^reggFimrag^ Ti^fiBlic I ? *- .m. tk ih A H \t.. ,/..flifT~
** q Photos by Courtney Ciaillurd
ioetta Shepherd, director of violence response programs with Family Services, speaks to the
<*owd gathered to honor victims of domestic abuse, as an advocate for the abused women
hplds a mock headstone with a victim's epitaph.
Silent Victims
:? ' -
Agency holds
ceremony to honor
abused women
BV COURTNEY GAILLARD
I III CHRONig I
Slain victims of domestic
violence were honored and
remembered in a rally last
Thursday called Remember
My Name. The rally, spon
sored by Family Services Inc.
and the Domestic Violence
Community Council, was also
held to show support for sur
vivors of domestic violence.
Law-enforcement officers,
attorneys, health-care profes
sionals and domestic-violence
advocates - all of the people
who work to assist and protect
abused women were present at
the rally held in Winston
Square Park. All declared
their agencies' commitments
to ending the violent behavior
that leads to so many deaths.
"While we honor the mem
ory of those who lost their
lives due to domestic vio
lence. it is also our hope that .
this particular service will
galvanize our community in
its commitment to end domes
tic violence. We must create a
zero tolerance to domestic
violence. These deaths must
not be in vain." said Joetta
Shepherd, director of violence
response programs with Fami
ly Services.
According to Shepherd,
communities around the area
were encouraged to gather at
the same time on that day to
taise awareness about domes
tic violence.
Black shadow silhouettes
covered in a single victim's
name and date of death from
domestic violence were held
as a reminder of the thousands
pf women who are murdered
from physical abuse. Their
names were read off to the
small and silent crowd who
gathered at the park to honor
those whose lives were
brought to a brutal and tragic
halt.
Single white candles were
lit to symbolize the 14 victims
of domestic violence in the
last two months. A 15th can
dle was lit to recognize the
next victim who has yet to
come forward for help.
Brandy. Latahnya. Debbie.
Elizabeth. Lisa. Tiffany. Jen
nifer, Valerie. Tiana. Marilyn
and Andrea were just some of
so many who-have were mur
dered by husbands or
boyfriends, some as recent as
two weeks ago.
"I think if we've learned
anything and walk away with
anything today, it is that
domestic violence is not just
an issue that Family Services
deals with or the Sheriff's
Office or Winston-Salem
Police Department. It affects
every single system, agency
and citizen in this communi
ty." said Sharee Fowler, coor
dinalor of (he Domestic Vio
lence Community Council
with Family Services.
One survivor named Tere
sa came forward and
expressed her gratitude to
staff members at Family Ser
vices who helped her get out
of an abusive relationship.
She spoke of numerous trips
to the Battered Women's Shel
ter when she was overcome
with feelings of entrapment in
her relationship, despite her
job as a Winston-Salem police
officer.
"I broke the silence and
freed myself from that rela
tionship," said Teresa, who
finally decided three years
ago that "enough was
enough."
Once an e-mail began to
circulate around agencies stat
ing that eight domestic vio
lence murders had occurred
between June and July of this
year. Shepherd said it was
quickly decided that a memo
rial service would be neces
sary to raise awareness.
"I think we think about
sometimes the fact of people
being beaten and people ver
bally abused, but we don't
necessarily think about the
fact that this could end up
with someone being seriously
injured or killed." Shepherd
said.
Here are five things to say
to a victim of domestic vio
lence who is reluctant to leave
a violent situation:
? I am afraid for your safe
ty
? I am afraid for the safety
of your children.
? It will only get worse.
? I am here for you when
you are ready to leave.
' You deserve better than
this.
For information, call the
Shelter and 24-Hour Crisis
Line, 723-8125, or log onto
www.familyserv.org.
People gathered at Winston Square Park to memorialize
those recently killed due to physical violence.
Homes 1 year and
older need to be
checked for termites
"A flea circus is a
good act but it takes
"^yr / termites to bring a
y ' home down."
Call
* Triad Pest Control
1535 S. Martin Luther KinK Drive
Winston-Salem. NC
voice
if on WFDD
k^? 885 FM
i
Citizens urged to remain
calm as SBI probes shooting j
I- MKaL. , : r'.yT3?LfJMM ;
q F ile Photo ?
Jessie Grooms, 14, was shot Saturday morning after the alleged stolen car he was driving
was stopped near Rupert Bell Park, which is off File Street in Cast Winston.
PROM STAFF REPORTS
An official with the State
Bureau of Investigation told
The Chronicle Monday that
the investigation into the
shooting of a 14-year-old boy
by Winston-Salem police
could take weeksp or even
months to complete.
"It is basically a criminal
investigation to determine the
facts of the case," said Loy
Ingold. supervising agent for
the SBI's Greensboro office.
The Winston-Salem Police
Department called in the SBI
Saturday, soon after Jessie
Grooms was shot by police.
WSPD always calls in the
state agency when an officer
uses such force.
The Police Department has
been tight-lipped about the
incident. It is unclear how
many times Grooms was shot
and why police thought it was
necessary to fire a gun.
The department did release
a written statement over the
weekend, in which officials
said that Grooms was stopped *
(beside Rupert Bell Park) by
officers in a stolen vehicle.
Two officers approached the
stolen vehicle and asked
Grooms to turn off the igni
tion of the car. According to
the Police Department,
Grooms did not obey the com
mand. When an officer
reached into the car to turn the
ignition off, an altercation
ensued and Grooms was shot
with the gun of Lt. W.S.
Weaver, according to the
Police Department statement.
Grooms was admitted to
Wake Forest University Bap
tist Medical Center in serious
but stable condition. By press
time he had been upgraded to
satisfactory condition.
Two people who claim to
have witnessed the incident
i
have called The Chronicle this !
week. Both said that they did;
not see Grooms resisting offi
cers.
Ingold said the investiga
tion into the shooting will
include the collection of phys
ical evidence as well as inter
views with those involved and
witnesses. Ingold said that
since the incident occurred on
a weekend near a busy park,
there are a lot of interviews
that must be conducted.
When the SBI concludes
Set Investigation on A4
^glhC Ue<\ ? :
UNSTON-SALEM buck chamber OF COMMEICE
%. #' ?8 8
,}g the
We invite you to contact us
King's Kid Realty
Katie Carter, Owner
5308 Ember Fane ? Kernersville, NC 27284
Office: (336) 788-7244 ? FAX (336) 788-6247
Safe Bus Company f|i I
BOB NEILL gmc I
Billy Harris
New & Pre-Owned Vehicle Specialist
"I'll walk you through your auto purchasing ? _
experience from start to finish! Because buying an
automobile shouldn't be a task, but a pleasure. I will I
exceed your expectation and put you in the
driver's seat this summer!!"
BOB NEILL PONTIAC-GMC
2710 University Pkwy.
Winston-Salem, NC 27105 ^
Bus. Phone: (336) 723-0536 and 1 -800-232-22262
Fax: (336) 727-0935
Visit us on the web: www.bobneillpontiacgmc.com