Winston-Salem ? Greensboro ? High Poini
For Reference
Not to .be taken
from this library
XXX No. 18
THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2
Lash
tourpey
has many
standouts
- See Page Bl
Kwanzaa
event
looks at
economics i
- See Page |
Massage
therapist
launches
business
Church
holds
gospel
show
-See Page CI
Free At Last, Free At Last
Supporters help welcome
Darryl Hunt home
ffV T. KEVIN WALKKR
rm CHRONIC! E
To teenage members of the
NAACP Youth Chapter, Darryl
Hunt has been more than just a
man. For their entire lives, his
name has been synonymous with
injustice in this city, a horror story
of what can happen to a black
man when good ol' boys are
angry and hellbent.
On Christmas Eve, Hunt
became real to the youngsters,
real enough that many of them
shook his hand and gave him
hugs after Hunt came to
Emmanuel Baptist Church soon
after he was released from prison.
Hunt was serving a life sentence
for a crime that DNA and his
most loyal supporters say he had
nothing to do with.
Velma Thumas, head of the
NAACP Tntrm Chapter, went to
pick up the teens about an hour
before Hunt arrived. Hunt sup
porters wanted the church's sanc
tuary to be packed with as many
people as possible in order to give
Hunt a warm homecoming.
Thomas wanted the young people
to witness the event for another
reason.
"It is sad." she said, "the
injustice that black people have to
go through. This is histocy..andit
is also a lesson these kids need to
leam. It is' a hard lesson, but (hey
need to learn it."
Close to 100 people cheered
and chanted "Darryl Hunt is free"
as Hunt made his way into the
church last week, but there was
pain behind the smiles and joy.
Hunt's arrest and prosecution for
the 1984 murder and rape of
white newspaper copy editor
Deborah Sykes has left many in
this town bitter, angry and aston
ished. Hunt was convicted on
nonexistent physical evidence
and witnesses that were as shaky
as an amusement park ride.
Even as Hunt took his first
steps of freedom in more than 10
years last week, his supporters
said they were not ready to for
give or forget the system that con
victed him twice and took nearly
20 years of his life.
"Darryl Hunt is just a micro
cosm of a greater problem." said
Nelson Malloy. a City Council
member and longtime Hunt sup
Sc,' Hunt on A6
Photos by Kevi
Top (from left): Mark Robil, Hunt's attorney talks to the news media ; Rev. John Mendez talks
to Hunt supporters as Larry Little and Imam Khalid Griggs look on; Minister Carolyn Gordon
sings with other Hunt supp?rtefo>qsshe waits for Hunt to arrive. Above , Darryl Hunt and his
wife, April, take question/ from fheVqews media.
Moratorium
supporters
are buoyed
by Hunt case
BY T. KEVIN WALKER
THE CHRONICLE
The release of Darryl
Hunt has
re i g n i ted
fire in
the bel
lies of
local
support
ers of a
statewide
death
penalty
moratori
um. The
Sutton
Hunt case is a textbook exam
ple of what is wrong with the
criminal justice system,
moratorium supporters say.
An overwhelming white
jury convicted Hunt, an
African-American, of mur
dering Deborah Sykes, a
young, white newspaper copy
Sec Moratorium on A6
Call Her Rep. Parmon
Grassroots champ has made waves during freshman term
BY T. KEV1N WALKER
Ull CHRONICLE
Earline Parmon has not been County Com
missioner Earline Parmon for about a year, but
if she had a dime for every lime someone made
that mistake she could rival Oprah Winfrey's
fortune.
But Parmon - who left behind 12 years on
the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners
to win a seat in the N.C. House - is not over
" There are no permanent
enemies, just permanent
interests. "
- Rep. Earline Parmon
ly concerned that her title is sometimes
butchered when she is introduced at communi
ty events. She said when people stop remem
bering that she is an elected official altogether,
then she will start to worry.
"Having been a local elected official for so
many years, it is going to take people some
time to reajize that you have moved to another
level of government." she said; "It is just an
honor to serve people. I don't take it lightly
that people have voted for me to serve them."
Parmon did not go Raleigh last year as
bright-eyed and naive as other freshmen legis
lators. She has spent most of her life in politics
and community activism. She knows all the
angles. She can talk the talk and walk the walk.
Parmon has bucked tradition - which calls for
freshman legislators to shut up, sit and learn -
finishing a term that she and her colleagues
call prolific and productive. The first bill
signed into law last session was one that Par
mon introduced. The bill gave individual
school systems the ability to devise creative
ways to make up school time missed as a result
of inclement weather.
"After that. I really got confidence in my
ability to be an effective part of the Legisla
ture." she said.
Parmon also co-sponsored a successful bill
along with fellow Forsyth County legislator
Larry Womble that repealed the state's contro
versial sterilization law. Her plate for next ses
sion. which will officially start in May. is
already full with items she introduced that are
still stuck in committee. One bill that Parmon
wants to see pushed through would raise the
state's minimum wage to $6. She also is push
ing legislation that w^yW increase the wages
of the state's teacher assistants.
"We have a group of people that have very
much an impact on our kids' education, but
they are paid wages below the federal poverty
level." Parmon said. She has garnered some
keen committee assignments. She sits on five
committees, including the powerful Appropri
ations Committee. She is the vice chairman of
the Appropriations Subcommittee on Educa
tion.
Womble said Parmon's committee assign
Sec Pormon on A7
?- * Photo by Kevin talker
State Rep. Earline Parmon waves from a float during
the Winston-Salem State homecoming parade.
Bryant hopes new
financing rule ?
will help her keep
focus in '04 race
BY COURTNEY GAILLARD
THE CHRONICLE '
N.C. Court of Appeals Judge Wanda Bryant
is hoping that the N.C. Judicial Reform Public
Financing Program will help her hold on to her
appellate seat in 2<XW. Bryan)' is the first judicial
candidate to opt in lo the new financing pro
gram. which requires candidates to obtain con
tributions from registered
voters in the state.
She said this program
will allow her to focus
her efforts on her judge
ship rather than fund-rais
ing.
"This seems like a
good thing because- of
how difficult it is for us as
judges to raise money,
period." .said Bryant.
"Fund-raising takes so
Bryant
much time and energy.
and this is a huge election year in 2(X)4... .Every
body is raising money." .
This optional finance program act. which is
open only to candidates for seats on the N.C.
r".
Sec Bryont on A7
In Qrateful Memory of Our
Founders,
Florrie S. Russell and
Carl H. Russell, Sr.^
" Growing and Still Dedicated to Serve You Better "
ffiugggll ffiumx&l iamt
Wishes to Thank Everyone For Their Support
822 Carl Russell Ave.
(at Martin I .uther Kins Dr.)
Winston-Salem. NC 27101
(336) 722-3459
Fax (336) 631-8268
rusfhome@ bfllsouth.net
The Only Choice for African-American and Community News