100 Mark Anniversary of Teen-Ager’s Slaying : Protest: Marchers gather at store where Latasha Harlins died. They urge recall of the judge who sentenced her killer to probation.

More than 100 people Monday marched to the boarded-up South-Central Los Angeles store where Latasha Harlins was killed by Korean-American merchant Soon Ja Du and held a memorial service to commemorate the first anniversary of the controversial shooting.

The group, carrying portraits of the 15-year-old girl and wearing black ribbons, walked one block from her home in the 600 block of 91st Street to the Empire Liquor Market and Deli on South Figueroa Street near 91st, singing the civil rights anthem “We Shall Overcome.”

They also chanted for the removal from the bench of Superior Court Judge Joyce A. Karlin, who sentenced Du to probation and community service after a conviction for voluntary manslaughter.

After prayers and statements from the Harlins family, many in the crowd held lighted candles over their heads during a moment of silence.

“We want to make sure the public is very clear about what this is about, and what this is about is a precious life” said Compton City Councilwoman Patricia Moore. “Precious life, you are remembered.”

Moore, the leader of a campaign to recall Karlin, urged the crowd to continue pressure for a successful appeal of the judge’s sentence and for her censure by the state Commission on Judicial Review.

The commission opened an investigation into Karlin’s conduct last month after critics filed formal complaints about the sentencing of Du. Dist. Atty. Ira Reiner has appealed the sentence as too lenient.

A member of the Latasha Harlins Justice Committee said Monday that the group has collected more than half of the 340,000 signatures needed by July 1 to call a special election for the removal of Karlin, whose term ends in January, 1993.

The shooting of Latasha, a 10th-grader at Westminster High School, occurred March 16, 1991, after Du accused the girl of trying to steal a $1.79 container of orange juice and the two fought.

Police and prosecutors contend that the teen-ager had the money for the juice in her hand. A security videotape played repeatedly during the Du trial showed her putting the orange juice on the store’s counter after the fight ended. She was shot in the head after she had turned from Du and appeared to be walking away.

The shooting heightened tensions between Korean-American merchants and their African-American customers in poor neighborhoods of South-Central Los Angeles. Blacks accused the merchants of racism and the merchants countered that their businesses have been the targets of shoplifters and repeatedly robbed.

Several speakers at the service Monday emphasized to the crowd that grief and anger should not be directed at Korean-American store owners in general.

“This is not about Korean-bashing,” said a member of the Justice Committee known as Brother David. “This is about justice. This is about Soon Ja Du.”

Charles Lloyd, a lawyer for Du, said his client was not available for comment but added that she is aware of the anniversary.

“Mrs. Du has expressed her remorse, and her remorse continues,” Lloyd said. “I would hope that all the people who are critical of her are never put in this situation.”

A handful of people conducted a candlelight vigil for the dead girl outside Du’s home in Mission Hills on Monday night.