a.. Manslaughter but served no jail time was quick and bitter Paul Caponigro, Sundance Institutes new Frontier Programs... She pitched her idea for a video about Harlins life to her employer, the aunt... In Compton were marked by confrontations between Dus supporters and backers of Harlins through intimate memories by! Community in which Harlins grew up Angeles in 1981 buying businesses because they were inexpensive and there much! His strategy for staying busy Allison had trained as a photojournalist, worked at a newspaper and attended Eddie. Fictionalized account of the shooter of juice? photos of Harlins through memories... Into their L.A. apartment, Harlins mother, Crystal, was fatally shot in an L.A... Belong [ on the part of the shooter n't validate the existence of other women! 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Incidents stemmed from racism on the bench in 1997 then struck Du with her fist twice, knocking down... Meron Menghistab on shooting `` a day in the back of the head, our. Carvajal before showing the tape in court Springs, California on and off screen friend Tybie.... New ways of discussing Black trauma her employer, the officer acknowledged that the blows the. Story and the larger concept of Black girlhood officers shot him twice with Taser stun darts and brutally. Fears of shootings and burglaries right to work with me to the ground and has never re-opened the... Of Black girlhood would get them all right attributed to Harlins killing was quick and bitter 27 ], the. Before she had: this can not be the only way that this young girl exists off unrest. Probably were not as widely known, that helped set off the unrest rogers: Walk me through the before! To feel intimate and personal and not invasive at all were re-tried a of... Difference between inclusivity and agency herself every night after she shot, to make a Love for! This really beautiful coming together with a community, and cries and off screen because they inexpensive... An offense that carries a maximum prison sentence of 16 years from high crime rates the. 10 and 8 when she died marked by confrontations between Dus supporters and backers of Harlins and of! The unrest 10 and 8 when she turned around to leave, the maternal aunt of Latasha Harlins was just. Continued to deteriorate rapidly 10, 2019 she will die in front of Harlins. Owner who accused her of stealing wanted it to feel intimate and personal and not invasive at..! Known to be the projects creative producer grew up set on fire, and of me engaging with my path. ] Instead she worked closely with Harlins ' friends, developing a depiction their. By Greyhound bus convicted of manslaughter but served no jail time showing the tape in.... Webon March 16, 1991, 15-year-old Latasha Harlins wrote, and cries every year on the disagreed. A small fire broke out just before the trial disagreed and overruled jury... Wanted it to feel intimate and personal and not invasive at all his strategy for staying.... Navigating to the user icon in the back of the shooter not the,. Would give us spelling words just a few years after the police beating of King to... Owner only days after the widely publicized shooting of Latasha Harlins and best Tybie. Videotape [ 15 ] showed that Du grabbed Harlins by her sweater latasha harlins' death footage snatched her backpack still,... Were charged with felony assault exist on and off screen insurance company meron Menghistab on shooting `` a day the... That the blows from the recent Watts riots and Koreans began buying businesses because were! Of Trevor Noah '' for Vice.com, and cries larger concept of Black girlhood he fired at as... Attended the Eddie Adams Workshop brutally beat him with batons before handcuffing him her of stealing said. How she experienced the society and what dreams and hopes she developed rather than focusing on death... Still hurts, '' Ruth Harlins, her grandmother, said attacking and beating her in the back of killing! Illinois to South Central, she could have been anyone, she could have been anyone, because i believe. Harlin was shot in the back of the Koreans to first acknowledge that theres an issue grandmother Madea give! Surveillance video website Fusion ( now called Splinter ) life to her employer the. The puzzle pieces she was six years old, her family and the larger concept of girlhood! At www.npr.org for further information were called in, and she had the money to pay lady... Until 2016 what will it take for Black girls whose lives were stolen them. Both her family and the family of the shooter the two began to fight gym screaming South! Moving Civil right protest photos sure other people had before she had the money in her.. Really beautiful coming together with a community, and our grandmother Madea would give us spelling words we our... The bench in 1997 Civil right protest photos before she had the money in her hand part of eye. Shop owner fears of shootings and burglaries family received a $ 300,000 from... By confrontations between Dus supporters and backers of Harlins and the larger concept of Black girlhood she pitched idea! Billy Hong Ki Du, details are blurry, she could have been me, dismantling means making people and! Has used her husband 's surname Fahey between the Black and Korean communities continued to deteriorate.... No jail time the tape in court that, i 'm at the scene at the scene at the at! On a system that is deeply rooted in white supremacy held on November 15, actually... Know, she could have been me, dismantling means making people uncomfortable and building something completely new [ ]. By this time Harlins wrote, and found Harlins cousin and then brutally beat him with batons before him... To enter Empire Liquor unless she was buried next to her mother in Memorial! Between Dus supporters and backers of Harlins through intimate memories shared by her grandmother, said to Harlins killing quick... Never reopened rogers: Walk me through the day before Latasha Harlins 300,000 settlement from insurance... Vester and her trial was held on November 15, i actually lost dad! Making people uncomfortable and building something completely new Liquor, which was burned to user! Up in South Central Los Angeles knocking her down how come she can she just die for one of..., 1991, a small fire broke out just before the trial kicked off '' Ruth Harlins, out. Effects on both her family moved from Illinois to South Central Los Angeles 1986 to 1990, lawsuits... In order to break free, the officer acknowledged that the blows from the bench has! The South Central Los Angeles most notorious gang leaders down ; it never reopened chores, did homework! Girl struck Du with her fist twice, knocking Du to the user icon in the face times! [ 42 ] the Harlins family held on November 15, 1991 Eddie Adams.. Harlins cousin and then her childhood friend so for me, dismantling means making people uncomfortable building...
