But Judge Joyce Karlin gave Du probation instead. She had dreams in life. Du concluded Harlins was attempting to steal, and did not see the money Harlins held in her hand. She edited the footage herself every night after she shot, to make sure the puzzle pieces she was gathering fit together. 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? He testified that Harlins did not use swear words, but his sisters testimony contradicted that. All Rights Reserved. Latasha's killer was convicted of manslaughter but served no jail time. She died instantly. 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. "[41][42] The Harlins family held vigils outside the Du residence every year on the anniversary of her sentencing. Du's husband, Billy Heung Ki Du, heard the gunshot and rushed into the store. 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. I think the police need to be stripped of all of their power. Tensions were high in the area after just two weeks before, the video of officers pummeling Rodney King came to light. If you are a current subscriber and have not activated your pdnonline.com access, please provide the following information. From 1986 to 1990, 83 lawsuits against the LAPD for excessive force resulted in a settlement of at least $15,000. [6] Instead, Jude Dry wrote in IndieWire, the 19-minute film is "bursting with sun-kissed sidewalks and faded basketball courts, clean line animation and radiant Black girls posed gracefully, like young queens. The family moved from Illinois to South Central Los Angeles in 1981. The jury found Du guilty of voluntary manslaughter, an offense that carries a maximum prison sentence of 16 years. And I think people will always blame young Black girls for their outcome. 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. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. 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. [29] While the jury convicted Du of manslaughter, which normally carries a maximum of 16 years in prison, the judge, Joyce Karlin, commuted her sentence to probation and a $500 finethis angered many in the black community, as well as other community members, who felt that the sentencing set a dangerous precedent. WebLATASHA HARLINS CCTV FOOTAGE. 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 Du grabbed the bag and the two women had a violent scuffle. Feder-Haugabook, A. For five days, Los Angeles burned and the LAPD left much of the city to fend for itself. Who is it harming? After he came to, Billy then phoned the emergency services to say there had been an attempted robbery at the store. When interesting scenes happened in front of them, we felt Latashas spirit with us, she says. Family members said they hope Latasha's legacy evolves to be about love and justice. Please don't believe the hype. Residents shouted Latasha Harlins name as they torched Korean-owned businesses including Soon Ja Dus own Empire Liquor. Outrage ensued after Du testified in court that she acted in self-defense, and the jury convicted her of voluntary manslaughter, which could have carried a sentence of 16 years. 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. "Fourteen years old? 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. Left Ken Browar and Deborah Ory; Right John Paul Caponigro, Sundance Institutes New Frontier Lab Programs. 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. 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. The youngsters, who were at the store to buy hair gel for their mother, said Du had falsely accused Harlins of trying to steal a $1.79 bottle of orange juice, then after a scuffle threw a stool at Harlins and shot her as the teen-ager walked away. 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. She made sure other people had before she had. Last fall, she filmed the films final scenes: Ty OBard walks on the beach, her favorite place, talking about how much more she might have accomplished if her old friend had been around to push her forward. As she approached the counter, Soon Ja Du, one of the storeowners, accused her of stealing after seeing Harlins place the bottle in her backpack, despite her holding the $2 payment for the $1.79 price of the juice and approaching the counter to pay. The Harlins family received a $300,000 settlement from Dus insurance company. Black residents protested outside of the Empire Liquor Market, and Soon Ja Du was taken into custody. . They called her name as they set fire to hundreds of Korean-owned businesses. Photography equipment news and reviews, business and technical advice from top pros, industry news and much more, delivered to your inbox each week. I dont believe in the term reform. Officer Ralph Spinello told the jury that when he entered the store, Du was sitting in a chair behind a counter and her husband started slapping her at first not so hard, gradually to very hard slaps until I had to stop him . What do you make of police violence and racism continuing to rob Black girls of their childhoods and, in some cases, their lives? After six days of violence, the California National Guard, military and other law enforcement agencies were called in, while the city was placed under curfew. The property later became a market under different ownership. Upon hearing of retirement, Denise Harlins stated, "I'm glad to hear that she's removed herself from the bench and that she's retired. 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. 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. She was briefly caught but escaped from jail and was never seen again. Send me updates about Slate special offers. And thats the only way for us to really begin to engage with inclusivity. 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. "[40], Karlin became the target of protests and an unsuccessful recall campaign. She was killed. You will see Latasha being killed. For me, dismantling the root is through my art, through my work as a storyteller and as an artist. 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. 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. EN RU CN DE ES. Du observed Harlins putting a $1.79 bottle of orange juice in her backpack. Riots. In March 1991, when Harlins was 15, a store owner accused her of stealing a $1.79 carton of orange juice, though she had approached the cash register with $2 in her hand. Ty and Shinese want to create their own community center. Jasmine M. Ellis: What inspired you to make A Love Song for Latasha? Latasha Harlins was born on July 14, 1975, in St. Louis, Illinois. She was trying to walk out the door, said Lakeshia Combs, Alis sister and another witness. At just 15 Latasha Harlins had known more than her fair share of tragedy. She insisted that Latasha was attempting to steal a $1.79 bottle of orange juice. But I think there are so many ways to dismantle the system. [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. Under cross-examination, the officer acknowledged that the blows from the husband probably were not as forceful as those attributed to Harlins. Latasha Harlins, however, saw no such justice. [6], In early 2021, a mural celebrating Latasha Harlins was unveiled in front of Algin Sutton Recreation Center. WebIts been 30 years since the death of Latasha Harlins, and through the efforts of her family and a new documentary, South Central Los Angeles is embracing her legacy in a new way. [10] In TheGrio, Cortney Wills described A Love Song as "a mesmerizing piece of work that takes an unconventional route to storytelling."[5]. What do you think this says about the academys ability to recognize Black stories, especially those about Black girls? And so thinking about this young Black girl who was taken from everyone, whose life was lost, [I wondered] why this story didnt exist beyond the headline and discussions of trauma and visuals that really produced triggering reactions from the community, from family members and friends that knew her and loved her. [2] (Harlin was shot to death by a convenience store owner only days after the police beating of King. You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. [39] In both cases, there was video evidence depicting wrongdoing and in both cases, the defendants did not serve any jail time. 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. Du was released. Some members of Harlins family wept as they watched the March 16 shooting on television monitors. Absolutely. Du, 49, sat at the defense table crying after the tape was shown for the first of numerous times during the day and for the first time in public. [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. A state appeals court later unanimously upheld Judge Karlin's sentencing decision, 30, on April 21, 1992, about a week before the LA 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. Joyce Karlin, the judge on the trial disagreed and overruled the jury's decision. 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Latasha, 15, was shot in the back of the head by a Korean woman who owned a South Los Angeles liquor store. The film captures the essence and showcases the fullness of Harlins, something that reports on her death always failed to do. People think that for Black life to matter, it has to be a cis-hetero life, and until we acknowledge all of the intersections, all of the existences within Black identity, Black women, Black girls, Black queer folks, Black trans folks, Black nonconforming folks, there will never be a solution to this issue. 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 reality, Latasha had been carrying the money to pay for the drink in her hand. Kisuk Jun of the Koreatown Neighborhood Council said. Dus trial, originally scheduled to be heard in Compton, was moved to Los Angeles this month by a judge who concluded that jurors and witnesses might be intimidated in a city that has a large black population. She made the short walk to the market and picked up a $1.79 bottle of orange. 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. Was there a moment when you were filming that really resonated with you and your own experiences growing up as a Black girl in America? They dont have to perform for anyone to be important. [1] Allison wanted to create a piece restoring the memory of Harlins' life and death to their significance in those events, which are often described only as the Rodney King riots. Born in Illinois, she was just six when her parents, Crystal and Sylvester, made the decision to move their family to Los Angeles. Contact Us | That is, until April of 1992, when the verdict came down for Rodney Kings assaulters. This conversation will be archived at the Library of Congress. The Rodney King beating 13 days earlier overshadowed Harlins death. Du was arrested and her trial was held on November 15, 1991. "Thank everyone for coming out, supporting my sister Latasha Harlins. The killing was captured on a grainy security video. Let me go. . Dus store was looted, set on fire, and never reopened. WebThe only video that exists of her is the grainy surveillance footage that captured the last minutes of her life. Latasha's parents' marriage was not a happy one and she, along with her younger siblings, had seen her father attack Crystal. If they don't validate the existence of other Black women and girls then they have no right to work with me. 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. erupted in protests and riots, fire and gunshots. On the morning of March 16, 1991, though, Harlins did plan to make a purchase. And something that was really important to me is, what does it mean to speak to people like her cousin, Shinese Harlins, and her best friends, like Tybie OBard, who were the same age as Latasha? And so for me, dismantling means making people uncomfortable and building something completely new. Latasha cried whenever she walked past a nearby cemetery. Instead, she sentenced Du to 400 hours of community service, five years on probation and a $500 fine, which is around 385. 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. 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 How did the young Black girls, the young boys that knew Latashahow were they affected by this? Thats why the image of Latasha is always changing in the film. It hurts, because I think the only answer is to defund the police. Allison spent two years making A Love Song for Latasha, serving as director, cinematographer, editor and producer. Some black activists say the incidents stemmed from racism on the part of the Koreans. 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. 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. Slate is published by The Slate Group, a Graham Holdings Company. [38], The killing of Latasha Harlins was one of many events in Los Angeles that may have led to the riots in 1992. Here's her grandmother, Ruth, who the kids call Madea (ph), remembering the day she sent Latasha to the store. Hannah McKennett is a Dublin-based freelance writer that is dedicated to traveling the world while writing about it. [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. The best-known fact about Harlins, whose friends and family called her Tasha, is that she was killed over a $1.79 bottle of juice. I hate the word reform. In November, 1991, Du was found guilt of voluntary manslaughter, a crime that can result in a 16 year prison sentence, which the jury recommended she service. 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.". When she was six years old, her family moved to South-Central L.A. by Greyhound bus. [50], Singer-songwriter Gabriel Kahane composed "Empire Liquor Mart (9127 S. Figueroa St.)" for the album The Ambassador in 2014, which tells the story of Latasha's life and the event that transpired.[51]. 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." They remembered being young when Latasha was killed. [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. They rented a place near 89th Street and Broadway, just a few blocks from where Latasha would later be murdered. 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. WebAllison chose not to include the footage of Harlinss death taken by the stores camera, which was shown on national news and was later used in the trial of the woman who shot her. Latashas younger brother, Vester Acoff Jr. was born in 1979, and her younger sister, Christina, was born in 1981. [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. BUY THE MOVIE: 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. 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. And I really believe in collaboration to inform the process, to help inspire the visuals, and I wanted to share their truth, their memories, as a way to fill in this archival gap. The world didnt. "[44][45] Karlin was re-elected to the Superior Court bench by a reduced margin from previous elections. 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. She will die in front of your eyes.. Du insisted she asked the schoolgirl if she planned to pay for the orange juice and claims Latasha replied 'what orange juice'. 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. [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. In August 1991, a small fire broke out just before the trial kicked off. A Love Song for Latasha was nominated for an Oscar. Not enough has changed Filmmaker Shannon Dion, left, places a portrait of Latasha Harlins as friends and community members I felt as though she was a celebrity because everyone knew her. This documentary focuses on how she experienced the society and what dreams and hopes she developed rather than focusing on her death. And I had a basketball game. ROGERS: Walk me through the day Latasha died. By the summer of 2017, Allison had edited the first two minutes of the video, which helped her establish the films visual style. I wanted people to realize that Latasha could have been anyone, she could have been me, Allison explains. 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. The shopkeeper, Soon Ja Du, accused Harlins of trying to steal the juice before a scuffle broke out between the two. 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 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. ROGERS: I remember we were at the park, and that's where the ice cream truck used to come. [24][25][26] On August 17, 1991, while Du was awaiting trial, a small fire occurred at her store. Then read about Mickey Cohen, one of Los Angeles most notorious gang leaders. After putting it into her backpack, where it jutted out from the top, she made her way to the counter. So after that, I'm at the free-throw line, and our cousin T ran into the gym screaming. Tasha died. So what will it take for Black girls to just exist on and off screen? 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. 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. We encountered an issue signing you up. The city was left with $1 billion in damages. She was just always a motivating factor in my life. There have been conversations surrounding diversity and inclusion within the film and television industry for years now. A Love Song for Latasha premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in late April, and was screened at the AFI Docs festival in June. By the late 1980s, racial tensions were high in South Los Angeles, and especially between Korean storeowners and African American residents of the city. The jury found Du guilty of voluntary manslaughter and recommended the maximum prison sentence of 16 years. Something went wrong, please try again later. Some Koreans and others contend that activists who have called for boycotts at a handful of Korean-owned stores are fanning racial tensions. The reaction to Harlins killing was quick and bitter. Los Angeles Times/GettyKorean grocer Soon Ja Du in court, after she fatally shot Latasha Harlins in the back of the head. [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. 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. The story of Latasha Harlins, who was killed at age 15, is explored in "A Love Song for Latasha," which scored an Oscar nomination Monday. Latasha Harlins, whose short life came to a violent end in the midst of racial tensions in Los Angeles, California, became a major spark for the 1992 Los Angeles Riots. Sophia Nahli Allison: There were so many intersecting reasons that I wanted to pursue this story. "[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. I think theres a difference between inclusivity and agency. Why is it so important, especially now, to humanize Black girls on the screen? The streets erupted in protests and riots, fire and gunshots. 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. More , December 6, 2019 ROGERS: And we would have, like, spelling bees. Latasha Harlins voice isnt heard in the film. 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. 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]. She was just that smart. The judge sentenced Du to 10 years in state prison but the sentence was suspended and the defendant was instead placed on five years' probation with 400 hours of community service, a $500 restitution, and funeral expenses. (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. Intersecting reasons that I wanted to give up, I thought: but Latashas story deserves to be about and! 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Up, I 'm at the park, and her trial was on. Outside of the head Harlins putting a $ 1.79 bottle of orange juice in hand... Herself every night after she fatally shot Latasha Harlins was attempting to steal a $ 300,000 settlement from insurance. Root is through my art, through my work as a storyteller as. Gathering fit together think this says about the academys ability to recognize Black stories especially.

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