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Rams prepare for Kimberlev Park
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; 75 cents WlNSTON-SALEM GREENSBORO HlGH POINT Vol. XXVI No. 12
jTsm Chronicle
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660 w 5TPT st q 1974 - (Sclchrating 25 ICQTS " 1999
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Three African Americans demoted after concert incidents
? , . . . , -v:
Cops are being made to take the rap, some aldermen say
BYT. KEVIN WALKER
THE CHRONICLE
As many members of the Board
of Aldermen see it, three city police
officers are being made the fall guys ?
for a chaotic night of sex, alcohol,
violence and rap at Lawrence Joel
Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
Police Chief Linda Davis demot
ed the officers last week after a
report by City Manager Bryce Stu
art claimed, among other things, lax
police supervision at an Aug. 28 rap
concert that featured multiple acts.
including the infamous Luther
Campbell of 2 Live Crew fame.
Sgts. Chuck Byrom and Steve
Hairston were demoted to the rank
of senior police officer. Sgt. Victor
Johnson has received the harshest
punishment. The department veter
an was demoted two ranks to police
officer.
All three officers are African
American. ' .
Nine off-duty police officers
were hired by the concert promoter
to provide security for the concert.
They were part of a security force
that included 14 non-police security
guards, or T-shirt security person
nel, nine door guards and 16 ushers.
A police tactical squad was on
standby outside of the coliseum in
case the situation inside got out of
hand, but the team was never called.
although, according to Stuart's
report, fights and nudity were ram
pant throughout much of the con
cert.
Aldermen gave Stuart an earful
Monday night during a public safety
hearing. They criticized the city
manager for not taking disciplinary
action against Bucky Dame, LJVM
manager, who they say ultimately
had the power to call in the tactical
squad and take other preemptive
precautions before the concert.
"Mr. Bucky Dame should have
taken more of a responsibility.... He
is the manager of that coliseum,"
said Vivian Burke; alderwoman and
public safety committee chairper
son.
Burke, who heard about the
demotions when a television
reporter called her to comment on
the matter,
said that
since Stu
art's report
was far
reaching -
criticizing
not only
security but
Dame and
concert pro
moters as
Burke
well disci
plinary actions should have been
See Concert on
*
Battling sickle cell
Photos courtesy Sickle Cell Association of the Piedmont
fovngtltri with sickle cell participate in a workshop at last summer's National Black Theatre Festival. The event is one of many
activities where elder people with sickle cell chaperon and counsel younger people with the disease.
a a a ? -a a ?* i a a a
I Camp helps kids cope with painlul disease
BYT. KEVIN WALKER
THE CHRONICLE
IShelia James can't remember
what happened to the dress she
was to be buried in.
It's been more than 25 years
now since her mother hastily
picked out the garment.
Doctors said that the then
2-year-old James would not live
another day. Her small adoles
cent body - which was hooked
to several contraptions at the
time - just could not endure the
pain and the mysterious ail
ments that had plagued it for
months, doctors said.
"But 1 came through it,"
James said with a half smile.
She survived, but can't retell
the story without tilting her
head up and raising a hand of
praise to the heavens.
James said that telling stories
like this one, and others, is one
her best qualifications for con
soling young people with sickle
cell.
It's the disease that James
was diagnosed with all those
years ago. Back then, sickle cell
- a genetic blood disorder that
causes red blood cells to take on
a sickle-like shape - was still a
mystery to the medical commu
nity.
Doctors still were looking
for ways to fight the disease and
especially a way to end the
excruciating pain it often causes.
A pain crisis, one of the most
common symptoms of the dis
ease, occurs when areas of the
body are deprived of blood
because the oddly shaped cells
clump together and block the
flow blood and oxygen.
The search continues today,
but great strides have been
made, James said.
The development of new
medications, her faith and a
constant dose of positive rein
forcement have helped James
lead a relatively normal life.
She often volunteers at the
Winston-Salem branch office of
the Sickle Cell Disease Associa
te Sickle Cell on AS
^
Widow of man who died in custody sues city
BY CHERIS HODGES
THE CHRONICLE
The widow of a man who died
in the custody of the Winston
Salem Police Department two
years ago has filed a lawsuit
against the city and five police offi
cers. alleging the police acted reck
lessly.
* Leslie Patton, the widow of
Warnie Lee Patton, filed the law
suit in Forsyth County Superior
Court on Oct. 25. The suit could
cost Winston-Salem over
$100,000.
2 Along with the claim of reck
less action, the latfsuit accuses the
pity of not giving police officers
the proper training in the use of
pepper spray.
City Attorney Ron Seeber said
he had not seen the lawsuit and
does not know what it says. Pat
ton's death, which was examined
by the State Bureau of Investiga
tion as well as the police, was con
cluded to be the result of a cocaine
overdose, he added.
Winston-Salem Police Chief
Linda Davis said she has not been
served with the lawsuit either.
The SBI report gave this
account: Patton died after he was
arrested for disorderly conduct in
front of the YWCA on Glade
Street. When Officer Kerry Israel
arrived on the scene, he found Pat
ton standing in the middle of the
street on the double yellow lines at
the driver's side window of a four
door white sedan.
Patton appeared to be shout
ing, the report said. Israel stopped
his patrol car 40 feet from the
white car. Patton made eye contact
with the officer and then he
allegedly told the driver of the
sedan that he needed help. The
report went on to say Patton began
to walk toward Israel while shout
ing, "I need help."
After Israel realized that Pat
ton was not going to get out of the
road, he told Patton he was under
arrest. When Israel attempted to
get Patton out of the street, he
allegedly jerked away. Another
officer. H.M. Bryant, assisted
Israel in getting Patton out -of the
street.
Patton continued to struggle
with the officers. Israel told him to
calm down and he was under
arrest. Patton allegedly shouted.
"Help me, help me, I know y'all
going to plant some drugs on me."
The struggle between the offi
cers and Patton continued, the
report stated. Israel believed the
man was trying to strike him and
Bryant. Israel tried to calm Patton
down. He wrapped his arms
around Patton's back and chest,
telling him to calm down.
According to the SBI report,
Patton would not cooperate. Israel
stepped back from him and took
Set Widow on A9
m
Unlair punishment
for black youths?
\ *
Black leaders voice concerns
about juvenile justice initiative
BY PAUL COLLINS
THE CHRONICLE
Some black leaders fear that SACSI - a two-year initiative to reduce
juvenile violence in Winston-Salem and Forsyth
vxiuniy - migni criminalize an element 01 young
people who are redeemable.
SACSI - Strategic Approaches to Community
Safety Initiative - is sponsored by the U.S. Depart
ment of Justice and coordinated locally by the U.S.
attorney's office. Local agency partners include:
Winston-Salem Police Department, Winston
Salem/Forsyth County School System, Office of
Juvenile Justice, Forsyth County Sheriff's Depart
ment, CenterPoint Human Services, Department of
Social Services, Department of Community Cor
Cvertlay *
rections, t-orsytn county District Attorney's Uttice,
Wake Forest University and Winston-Salem University.
One of the strategies SACSI is using is to target people whom SACS1
has identified as serious offenders, associates of serious offenders and
adults using juveniles to commit serious offenses. SACSI notifies these
people that SACSI knows who they are, is watching them, will try to get
them help if they want to straighten up, but SACSI will not tolerate vio
lence and will Investigate and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the
law if they commit serious crimes.
At a recent meeting of the Black Leadership Roundtable, several peo
ple raised concerns and asked questions about SACSIs approach.
"They are serious," one man said of SACSI. "They are coming down
hard."
He said that some of the people on SACSIs target list shouldn't be oh
the list.
? ' ? -
See Juvenile Violence on A1C
School Board approves
policy requiring athletes
to have a C average
BY T. KEVIN WALKER
THE CHRONICLE ^ ? -
After a great deal of rationalizing and amending, a majority of the
city-county School Board gave a green light to a policy that will require
high school athletes to maintain a C average in order to participate in
school sports.
The vote came Tuesday night, after more than a
month of objections by coaches and high school
principals, who fear that the policy will result in high
er dropout rates for students who don't have the abil
ity to meet the new standard. The policy will go into
effect in the fall of 2000. which means current upper
class athletes must have a C average by the last quar
ter of the current school year in order to play next
fall.
The policy passed, however, was very different I
from the one initially proposed. L
The biggest difference is that it no longer applies
.1. ? a ift. L ? > r ? ?
oniy 10 amieies. /\uer oeing accused 01 singling out
one group of students, the board voted to expand the policy to include
non-athletic teams and squads.
The approved policy also gives special consideration to students with
certain disabilities. It exempts students during their freshman year bui
requires them to take weekly tutoring in order to participate in extracuri
ricular activities if they do not have a C average. >
Sophomores, juniors and seniors will not have that option, howevefc
These students will be barred from athletics and other activities until they
achieve a C average in a nine-week quarter.
In addition, compared to the original proposal, the approved policy
See OM cm A1 \
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???? ? FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS CALL (336) 722-3626 ? MASTERCARD, VISA AND AMERICAN EXPRESS ACCEPTED ? |
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