Man Says He Was Falsely Arrested By Police; Cops Deny Claim A Man sought help from Chronicle and Citizens United By MARK R MOSS Chronicle Staff Wnier Edward Cross came to offices of the Chronicle a couple of weeks ago with tears streaming down his face. His tale turned out to be one of Kafkaesque proportions come to life, or one a devotee of fiction would love. Cross said his rights had been abused by officers from the Win ston-Salem Police Department. "I haven't had a good night's sleep since, and I can t eat like I'm supposed to,' said the 52-year-old grandfather. His arrest, he claimed, was totally unjustified. The police offi cers were rude and threatening and wouldn't listen to his side of the story, Cross said. In addition to telling his story to a Chronicle reporter, Cross also found a sympathetic ear when he visited the Rev. John Mendez, pas tor of Emmanuel Baptist Church, and a founder of Citizens United for Justice. "We felt he had been unjustly arrested, and was getting harassed by the pnlu-e sairl Rpv V1i?nri?7 - But what bothered me was that there was a piece of the puzzle miss ing: I couldn't get him to tell me who pressed charges against him. The police didn't do it, so who was it?" Cross maintained he didn't know who it w as or why it was hap pending. But police Capt. Jerry Raker said it was Albert Henry, of 143 E. Third St. Henry took out the warrant charging Cross with assault with a deadly weapon because Cross allegedly shot at him a few times. Raker said Cross was stopped about 12:30 a.m. on Feb. 18 because witnesses said the diisei uf a 19S2 brown and tan van was involved in a shooting -minutes earlier the 300 block of 16th Street. Henry and James Kinard Terry, of the same address, had also given officers the license plate number of the van. No one was injured in the shooting. Cross, of 3009 Fondly Road, said that when he got off from work at his job at USAir around midnight that night, he realized he needed gas. He drove to several stations on Liberty Street until he found one that was open. After he left the ser vice station, he was at a stop sign at the corner of 1 t>th and Iv\ streets when he was suddenly surrounded in uhuut four puliue I'ars. ? ? Cross said as he got out of the van. one officer snatched him and ripped his coat. There were about seven or eight officers, two of whom stood to each side of him with their bills clubs raised, he said. He said he could see himself as another victim of police brutality like Rodney King, who was beaten by Los Angeles police two years ago. Cross said he allowed the offi cers to search his van. Raker said they found a .25-cal lber automatic pistol that holds eight bullets.Three chambers were empty, Raker said. The police also charged Cross with carrying a concealed weapon. Cross said he repeatedly asked the officers why was he being detained, and they never told him. He said they promised to take him back to his car when they had fin ished questioning him at the warrant office. There he learned he had been accused of shooting at someone. He had to shell out $750 to a bail bondsman to get out of jail. It was about ^30 a.m.Thursday when he got home. He's due in court on March 19. ?V Zion Hill Anniversary Celebration The pastor's aid committee of Zion Hill Mission ary Baptist Church, 2920 N. Green way Ave. will cel ebrate its anniversary on March 7 at 4 p.m. The Rev. Osco E. Gardin Jr. and the congregation of Trinity Baptist Church, Danville, Va. will be the special guest The Rev. Lacy E. Simpson Jr. i si the host pastor. Gardin is a native of Canton, Ohio. He is the son of file Rev. Osco E. Gardin Sr. and Geneva V. Gardin, both of Gastonia, N.C. He was licensed to preach the gospel and ordained by the authority and order of First isterial experience. His ministries include serving a group leader and facilita tor for a marriage enrich ment ministry, coordina tor for an outreach ministry with a focus in prison ministries and edi tor for an outreach news paRer. Gardin has con Baptist Church in Fayetteville, N.C. Gardin is a graduate of McKinley High School in Canton, Ohio. His post-secondary education took place at Shaw University in Raleigh, NC where he received his bachelor of arts degree in behavioral sci ence with a concentration in sociology. While pursu ing his undergraduate degree he served as a member of the Theological Fraternity, Forensic Society, Gospel Choir and Choral Society. Gardin pursued his graduate studies at the South eastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, NC where he received his master of divinity degree. Gardin has a life time of church-related and min Rev. Osco E. Gardin Jr ducted revivals across the U.S. and has ministered in Hawaii, Canada and Korea. * Gardin currently serves as pastor of Trinity Bap tist Church in Danville, Va. Since being in. Danville, - Gardin has become involved in social and civil con cerns. He represents Trinity as a member of the NAAGP, supporter of the local SGLC-and the Danville Interdenominational Minister's Alliance. Gardin is married to the former Juane Latricia Griffin. They have Shameia Lattice, Osco III, and Jarred Lamar. Pictured (I. to r.) are winners of Delta Sigma Theta* s children's pageant at Timeka Couth en , 1993 queen; Amanda White , 1st runner-up; Paris Smith, 2nd runner-up; and Natisha Bran don, , 3rd runner-up. Delta Sigma Theta Holds Pageant A pageant featuring 1 1 girls, ages 6 to 11. was pre sented recently by Group 2 of Delta Sigma Theta Soror ity at the Shilohian/St. Peter's Day Care auditorium. The girls presented themselves in scenes featuring swimwear. contemporary fashions, talent, dance and drama. Other contestants were: Chelsea Bonham, Kim berly Andrews, Ashley Harvey. Delana Wilson. Kahlua Kelly, Brittany McCoy and Jessica Rector. Sparklyn Jackson, the 1992 queen crowned this -year's queen. - _ Timeka Couthen was crowned 1993 Queen; Amanda White was 1st runner-up; Paris Smith was 2nd runner-up; and Natisha Brandon was 5rd runner-up. Delta members of Group 2 who sponsored the pageant were: Andrais Brandon. Ann Dew, Susan Hunt, Wilhemenia Long, Louise Smith and Anita Thompson. Annual Meeting Of Aids Care Service The 1993 annual meeting of AIDS Care Service. Inc. will be held at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the lower auditorium of Centenary United Methodist Church. 646 W. Fifth St. The meeting is open to the public. AIDS Care Service Inc. is not a non-profit corporation, which seeks Peebles Named Student of the Month Victoria Peebles of 1013 Free St. is the William C. Sims Learn ing Center January Student of the Month. She is a member of Rising Ebenezer Baptist Church. She is an honor roll student at Parkland High School. She has above-average grades in the learn ing center. Peebles is a member