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Unlikely
victim of
injustice
speaks out
Beverly Monroe spent a decade in
prison for a crime she did not commit
BY LAYLA FARMER
THE CHRONICLE
Twenty years ago, Virginia resident Beverly
Monroe had never even heard of a wrongful convic
tion. A mother and an accomplished chemist with
out so much as a parking ticket on her record,
Monroe certainly never imagined she would be the
victim of such a miscarriage of justice. But, as
Monroe told those present at her lecture in Wake
Forest University's Worrell Professional Center last
Photo by Lay la Farmer
Beverly Monroe speaks at
Wake Forest on Monday.
week, it can hap
pen to anyone.
"I never, ever,
ever thought that
this type of experi
ence would define
my life," said
Monroe, who was
convicted of mur
dering her compan
ion Roger de la
Burde. a wealthy
art collector, in
1992.
"I had no idea
about wrongful
convictions, and
even after it hap
pened to me, I
couldn't imagine
that it happened to
lots of people,"
said the mother of three. "It does."
The March 24 lecture, titled "Death, Lies and
False Confessions: The Wrongful Conviction of
Beverly Monroe," was sponsored by the WFU
School of Law's Innocence and Justice Clinic. Carol
Turowski, co-director of the Clinic, said she met
Monroe at an Innocence Network Conference and was
moved by her story. She was hopeful that it would
inspire the law students present to listen to the
accused and draw their own conclusions about cases.
"It was terribly powerful. It sends chills down
my spine," she said of hearing Monroe tell of her
ordeal. "...There's nothing like hearing from an indi
vidual who is subject to the system and all of its
flaws... to really bring the situation home."
Monroe served a decade in prison for the crime,
despite the fact that there was no hard evidence con
necting her to the case, she said.
"The law did not protect me, the truth did not pro
tect me, the evidence did not protect me," she
declared. "Nothing could protect me."
De la Burde's death was initially ruled a suicide
by the medical examiner and investigators, because
of findings such as gunshot residue on his hands,
Monroe said. Later, when David M. Riley, a senior
See Monroe on A9
Phuto hy I a) la humicr
Mara Lynn
Newman (left)
and Laura
Weigand show
off some exam
ples of the pop
ular e- readers.
Library now offering popular e-Readers
BY l.AYLA FARMER
fHE CHRONICLE
Facebook. Twitter. E-books and now,
e-readers. When it comes to 21st Century
literary entertainment, Forsyth County
Public Libraries are doing their best to be
"on the same page" with local patrons.
The public library system began March 14
making e-readers. electronic handheld
devices that can be loaded with digital ver
sions of popular trade (published) books
and magazines, available for check-out at
Central Library and ;fll of the system's
nine branches. The library has two brands
of the devices, the Nook from Barnes &
Noble booksellers and the Sony Reader.
By offering the readers for check out. the
library hopes to allow its patrons to try
the e-reader format out before forking over
the money to purchase their own.
"Libraries are always responsive to the
times and the communities we serve." said
Collections Development Manager Laura
Weigand. "We want to. as much as possi
ble. stay ahead of the curve of new learn
ing and new technology that our customers
will be seeking."
Since the launch uf Ama/un c< >m s
Kindle in November 2007, popularity of
the e-readers has steadily grown.
Proponents of the gadgets say they are
more user friendly than their hardcover
predecessors, often offering helpful ameni
ties such as a built in dictionary and room
to store a library of e-books without tak
ing up any extra space. But lovers of
books in their traditional form say nothing
can replace the smell and feel Of holding a
book and turning each page as the story
unfolds and. trade books are more durable
See e- Readers on A 2
' 10 WSSU grad aims to guide young lives
BY LAYLA FARMER
THh CHRONICI.I.
Twelve year old Najee Baker will be the
first to admit that he hasn't always been a
model student. But NajetS, a seventh grad
er at Downtown
Middle School, says
that is beginning to
change. He's pulled
his grades up to all
A's and B's. his
behavior is improv
ing, and he's even
getting into less trou
ble at home.
"I see myself
(going) from a low
point of view to a
higher prospect of
being able to do the
things that I wanted
to do." said Najee, a city native who
dreams of becoming a lawyer someday.
The third of five children. Najee says
he owes his more positive outlook to the
Young Men for Change, an elite student
service group on the school's campus.
Najee, one of the group's 12 members.
Chris Hall
Photos by Lav la Farmer
K as had Little addresses YMC
members last week.
must keep his grades high and his attitude
in check in order to remain a YMC mem
ber. Those parameters have been a moti
vating factor for Najee, who says his
membership is a great source of pride.
"Just having the privilege of being the
best 1 can be." is one of his favorite com
ponents of being a YMC member. Najee
said the group has taught him "Whatever
your performance has been, just strive for
ward to make your future better, to make
sure you're the best you can be and you
have the potential to go on and on in life,
as far as you will take it."
Najee's shift in perspective is just what
Rashad Little was trying to achieve when
he founded the YMC with the help of fel
low teacher and WSSU alum Keith Penri
and two other male staffers earlier in the
school year.
"(Our goal is) just getting them to
believe in themselves, and their natural
ability to be great." said Little, who teach
es business entrepreneurship and computer
skills at the charter school. "Once you
plant that seed of greatness in somebody. I
think it's inevitable that they will grow
and prosper."
Little, a 2010 alumnus of Winston
Salem State University, says he fashioned
the YMC after Black Men for Change, a
successful student service organization at
WSSU. As a student himself, the organi
zation had a big impact on his life. Little
said.
"I was just a freshman looking for
guidance. During that time, the people
See ^ MC on \3
Happy Birthday Mr. Lucas!
Photo by Kevin Walker
The Winston Lake Family YMCA celebrated the 84th birthday of commu~
nity icon Moses "Mo" Lucas last week with cake and loads of praise for
the birthday boy. Lucas has been affliated with the Y branch for more than
half a century. Over that time, he has held many titles but is best known
as a mentor and father-figure to hundreds.
Thft Bhanalan Resistance
Professor says West Africans fought European slave trade #
BY LAYLA FARMER
THE CHRONICLE
An internationally-known Ghanaian
scholar shed light on some little known
elements of the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade
Monday, during Winston-Salem State
University's annual Spring Assembly at
the Anderson Conference Center on cam
pus.
Dr. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, vice
chancellor and professor of literature at the
University of Cape Coast in Ghana became
the first female vice chancellor in her
native country when she took the post in
2008. A published author. Opoku
Agyemang has written extensively on the
slave trade.
"I embarked on this research to find
answers that 1 did not think all of my edu
cation had provided me. I needed to under
See Ghania on A5
PHono by Laylt Fanner
Dr. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang
accepts her Doctor of Humane Letters
from WSSU C hancellor Donald Reaves.
Spend it here.
Keep it here.
BUY LOCAL FIRST!
CHAMBER
A Mind For Business.