Calling "Katie B."l
St. Agnes' first and last class
graduates reunite with alums
PAGE B1
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Our Supreme Task
Benjamin Idahosa to keynote
86th annual General Assembly
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JOIN BEST CHOICE CENTER S TOAST TO BLACK BROADWAY; MUSICAL REVIEW AUG. 4 & 5
Winston-Salem Chronicle
50 cents . 34 Pages This Week
"The Twin City's Award-Winning Weekly"
Thursday, August 2, 1990 ? VOL. XVI, No. 49
children's crimes
By TRACY L. PROSSER
Chronicle Staff Writer
. Ernestine Johnson and Rosanna "Rose" Braddy are
two of the latest Housing Authority residents who are
being evicted from their homes because members of
their families were convicted on illegal drug activity
charges. Activities the twcTwomen say they weren't
aware of.
Johnson, a four-year resident of Kimberly Park,
received an eviction notice in June which stated that
she must move out of her apartment because her son
had been convicted of possession of cocaine in October
1989.
Johnson's son had not lived in her home for over a
year, but the Housing Authority refused to take his
name off the lease as Johnson had requested.
. Braddy, also a resident of Kimberly Park, received
an eviction notice in June because her grandson, who
was living with her, was convicted on several drug
charges in February.
Both women are appealing their cases.
These are two examples of a growing problem in
public housing which allows people innocent of crimes
to be punishfidjfpr crimes of their families.
When tenants sign a lease with the Housing
Authority, they agree Mto refrain from illegal or other
activity which impairs the physical or social environ
ment of the project" By law, drug activity by anyone
"under the control" of the leaseholder who is living in
or visiting the rented property violates this agreement
and subjects the leaseholder to eviction.
Pam Murrell, manager for Kimberly Park Terrace,
A
Assistant Chief E.L. Yokley Capt. R.O. Pouncey
Police promotions raise -
suspicions among officers
By TRACY L. PROSSER
Chronicle Staff Writer
r
The recent promotions of 50 policemen
in the Winston-Salem police department has
members of the department questioning the
reason those not promoted \nere overlooked.
The police department promoted 50
policemen, including a new assistant chief,
July 20. The promotions were effective July
23. Of the 50, 9 were Afro-Americans,
which amounts to 18 percent of the promo
tions.
One poliqp officer, who asked not be be
identified, said, "There is a lot of negative
flack from officers all up through the ranks
who were passed over unjustifiably. There
was- a lot of disappointment, and rightly so."
The feelings about recent promotions
are not simply sour grapes from those who
have not received promotions, the officer
said. For the last three years, the feeling has
been that race may be a factor, the officer
said.
Please see page A7
Legal Aid client wins case
against landlord ,
By TRACY L. PROSSER
Chronicle Staff Writer
This is the first in a series of articles examining
the role of Legal Aid, in the housing shortage .
Margaret Spinks'was awarded over $25,000 in
damages because her landlord did not properly main
tain the house in which she was living. Spinks had
sought legal assistance from the Legal Aid Society of
Northwest North Carolina,
In a case which was decided in Forsyth County
district court July 23, Darrell Foy was ordered to pay
damages to his tenant, Spinks, who rented a house from
him at 648 W. 24-l/2th Street. Judge Margaret Sharpe
presided.
Slinks had been renting the house since 1982 and
received a summary ejection notice January 1990
because she had paid no rent since October 1989.
Spinks claims she withheld rent because Foy didn't
make necessary repairs on the home. Ellen Gcrbcr,
managing attorney for Legal Aid, said that in 1986 the
roof was leaking and the ceiling fell in. A washer out
let was installed improperly that same year, and raw
sewage backed up into the bathroom and kitchen.
The kitchen windows were never operable, and
Spinks was not given a key to the back door. The
water heater didn't work at all, and the furnace didn't
work properly.
Spinks said she had asked many times for repairs
to the house and was promised by Foy that they would
be taken care of.
When she got her eviction notice, Spinks sought
the help of Legal Aid. She filed a countersuit against
Foy and his wife Patricia for rent abatement and dam
ages. Her lawyers were Joseph Henry and Susan
Gottsegan.
On July 23, the court found that Spinks owed Foy
S750 in rent, but that she should be awarded $8,650 in
damages for rent abatement, stress and property dam
age.
Because the jury determined Foy had committed
unfair trade practices when he continued to collect rent
when his property was unsafe and unfit to live in, and
when he misrepresented his intention to make neces
sary repairs, the amount he owed Spinks was tripled to
$25,950.
Susan Gottsegan, who represented Spinks with
Joseph Henry, said, "(Spinks) was very, very pleased
and a little bit stunned at the size of the award.
"We, the attorney's in the office, felt all along that
the landlord's deliberate disregard of the terrible condi
tions of her house made him guilty of unfair trade prac
tices," said Gottsegan.
She said that last week Spinks was still living in
the house but was looking for someplace else to live.
"This is a very typical case," said Gerber. "We've
probably done at least a dozen trials similar to this."
"It's common for landlords to maintain unfit
premises, and when the tenant says, 'I've had enough'
and sues them... they say Legal Aid is going after
them." she said.
She continued, "One reason we pursue cases as
Please see page A7
said, -It s been in the last three years, to be honest with
you, that things have started happening."
When asked about the increasing number of evic
tions resulting from drug convictions, Barbara P. Fergu
son, director of management for the Housing Authority,
said that it is not because of stricter enforcement of the
rule.
"The rule is not being enforced any more than in
the past," she said. "There are more cases than in the
past." '
Please see page A7
Delegates
win 2, lose 4
By JOCELYN DANIELS
Chronicle Legislative Correspondent
In May, the eight-member Forsyth Legislative Del
egation came here full of energy
and determined to get legislative
action on their agenda.
However, what they wanted
and what they got left some Forsyth
delegates with the feeling that the
past 12 weeks had been a nightmare
that still hasn't really ended.
The
The General Assembly's so
called 'short* session for 1990 began
in May and ended Saturday. The 46
days marked the longest 'short* ses
sion in the state's history.
The Forsyth legislators wanted:
? lA_fully funded Basic Educa
tion Program. This eight year pro
gram is designed to improve the
quality of public education.
Esposlto
?More funding for human ser
vices such as child care, AFDC (Aid to Families of
Dependent Children.)
Please see page A 10
r Winston-Salem Chronicle y
tite&sUjHtaAB
?
Looting in Port of Spain, Trinidad
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (AP) -- A loot?r
carries 'stolen groceries*past a soldier in Port erf
Spain recently after a mob ransacked
warehouses following several days of unrest in
this Caribbean nation. The Prime Minister of
Trinidad and other government officials were
being held hostage as part of a coup attempt.
More state and national news .
Please see page A3
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