Other names Joyce Fahey Name Joyce Karlin | Date appointed 1991 | |
 | ||
Occupation Lawyer, judge, politician Residence Manhattan Beach, California, United States | ||
Latasha Harlins - Miscarriage of Justice
Joyce Ann Karlin (born January 5, 1951) is an American lawyer, jurist, and politician. She served as a federal prosecutor and a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge.
Contents
Early life and education
Karlin was born in Caracas, Venezuela. Her father was a wealthy movie studio executive who was president of Warner Bros. International. During her childhood, Karlin lived in several countries including Italy, Germany and Argentina. Her family moved to Chicago and Karlin received a degree from Loyola University Chicago School of Law in 1974.
Career
Karlin was employed by defense attorneys in Chicago and Los Angeles. She served as an assistant United States Attorney in Los Angeles. She presided over the case of former Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Agent Darnell Garcia.
Karlin became a Superior Court judge in 1991 and that year presided over the controversial voluntary manslaughter case involving the Death of Latasha Harlins. Karlin's "light sentencing" was met with outrage and protest from the African American community and was a catalyst for the LA riots. The Los Angeles County District Attorney issued a "blanket affidavit policy", that disallowed Karlin from judging felony cases "involving violent crimes." In 1992, an attempt to recall Karlin was unsuccessful as she emerged victorious in the primary election. Later that spring, Karlin secured a position on California's Superior Court, garnering 51% of the votes and surpassing four other contenders.
In 1997 Karlin retired from her position as a judge. She was later elected to the Manhattan Beach, California city council for eight years and in 2002 served a rotation as mayor, per the system used for Manhattan Beach.