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A2 June 10, 2021 The Chronicle Faith leaders call for justice in murder of Andrew Brown Jr. BY TEVIN STINSON THE CHRONICLE Several local pastors joined faith leaders from across the state last week to call for a federal in vestigation into the death of Andrew Brown Jr., an unarmed Black man who was shot and killed by law enforcement officers in Elizabeth City. During rallies on Tues day, June 2, in Greensboro, Charlotte, Fayetteville, Asheville, Raleigh, Wilm ington, Elizabeth City and here in Winston-Salem at First Baptist Church on Highland Avenue, faith leaders demanded truth, transparency, and account ability' for Brown’s death. On April 21, Brown, 42, was killed by a gun- shot to the back of the head by deputies with the Pasquotank County Sher iff’s Office. Deputies were at Brown’s home that day to serve a warrant for his arrest. Last month Andrew Womble, Pasquotank County’s District Attor ney, ruled that the officers were justified in using deadly force. “We have gathered to day to say there cannot be a repeat,” said Rev. John Mendez during the rally at First Baptist. “There can not continue to be cover- ups and deception and the protection of lies. We are here to recommit ourselves to making sure there is no repeat. We’re demanding transparency, accountabil ity, and the facts.” Rev. Paul Robeson Ford, pastor of First Bap tist Church, demanded that Gov. Roy Cooper appoint a special prosecutor in Brown’s case and that the full body camera videos be released immediately. Other demands from Ford and other faith leaders in cluded: pass federal and state legislation for police accountability and reform; “pattern-or-practice” in vestigations into the Pas quotank County Sheriff’s Office and into District At torney Andrew Womble’s office in the First Judicial District of North Carolina; Photo by Tevin Stinson Several localpastors joined faith leaders from across the state last week to call for a federal investigation into the death of Andrew Brown Jr. and when and if evidence shows any officer commit ted wrongful murder, there must be an arrest and full prosecution and account ability. “We’re not going to wait 100 years for the truth about Andrew Brown Jr., we’re not going to wait 100 years and still be standing around looking for transparency about Andrew Brown Jr.,” Ford continued. “We’re calling on Gov. Roy Cooper right now to set aside that DA in Pasquotank County and appoint a special prosecu tor to make sure the truth comes out about Andrew Brown, because we be lieve that man is partici pating and engaging in a coverup. There was noth ing Andrew Brown was under suspicion of that day that warranted execution by cop.” Rev. Craig Schab, pas tor of Parkway United Church of Christ, who is white, said more white people must stand with those fighting for justice in Brown’s case. “I’m a person of faith, so I ask the question: what does love look like?” Schab asked rhetorically. “Love looks like all of us burning up the phones to the governor’s mansion demanding that indepen dent investigation. .Love looks like burning up the phones to all General As sembly members in the state of North Carolina saying, let’s change the law around the release of police body-worn tapes. “But it also means something else, it means all of us who are European descent do this work every single day. What does love look like? It means soul searching and realizing just how complicit we are as citizens of these com- munities.” ■ On June 12, Repair ers of the Breach, the North Carolina Coun cil of Churches, and B.R.I.D.G.E. will hold a mass march and rally for Brown in Elizabeth City; thousands are expected to attend. For more in formation about the mass march scheduled for later this month, visit https:// www.breachrepairers.org/ andrew-brown-clergy - march-rally. City Council calls for more crime prevention spending BY TEVIN STINSON THE CHRONICLE There have been 14 ho micides in Winston-Salem this year, compared to nine this time last year. In re sponse to the rise in homi cides, shootings, and other violent crimes, the Win ston-Salem City Council is calling for the budget to include more funding for crime prevention ini tiatives and community youth programs. The proposed $530.9 budget for fiscal year 2021-2022 was presented to members of the council during a public meeting last month. A breakdown of the proposed budget shows $380.4 million for operations, $110 million for capital, and $40. 5 mil lion for debt service. Last week City Council had the opportunity to openly discuss the proposed bud get for the first time and there were several differ ent recommendations for programs to combat crime, including investments in education, prevention ini tiatives, a gun buyback program, SOAR, Youth- Build, and several other programs. Council Member James Taylor, who is pub lisher of The Chronicle, was the first to call for funding to combat the rise in crime when he called for an $400,000 increase in funding for the city’s SOAR (Successful Out- ville WEST Robert C. Clark NORTHEAST Barbara H. Burke Tobaccoville Winston-Salem Mayor and City Council ’^ural . Hall |kertown NORTH Denise D. Adams KJ NORTHWEST Jeff Macintosh \ i MAYOR Allen Joines Kernersville EAST > Annette Scippio SOUTH John C. Larson SOUTHEAST James Taylor, Jr. demons ' SOUTHWEST Kevin Mundy - comes After Release) and YouthBuild . programs. Taylor also mentioned the launch of a partnership be tween the Winston-Salem Police Department and the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, while Mayor Al len Joines recommended adopting the Violence In terrupters Peace Initiative at a cost of $200,000. Violence Interrupters, INC is a data driven, vio lence reduction, research- based initiative that fo cuses on five components: community mobilization, public education, faith, leader involvement, and law enforcement participa tion, “... to anticipate and interrupt the transmission of high risk events and change the social norms and behaviors that perpet uate violence.” The pro gram is currently based in Chicago. Mayor Tempore De nise “D.D.” Adams asked for additional funding for programing, mentorship stipends, and the need for recreation centers in high- crime areas like Piedmont Circle Apartments and Cleveland Avenue Homes. “These areas need a com munity center like now,” Adams stressed. Adams also talked about the need for the city to invest in a Pre-K ini tiative. While education is usually handled by the county, Adams and others said it’s time the city got involved in preparing lo cal students for the future. Councilmember An nette Scippio, who repre sents the East Ward, also spoke in support of more programming at recreation centers. She said she be lieves local recreation cen ters don’t offer programs that attract youth. “Our recreation cen ters are not programming themselves to really be attractive to young people where they can come and learn skills, they learn games, they learn tech niques,” Scippio contin ued. “The programming in our recreation department needs a lot of attention, along with the facilities themselves.” Councilmember Bar bara Hanes Burke, who represents the Northeast Ward, requested that the city set aside $250,000 UNIQUELY DIFFERENT-WIDE OPEN MC MCILWAIN FAMILY & ENOUGH IS ENOUGH PRESENTS 'AIN i.^y^'W 100”. ormanx ro CANCER HMWPSWEM ST&iS&H SUN JUNE 13TH INSON ^ 3535 N. GLENN AVE. W-S, NC 27105 for prevention programs and conflict resolution for youth such as the YWCA Teen Court. She also sug gested implementing a gun buyback program. “I understand that we had a gun buyback pro gram in the city some years ago and I’ve been talking with some of our officers and I’ve been told that it was quite success ful,” Hanes Burke contin ued. “We know that the more guns we get off the streets ... we know those are guns that can’t be pos sibly used to commit any kind ofcrime.” Citizens had the op portunity to share their thoughts on the proposed budget last week as well. During a virtual public forum citizens had three minutes to talk about the proposed budget. The Winston-Salem City Council will adopt the budget during the meeting on Monday, June 21. The 2021-2022 proposed bud get can be view by visit ing https://www.cityofws. org/175/Budget or by vis iting the city’s website. Have your own personal copy of The Chronicle conveniently delivered to your mailbox! Special offer for new subscribers and those who have not received mail delivery in the past three months. 52 WEEKS FOR JUST $16! (Regularly $30.72) To order online, visit www.wschronicle.com and click on Order Subscription tab. CONTACTING THE CHRONICLE www.wschronicle.com To send news items: email news@wschronicle.com 1300 E. Fifth St, Winston Salem, N.C. 27101 Main Phone Number: 336-722-8624 To send a Letter to the Editor (350 words or less) or column (550 words or less): email letters@wschronicle.com Advertising: Ext. 113 For advertising: email adv@wschronicle.com Circulation/Subscriptions: Ext. 100 For subscriptions: email plewis@wschronicle.com Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/WSChron- icle Follow us on Twitter: WS Chronicle The Chronicle (USPS 067-910) was established by Ernest H. Pitt and Ndubisi Egemonye in 1974 and is published every Thursday by Chronicle Media Group, LLC, 1300 E. Fifth St, Winston Salem, N.C. 27101. Periodicals postage paid at Winston-Salem, N.C. An nual subscription price is $30.72. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Chronicle, P.O. Box 1636 Winston-Salem, NC 27102-1636 Editor: Ext. 108
Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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