in addition to the catalyst of the verdicts in the excessive force trial, various other factors have been cited as causes of the unrest. in the years preceding the riots, several other highly controversial incidents involving alleged police brutality or other perceived injustices against minorities had been criticized by activists and investigated by media. thirteen days after the beating of king was widely broadcast, african americans were outraged when latasha harlins, a 15-year-old black girl, was killed by a korean-american shopkeeper in the course of an ostensible shoplifting incident. soon ja du was sentenced to five years' probation and 400 hours of community service but no jail time.