Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / Jan. 10, 2008, edition 1 / Page 10
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? * ? Residents sound-off about Police Department Review prompted by Darryl Hunt case BY LAYLA FARMER THE CHRONICLE The city of Winston-Salem will be the first to admit that its Police Department has room for improvement. "We're not perfect," said City Manager Lee Gamty. "We're a lot better, but we're not perfect." But then, as the city that spawned the infamous, stun ningly botched case of Darryl Hunt, it would be virtually impossible not to. In the years since Hunt's release in 2003, the police department and the Forsyth County District Attorney's office have endufed ample criticism for the practices and policies that helped convict an Innocent man. Hunt, of first degree murder, a - . r ? ; /\s pan ui an uiiguiug cuuit to find and fix what went wrong with the Hunt case, city officials t hosted a meeting at the Hanes Hosiery Recreation Center to allow residents to voice their concerns and opinions about the Police Department's Criminal Investigations Unit, the wing of the department made up of the detectives who investigate crimes. ? "This is the beginning of a very, very important process," Garrity remarked. "As always, my .commitment is, as much as possible, to have a transparent review of city government ... You are the owners of the city government; it is so important that we work with'you." _ Almost immediately, there was controversy, whenathe 60 plus citizens who crowded into the room learned that the meet ing was not in fact a public forum as the audience had understood it to be, but an opportunity to meet one-on-one with representatives from the Raleigh-based consulting firm. Risk Management Associates (RMA), which was hired by the City Council to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the Photos by Layla Farmer Shawna Graham speaks about her son, Kalvin Michael Smith. Right: The Rev. Carlton Eversley addresses his con cerns. Criminal Investigations Unit. After a few moments of tur moil, Garrity stepped in and amended the evening's agenda, allowing those present to chose whether they wished to air their complaints publicly or privately. Though most of the com plaints were centered around the alleged mistreatment of myriad African Americans - mostly men - by the police department, there was a diverse group in attendance at the meeting turned-forum. Shawna Graham made sure she voiced her opinions pub licly. Graham is the mother of Kalvin Michael Smith, a black 9 man who was imprisoned in the mid-90s after being convicted of attacking and nearly killing Jill Marker, a white woman who was savagely beaten at the Silk Plant Forest on Silas Creek Parkway. Smith's case has been picked up by Duke University's Innocence Project and has received considerable criticism for the way that it was handled by the Criminal Investigations Unit and DA's office. "At this particular time, I have no love for the judicial sys tem," Graham said, rage strain ing the tone of, her voice. "My son's case was not thoroughly investigated ... Tom Keith knows that he doesn't have evi dence; my son did not commit that crime." District Attorney Tom Keith, whose office is linked to several controversial cases in the coun ty, took considerable heat from the crowd. "I just have a rhetorical question," one audience mem ber said "Why is Tom Keith still in office?" Among the sea of faces were familiar ones such as Mayor Pro Tempore Vivian Burke, and the Rev. Carlton Eversly and Professor Larry Little, the latter two staunchly supported Darryl Hunt during his ordeal. Hunt was also in attendance, as were NAACP President Stephen Hairston and City Council Member Joycelyn Johnson. The Rev. Susan Parker of Wake Forest Baptist Church, recounted an incidence of what she called injustice that her niece, a white woman, and her African American husband experienced while visiting the city. ine COUpie were turning uic city when they were pulled over by a police officer who ques tioned Parker's niece as to whether she was in the car with her husband voluntarily or if he was harassing or bothering her in any way, Parker related. If that incident helped to open Parker's eyes to the injustices that were going on around her, then her exposure to the Darryl Hunt case added fuel to the fire. "As a citizen, I want to hear something from this city about what's going to happen in the future to make sure that we don't have recurring situations like Darryl (Hunt) or maybe like Kalvin (Michael Smith)," she asserted. "Because right now, my confidence is shattered in this city and in the police force and the criminal investigation department here." Risk Management Associates may conduct follow up interviews with some of those who took part in the forum. The agency was hired at the recommendation of the city appointed Sykes Administrative Review Committee (Deborah Sykes is the woman that Hunt was falsely oconvicted of killing). RMA is expected to report its results to the city. The agency, though, also received some criticism at the forum. NAACP President Hairston and others are concerned that appar ently most of RMA employees are white males. The Mercedes-Benz Winter Event 2008 E350 - , _ 2008 C300 2008 ML350 2008 GL450 02 CLK430 PW, POL. Aloys, 50K. Star Leather intanor *25,900 06 C230 4dr CO, R Sort, 30,000 miles. Black, Leather Int. Sport package *25,900 03E320 ?Jiiil jliiB Auto, CO, Pwt Snrt 1 -Owner, 30K, While, Black Lthr Interior *27,900 05 E320 CO Dual power seats. Sunrool, 30K miles. Black. Htd Seats *36,900 05E320 IJiiil.iliii Auto, 6 Disc CO, P. Snrl. Aloy> 18K mias, Silver, Ash ttu, HB seats *36,900 |05 E320 CDI ?JliH'JlIJi . _ 1 -Owner. 37MPG, Diesel. Navigation, Htd Seats. 15K :m .....*39,900 06 E350 Wagon 6 Disc CO, P Snrt 24K miles, f^wter, Htd Seats. NAV *42,900 CERTIFIED PREJ>WNED LK430 CONVERTIBLE iMfflif C-Class 00 C230 Kompressor . ? 4dr, P Sort. 61K m?. White. Lthr, Exc. Cond., PW, POL. PS *1 3,988 03 C240 4MATIC PW, POL, PS. PB. CO. PSnrl. Silver Leather *1 6,900 04 C240 4dr. CO. PwSnrf, AC, Aloys, 39K. Black *21,988 05 C240 Auto PW, POL, PS, P Sort. Aloys, Grande Gray, LHw. Warranty *24,900 CL-CIms 06CL55 CO Pom Suwod. 9.900 Miles. S*w. Lthr. Nev Keyless go . ?. *74,988 CLK-Class 06 CLK 350 Convertible 2dr. Auto, A/C. Silver, OMUaK. Htd Sfcfls.Sat Radio.Biack Top *42,900 WEEKLY SPECIAL 02 S430 $27,900 CERTIFIED E -Class 02 E320 Wagon Auto, AC. PSwf, Cruise Alloys. Desert Silver *1 5,900 05 E320 4dr, CO, Pwr Snrf, 1 -Owner, 22K, Desert, Lthr Intend, Heated Seats........' *35,900 06 E350 J&, Auto, PW, POL, PS, PR P Sort, A/C. Alum Whls, 12K mie*, White, Lthr, NAV *39,900 06 E350 Black. Stone Uhr, Negation, Heated Seats, 1 -Owner , 11K mile* *39,900 R-Clast 06 R350 4MATIC 4dr, Auto, CD, Panoroof, Black. Htd Ittir, DVD, NAV, Parktronic ... *40,900 ML-Class 07 ML350 4MATIC 4nabc. P Sunroof Alum whfc. 23K SiNwfltack. Nsv. Sat Rado. Bad< Ud Camera *42,900 SLK-Class 01 SLK320 Convertible Auto, CD, Allow, 60K m(e?, Red, Lthr. PW. POL, PS, PB *20,900 06 SLK280 Convertible CR 1 -Owner, !6K miles Red. Lttu Dual Power Seats *39,900 S-Class 04 S500 o 4dr, Auto. PW, POL, P. Snrf, A/C, Cruise Chrome wheel*, 2SK miles. While. Lthr NAV.. *45,900 06S430 4dr. Auto. PW, POL, PS . PB, P Snrf, VC. cruise, Alk>rs.21K mtos Hack. Uhr. NAV *54,900 05 S55 4 dr. PW. POL. PS, PB, P Snrf, A/C. cruKe. Alum Wheels. 3SK'mii?e, Pewter. Lthr. NAV. 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