Recall Effort Will Target Judge in Harlins Case

A Compton city councilwoman said Thursday she intends to serve a recall notice by Tuesday on a judge who sentenced a Korean-born grocer to five years’ probation for killing a black girl in an argument over a bottle of orange juice.

Councilwoman Patricia Moore said 304,001 valid signatures would be needed to secure a recall election for Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Joyce Karlin.

Moore said she will also serve a recall notice to Los Angeles Superior Court Presiding Judge Ricardo Torres.

Karlin’s decision not to send Soon Ja Du to prison for the March 16 shooting death of 15-year-old Latasha Harlins sparked anger in the black community and prompted a series of weekly protests at the Compton courthouse, where Karlin is assigned.

Torres backed Karlin when Dist. Atty. Ira Reiner announced he would prevent criminal cases from being tried before Karlin because of the sentence she gave Du, who was convicted of voluntary manslaughter. Reiner later backed down, saying he would take it on a case-by-case basis.