Harlins, King and the Quest for Equal Justice

Caller No. 1: I’m so sick and tired of hearing we’re (Korean-Americans) rude to black customers. A lot of it has to do with culture.

Harlins: I do not blame the entire Korean community for the death of Latasha. One person and one person only killed Latasha, which was Soon Ja Du. Now, where the Korean community comes in for play, in my eyes, is that when they raised (money) for Du’s legal defense fund in protecting a murderer that heinously killed a child, then that’s where I come in at.

Caller No. 1: A lot of Asian-Americans--especially Korean-Americans--do own liquor stores, cleaners and all these businesses, and there are hundreds (of owners) that have been killed. And my father was one of them. . . . Our community, I say doesn’t have a strong voice, and I think that is one of our problems.

Harlins: The only way to have a strong voice is to do what you are doing now. The Korean community is not being blamed. The liquor stores in our community--yes, there are too many in our community that hurt our people. My position is that Korean people were forewarned before all these things transpired to come and to join forces with us in fighting for justice, like they are right now. . . . You need to point the finger at the judiciary, the people who are responsible.

Whitesides: What happens if the four officers who go on trial (in the King beating) are acquitted again?

King: I don’t expect anything good out of it if they are acquitted. First of all, I doubt it seriously.

Whitesides: What do you think will be different this time?

King: Let’s hope the evidence. . . . The system of men being treated equal in the justice department. They’re trying to tie in the four, the L.A. 4 (who are accused of assaulting trucker Reginald Denny) the same as the four officers that beat Rodney.

Whitesides: Do you see a connection?

King: I don’t see no connection at all because Rodney was pulled over by the law enforcement and should have been taken straight to jail instead of being out there with metal batons, flashlights and electrical currents going through his body like some dog. Reggie Denny--at this particular time I won’t reveal all this information--but I understand that these guys were angry about the verdict for Rodney and he happened to pull up in his big old truck and was yelling racial slurs in asking them to get out of the way. . . . (Editor’s note: Denny has denied making any racial comments.)

Whitesides: Do you think the L.A. 4 will be acquitted?

King: No, I don’t think they’ll be acquitted. They’re talking about giving those young guys 25 years.

Whitesides: If these four kids are sent to jail, what do you think the reaction is going to be?

Harlins: I really think the people in the courts and the police and the political officials should be the ones to answer that question, because, where I come from, from history, it’s known that the judiciary system is not equal amongst the color lines. There’s no equal justice. I really fear that these young brothers . . . are facing a life sentence to where, when I turn around and see what the cops did, who are in the heart of our community, governmental officials there to serve and protect the people and yet using the type of forces that they’re using to contain the people and to mistreat people. . . . They make it a racial issue, not us.

Caller No. 2: Why is there no uproar over blacks being killed by blacks?

Harlins: We are trying to deal with problems with our youth . . . but that doesn’t make it equitably justifiable to allow someone to come in and mistreat people because they are of a lesser kind, because of their color. . . . I am so tired of people mistreating other people. For instance, Du, quoted, that if Latasha had come from a better life, Latasha would not be dead. What do that mean? That’s a “lesser kind.” Du also stated that given the opportunity to kill again, she would. And (Superior Court Judge Joyce A.) Karlin turns around and says this woman will not kill again and releases this woman on five years’ probation. They just explain to me how devalued a black life is.

Caller No. 3: I want to know how people can possibly have a different definition of justice for the youths involved in the Reginald Denny beating? How can people suggest that we repeat injustice and let them go free? . . . Just because two incidents have resulted in gross injustices, does this mean a third must follow suit?

Harlins: No, you’re right. Two wrongs don’t make a right. . . . I sympathize with what happened with Reginald Denny as well as Rodney King. And I really feel that if they are going to punish these young brothers for committing this alleged assault on Reginald Denny then they should also as well prosecute the cops--and even worse, because they are city, governed by the city.

Whitesides: But the justice system doesn’t work that way, Denise.

Harlins: It doesn’t work that way but then that’s why we have the type of problems today.

Caller No. 3: So we let them go?

Harlins: You let the cops go, yes, you let those little young brothers go, because it’s not going to be equal justice. I don’t think those little young brothers should serve any kind of time in prison for the same thing.

Whitesides: What is the story with your nephew? He’s been stopped three times since the beating and now there’s this “deadbeat dad” thing out in San Bernardino.

King: I know for a fact that they are following him. They have Rodney marked, you know.

Whitesides: Every time they’ve stopped him, they’ve let him go. They didn’t press any charges.

King: They’ve had no evidence. This is what I’m talking about. They’re pulling him over to let everyone know he’s still in connections with the police, or that he’s still here. This is for the people to know that Rodney’s nothing, that he’s an ex-con and a troublemaker. But this is not true. . . .

Caller No. 4: . . . I think Koreans are afraid of blacks.

King: That’s judging black people by their color instead of their character. . . . Several Korean stores that I go into, the first thing they do when you walk in the store is run up behind you and “Can I help you? Can I help you?” and then they trail you all around in the store. I don’t have to steal. . . .

Harlins: But does that justify shooting and killing a child? I mean, Latasha has been blamed for the creation of what has been going on with Koreans from you and another caller that I hear coming in here telling me that because Koreans has been robbed and scared by black folk, that she deserved to die and get killed and her murderer deserves to go unpunished. I’m sick and tired of hearing that. Why do you think Koreans are in our community? Why did the Jews come into our community? Because black people are redlined from getting loans from the banks? Being redlined against their insurance companies? Being able to have the opportunity to own and operate their own businesses in our own community? Everybody come in and take over our community.

Whitesides: Why haven’t I been aware of a cohesive effort within the black community to support their own?

Harlins: That’s where our problem is. That’s where we have a lot of these ministers and a lot of these organizations that do go and put their monies into black banks and stuff. . . . I feel that (is) the only way we are going to survive. . . .

King: We’re fighting for justice. These Orientals, I just say they treat you different. I don’t know if they were taught to, when they come over here to be afraid of blacks or what it is, but I know they treat us different. But see, we’ve been around Orientals because our dad was in the Air Force.

Whitesides: But you’re talking about a prejudice. I mean you complain a lot of people about being prejudiced and aren’t some of the things we’re saying here a little prejudiced here, Angela?

King: No, we weren’t raised to be like that. I’m just saying they do treat you different. . . . And it’s because of my skin. That’s not prejudice, that’s just the way they treat us.