What happened to Soon Ja Du? Inside the controversial case and her life today
This story has significance for readers across Kenya and beyond.
Soon Ja Du was convicted of voluntary man*slaughter for killing Latasha Harlins and sentenced to 10 years in prison. However, the sentence was suspended. Instead, she received five years’ probation, 400 hours of community service, and was ordered to pay $500 in restitution plus Harlins’ funeral costs. According to reports, Du resides in the San Fernando Valley, California, with her family.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Soon Ja Du was convicted of voluntary man*slaughter for killing Harlins and sentenced to 10 years in prison, but she received no prison time.
- The sentence was suspended, and instead, she received five years of probation, 400 hours of community service, and a $500 fine.
- The lenient ruling by Judge Joyce Karlin fuelled the 1992 riots and became a symbol of racial injustice in the USA legal system.
- Du reportedly resides in the San Fernando Valley, California, with her family.
Soon Ja Du profile summary
Full name | Soon Ja Du |
Gender | Female |
Date of birth | 27 December 1941 |
Age | 84 (as of August 2026) |
Zodiac sign | Capricorn |
Place of birth | Northern Chungcheon Province, South Korea |
Current residence | San Fernando Valley, California |
Nationality | American |
Ethnicity | Asian |
Sexual orientation | Straight |
Famous for | Fatally shooting 15-year-old Latasha Harlins |
Conviction(s) | Voluntary murder |
Sentence |
|
What happened to Ja Du?
Du was convicted of voluntary man*slaughter for fatally shooting 15-year-old Latasha Harlins, yet avoided any prison sentence. Her ten-year sentence was suspended, replaced with five years’ probation, 400 hours of community service, and a $500 fine.
Why did Soon Ja Du shoot Latasha?
On March 16, 1991, 15-year-old Latasha entered Empire Liquor in South Central Los Angeles carrying a backpack and cash. The shop, located in a predominantly Black neighbourhood, was owned by Du, a Korean immigrant who had settled in America with her family in 1976.
Latasha picked up a bottle of orange juice priced at $1.79 and placed it in her backpack while approaching the counter. Despite Latasha visibly holding money, Du accused her of attempting to steal the juice, sparking a heated verbal confrontation.
The disagreement escalated rapidly into a physical altercation, as captured by the store’s surveillance camera and later reviewed in court.
As Latasha turned to leave, Du retrieved a handgun from behind the counter and shot her once in the back of the head. Latasha died instantly. On hearing the gunshot, Soon Ja Du's husband, who had been sleeping in a van parked outside the shop, immediately came inside. Soon explained to her husband that Latasha had tried to steal from her. Soon Ja Du fainted while her husband dialled 911.
The footage, showing she had not tried to flee, became crucial evidence during the subsequent legal proceedings.
Soon Ja Du’s controversial trial
Harlins’ death worsened tensions between the African-American and Korean-American communities in South Los Angeles during the early 1990s.
Soon Ja Du's son, Joseph Du, publicly defended his mother during her 1991 trial for the killing of 15-year-old Latasha Harlins. He asserted that the shooting was an accident and claimed his mother was a stressed-out "scapegoat" after being physically beaten during the confrontation.
The jury convicted Du of murder and recommended a sixteen-year prison sentence based on the evidence presented during the trial. However, Judge Joyce Karlin rejected the jury’s recommendation, instead sentencing Du to probation, community service, and a $500 fine.
Du avoided prison entirely, sparking outrage among Latasha’s family and the wider South Los Angeles community. Denise Harlins, Latasha’s aunt, organised protests and marches demanding accountability and justice for her niece’s killing.
A state appeals court later upheld Judge Karlin’s sentence, deepening public anger over perceived racial bias in the legal system.
Soon Ja Du’s case and its connection to the 1992 Los Angeles riot
Months later, in April 1992, Los Angeles erupted in violence. This was after four police officers were acquitted in the videotaped beating of Rodney King, an African-American victim of police brutality. The riots ended five days later, but over 60 people had been killed, over 200 were injured, and nearly 6000 looters and arsonists were arrested.
Korean business owners, including Du's family, suffered significant losses as the Empire market was looted and burnt to the ground.
Months after the riots, leaders from both the African-American and the Korean-American communities came together to call for healing and reconciliation. More than 30,000 demonstrators gathered at the site of the riots, marching in a powerful show of racial solidarity.
Is Soon Ja Du still alive?
As of 2026, there is no update on Du’s whereabouts. But on the 15th anniversary of the Los Angeles riots, Time reported that Du was residing in the San Fernando Valley, a neighbourhood in California.
Her family reportedly relocated from South Central Los Angeles after the 1991 incident. Du has avoided interviews, documentaries, and public discussions regarding the tragedy that transformed the legal system.
FAQs
- Where is Judge Joyce Karlin? In 1997, Joyce Karlin retired from her position as a judge. She was later elected to the Manhattan Beach, California, City Council and in 2002 served a term as Mayor under the city’s rotational system. Karlin has adopted her husband's surname and is now known as Joyce Karlin Fahey.
- Are there memorials or public tributes for Latasha Harlins today? Yes, several memorials and cultural tributes have been honoured in Latasha’s memory by her family and community. A mural stands near the site of the former Empire Liquor Market.
- Is there a movie about Natasha Harlins? Yes, there is an Oscar-nominated short film titled A Love Song for Latasha, which reimagines the life of Latasha Harlins. The 2019 biographical documentary short film, directed by Sophia Nahli Allison, was also nominated for Best Documentary Short Film at the 93rd Academy Awards.
- Was Soon Ja Du's store burned down? While she was awaiting trial, a minor fire broke out at the store on August 17, 1991. The following year, during the 1992 Los Angeles riots, the store was looted and burned down. It was never rebuilt or reopened.
- Did Soon Ja Du apologise? Soon Ja Du expressed remorse and wrote a letter of apology to the Harlins family during her trial for the 1991 fatal shooting of 15-year-old Latasha Harlins. However, she and her family largely remained out of the public eye afterwards, and public reception viewed the apology as falling short amid outrage over her receiving probation instead of prison time.
- How old is Soon Ja Du? Soon Ja Du was born on 27 December 1941. Soon Ja Du's age is 84 years, as of 2026.
- Where is Soon Ja Du now? Since the highly publicised trial, Soon Ja Du and her family have maintained a low public profile.
Soon Ja Du was convicted of voluntary murder in the 1991 shooting of Harlins, a 15-year-old Black girl. Though found guilty, Du received no prison time; only probation, community service, and a fine. Her sentencing sparked outrage. In 1992, during the Los Angeles riots, her store was looted and burned down.
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Proofreading by Masolo Mabonga, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
Bill Cyril Salasya (Lifestyle writer) Bill Cyril Salasya is an experienced writer who joined the Tuko team in 2023. He earned a Bachelor of Education (Arts) degree in 2021. Bill has 7 years of experience in the field and has worked as a content writer at Strikingly, Urban Ambiance, and WOW Travels. He works on various topics, including technology, lifestyle, travel, entertainment, marketing, etc. In 2023, Bill finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. In 2024, he expanded his skills through Google News Initiative courses. You can reach him at billsalasya@gmail.com
Glenn Omondi (Lifestyle writer) Glenn Omondi is a writer with more than 5 years of experience. He has a Bachelor's degree in Actuarial Science from Kenyatta University, having graduated in 2025. He specialises in celebrity biographies, educational content, guides and listicles. Glenn finished the Google Digital Skills for Africa certification in 2020. You can reach him via glennomondi@gmail.com.
Reporting originally appeared via TUKO. Read the full source for additional context.