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50 Pages This Week
Thursday, October 12,1980
... . . Aj. p Al
50 cants
f^rirtcipal cleared
on assault charges
Parents angry over judge's ruling,
threaten to boycott, picket school
By TONYA V. SMITH state failed to prove that an assault
Chronicle Staff Writer took place.?
_ _ . . However* two parents filed
Parents of the children who ncw charges against Mr. Honeycutt.
were allegedly shoved, kicked, Qne of them. Angelita Cherry, said
patched and slapped by William she was disapp0inted with the
E. Honeycutt are disappointed and judge-s ^jing
outraged with Judge Margaret L. "My daughter was just a wit
Sharpe s decision to dismiss charges ^ ^ ^ bul ^ ^ what
aginst the elementary school pnn- was goint; on yesterday I went to
cipat. ?? take out a warrant myself,"
Mr. Honeycutt had been Cherry said.
charged with seven counts of Her 10-year-old daughter
assault on children less than 12 Angel said her arm was twisted
years old. The charges were filed when Mr. Honeycutt allegedly
after the Mineral Springs Elemen- shoved her into a seat on bus #553.
tary School
principal
allegedly
boarded a
school bus
on Sept. 11
looking for a
student,
became
angry and
began shov
ing ancT
kicking stu
"Honeycutt has been doing this
for years, this is nothing new, "
she said. "I had children at Nort h
Elementary when he was there
and I know what he'll do. That
man's been mistreating childre n
since he's been in the system.
<And not only children but black
teachers too!<<(*.?*
? Gracie Summers
The
seven chil
dren whose
parents had
filed the
charges and
five others
who were
witnesses on
the t&is, tes
tified ttnrr1
Mr. Honey
cutt came
dents, on the bus
according to children's testimonies. saying he was "tired of this mess,"
All s6ven misdemeanor charges and then began shoving them and
were dismissed Wednesday in kicking feet out of the center aisle.
Forsyth County District Court. "I was just trying to get to my
Judge Sharpe said prosecutor Victo- assigned seat, and he just told me
ria L. Roemer did not prove that and this girl to get in our seats, and
Mr. Honeycutt acted maliciously on he shoved me on the shoulder and
six of the charges. She dismissed /
the seventh charge saying that the Please see page A10
'The Twin City's Award-Winning Weekly" , VOL. XVI, No. 7
Photo by Mike Cunningham
Vikings Pee Wees cheerleader Jfchkiah Allen gives It her all as
she belts out a cheer for her team, which was competing with
Walkertown.
Group wants Hunt
released on bond
DA Sparrow to oppose defense request
By TONYA V. SMITH
Chronicle Staff Writer
Attorneys representing Darryl Eugene Hunt are reportedly preparing
materials to ask a judge to release on bond the man whose first- and sec
ond-degree murder convictions have been overturned by the Slate
Supreme Court. . -
The Rev. John Mendez, a member of the Darryl Hunt Defense Fund
Committee, said he spoke with Attorney James E. Ferguson n of Char
lotte last week and that counsel is doing some preliminary work on the
request for bond.
However, Forsyth District Attorney Warren Sparrow said Mr. Hunt
poses a threat to the community and said he would oppose a request to
release him on bond.
Last week, the N.C. Supreme Court overturned the jury's verdict
which convicted MrTHunt of the Sept. 17,1983, murder of Arthur Lee
Wilson, who was robbed and beaten. Mr. Sparrow said he intends to
retry Hunt in that case.
In June 1985, Mr. Hunt was convicted of the murder of Deborah B.
Sykes, a copy editor with the now defunct Winston-Salem Sentinel.
However, the Supreme Court overturned the jury's conviction in that
case in May, saying that prosecutors improperly used hearsay evidence,
particularly that of Mr. Hunt's then 14-year-old girlfriend who was a
prostitute. Surry County District Attorney H. Dean Bowman has been
assigned to decide whether he will retry that case.
Since the first-degree murder conviction of Mr. Hunt was over
turned, members of his defense committee have called for his release.
The defense committee was established by Attorney Larry Little during
the investigation of Ms. Sykes' death. The most recent Supreme Court
man again, said Rev. Mendez. ^
"We're glad about the recent decision and we've anticipated it all
along," he said "We hope to have Darryl on the streets soon."
The pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church said he isn't surprised with
Mr. Sparrow's decision to oppose bond for Mr. Hunt.
"We know he's as spineless as they come and he's going to bow to
the pressure," said Rev. Mendez. "There's no reason for his office to
deny Darryl the right to bond with the circus his court put on to hang
Darryl. And their efforts were thrown out, rejected by the State Supreme
Court. He should abide by that decision and grant Darryl bond."
Mr. Sparrow said the state's decision has nothing to do with his
Please see page A10
The Battle For Mayor
Smith rejects racist labeling
By TONYA V. SMITH
Chronicle Staff Writer
Democratic mayoral candidate G. Dee Smith said
he is tired of being tagged a racist, and his entourage of
prominent Afro-American supporters are working hard
to prove that he has the skills and the heart to lead the
city's black and white communities.
With less than a week left before the Oct. 17
Democratic Primary runoff election, both Mr. Smith's
camp and Martha S. Wood's are in a battle against time
- both trying to erase negative labels from their respec
tive political resumes.
On Sept 26, Mrs. Wood lost a very close race to
Mr. Smith - 87 votes separated the two.
Throughout the campaign Mrs. Wood has been
deemed the "anti-business" candidate, and most recent
ly Mr. Smith the "good ol' boy's" or "old guard's"
cnoice.
Mr. Smith acknowledges that his troubles with the
Afro-American community began when he said he
favored the at-large election of city aldermen on a ques
tionnaire prepared by the Winston-Salem Retail Mer
chants Association and the Greater Winston-Salem
Chamber of Commerce.
The results of that questionnaire was published in a
booklet and made available to city residents, however,
most of the Afro-American community became aware
of Mr. Smith's stance when Attorney Larry Little, one
of Mrs. Wood's supporters, circulated fliers a week
Please see page A7
Newell succumbs to illness
From Chronid? staff reports
After 84 years of service to his
family and community, George F.
Newell succumbed to a lengthy
illness and died Tuesday night.
Mr. Newell, the husband of
East Ward Alderman Virginia K.
Newell, was born Nov. 3, 1905, in
Clarkton to Charles Fisher and
Auieila Jones Newell.
He received his bachelor's
degree from Johnson C. Smith
University in Charlotte, and a
master's degree from Indiana Uni
versity.
Mr. Newell moved to Win
ston-Salem in the early 1920s and
was employed as a teacher at
Atkins High School. He later left
the city to pursue the teaching
profession at Washington and
Ligon high schools, both in
Raleigh.
His interests turned towards
the Boy Scouts of America, and
Mr. Newell completed executive's
training with that organization in
Mendham, NJ. He returned to the
Twin City and became the first
Afro-American troop leader.
* *
Returning to teaching, Mr.
Newell was an associate professor
of physical science at Winston
Salem State University. He
worked in the university's Student
Services division and retired as
Dean of Men.
Mr. Newell was a member of
First Baptist Church, a former
Sunday school teacher, a member
of the Board of Directors of
Mechanics and Farmers Bank and
Experiment in Self Reliance, and
a former member of the state
Human Relations Commission.
He was a charter member of the
Alpha Pi Lambda Chapter of
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.
He is survived by his wife, Dr.
Newell; daughters, Dr. Virginia
Deanne Newell-Banks,
Yoipgstown, Ohio; Dr. Glenda
Newell-Harris, San Francisco; sis
ters, Vivian N. Price of Wades
boro and Pochontas N. Michael of
Clarkton, five grandchildren and
one niece.
Kenneth R. Williams, chancel
lor emeritus of WSSU, said Mr.
Newell's death represents a great
loss to all who knew him.
"I knew Mr. Newell from the
Please see page A10
A history of the office
By TONYA V.SMITH dacy.
Chrontcie Staff Writer To date, the four remaining
candidates combined have spent
The days when candidates more a quarts 0f a million
climbed atop the stump in the cen- dollars and the general election is
ter of town to proclaim why they s^jj three weeks away.
should be clected have passed, and The man Mrs. Wood will meet
in their stead are the highly expen- in Tuesday's Democratic Primary
sive, computerized campaigns visi- election leads the pack hav
ble in the 1989 city elections. ing spcm $128,860. Mrs. Wood is
Winston-Salem's mayoral a close second with $112,214. The
campaign really began before it Republican candidates, both busi
was to begin, as Democratic candi- nessmen, have been a bit more
date Martha S. Wood paid a politi- thrifty. The leading vote getter in
cal consulting firm $10,000 to
Dee Smith study the feasibility of her candi- Please see page A7
FH Photo
G*org? f. Newell, shown here with his wits Virginia, died Tuesday stter s lengthy Illness.