EXCLUSIVE: Latasha Harlins was killed by a Korean shop owner in 1991, just two weeks after the savage beating of Rodney King by Los Angeles police officers. After the suspect reloaded his weapon, the officer was shot to death. I think that it was., In an interview with American media after Dus sentence, Denise said: I screamed, fell to my knees and cried. In 1984, a 25-year-old man named Jeff Doucet was working as a karate teacher in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, when he was suspected of molesting an 11-year-old student named Jody Plauche. Remembering Dus sentence, which was met with applause by more than 150 Korean-Americans in the courtroom, Denise once said: It was like a knife going through my heart. In 2000, he was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. A massive search was carried out and Jody was eventually located at a hotel on March 1, 1984. In many ways, the shooting death of 15-year-old Latasha Harlins on March 16, 1991 by convenience store clerk Soon Ja Du, a Korean immigrant, laid the foundation of anger and resentment that. Soon reached under the counter, grabbed a revolver and fired a shot at the back of Harlins head. NO JUSTICE NO PEACE: THE STORY OF LATASHA HARLINS, VIDEO #1: Latasha Harlins Shooting The video showed Soon shooting Harlins in the back of the head as Harlins was attempting to leave the store. After the police arrived at the scene, a large collection of people on both sides were arrested. In the aftermath of the murder, Emilio Nuez blamed Telemundo for the crime. He has been a guest speaker on numerous national radio and television stations and is a five time published author. In court, Judge Karlin said: Did Mrs Du react inappropriately? On March 16, 1991, 15-year-old Latasha Harlins was shot and killed by a liquor store owner who accused her of stealing. On December 8, 2004, guitarist Dimebag Darrell was shot and killed by Nathan M. Gale while performing with his band Damageplan at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio. It is truly horrifying to watch someone being killed with a gun. At the trial, Soon testified on her own behalf and claimed self defense and that she thought her life was in danger. The trial focused on the negligent training and supervision of the officers and didnt put blame on a specific deputy. At the same time, Nuez went over to his car and retrieved a 9-mm semiautomatic pistol. As he was shooting Darrell, bodyguard Jeff Mayhem Thompson and employee Erin Halk rushed the stage and grabbed Gale. Before you submit an error, please consult our Troubleshooting Guide. Javid can be heard saying I didnt want to kill her., During the attack, Neda Agha-Soltan was shot once in the chest and fell to the ground. The teenagers aunt Denise, who helped bring her up, previously told how she was haunted by the injustice, especially as appeals against Dus sentencing were rejected. With racial tensions running high, Millie and Obie appear to be unlikely allies. Harlins then picked up the orange juice bottle that dropped during the scuffle, Du snatched the bottle from her, and Harlins turned to leave. In February 1984, Doucet kidnapped the young boy and took him to California. Please watch these videos when prompted by the actors during the performance of Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992. Women are, as usual, whats left over. On March 16, 1991, a 15-year-old girl named Latasha Harlins was shot and killed at Empire Liquor in South Central, Los Angeles. Major series funding for GREAT PERFORMANCES is provided by The Joseph & Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation, the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Arts Fund, the LuEsther T. Mertz Charitable Trust, Sue and Edgar Wachenheim III, Jody and John Arnhold, the Abra Prentice Foundation, The Starr Foundation, The Philip and Janice Levin Foundation, the Kate W. Cassidy Foundation, the Thea Petschek Iervolino Foundation, Seton J. Melvin, the Estate of Worthington Mayo-Smith, the Jack Lawrence Charitable Remainder Trust Worchell Lawrence, and Ellen and James S. Marcus. The news reached the 38-year-old father of Jody, Gary Plauche, who had previously stated that he would kill anyone who harmed his son. But it was a lesser-known case of injustice that became a flashpoint for the uprising and that story is inspiring the Black Lives Matter movement today. It is also the jury, judge and the prosecutor. Anna Deveare Smith portrays an African-American community activist who repudiates defense attorney Charles Lloyd and draws a parallel between Latasha and Rodney King. Jamie founded Listverse due to an insatiable desire to share fascinating, obscure, and bizarre facts. Mum-of-two Shinese recalls: Latasha and I had our scrabbles, like any family, but if I was feeling down, she was always the one to lift me up with words of encouragement. Proudly created with Wix.com. Cousin Shinese, now 44, told how she was incredibly close to Latasha. At the airport, Plauche pretended to use a pay phone and waited for Doucet to walk by. Riots: 15 Years After Rodney King. However, the suspect was able to shoot and kill both men. Latasha Harlins was a 15-year-old African-American girl who was fatally shot by Soon Ja Du, a 51-year-old Korean-born female convenience store owner. convenience store clerk Soon Ja Du, a Korean immigrant, laid the foundation of anger and resentment that would eventually explode after the King verdict. Sophia Nahli Allison (born 1987) is an American documentary filmmaker and photographer. "And the case shows that its not just the police who are part of the damaged criminal justice system. But first, we need you to sign in to PBS using one of the services below. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Latasha was treated as a violent, black adolescent. "A young Black girl who had things that she wanted to accomplish. For 88 seconds, shots can be heard and five protests were killed, including Sandi Smith, Dr. James Waller, Bill Sampson, Cesar Cauce, and Dr. Michael Nathan. The event was captured on video for France 2 and shows bullets surrounding the pair until one kills Muhammad. It was a verdict that led to city-wide rioting and the deaths of 63 people in 1992. We are still seeing police brutality and police killings every day.. Voltaire, The origins of the magical saying Hocus Pocus, The True Story of the Sale of the Island of Manhattan. Brunston said he would shoot any police dog sent his way. How does one explain the recent death of Breonna Taylor? Lunsford was overwhelmed by the men and repeatedly stabbed. 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She entered the store and according to Du attempted to steal a $1.79 bottle of orange juice. She could have faced a sentence of up to 16 years in state prison, but instead the trial judge sentenced her to probation, community service and a fine. The acquittal of four white police officers in the beating of Black motorist Rodney King a year later turned the city into a ball of fire and destruction. Soon Ja Dus, husband Billy and their son usually staffed the store, but this day, she was the only one staffing the store. We have to ask ourselves, has race relations changed in America at all? Thank you! Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC. Anna Deveare Smith portrays an African-American community activist who repudiates defense attorney Charles Lloyd and draws a parallel between Latasha and Rodney King. What happens next differs depending on who is telling the story. BUY THE MOVIE:. entered the the Empire Liquor Market, which was owned by Du's family. Prof Brenda Stevenson, who wrote The Contested Murder of Latasha Harlins, says the teenager was the female Rodney King, and her death was just as significant for the US civil unrest that followed. Despite her money being present, Soon Ja Du was convinced that Harlins was trying to steal the beverage. "History never repeats itself. Los disturbios comenzaron en el centro-sur de Los ngeles el 29 de abril, despus de que un jurado absolviera a cuatro agentes del Departamento de Polica de Los . I just wanted him to stop.. A new Netflix documentary honouring her . The Empire market was burned down during the riots and never rebuilt. Somebody that, whether we knew it or not as children, was strong in our community," said O'Bard. Absolutely. Minutes after Neda was shot, members of the crowd pulled a man named Abbas Kargar Javid from a motorcycle and blamed him for her death. The gunshot struck Harlins in the back of the head, killing her instantly. 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