Joyce Karlin

Joyce Ann Karlin is an American lawyer and politician. She served as both a federal prosecutor and a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge. She is known for having sentenced Soon Ja Du, the merchant who shot Latasha Harlins in the back of the head, to only five years' probation and 400 hours of community service, with no jail time. The sentence was widely condemned, including by the LA County District Attorney and black community leaders in Los Angeles, and is often cited as a catalyst for the 1992 Los Angeles riots.