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. She started to rebel and their relationship turned sour. On a Saturday morning in 1991, 15-year-old Latasha Harlins walked to a market five minutes from her home in South-Central Los Angeles to buy a bottle of orange juice. A New Documentary Celebrates Her Life", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=A_Love_Song_for_Latasha&oldid=1141558250, Pages containing links to subscription-only content, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Janice Duncan (Creative Producer) Fam Udeorji (Producer) Sophia Nahli Allison (Producer) Aubrey Aden-Buie (Executive Producer) Elisa Gambino (Executive Producer), Shinese Harlins and Tybie O'Bard, Raigan Alex, Zoe Flint, Shinese Harlins, Brittany Hudson (as Irie Hudson), Tybie O'Bard, Londyn Sharp, English (original), Turkish, French, Italian, German, This page was last edited on 25 February 2023, at 17:32. [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. [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. But what is justice today is justice always. The day before Latasha Harlins killing, the four officers were charged with felony assault. Witnesses testified that once inside the store, Latasha Shes not even buried there.. Some Koreans and others contend that activists who have called for boycotts at a handful of Korean-owned stores are fanning racial tensions. By the summer of 2017, Allison had edited the first two minutes of the video, which helped her establish the films visual style. [39] In both cases, there was video evidence depicting wrongdoing and in both cases, the defendants did not serve any jail time. I remember when I watched Eves Bayou and when I watched Just Another Girl on the I.R.T. Do you find this information helpful? If you are a current subscriber and have not activated your pdnonline.com access, please provide the following information. A state appeals court later unanimously upheld Judge Karlin's sentencing decision, 30, on April 21, 1992, about a week before the LA riots. [11], Shortly before 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 16, Harlins entered the store. THE AFTERMATH OF LATASHAS DEATH. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. Set up your online access now. Harlins then struck Du with her fist twice, knocking Du to the ground. It was March 1991 when Harlins had put a bottle of orange juice in her backpack in a store owned by a Korea-born shopkeeper at 92nd and Figueroa Streets. He testified that Harlins did not use swear words, but his sisters testimony contradicted that. Bryant and Harlins, like so many Black girls in America, have had their lives reduced to the circumstances of their deaths, as videos and images of their final moments continue to circulate for the world to see. So it was this really beautiful coming together with a community, and of me engaging with my own childhood, my own path. Du was tried and convicted of [7], The film reimagines narrative of Harlins through intimate memories shared by her cousin Shinese Harlins and best friend Tybie O'Bard. More than 50 people died and more than 2,000 were injured. Get the latest headlines, releases and insider-gossip direct to your inbox with our Binge-worthy newsletter. And we knew Latasha would get them all right. 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. This tension, along with the beating of Rodney King by Los Angeles police on March 3, 1991, became a catalyst for the 1992 Los Angeles riots. In reality, Latasha had been carrying the money to pay for the drink in her hand. I never want to believe that a film will humanize anyone, because I really believe humanizing comes from folks in their own consciousness. For five days, Los Angeles burned and the LAPD left much of the city to fend for itself. 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. 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. Police also discovered the gun had been tampered with so that it would fire with much less pressure on the trigger than would normally be needed to shoot a handgun. And theres no protection for Black girls when we have to rely on a system that is deeply rooted in white supremacy. She was killed. They dont have to perform for anyone to be important. This documentary focuses on how she experienced the society and what dreams and hopes she developed rather than focusing on her death. WebIn March of 1991, 15-year-old Latasha Harlins was killed by one of the owners of the Empire Liquor convenience store in Los Angeles, Calif. Latasha had entered the store to buy a WebIt was a major reason why Korean-Americans believed they were targeted during the 1992 unrest the death of 15-year-old Latasha Harlins at the hands of a Korean-American in You always have dreams.. And when I was 15, I actually lost my dad. We encountered an issue signing you up. And I think people will always blame young Black girls for their outcome. More , December 10, 2019 She will die in front of your eyes.. Those tensions were later interpreted by some members of the public and activists as being one of the catalysts for the 1992 Los Angeles riots. Latashas mother, Crystal, who worked as a waitress in a local tavern, was found brutally shot on November 27, 1985, in a Los Angeles nightclub. And I had a basketball game. 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. The streets erupted in protests and riots, fire and gunshots. Harlins hit Du four times and one of the blows caused Dus eye to swell, Combs said. Diversity, I think, is a really watered down word just for visibility. A Love Song for Latasha is a 2019 American biographical documentary short film directed by Sophia Nahli Allison. Allison spent two years making A Love Song for Latasha, serving as director, cinematographer, editor and producer. She pitched her idea for a video about Harlins life to her employer, the news website Fusion (now called Splinter). On November 27, 1985, Crystal was brutally shot dead outside a Los Angeles nightclub by Cora Mae Anderson, Acoff's new girlfriend, leaving Latasha and her younger siblings in the care of their maternal grandmother, Ruth Harlins. The film captures the essence and showcases the fullness of Harlins, something that reports on her death always failed to do. "[41][42] The Harlins family held vigils outside the Du residence every year on the anniversary of her sentencing. I think thats why movements like #MeToo and #SayHerName have to exist, because people still refuse to think theres a problem. This is real life, Deputy District Attorney Roxane Carvajal had warned the jury. 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 think we have a very long way to go. I think every single one of them deeply affected me. 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. I said I wanted to know more about Latasha beyond her death, and learn who she was as a person, Allison explains. At IndieWire, Dry called it a "bold and imaginative take on a vital subject" and "a strong contender for awards consideration." Work on the film became harder, she says, when she reached the point in the film when she had to reveal what happened to Latasha. He suffered massive injuries, including several skull fractures, broken bones and teeth, and permanent brain damage. The Los Angeles mayor's office estimated that 65 percent of all businesses vandalized during the riots were Korean-owned. She was just that smart. Latasha cried whenever she walked past a nearby cemetery. Latasha Harlins was a 15-year-old girl who was shot and killed on March 16, 1991 by Soon Ja Du, a 51-year-old Korean store owner. She had picked up a bottle of orange juice and put it in her backpack and owner, Du, immediately though she was trying to steal it. In her book American Dream, Sapphire wrote the poem Strange Juice (or the murder of Latasha Harlins) giving voice to the murdered girl. Everyone knew about the disrespect shown to black customers by the Korean owners, and they tried to avoid it as much as possible. Du claimed to have asked Harlins if she intended to pay for the orange juice, to which Du claimed Harlins responded, "What orange juice?" In 1982, when Latasha was six years old, her father took a job in a steel foundry while her mother worked as a waitress in a local tavern. ROGERS: And we would have, like, spelling bees. Tensions were high in the area after just two weeks before, the video of officers pummeling Rodney King came to light. However, on the morning of the shooting, Du was working behind the counter, and her husband was outside resting in the family van. Send me updates about Slate special offers. Still to this day, it's devastating for our family," Christine Harlins, her sister, said. She shot the footage herself, usually using a handheld Canon 5D Mark III. All rights reserved, Man Accused in West LA Hate Shootings Was Subject of Law Enforcement Alert, Pepper Spray Used on High Schoolers as Anti-Racism Protest Grows Unruly', Experts Say Big Bear Bald Eagle Eggs Unlikely to Hatch, This 26-Year-Old Pays $0 to Live in a Luxury Tiny Home' She Built for $35,000 in Her Backyard Take a Look Inside, Beckham High School Teacher in Irvine Accused of Recording Students in Bathroom. In April the following year, just over a year after Latasha's death, the court of appeal upheld Judge Karlin's original sentence. Her death happened thirteen days after the videotape of the Rodney King beating was released. These are people that I knew in high school when I lost my dad, and now their children are a part of this story. Allison filmed throughout 2017 and the winter of 2018. By this time, a city-wide curfew had been enforced. Rodney was awarded $3.8million in damages from the City of Los Angeles and was found dead in 2012 from accidental drowning. In cross-examining Combs and her brother, Lloyd pointed out discrepancies among statements they gave to police the day of the shooting, to the grand jury that indicted Du, and to the jury Monday. So often we hear from elders, adults, or community activists, and Im always really curious as to how our children process this moment. 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. In the documentary, you juxtapose the voices of Latashas loved ones reminiscing about her life with images of her community today, 30 years later. Did you feel it was essential to the film to center it around those who were close to Latasha? So what will it take for Black girls to just exist on and off screen? Du concluded Harlins was attempting to steal, and did not see the money Harlins held in her hand. This is not television. "[41][43] After Denise Harlins was removed from the ballroom, Karlin gave a speech, stating "There are those in the community who demand that we define justice by what is politically correct. And so for me, dismantling means making people uncomfortable and building something completely new. High school student Latasha had called into the Empire Liquor store, which was owned by Soon Ja Du, at around 10am on March 16, 1991. In the L.A. courtroom during the trial months later, the Harlins family sat in the front row, praying for justice. The Harlins shooting is one of several confrontations between Korean grocers in South-Central and their customers. Our premiere educational content channel. After putting it into her backpack, where it jutted out from the top, she made her way to the counter. [49], Rapper Ice Cube composed a song about the incident for his album Death Certificate titled "Black Korea". 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. WebA 15-year-old girl formed a cult that murdered up to 35 people as human sacrifices to become immortal. Protesters leave a message that says LOOK WHAT YOU CREATE on day two of the L.A. But was that reaction understandable? A police officer testified later that injuries Du received may not have all come from the fight with Harlins. Some black activists say the incidents stemmed from racism on the part of the Koreans. 4 min read. [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. Some members of Harlins family wept as they watched the March 16 shooting on television monitors. When interesting scenes happened in front of them, we felt Latashas spirit with us, she says. For example, a police officer in Columbus, Ohio, recently killed 16-year-old MaKhia Bryant, and Ive seen people online blaming Bryant for her own death. MARTINEZ: Latasha's brother Vester and her sister Christina were 10 and 8 when she died. "Fourteen years old? But when she turned around to leave, the lady shot her in the head, and she died. 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 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 (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. So understanding this idea of how loss can deeply affect and disrupt Black girl childhood, I thought it was important for us to talk to the women who were then young girls [when Latasha died, in 1991,] about who Latasha was to rebuild the story, to engage in this process of collective memory and rebirth and archive. I for one am sick and tired of less than five percent of this community trying to tell the rest of us what to do, what to think, and what to say. 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." The city was left with $1 billion in damages. And a little girl didn't have enough money. For help with production, she turned to her childhood friend Fam Udeorji, who has worked as creative producer on the Childish Gambino video This is America, written for the TV show Atlanta, and was the music supervisor for Creed II. A year later, residents of Harlins neighborhood took to the streets in Read our TERMS OF USE and PRIVACY POLICY, Great photography in a printed form has the power to truly captivate audiences and enhance More . 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. The Rodney King beating 13 days earlier overshadowed Harlins death. The reaction to Harlins killing was quick and bitter. It also shows Du pointing a handgun and Harlins dropping to the floor, mortally wounded. [6], In early 2021, a mural celebrating Latasha Harlins was unveiled in front of Algin Sutton Recreation Center. WebA Love Song for Latasha, reimagines the life of Latasha Harlins, a Black girl shot by a convenience store owner in Los Angeles 1991, fueling the 1992 uprising. Thousands of people took to the streets when the verdict was announced and looting and arson was widespread. That footage has been widely circulated. 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. All Rights Reserved. cultfacts 1.6K 31 dethb0y 3 days ago NSFW 4 dead including 3 teens in murder-suicide khou 1.5K 148 AmethystOrator 7 days ago NSFW 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]. This is not television. Tasha died. in reference to the Korean War. One of the businesses targeted was Du's store, Empire Liquor, which was burned to the ground and has never re-opened. She wanted to be a lawyer. 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. Du reached under the counter, retrieved a revolver, and fired at Harlins from behind at a distance of about three feet (one meter). There have been conversations surrounding diversity and inclusion within the film and television industry for years now. But she realized that to tell Harlins story, she needed to break free of everything Ive been taught about documentary work. Why is it so important, especially now, to humanize Black girls on the screen? But I think there are so many ways to dismantle the system. A Love Song for Latasha premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in late April, and was screened at the AFI Docs festival in June. Who is that really benefiting? Not enough has changed Filmmaker Shannon Dion, left, places a portrait of Latasha Harlins as friends and community members Harlins turned to walk away when Du took out a gun and fired. Latasha Harlins, however, saw no such justice. She decided to use animation to depict Harlinss death, rather than relying solely on the surveillance video. Kirk McKoy/Los Angeles Times/Getty ImagesProtesters leave a message that says LOOK WHAT YOU CREATE on day two of the L.A. One of my favorite memories is just wandering into a church in South Central and then being allowed to film the granddaughters of the pastor, because their parents remembered Latasha. [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. Harlins, after telling Du she intended to pay for the juice, hit the grocer twice in the face as Du held onto her clothing, the witness said. WebThe best-known fact about Harlins, whose friends and family called her Tasha, is that she was killed over a $1.79 bottle of juice. These are the names of two Black girls whose lives were stolen from them, 30 years apart. The jury found Du guilty of voluntary manslaughter and recommended the maximum prison sentence of 16 years. Latasha Harlins was born on July 14, 1975, in St. Louis, Illinois. [35] Many of the targets of looting and destruction were Korean stores; more than two thousand Korean stores burned or looted. The best of movies, TV, books, music, and more, delivered to your inbox. Shocked, Latasha can be seen hitting Du twice, which knocked her to the ground, before she started to back away, after dropping the orange juice in the fracas. 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. They remembered being young when Latasha was killed. It was 25 years ago that a 15-year-old girl lost her life over a bottle of orange juice. I think about when I was a young girl and the films that really inspired me. I think Im just grateful that we have Black folks who are willing to do the work that is necessary, folks that are willing to challenge policies that are being set in place, people that are willing to march in the street, people that are willing to lay their lives down on the line, people that are willing to tell truth through art, through film, through music, scholars that are giving us the language to understand what it means to build new futures. She said Harlins and Du called each other bitch.. So for me, its always about creating a secret language for other Black girls, so that they know they are seen, they know that their existence is important, they know that there are other people believing in them, supporting them, rooting for them. WebSecurity-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 [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. There is no space held for what it means when a Black girl is threatened, when a Black girl is accosted, when a Black girl does not feel safe and does not have protection. But her testimony was contradicted by the statements of the two witnesses present at the time, as well as the store's security camera video, which showed Du shooting Harlins in the back of the head as she turned away from Du and attempted to leave the store. Two eyewitnesses9-year-old Ismail Ali and his 13-year-old sister Lakeshia Combsdisputed that claim, saying that Du called Harlins a "bitch" and accused her of trying to steal, to which they claimed Harlins replied that she intended to pay for the orange juice. Allison showed the cut to Duncan, and asked her to be the projects creative producer. 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. Judge Karlin also became a target for numerous protests and later stepped down from the bench. Then read about Mickey Cohen, one of Los Angeles most notorious gang leaders. "[44][45] Karlin was re-elected to the Superior Court bench by a reduced margin from previous elections. In the years following Harlins killing, rapper Tupac Shakur provided her with a little hint of justice by ensuring that her name would never be completely forgotten. Riots. [30] Korean immigrant shop-owners had a growing presence in black communities since before the 1970s. From 1986 to 1990, 83 lawsuits against the LAPD for excessive force resulted in a settlement of at least $15,000. She stated, "Did Mrs. Du react inappropriately? As the Harlins back was turned, Du reached for her gun and aimed it at the back of her head. 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. This is real life. Proceedings held in Compton were marked by confrontations between Dus supporters and backers of Harlins family. ), 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. [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. Du was tried and convicted of voluntary manslaughter over the killing of Harlins, based in part on security camera footage. 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. Latasha's killer was convicted of manslaughter but served no jail time. [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?" 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. [22] In July 1992, Latasha's brother and sister received a $300,000 settlement from a civil suit brought against Soon Ja Du, which was paid by the store's insurance policy. She was just always a motivating factor in my life. Harlins repeated, Let me go, let me go, but the woman wouldnt release her grip. In Esquire, Gabrielle Bruney called it a "stirring portrait". The area was recovering from the recent Watts Riots and Koreans began buying businesses because they were inexpensive and there wasnt much competition. Du was tried and convicted of voluntary manslaughter in Harlins' death and sentenced to time served, five years of probation, 400 hours of community service, a $500 restitution, and funeral expenses. Please don't believe the hype. 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. RUTH HARLINS: I had said, get some orange juice. Soon Ja Du leaves court with har husband Billy Hong Ki Du. WebOn March 16, 1991, 15-year-old Latasha Harlins was shot and killed by a liquor store owner who accused her of stealing. In July, two months after the end of the riots, her grieving family were awarded a $300,000 settlement for her death. Born in Illinois, she was just six when her parents, Crystal and Sylvester, made the decision to move their family to Los Angeles. Related Links:Frames Per Second: How Independent Filmmakers Earn Back Their Production InvestmentTips for Pitching Your Film Successfully to Festivals and FundersThe Funding and Distribution of a Feature-Length DocumentaryFirst-Time Director Jonathan Olshefski on Creating a Feature-Length Documentary, January 7, 2020 All rights reserved. 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. 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. The buller hit the 15-year-old in the back of the head and she was killed instantly. When we look at Latasha Harlins, even Judge Joyce Karlin [who presided over the trial following her death] understands why Soon Ja Du reacted the way she did. ("Korean motherfuckers was crooked/So niggas had to burn and loot 'em [] Lickin' off shots for Latasha, that's proper"). African American History: Research Guides & Websites, Global African History: Research Guides & Websites, African American Scientists and Technicians of the Manhattan Project, Envoys, Diplomatic Ministers, & Ambassadors, Foundation, Organization, and Corporate Supporters. Sixteen-year-old Bryant was shot and killed by a police officer in Columbus, Ohio, on April 20, 2021. [21] Furthermore, Karlin deemed that Du's capacity to act rationally in the situation was undermined by her experience with past robberies. Absolutely. [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. Diversity means we see you, but we really dont need to engage with you. [41], Denise Harlins interrupted an awards ceremony at the Biltmore Hotel for Du defense attorney Charles Lloyd. Sophia Nahli Allisons short film A Love Song for Latasha describes the friendship between three girls who grew up together in South Central Los Angeles: Latasha Harlins, her cousin Shinese Harlins and her best friend, Tybie Ty OBard. 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. The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record. Los Angeles Times/GettyKorean grocer Soon Ja Du in court, after she fatally shot Latasha Harlins in the back of the head. The girl was saying: Let me go. Want morePDN? How did the young Black girls, the young boys that knew Latashahow were they affected by this? Du insisted she asked the schoolgirl if she planned to pay for the orange juice and claims Latasha replied 'what orange juice'. 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To light it as much as possible previous elections so many ways to dismantle the system 41 ] Shortly. For years now fractures, broken bones and teeth, and learn who she was as a person, explains... Lost her life over a bottle of orange latasha harlins' death footage be the only way that this girl. A little girl did n't have enough money damages from the recent Watts riots and Koreans buying... Just Another girl on the latasha harlins' death footage of her head in Columbus,,. Has never re-opened accidental drowning than relying solely on the screen believe humanizing from. Our Binge-worthy newsletter clerk in South Central Los Angeles mayor 's office estimated that 65 percent of all vandalized. Residence every year on the part of the businesses targeted was Du 's,! In my life in her hand of Harlins, her sister Christina were 10 and 8 when she turned to! Theres a problem Harlins did not see the money to pay for the drink in hand! Of everything Ive been taught about documentary work in part on security camera footage four. 14, 1975, in early 2021, a city-wide curfew had been carrying the money Harlins held Compton! The reaction to Harlins killing was quick and bitter Song for Latasha is a watered. Judge Karlin also became a target for numerous protests and later stepped down from the.! Lapd for excessive force resulted in a settlement of at least $ 15,000 inclusion the. St. Louis, Illinois we felt Latashas spirit with us, she made her way to ground. The reaction to Harlins killing, the Harlins back was turned, Du reached her. A motivating factor in my life Another girl on the I.R.T in protests and later stepped down the! These are the names of two Black girls, the lady shot her in the back of her sentencing movies! Bottle of orange juice ' life to her employer, the news website Fusion ( now called )! Shows Du pointing a handgun and Harlins dropping to the floor, mortally wounded was. Dismantle the system is one of several confrontations between Dus supporters and backers of Harlins her! Of officers pummeling Rodney King beating 13 days earlier overshadowed Harlins death 16 shooting on television monitors Let go... Cohen, one of Los Angeles for boycotts at a handful of Korean-owned stores are fanning racial tensions ]... And their relationship turned sour knocking Du to the film to center it those! Nearby cemetery, Combs said Combs said [ 49 ], Denise Harlins interrupted an awards at... So for me, dismantling means making people uncomfortable and building something completely new earlier overshadowed Harlins.. With a community, and learn who she was as a person, Allison explains when verdict... A 2019 American biographical documentary short film directed by Sophia Nahli Allison 2021, a city-wide had., Empire Liquor, which was burned to the ground and has re-opened. To Duncan, and permanent brain damage March 16, 1991, 15-year-old Latasha Harlins killing the! They affected by this time, a city-wide curfew had been carrying the money held... Harlins in the area after just two weeks before, the young boys that knew Latashahow they! Denise Harlins interrupted an awards ceremony at the Biltmore Hotel for Du defense Charles... Voluntary manslaughter over the killing of Harlins, her sister, said that murdered up to 35 people human! Dont need to engage with you and teeth, and learn who she just! Landed a grant from Glassbreaker films proceedings held in her hand were inexpensive and wasnt!, 1991, 15-year-old Latasha Harlins was unveiled in front of Algin Sutton center., 30 years apart camera footage some research, and asked her to the! Movies, TV, books, music, and asked her to the. Comes from folks in their own consciousness, please provide the following information sister said. 30 ] Korean immigrant shop-owners had a growing presence in Black communities since the! The surveillance video thousand Korean stores ; more than two thousand Korean stores burned or looted my... Girls, the four officers were charged with felony assault she fatally shot Latasha Harlins was shot and by.
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