Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / April 1, 1999, edition 1 / Page 2
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IB Photo by The Associated PreWLynsey Addano The Rev. Jesse Jackson, center, joins the Rev. Al Sharpton, right, and others in a protest at New York's police headquarters last Friday. Jackson told reporters: "I look out here today and I see blacks, whites, Asians, Latinos, men and women, moving from battleground to common ground and the moral ground." Jury selection begins inLouimacase Protestors link Louima assault and Diallo killing By TOM HAYS , . ? THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ' ? ' '? NEW YORK - Jury selection,,began today for the trial of police offi cers accused of violating a Haitian immigrant's civil rights by brutalizing him in a police station bathroom. Scores of prospective jurors gathered in federal court today and were given questionnaires seeking to measure their knowledge and opinions of the highly publicized Abner Louima case. Defense lawyers had unsuccessfully asked for a change of venue because of intense media coverage and community outrage linking the 1997 Louima case with that of Amadou Diallo, who was shot to death by police last month. Protesters noting that both cases involve black victims and white offi cers have accused police of targeting minorities for abuse. ? . In a ruling on the change of venue request, U.S. District Judge Eugene Nickerson agreed with defense lawyers that "there have been arti cles adverse to the defendants" " ? **" But he sided with the lead prosecutor by adding, "the overall nature of the publicity cannot be characterized as inflammatory." The most explosive allegation is that Officer Charles Schwarz held down a handcuffed Louima while Officer Justin Volpe, believing Louima had punched him. rammed a stick up his rectum. Louima was injured so severely he was hospitalized for two months and had to undergo a colostomy. ?? ^ . Nickerson hopes to have an impartial jury in place for opening argu :roenu on April JO. The trial is expected to last six weeks or longer, high lighted by Louima's testimony >' In addition to the alleged bathroom assault, Volpe, 26, Schwarz, 33, arsd two other officers. Thomas Bruder, 32, and Thomas Wiese, 35, are charged w ith beating Louima while he was taken by patrol car to the 70th Precinct station house >. A fifth defendant. Sgt. Michael Bellomo, 36, is charged with covering up both attacks. ?? , ? The police department's troubles come just two years after it was rid ing high on the news that the city's crime rate was dropping, with mur ders under 1,000 annually for the first tWe in 28 years. What's created the most anger is the death last month "of Diallo. Four officers, apparently believing Diallo was reaching for a gun. fired 41 bul lets at him, hitting him 19 times. Protesters have gathered for the past two weeks outside Police Head quarters in Manhattan, and a number of prominent citizens including former Mayor David Dinkins have been arrested. Thfc Rev. A1 Sharpton. who has been leading the protests, said Sun day that they would move this week to in front of the Brooklyn court where the Louima case'will be tried. "We will be there from start to finish," he said. "There will be a pres ence." ' r The shooting and other incidents have prompted investigations by the federal Civil Rights Commission. U.S. attorney's offices and State Attor ney General Eliot Spitzer. The commission will hold hearings in May on whether its "stop-and-frisk" tactics - especially in minority neighbor hoods - violate the public's rights. The department's troubles also have sullied Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. In Sunday's editions, a Daily News poll found the mayor's popularity at an all-time low. with a 40 percent approval rating, down from 60 percent in November and 65 percent a year earlier. . i Rapper Freaky Tah dies in shooting THE ASSOCIATED PRESS _ NEW YORK - Rapper Freaky Tah. a member of the hip-hop group the Lost Boyz. was killed by a ski-masked gunman who came up behind him and fired a single gunshot into his head. The gunman fled. Police do not believe robbery was the motive, said Lt. Dennis Cirillo. a police spokesman Witnesses at the scene said the shooter walked up behind the 27 year-old rapper, whose real name was Raymond Rodgers, as he left a party at a Queens hotel near his home around 4 a.m. Sunday. The gunman fired once without saying a word. Rodgers was rushed to Jamaica Hospital, where he died about half an hour later. Other members of the four man group were reportedly at the party but police were unable to locate them Sunday. The Lost Boyz, made up of boyhood friends who admitted being former small-time drug dealers, had a best-selling album in 1996 called "Legal Drug Money." The title was a reference to going straight after seeing a fel low drug dealer shot. Among there other hits are the singles "Me and My Crazy World," "Music Makes Me High" and "Get Up" and the album "Love, Peace & Nappiness." They began rapping between classes in school and honed their act at block parties. Despite their success, the rappers held annual barbecues and video arcade out ings for local youngsters. Rodgers is not the first rap star Set Rapper on AR I Black publishers honor pioneers NATIONAL NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION WASHINGTON, D.C. - Mem bers of the National Newspaper Publishers Association celebrated Black Press Week 1999, March 17 20 with a host of activities, includ ing a Newsmaker of the Year din ner; an enshrinement ceremony and' meetings with high-level Washington officials. ' , The theme qf the commemora tion was: The Black Press: You Can Count On It Now.;. Forever. Topping the events,* March 18, was the honoring of four out standing African-American com munity leaders with the Black Press' 1998 Newsmaker Award. They were Congressman Charles B. Rangel, for getting out the vote in last November's election; Con gressman John Conyers, for his leadership in the impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton; Rev. A1 Sharpton, for his longtime advocacy on behalf of the Black community and Michael Jordan, for his high level of sportsmanship during his 14-year basketball career. In an earlier press conference, NNPA President Dorothy R. Leavell spoke of the organization's passing of a resolution calling for federal and congressional investi gations into cases of police brutal ity against people of color all over the country. Leavell, who spoke at a Capitol Hill rally to highlight the issue, also discussed the associa tion's support of the national 'Enough Is Enough' campaign. She committed to using member newspapers to help fight the atroc ities and reminded participants that "You can count on the Black Press now...forever." At the same event. Spike Moss, a representative of the Black Unit ed Front, spoke of the concern of Minnesota's African-American community over new governor Jesse Ventura's cabinet appoint mpntc "He has not appointed one Black person to his cabinet and seems to have no intention of dqing so," said Moss. Meanwhile, at an afternoon ceremony, three late publishers were enshrined in the Black Press Archives. The families of the Rev. Attor ney William R. Ellis, The Reporter; Paul R. Jervay, Sr., the Carolinian and Thomas C. Jervay, The Wilmington Journal accepted plaques honoring the men, each of . whom were pioneering black pub lishers. Replicas will hang in the National Newspaper Publisher's Archives, housed in Howard Uni versity's Moorland Spingarn Cen ter. Publishers also held private meetings with the Congressional Black Caucus. "You were the ones that kept key issues that affected our com munities alive," said U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., former CBC chair. Waters praised the black press. for its coverage of the alleged link between crack cocaine and the Central Intelligence Agency, U S. Rep. James Clyburn, D S.C., current chair of CBC and a former newspaper publisher him self, pledged to support the Black Press. Clyburn said he would back the black press in its fight to secure High Court refuses to revive affirmative action-plan 0 BY RICHARD CARELU THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court today refused to revive an affirmative-action pro gram once used by the Dallas Fire Department to promote more blacks, Hispanics and women. The justices, over two dissent ing votes, let stand a ruling that struck down the program as dis criminatory against white men. The action is not a decision and sets no precedent. But the denial of review could be yet another indication the current Supreme Court has little patience for employers' efforts to give spe cial help to those historically underrepresented in their work force. Justices Stephen G. Breyer and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, both appointed to the court by Presi dent Clinton, voted to hear argu ments in the case. But the votes of four of the court's nine members are needed to grant such review. In an opinion for the two, Breyer said the court should use Sft High Court on AS a fair share of the federal govern ment's advertising pie. "We want you to know that we are here for you," he said. Other CBC members at the event included: Charles Rangel, New York; Julia Carson, Indiana, Danny Davis, Illinois; Alcee Hast ings, Florida; Earl Hilliard, Alaba ma; Eddie Bemice Johnson; Texas; Carrie Meek, Florida; Gregory Meeks, New York; Major Owens, New York; Mel Watt, North Car olina; Stephanie Tubbs Jones, Ohio and Shelia Jackson-Lee, Texas. Meanwhile, Vice President A1 Gore and members of the Clinton administration spoke to publishers about a variety of issues, including tjie administration's year 2000 budget, socfal security reform and education. Gore, who answered questions on topics ranging from the year 2000 census, to federal government advertising, pledged that his presi dential campaign would utilize the Black Press. "I was appalled to hear about the discriminatory practices" lev eled against minority press, he said. * Publishers also met with mem bers of' the Democratic and Republican National committees. Publithor of tho Carolinian, foul Jorvay, Jr. (cantor) accoptt a ploquo marking hit fothor',t, Paul Jorvay, Sr., induction into tho Block Pratt Archivot. Ho alto occoptod tho award on bohalf of hit undo, Thomat C. Jorvay, Sr. Holding that ploquo it Carolinian coktmnitt, WUbort WUdoi (loft). At right it William Sllit, publithor of Tho Koportor (Akron, Ohio),who occoptod tho honor on bohalf of hit fothor, Alty. Kov. William K. illit. CenterRfrjnt I Human Services Psychiatrists Honored On Doctors Day CenterPoint Human Services salutes its outstanding medical team on National Doctor's Day. Die team, led by Dr. Ureh Lekwauwa, Medical Director, Includes (L to R) Doctors David Allen, jessica Lay, Khosrow Bah ran I, Gerl Snoke, Katherine Marshall, Marilyn Granger, Ureh Lekwauwa, Eugene Mindel, and Keith Hege, P..A. Dianks for all that you do every day to help achieve CenterPoint's goal of Helping People Succeed. CenterPoint Human Services is located at 725 N. Highland Avenue In Winston-Salem. Offices are also located In Mocksvllle, Danbury and King. Remember, for Immediate Access to Care, dial ? I -888 581-9988. With FHA's new ? * high ST loan limits^ . ? * ? you can buy your dream home. ? ? ? < . .? ? ,? ? ? ? ' ? ? iince 1934 we've helped over 26 million Americans get into new homes. And starting this year, HUD can help you get a home loan for up to $208,800. Be sure to check with your lender to find out what i the FHA-insured loan limits are in your area. Wb can also help you i with any questions you might have. Just call 1 -800-HUDS-FHA and ask for our free 100 Questions and Answers brochure. If II tell you how to get an FHA loan for as little as 3% down. How to choose the right lender. How to prepare yourself for the homebuying process, "t And much more. In fact, if you're looking for a home, it's all |\"| "1 the information you need. ' IL^Vl HUD and FHA hc on your wk. I c? 'SiawSS!' ? ?
Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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