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Police Brutality Alleged in W.Va.
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dnarshMAX
Aug 28, 2001, 7:11:02 PM8/28/01
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AUGUST 26, 16:49 EDT
Police Brutality Alleged in W.Va.
By ALLISON BARKER
Associated Press Writer
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - A surveillance videotape that shows white police
beating a black man has energized the black community in Huntington,
renewing calls for an end to intimidation and racism they say has long
haunted their Ohio River city.
``This has to be the last type of incident of this nature,'' said Phil
Carter, a member of the NAACP chapter in Huntington. ``It's a matter of
justice and righting the wrong and stopping it now.''
``We have bigoted folk here who display it every chance they get,'' said a
black city councilman, the Rev. Larry Patterson.
Adonis Newsome, 22, says police punched and kicked him outside the Midnight
Rodeo Club on Aug. 18 while he was trying to protect his cousin, Loveil
Wade, 19, during a fight at the bar in Huntington, a city of about 51,000
people some 50 miles from Charleston.
Both Newsome and Wade are black; the eight officers and an off-duty 911
dispatcher involved are white.
The FBI and the police internal affairs office are investigating police
brutality allegations. In the meantime, Huntington Police Chief Gordon Ramey
II has refused to identify the officers involved. The dispatcher was
identified as Robert D. Bell.
Wade was charged with possessing drugs and Newsome was charged with
obstruction of justice and four counts of battery on a police officer.
``We think this issue is bigger than race,'' said David Perry, Newsome's
attorney. ``It's basic humanity.''
The incident didn't surprise the Rev. Pat Whittington, the former rector at
St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Huntington.
Whittington, who is white, said her family was a target of threats and
racial slurs when her granddaughter's black father and uncle visited last
year.
``Our neighbors were screaming how they would like to burn niggers,''
Whittington said. ``I had to go over and ask them to please not say that.
The family has since moved.
``Huntington, in general, is a different place, more of a southern town,''
Whittington said. ``Our situation was never addressed.''
Police sent Whittington's complaints to the Cabell County prosecutor, who
never filed charges. It took a petition by the state Attorney General's
office for the family to obtain a protective order.
``One would have to have his whole body - not just his neck - buried deep in
the sand to say there are no racial problems in Huntington,'' said
Patterson.
Last year, a black teen-ager alleged that police used excessive and deadly
force when he was shot in the back during a pursuit. Police called the
shooting accidental.
In 1996, two guards were fired after they staged a mock lynching of a black
inmate at the Cabell County Jail in Huntington.
Cross burnings, a tactic of the Ku Klux Klan, also have been reported in
Huntington in recent years.
It's time to act, says Arley Johnson, a black former state legislator.
``Since I was a child, I have been to so many community forums on racism
that after a while everybody gets tired of talking about the problem -
black, white and everything else,'' said Johnson.
``At some point, the situation will die down and then it's back to usual
until the next time,'' he said. ``People are tired of that and I'm tired of
that.''
The police chief said he is waiting for the investigations to be completed
before taking any disciplinary action.
``I have to be as objective as I can,'' said Ramey, who has been chief for
five months.
Carter said he hopes Ramey follows through with his promise.
``There are high expectations that Chief Ramey will pursue this and pursue
justice even if it does lead to people being suspended from their post,'' he
said. ``We want the truth.''
.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Police Brutality Alleged in W.Va.
By ALLISON BARKER
Associated Press Writer
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - A surveillance videotape that shows white police
beating a black man has energized the black community in Huntington,
renewing calls for an end to intimidation and racism they say has long
haunted their Ohio River city.
``This has to be the last type of incident of this nature,'' said Phil
Carter, a member of the NAACP chapter in Huntington. ``It's a matter of
justice and righting the wrong and stopping it now.''
``We have bigoted folk here who display it every chance they get,'' said a
black city councilman, the Rev. Larry Patterson.
Adonis Newsome, 22, says police punched and kicked him outside the Midnight
Rodeo Club on Aug. 18 while he was trying to protect his cousin, Loveil
Wade, 19, during a fight at the bar in Huntington, a city of about 51,000
people some 50 miles from Charleston.
Both Newsome and Wade are black; the eight officers and an off-duty 911
dispatcher involved are white.
The FBI and the police internal affairs office are investigating police
brutality allegations. In the meantime, Huntington Police Chief Gordon Ramey
II has refused to identify the officers involved. The dispatcher was
identified as Robert D. Bell.
Wade was charged with possessing drugs and Newsome was charged with
obstruction of justice and four counts of battery on a police officer.
``We think this issue is bigger than race,'' said David Perry, Newsome's
attorney. ``It's basic humanity.''
The incident didn't surprise the Rev. Pat Whittington, the former rector at
St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Huntington.
Whittington, who is white, said her family was a target of threats and
racial slurs when her granddaughter's black father and uncle visited last
year.
``Our neighbors were screaming how they would like to burn niggers,''
Whittington said. ``I had to go over and ask them to please not say that.
The family has since moved.
``Huntington, in general, is a different place, more of a southern town,''
Whittington said. ``Our situation was never addressed.''
Police sent Whittington's complaints to the Cabell County prosecutor, who
never filed charges. It took a petition by the state Attorney General's
office for the family to obtain a protective order.
``One would have to have his whole body - not just his neck - buried deep in
the sand to say there are no racial problems in Huntington,'' said
Patterson.
Last year, a black teen-ager alleged that police used excessive and deadly
force when he was shot in the back during a pursuit. Police called the
shooting accidental.
In 1996, two guards were fired after they staged a mock lynching of a black
inmate at the Cabell County Jail in Huntington.
Cross burnings, a tactic of the Ku Klux Klan, also have been reported in
Huntington in recent years.
It's time to act, says Arley Johnson, a black former state legislator.
``Since I was a child, I have been to so many community forums on racism
that after a while everybody gets tired of talking about the problem -
black, white and everything else,'' said Johnson.
``At some point, the situation will die down and then it's back to usual
until the next time,'' he said. ``People are tired of that and I'm tired of
that.''
The police chief said he is waiting for the investigations to be completed
before taking any disciplinary action.
``I have to be as objective as I can,'' said Ramey, who has been chief for
five months.
Carter said he hopes Ramey follows through with his promise.
``There are high expectations that Chief Ramey will pursue this and pursue
justice even if it does lead to people being suspended from their post,'' he
said. ``We want the truth.''
.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"skipper popper" with a long lead for cpl <grin>
The greatest happiness is to know the source of unhappiness. - Dostoevsky
Lots of Love, Don
aka MAX
http://www.wingsofanangel.com
CplPunishment
Aug 29, 2001, 1:50:11 PM8/29/01
to
OH MY GOD DNARSH!
You qre posting something about little old WV!!!!!
Why I am just a few miles away fro that city!
We are BIG TIME NOW!!!!
WOOO HOOO!
"dnarshMAX" <mywingso...@aol.comnospam> wrote in message
news:20010828191102...@mb-dd.aol.com...
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